Cicada names 23 startups for Tech23 deep tech cohort
Wed, 1st Jul 2026 (Today)
Cicada Innovations has named 23 startups to its Cicada x Tech23 2026 cohort, selected from 236 applicants.
The line-up spans artificial intelligence, health, energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and sustainability, with ventures from across Australia. Applications rose 57 per cent from the previous year, signalling continued activity in the country's deep tech sector despite uncertainty over public support for commercialisation and scale-up.
Among the selected companies is Cortisonic, which is developing what it describes as a new computational element for ultra-low-power edge processing. Gega Elements is working on lower-cost gallium refining for a material used in AI hardware, while Monadd-AI says it can run cloud-scale AI on standard desktop hardware for small and medium-sized businesses.
Other companies in the cohort focus on water, medicine, clean energy and industrial systems. Hydro Harvester is developing systems that create water from air, SydSol is turning building surfaces into solar panels, and Armatide Pharmaceuticals is pursuing targeted cancer therapy.
The health group also includes Arelis, which is building a non-invasive urine test for endometriosis; PremieHealth, which is developing neonatal nutrition from compounds found in marsupial milk; and Ultra Bionics, which is working on a brain implant for therapeutic stimulation.
Space- and defence-related ventures are also represented. ANT61 is developing hardware to recover failing satellites, MP Space is adapting electric vehicle and grid battery technology for use in orbit, Stratoship is building stratospheric infrastructure for real-time disaster detection, and Space CoLAB is working on a quantum communications system.
Industrial and environmental technologies make up another large share of the cohort. Clean & Recover focuses on extracting metals, sulphates and clean water from mine-contaminated water, while ALBON uses algae to treat wastewater from agricultural and food-processing sites and convert it into bio-fertiliser.
Corellian Technologies is developing a heat-driven cooling and dehumidification system for buildings, and Thermal Dawn is using thermal batteries for household heating and cooling. Parking Spotz, meanwhile, is installing wireless digital systems in building basements to connect infrastructure that has typically remained offline.
Several companies are targeting labour-intensive or hazardous settings. Forward Deployed is developing sensing and robotics for chemical threat detection, Sydekick Robotics is focused on robotic dexterity for manufacturing, and Undatech has developed a protective base layer aimed at reducing workplace injuries among frontline personnel.
Dentroid is tackling pain and fear linked to needles in dentistry and medicine, while Blue Carbon is developing autonomous ocean infrastructure designed to turn ocean energy into water, food and environmental services for coastal communities.
Track record
Alumni from the programme since 2023 have raised more than AUD $280 million and secured industry partnerships and government deployments linked to their involvement in Tech23. Recent examples include semiconductor venture Syenta, carbon capture company Kapture, seaweed-based materials business Uluu and health technology company Nutromics.
The incubator has operated for more than 25 years and focuses on startups built around science and engineering research. Its portfolio has typically centred on businesses that require long development cycles, specialist facilities, and access to technical and commercial networks.
Sector pressure
The announcement comes as Australia's technology industry continues to debate the strength of the country's support for early-stage innovation, particularly in sectors that rely on laboratory research, hardware development and long paths to revenue. Deep tech businesses often face higher capital needs than software startups and depend more heavily on patient investment and policy stability.
That backdrop has added weight to programmes that can offer exposure to investors, corporates and public sector buyers. By highlighting a broad mix of commercially minded science ventures, the latest cohort offers a snapshot of where founders and researchers see opportunities in strategic fields such as semiconductors, energy systems, health diagnostics and industrial automation.
Liza Noonan, Chief Executive Officer of Cicada Innovations, said the 2026 Cicada x Tech23 cohort showcased "the ingenuity, ambition and scientific excellence emerging from Australia's deep tech ecosystem".
"These are companies solving complex problems in critical industries, while drawing on Australian skills, knowledge and IP.
"What excites me most isn't just the technologies being developed through breakthroughs in science and engineering, but the new industries, capabilities and opportunities these companies have the potential to unlock. When Australian deep tech founders succeed, their impact extends far beyond a single company. They create new competitive advantages, strengthen supply chains, attract investment and build the foundations for the Australian industries of tomorrow.
"Tech23 shines a spotlight on the founders building Australia's future, and the technologies they're bringing to life."