Cicada’s Tech23 Spotlights Australia’s Next Wave of Deep Tech Startups
Synopsis
The 2026 cohort includes companies building solutions in physical AI, health, energy and advanced manufacturing, underscoring growing momentum in Australia’s deep technology sector.
Australia's future deep tech startups will be the stars of the show later this year following Tech23 2026's announcement of the 23 startups that will be showcased at its next annual national event, this year featuring physical AI, healthcare, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, quantum technology, robotics and space startups.
The annual event, hosted by Cicada Innovations, attracts founders working on science and engineering-based technologies, investors, corporate executives, researchers and government officials.
Tech23 is different to software-driven start-up events, as it is focused on companies putting research into commercial products for sectors such as healthcare, mining, industrial manufacturing and climate technology.
Health, Physical AI and Industrial Technologies Lead the Cohort
The Tech23 2026 will showcase companies working on technologies from cancer diagnostics and medical devices to autonomous robotic systems and navigation systems that don't require a satellite signal, industrial decarbonisation solutions, sustainable aviation fuel and electric mining equipment.
There are also several organizations working on engineering and AI to increase manufacturing process efficiency and supply chain resilience.
Many of the technologies represented from this year's cohort are in the healthcare and climate and industrial technology sectors, sectors that remain strong in attracting investment both here and around the world, as governments and private capital boost their support for strategic technologies.
The Cicada x Tech23 Insights Report 2025 found that 78% of startups that applied to Tech23 had experience in at least two technology areas, and 51% used AI alongside other areas like biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, robotics or clean energy.
Of those that were applying to get new businesses off the ground, the report revealed 56% were still in the proof-of-concept phase, and almost a quarter of all applicants had yet to raise external capital, highlighting the immaturity of the deep-tech pipeline in Australia.
Australia Expands Its Deep-Tech Presence
Australia's deep-tech ecosystem is smaller than the other countries that invest heavily in research commercialisation, semiconductor technologies, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Singapore and South Korea.
But Australia has been more and more focussed on science-driven innovation via public research institutions, university spinouts and government-supported commercialisation initiatives.
Along with this, the nation's innovation sector has been sparingly attracting investors' investment over the years as there is a growing demand for technologies that will help the country transition to energy, health, defence capability and industrial productivity.
Over the past 15 years, Tech23 has been an Australian deep-tech event since its inception. Some of the repeaters have since gone on to expand into international markets, such as Q-CTRL, Morse Micro and Samsara Eco, who all went on to develop technologies that stemmed from Australian research.
The total amount of money raised by companies supported by Cicada Innovations has exceeded AUD$6 billion and businesses that have come through its network have contributed an estimated AUD$8 billion to the economy over the past 25 years.
The annual event keeps offering a platform for early-stage deep-tech startups to showcase their technologies to investors and industry partners at a time when commercialisation of scientific research is a priority for Australia's innovation industry.
Source: Startup Daily
Follow Inspirepreneur Magazine for daily global business news.
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
