25 years of impact

Cicada Innovations was established in 2000 in Sydney. Supported by our founding shareholders – ANU, UNSW, USYD and UTS – the vision was to bring together business, engineering, and science to build companies tackling complex global challenges.

Since our inception, we’ve supported more than 500 deep tech ventures, who have raised $6.5 billion in funding and achieved over $1.4 billion in exits. For every public dollar invested to establish Cicada, more than $400 in economic activity has been generated, proof of the outsized impact of long-term investment in deep tech.

Today, Cicada has grown into a national network with incubators in Eveleigh, Westmead, and Melbourne, and programs such as the Health Commercialisation Training Program and the National Space Industry Hub. We’re also proud custodians of Cicada × Tech23 - Australia’s flagship platform for deep tech innovators and leaders.

Our mission remains the same: to advance scientific discovery and help innovators build impactful deep tech businesses that shape a better future.

Behind Cicada is a team of smart, mission-driven people who care deeply about helping deep tech founders succeed. From commercialisation experts to lab managers, program leads to community builders, they bring diverse experience across science, startups, policy, and industry. United by a shared commitment to growing Australia’s deep tech economy, the Cicada team shows up every day with curiosity, practical know-how, and a deep belief in what’s possible. They’re the heart and soul of Cicada, and the reason we’ve been able to support so many bold ideas over the past 25 years.