News & Insights

Australia’s deep tech pipeline is bursting with talent, ingenuity and world-class science. Today – from a record 230+ applications – we unveil the 2026 cohort for Cicada x Tech23.

It's just a pitch fest? Is it a startup accelerator? How does this actually help my startup? We know you’ve got questions like these. Here are the ones we hear most and our responses.

Every year, as we begin the search for the next Tech23 cohort, I write a manifesto.

It’s a simple exercise, but an important one. It helps us anchor around a clear mission for the event and the kind of founders we are looking for. It forces us to step back from the mechanics of running a national event and ask a bigger question:

What does the moment call for from deep tech right now?

The release of Ambitious Australia marks a pivotal moment for the nation. For those of us in the deep tech community, this is more than a systems review; it is a much-needed blueprint to fix the systemic fragmentation that has placed unnecessary constraints and complexity on the growth of our most promising innovators.

The Cicada x Tech23 Insights Report 2025 reveals how deep tech founders are powering Australia’s next productivity boom. Drawing on firsthand insights from the nation’s most ambitious science-led ventures, the report shows why backing deep technology is essential to building a stronger, more resilient and competitive Australian economy.

The year in review: 26 new residents, 100+ startups calling us home, $600M raised, 80+ events, and 25 years with more than $8B of deep tech impact for Australia.

In my second week as CEO we recently celebrated a pretty remarkable milestone - 25 years since Cicada Innovations first opened its doors. What began as an ambitious experiment in turning Australian research into real-world impact has grown into the beating heart of our national deep tech ecosystem.

Cicada Innovations has announced its 25th anniversary milestone, revealing that its conservative estimated total contribution to the Australian economy exceeds $8 billion, based on $6.5 billion in capital raised, high-skill job creation, and broader innovation spillovers driven by the ventures it has supported.

Noonan’s appointment marks an exciting chapter in Cicada’s 25-year journey as Australia’s home of deep tech, supporting over 400 startups, helping raise over $6 billion in funding and creating thousands of jobs. 

This November, we celebrate 25 years of deep tech with a once-in-a-generation showcase. Across one special day, experience Australia’s past, present, and future of innovation: the people who shaped our story, the founders building today, and the ideas that will define tomorrow.

Every founder who took the Tech23 stage this year wasn’t just sharing an innovation, they were sharing a blueprint for how Australia can feed itself, power itself, care for its people, and stay competitive in the decades ahead.

From artificial kidneys to GPS-free navigation; introducing the 23 ventures taking the stage at Cicada x Tech23 2025 this September.