Stride

Build momentum. Take the next step forward.

You’ve launched your venture, built a team, maybe even found your first customer, but now you're stuck in the day-to-day, unsure how to scale or what to prioritise next.

Stride is an intensive six-month coaching program designed to help deep tech founders refocus, move faster, and lead with confidence. Through regular one-on-one coaching, access to industry experts, and dedicated space inside Cicada’s incubator, you’ll build commercial traction, strengthen your systems, and overcome the roadblocks holding you back.

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A proven path to traction

Whether you're stuck in day-to-day chaos, struggling to scale, or unsure how to move forward, Stride provides the structure, expertise, and support to help you take decisive steps toward real traction.

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Find your focus

With a dedicated coach, you’ll tackle your biggest challenges, from product development and market fit to operations and leadership and get clear on the next steps.

Reach your goals

Over 6 months, your coach will keep you accountable, challenge you, and be a sounding board to unlock your next breakthrough.

Move with confidence

Stride is fully funded, so you keep ownership while gaining guidance from seasoned mentors and experts with decades of experience in deep tech, startups, investment, and scale-up.

Hit your stride

Week by week you’ll build momentum and hit milestones, with a dedicated space in Cicada’s incubators, access to state-of-the-art prototyping labs, and a community of founders, investors, researchers, and industry leaders.

You’ve already built something. Now it’s time to build momentum.

Who is it for?

+ Early to mid-stage deep tech founders navigating the path from prototype to product

+ Teams struggling to scale complex technologies and build out their organisation

+ Researchers transitioning into commercial and leadership roles

+ Tackling product validation, market-fit, IP strategy, or early revenue generation

+ Working across sectors like medtech, defence, aerospace, agtech, clean energy or manufacturing

Eligibility

+ Be operating in Australia

+ A Deep Tech start up or SME developing new heavily science and engineering based technology

+ Have some proof of progress, a prototype, team, funding, or traction

+ Be able to attend regular coaching and mentoring sessions over six months

+ For full eligibility details, check the specific programs or get in touch with our team.

From agriculture to aerospace, each Stride stream is backed by partners who bring deep sector expertise, commercial insight, and industry access.

GRDC Stride

Supported by the GRDC and part of The Grains Challenge. This program helps to adapt your technology to solve challenges in the grains industry.

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Deep Tech Stride

Supported by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, this program helps deep tech founders in NSW build the commercial foundations to take their technology from lab to market.

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HealthTech Hub Stride

Supported by the NSW Government as part of the HealthTech Hub in Westmead, this program helps early-stage health, medtech, and biotech startups.

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Aerospace & Defence Stride

Supported by Investment NSW, this program helps NSW-based startups in space, aerospace, and defence fast-track commercial traction and connect with key industry partners.

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How it works

Apply online
Fill out the online form to express your interest in being part of the program

Assessment
If shortlisted, you will be invited to an online interview

Online interviews
You will need to prepare a pitch and be ready for a Q&A with the panel

Welcome
We’ll be in touch to confirm you have been selected and share everything you need to prepare

Meet your mentor
You’ll be matched with a mentor selected specifically to suit your technology, stage, and goals

Start coaching
We will connect you with your coach to start bi-weekly coaching sessions, monthly check-ins and supplementary mentoring

Cohort workshops
Take part in our group workshops

Graduation
At the end of the six-month program, we’ll come together to celebrate your progress, milestones, and the journey you’ve taken

50+

Ventures supported through stride

35+

expert coaches and facilitators

Stride alumni

“The GRDC and Cicada teams gave us deep industry insight and direct access to key influencers across the grains sector. We were challenged in our assumptions, exposed to commercial frameworks that reshaped our thinking, and supported to refine both our strategy and our technology. We now have a clear understanding of our technology–market fit and a pathway to scale.”

Liam Hescock and Jason Chaffey Founders, Azaneo

Meet the Coaches

Our coaches and mentors are seasoned experts across deep tech, investment, industry, and commercialisation. With experience spanning agriculture, space, defence, medtech, and manufacturing. You’ll be matched with someone specifically selected for your needs, someone who understands your sector and can help you navigate complex challenges and accelerate your journey to market.

Tim Parsons

National Space Industry Hub Expert in Residence

Nameeta Bhole

National Space Industry Hub Expert in Residence

Scott Russell

Expert in Residence - Defence

Mick Liubinskas

Co-founder of Climate Salad

Bill Bartee

Partner at Main Sequence Ventures

Brooke Sauer

Expert-in-Residence Agriculture

Rob Hulme

Expert-in-Residence

Prasanth Rajan

Brandon Capital

Kea Dent

KD&A

Dr Melina Georgousakis

FranklinWomen

Adam Wardell

Previsior

Jane Cockburn

University of Sydney

Ian Davis

Epona's Dream

Bruce Tulloch

Mayman Aerospace

Paul Schlusser

EdgeGroup

Jun Qu

Main Sequence

Michal Weiss

Weiss Lab Consulting

Tim Byrne

Invertigo

The program has been fantastic, and the whole VXB team has learned a lot. We have set up great partnerships and got amazing advice from our mentors that have made VXB a lot stronger.

VXB Aerospace

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FAQ

Do I have to pay to be here or do you take equity?

Stride is fully funded — no fees, no equity. It’s backed by government and industry partners who want to see ventures like yours succeed.

What commitment is required for Stride?

Stride is a 6-month commitment with bi-weekly coaching sessions, monthly check-ins, supplementary mentoring, and time set aside to work on your venture between meetings. It’s designed to be flexible around your existing workload


Will I receive funding after graduation?

No. However, the program is valued at AU$40K per venture. If you are ready , you will also get introduced to investors throughout the program, and get support throughout to be able to better pursue dilutive and non-dilutive funding opportunities.

How many people can be included per venture?

We recommend one or two people per team to participate in the coaching and mentoring session. However, your whole company will then be part of Cicada Innovations, so feel free to bring along other team members to different events and gatherings.

Still got questions? Reach out to the team

Our programs

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Cicada x Tech23

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