Cicada x Tech23

9th September 2026

Sydney, NSW

Be part of Australia’s biggest deep tech moment

Cicada x Tech23 is more than a showcase. It is a signal. Each year, Tech23 champions 23 exceptional deep tech startups and connects them with the investors, industry leaders and decision-makers who can help turn deep technical breakthroughs into real-world impact.

The 2026 Tech23 cohort will reflect the depth and diversity of Australia’s deep tech pipeline. From health and climate to advanced manufacturing, space and emerging frontier technologies, these companies represent bold ambition backed by world-class science, building solutions critical to Australia’s future competitiveness, resilience and sovereignty.

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Why should you attend Tech23

Tech23 is where Australia’s deep tech ecosystem comes together with intent. Each year, it convenes a carefully selected group of founders alongside investors, industry leaders, researchers and policymakers for conversations that shape what comes next.

This is not a pitch event. The program is curated around shared challenges, emerging opportunity and real-world deployment. Attendees gain early access to emerging deep tech ventures, build relationships across the ecosystem, and leave with a clearer sense of where capital, capability and ambition are aligning.

Tech23 is where important relationships begin and momentum is built.

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What Tech23 Alumni have to say
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Tech 23 is an incredibly exciting event for us, It's the first time that Roam Technologies are becoming more visible in the market. It's a great chance for us to really start to build these kind of relationships with not just our strategic partners, but also equally with investors, investors that we may not see on a day to day basis.

Shanshan Wang, Roam Technologies 1

Took the stage today to speak about Pretect in front of 400 audiences in Cicada Innovation's Tech23 - Australia's largest deep tech conference. I have barely ever been in the same room with such a large cohort of brilliant innovators! This is so far hands down the best one I have attended since I started Pretect. 23 Founders with purpose and perseverance. This will keep me going for a while.

Dr. Nipanjana Patra, Pretect Devices 2

Such a great energy in the room at Cicada x Tech23 - surrounded by some of the brightest minds in deep tech. Grateful that Powered by NOA was part if this year's cohort - and always a pleasure reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones along the way.

Christel Hadiwibawa, Powered by NOA 3

This year, we were honoured to be featured as one of the Tech23 companies. Our COO Hitesh Mehta spoke on a panel about a New System of Care and how to build a more proactive healthcare system. It was fantastic to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. Thank you to Cicada Innovations for the opportunity.

Nutromics 4

Why you should sponsor

Cicada x Tech23 is Australia’s flagship event for convening for the deep tech ecosystem. Sponsorship is not about logo placement or one-off exposure. It is about credible alignment, early access, and long-term relationship building within the Australian deep tech ecosystem.

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Meet the Tech 23 2026 class

Non-invasive AI urine test diagnosing endometriosis in days

Arelis

Non-invasive AI urine test diagnosing endometriosis in days

A New System of Care
Advancing cancer treatment with next-generation targeted therapeutics

Armāitide Pharmaceuticals

Advancing cancer treatment with next-generation targeted therapeutics

A New System of Care
Revolutionisng dental and skin care by replacing injections and drills with gentle photonics and robotics

Dentroid

Revolutionisng dental and skin care by replacing injections and drills with gentle photonics and robotics

A New System of Care
Inspired by Nature, Designed for Life.

Premie Health

Inspired by Nature, Designed for Life.

A New System of Care
Steerable, Minimally-Invasive Deep-Brain Neuromodulation using Ultrasound

Ultra Bionics

Steerable, Minimally-Invasive Deep-Brain Neuromodulation using Ultrasound

A New System of Care
Turning agri-food wastewater and CO2 into fertiliser

ALBON

Turning agri-food wastewater and CO2 into fertiliser

Re-Sourcing the World
Clean mine sites, recycle water, restore ecosystems

Clean & Recover

Clean mine sites, recycle water, restore ecosystems

Re-Sourcing the World
Powering ocean industries with wave-driven technology

Blue Carbon

Powering ocean industries with wave-driven technology

Re-Sourcing the World
Advanced refining technology for gallium and germanium critical minerals

Gega Elements

Advanced refining technology for gallium and germanium critical minerals

Re-Sourcing the World
Safe drinking water from the air in any environment

Hydro Harvester

Safe drinking water from the air in any environment

Re-Sourcing the World
Independent communications for resilient spacecraft access in orbit

ANT61

Independent communications for resilient spacecraft access in orbit

Strengthening our sovereignty
Advanced sensing and robotics for hazardous environments

Forward Deployed

Advanced sensing and robotics for hazardous environments

Strengthening our sovereignty
Hardware for the space industrial era

MP Space

Hardware for the space industrial era

Strengthening our sovereignty
Making the stratosphere accessible to everyone

Stratoship

Making the stratosphere accessible to everyone

Strengthening our sovereignty
Protective fire-resistant base layers for women in operational environments

UndaTech

Protective fire-resistant base layers for women in operational environments

Strengthening our sovereignty
Computing with sound: low‑power intelligence at the edge

Cortisonic

Computing with sound: low‑power intelligence at the edge

Engineering New Capability
Efficient AI Inference Technologies for Frontier-Capabilities on Edge Hardware

Monadd-AI

Efficient AI Inference Technologies for Frontier-Capabilities on Edge Hardware

Engineering New Capability
Unbreakable quantum communications without cryogenics, deployable anywhere

Space CoLAB

Unbreakable quantum communications without cryogenics, deployable anywhere

Engineering New Capability
The Deployment Layer for Physical AI

Sydekick Robotics

The Deployment Layer for Physical AI

Engineering New Capability
10x greener and more affordable cooling to beat global warming

Corellian Technologies

10x greener and more affordable cooling to beat global warming

The Built World, Upgraded
Digital infrastructure backbone for the underground economy, starting with parking

Parking Spotz

Digital infrastructure backbone for the underground economy, starting with parking

The Built World, Upgraded
See-through, peel-and-stick solar for building windows

Sydsol

See-through, peel-and-stick solar for building windows

The Built World, Upgraded
Thermal storage for home heating and cooling, cheaper than batteries

Thermal Dawn

Thermal storage for home heating and cooling, cheaper than batteries

The Built World, Upgraded

The five themes that define Cicada x Tech23 2026

Strengthening our sovereignty

How can Australia’s unique capabilities protect and propel us to new frontiers?

Engineering new capability

Which breakthrough technologies will make tomorrow’s industries possible?

Re-sourcing the world

What can we do differently with the resources we possess?

A new system of care

How can we improve and extend life in the face of significant health challenges?

The built world, upgraded

How can we build smarter, more resilient places to live and work?

What makes Tech23 special

If you’re in the room, you’re at the epicentre of Australian deep tech, where founders, capital, industry and government converge.

Tech23 is deliberately designed to be different. It is not a volume event, a pitch competition or a one-day spectacle. It is a curated platform built over time to bring together the people, ideas and ambition shaping Australia’s deep tech future, and to create the conditions for meaningful progress to occur.

A proven talent signal

Tech23 consistently surfaces startup early. Since 2024 alumni have gone on to raise over $280M, making the event a proven signal of future leaders and companies.

Where the ecosystem meets

Founders, investors, industry and government in one room, with time and intent to engage properly, not pass each other between stages.

Proximity to what’s next

Early, direct access to Australia’s most promising emerging deep tech ventures before pathways, partnerships and narratives are fully formed.

Momentum that carries forward

Tech23 is a starting point. Relationships, collaborations and pathways continue well beyond the event itself.

It’s time to be part of the deep tech village

Australia. It’s time to back the bold. The visionaries who are relentless in their grit, determination and brilliance to pioneer global innovation in deep tech that is solving the world’s most pressing problems. 

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Cicada x Tech23 2025

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Cicada x Tech23 Insights Report

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.

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