The inaugural Propel-AIR program has announced its finalists, marking a significant milestone as Australia’s first dedicated AI and Robotics Sprint.
This initiative represents a major step forward for Australia’s AI and robotics ecosystem, made possible through partnerships with the Australian Government’s AI Adopt Centre program, delivery partner ARM Hub, and key supporters MassRobotics, NVIDIA, and Solidworks, who provide essential training and materials to participants.
“Propel-AIR’s finalist cohort shows the world Australia isn’t just dreaming of a robotics future, we’re building it right now,” said ARM Hub CEO Professor Cori Stewart. “Every team will get the runway to scale fast, and the ultimate winner will plug straight into MassRobotics in Boston, taking Aussie ingenuity to the heart of global innovation.”
Following unprecedented interest from across Australia’s emerging AI and robotics sector, this inaugural cohort represents the best of Australian innovation, ready to compete on the global stage and demonstrate the nation’s growing capability in these critical technologies.
The finalists include:
Seascape Autonomy has developed an autonomous underwater robot that photographs the ocean floor, providing images used to build landscape models.
Element Robotics has created Lunarsim, a digital twin to help teams test and train robots for Lunar missions. The platform works as a virtual environment, allowing teams to see how robots will perform in lunar conditions before anything is built or launched, saving time and money while improving mission success rates with future applications in high-risk industries like mining and remote operations.
Nexobot is building the world’s lowest-cost parcel sorting solution, enabling regional and small-scale logistics operators to automate for the first time. The robotics platform cuts walking time, boosts accuracy, and improves safety at a fraction of traditional system costs.
J Robotics is developing smart agricultural machines to help vineyards use fewer chemicals and grow better crops. Their first product uses ultraviolet spectrum light to safely treat grapevines for powdery mildew, helping vineyards move toward organic certification and more sustainable farming.
Inneurva empowers touch with AI through “Robotic AI Skin,” soft, sensor-rich patches that give robots a sense of touch, capturing complex tactile data across robotic grippers, humanoid suits and intelligent clothing with real-time interpretation for safe, smart and intuitive interaction.
Traversal Labs has built MotionLogic, an AI-powered analytics platform that transforms video from industrial settings into actionable insights, helping factories reduce waste, improve ergonomics, and optimize production while generating data to train robots for industrial settings.
The accelerator culminates with a competitive pitching event on 31 July, with the overall winner announced on 4 August. The winner secures an opportunity to travel to MassRobotics in Boston for a one-month residency, connecting with global leaders in AI and robotics innovation including access to companies like Boston Dynamics and iRobot, alongside world-class academic institutions like MIT and Harvard.
All participants receive business development assistance, including VC support and media opportunities through the ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre.
Key dates:
- Cohort of up to 10 participants announced: 20 June 2025
- Virtual Pitch Event: 31 July 2025
- Winner of the MassRobotics residency announced by: 4 August 2025
- Residency in Boston: October 2025
More here.
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