Meet the 23 Australian deep tech ventures selected from a record 230 applications for the 2026 Cicada x Tech23 cohort
Cicada Innovations has announced the 23 Australian deep tech ventures selected for the Cicada x Tech23 Class of 2026, chosen from a record 230-plus applications. The cohort spans energy, health, space, defence, agriculture, manufacturing and artificial intelligence, with each company built around breakthrough science or engineering with potential for national-scale impact.
The 23 companies will present at Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney on Wednesday 9 September 2026, offering investors, industry leaders and policymakers a first look at what the organisation describes as Australia’s most promising emerging deep tech ventures.
For small business owners and the broader business community, several companies in the cohort are worth watching closely.
Monadd-AI is developing cloud-scale AI capabilities that run on standard desktop hardware, which could significantly lower the infrastructure cost of AI adoption for businesses without enterprise-grade computing resources. Thermal Dawn is building thermal batteries designed to heat and cool homes and commercial spaces at a fraction of the cost of lithium battery alternatives. SydSol is turning everyday surfaces into solar panels, with obvious implications for commercial property and energy cost reduction. Sydekick Robotics is developing machines with human-level dexterity for manufacturing automation. Parking Spotz is connecting underground and offline parking infrastructure to create intelligent, manageable assets from currently dormant spaces. Cortisonic is making ultra-low power computer processing possible through soundwaves, which has broad implications for energy-efficient computing infrastructure.
Other companies in the cohort address challenges in healthcare, space, defence, clean water, agriculture and sustainability. Arelis is reducing endometriosis diagnosis time from years to days through non-invasive urine testing. Hydro Harvester is creating water from air for use anywhere. Armāitide is developing next-generation targeted therapies for aggressive cancers. ANT61 is working on satellite recovery technology. Dentroid is combining photonics, robotics and AI to address needle pain and fear in medical settings.
The full Tech23 Class of 2026: ALBON, ANT61, Arelis, Armāitide, Blue Carbon, Clean and Recover, Corellian Technologies, Cortisonic, Dentroid, Forward Deployed, Gega Elements, Hydro Harvester, Monadd-AI, MP Space, Parking Spotz, PremieHealth, Space CoLAB, Stratoship, Sydekick Robotics, SydSol, Thermal Dawn, Ultra Bionics and Undatech.
Tickets for the 9 September event at Jones Bay Wharf are available through Cicada Innovations.
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