Cicada opens 2026 Tech23 deep tech hunt across Australia

Cicada Innovations has opened applications for the 2026 edition of Cicada xTech23, a national deep tech event that selects 23 Australian startups for a showcase programme and broader engagement with investors, industry and government.

The week-long format will expand beyond a single showcase and include activities across multiple states ahead of the main event. Cicada Innovations positions the programme as a meeting point for founders and backers across science- and engineering-led ventures.

Track record

Tech23 has run since 2023. Alumni have collectively raised more than USD $280 million since taking part, and participants have secured industry partnerships and government deployments linked to their involvement.

Past participants include Puralink, which develops autonomous robots designed to travel inside complex underground pipes. The systems map and inspect assets and detect issues without excavation. Other alumni include Xefco, which works on sustainable textile technology, and Conry Tech, which focuses on climate technology and green-building heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

The 2026 intake will continue to focus on ventures grounded in research and engineering. Cicada Innovations describes these as deep tech startups developing products and services from scientific and technical advances, often with longer development cycles than software-first startups.

Who can apply

Applications are open to Australian deep tech startups across a wide range of sectors. Cicada Innovations lists healthcare and social assistance; energy and renewable energy; space and aerospace; agriculture and food; transport and mobility; manufacturing; environmental protection and sustainability; quantum; mining and mineral resources; and defence and security.

The programme centres on a cohort of 23 companies. Selected startups present to an audience that includes investors, corporates, government representatives, policymakers and other ecosystem participants. Companies also receive introductions designed to build longer-term connections, along with access to an alumni network of deep tech founders.

Deep tech events have become more visible in Australia as governments and industry look for domestic sources of innovation in energy, resources, defence and advanced manufacturing. Investor interest has also broadened, although the market remains sensitive to the long timeframes and capital intensity that can accompany hardware, life sciences and novel materials.

Cicada Innovations is based in Sydney and describes itself as a deep tech incubator with 25 years of experience. It works with startups across areas including fibre optics, space, medtech and climate-focused innovation.

National push

The 2026 programme will involve more on-the-ground engagement in multiple states before the main festival week, aiming to strengthen connections between founders, investors, corporate partners and government decision-makers.

Cicada Innovations also links the selection of companies to national priorities such as productivity and sovereign capability, saying Tech23 reflects the technologies and industries it expects to grow in Australia in coming years.

In comments released with the applications announcement, Cicada Innovations Chief Executive Officer Liza Noonan described Tech23 as a forum for founders and backers focused on scaling science-led businesses.

"Tech23 has always surfaced the founders shaping what Australia builds next. It's where serious companies meet the community prepared to back them. The startups selected for Tech23 reflect Australia's national priorities in action; advancing productivity, strengthening sovereign capability and translating critical technologies into globally competitive industries. In 2026, we're taking our ambition further by making Tech23 the defining week for Australian deep tech. It is no longer just a moment on stage, but a broader national platform that champions, connects and backs deep tech across the country. We'll be on the ground in multiple states, engaging ecosystems well before September and creating more deliberate pathways for founders to build relationships that endure - bringing national and international attention, capital and opportunity around the companies building what comes next." - Liza Noonan, Chief Executive Officer, Cicada Innovations

Applications for the 2026 cohort close on 30 April 2026.