National Space Industry Hub

Do you have a game-changing deep tech innovation with the potential for dual-use in defence? 🧐 For over 25 years Cicada Innovations have platformed startups with game changing ideas to solve the world's most pressing problems. We're excited to announce that we are introducing our newest workshop, Defence Elevate. This workshop is a 2-day workshop designed for Australian deep tech innovators who have a dual-use non-lethal technology, an idea, have identified a problem, or see an opportunity for commercial and defence markets. As commented by previous Defence alumni, Cicada Innovations programs are: "Invaluable in helping me understand the nuances of the Defence sector", (The) "Defence program was eye-opening in terms of understanding the Defence landscape from a supplier's perspective." Defence Elevate let's you walkaway with insider persepctive from industry experts: - Archie Judd (Salus Ventures) - Allan Aaron (Office of Defence Industry Support) - Oleg Vornik (DroneShield) - Alex Shapilsky (Cicada Innovations) - Scott Russell (Cicada Innovations) - Sian Priest (Cicada Innovations) Get personalised feedback and industry expertise on commercial insights, validating your market and understanding customers and refining your value proposition. 🗓️ When: Tuesday 8th of April 2025 to Wednesday 9th of April 2025 📍 Where: Cicada Innovations in South Eveleigh, NSW. 📚 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gui8DAdd #aerospace #australianstartups #deeptech #tech #techstartups #space #defence

Engineers Australia recent article 'Space to grow' discusses Australia's rich history of creativity, but how we've struggled to translate that into commercial success. With its cutting-edge advanced manufacturing, the space industry presents a HUGE opportunity to change that narrative. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/grPQ-AC9 #spaceindustry #innovation #australianspaceindustry #advancedmanufacturing #commercialisation #spacetech #deeptech

After 3+ years of making an impact on the space sector, supporting over 80 startups—including LeoLabs Australia, Aquila, VXB Aerospace, ANT61, and Deneb Space—the National Space Industry Hub is expanding its mission to include workshops for the broader aerospace and defence sectors. 🥁 Drumroll, please... We're introducing Defence Elevate! Defence Elevate is a 2-day workshop designed for Australian deep tech innovators who have a dual-use non-lethal technology, an idea, have identified a problem, or see an opportunity for commercial and defence markets. Learn from industry experts: - Archie Judd (Salus Ventures) - Allan Aaron (Office of Defence Industry Support) - Oleg Vornik (DroneShield) - Alex Shapilsky (Cicada Innovations) - Scott Russell (Cicada Innovations) - Sian Priest (Cicada Innovations) On how to: -Gain deeper commercial insights - Validate your market and customers - Refine your value proposition, - Personalised advice and feedback to help you commercialise your idea. 🗓️ When: Tuesday 8th of April 2025 to Wednesday 9th of April 2025 📍 Where: Cicada Innovations in South Eveleigh, NSW. 📚 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gui8DAdd #aerospace #australianstartups #deeptech #tech #startups #defence

Did you launch your startup here? Did you find inspiration within these walls? Did Cicada play a role in your success? For 25 years, Cicada Innovations has been at the forefront of Australia's deep tech revolution. We’ve seen startups launch, ideas flourish, and innovations change the world. But here’s the thing—so many of these stories remain untold. 🎉 We're celebrating this milestone by inviting you to share your Cicada story!  So, if Cicada has ever been part of your journey—as a founder, researcher, mentor, investor, or just an innocent bystander who got roped into something cool—this is your chance to add to Australian deep tech history. 📞 Share your memories, and your successes by emailing your story to the ‘Cicada Deep Tech Hotline’: [email protected] today! Disclaimer*: Messages may be monitored for celebratory purposes only. Side effects of calling include nostalgia, uncontrollable laughter, and sudden bursts of inspiration. Results may vary. Cicada Innovations is not responsible for accidental deep tech obsessions or excessive enthusiasm. https://lnkd.in/gdWs6Hzj #CicadaInnovations #25Years #DeepTech #Innovation #Community #Anniversary

Breaker’s New Home! 🏡 We’re thrilled to announce that Breaker has opened a new office at the Australian National Innovation Centre (Cicada Innovations)! Being surrounded by some of Australia’s most exciting deep-tech companies. A huge shoutout to the Cicada Innovations team - We look forward to making this our new home and growing alongside such an amazing community. Alex Shapilsky Scott Russell Archie Dell Britt Hartnett

Congratulations to our residents Crest Robotics on completing their production unit for a major client Transgrid! What a great example of the work our residents do in supporting and enabling our critical industries. What a way to close out the year! #deeptech #criticalindustries #criticaltech #innovation #robotics #startups

🚀What another incredible year it has been for our National Industry Space Hub! Did you know that since we opened in 2022, the NSIH has: - Supported over 82 startups - Who have raised over $52M+ In private capital, and $4.5M grant funding - Generated over $72M+ of revenue  - Supported over 160 jobs  - And 7 residents tech currently in space The NSIH is currently home to 15 space startups, and this year, they have reached stratospheric levels of growth, including: Contactile, Deneb Space, ANT61, Spiral Blue, Mawson Rovers, Euroka Power & Extraterrestrial Power - have their technology in orbit as part of the Waratah Seed mission and many more, literally reaching for the stars! Our residents Aquila, Contactile, Mawson Rovers were featured in the Australian 100 Innovators, Crest Robotics signed Transgrid partnership and appeared on Channel 7 News! Plus, Deneb, Crest, and Aquila were trailblazing their innovations on the Cicada x Tech23 stage! Residents LeoLabs, VXB Aerospace, Aquila, raised over $35 million this year alone! Crest Robotics also received grant funding from Earthbuilt Technology. We also welcomed 5 new residents: Deneb Space, Crest Robotics, MP Space, Starbound Space Solutions, and AROSE to the NSIH! This year, we launched bold new initiatives in aerospace and defence, including Air-to-Space, and Defence Elevate and Customer Discovery in Defence. With its expanded scope, the NSIH will play a crucial role in enhancing national and regional security, economic resilience, and continued innovation. 110 participants joined programs designed to accelerate their growth, including our Fast Start graduates—Crest Robotics, Deneb Space, Starbound Space, Spiral Blue, and Ocean Intelligence—who completed an intense six-month coaching journey to scale up their tech for high-demand applications in the aerospace and defence sector. We don’t do this alone, our growing mentor network made all of this possible. We welcomed new Experts in Residence, Scott Russell and Nameeta Bhole, alongside industry legends Mani Thiru, Larry James, Steve Winnall, and Thomas Nhan Tri Nguyen, providing unmatched support to startups. We would also like to thank our super-star expert in residence, @Tim Parson, for supporting the commercialisation of these innovative startups at every step of the journey in the NSIH.   We also hosted 17 events, welcomed over 700 attendees, and connected with delegations from South Korea, Latvia, the U.S., and beyond. The world is watching, and we’re just getting started. None of this would be possible without the hard work of the NSIH team- Alex Shapilsky and Hela Zargouni, and of course, the unwavering support of the Investment NSW, whose vision is to create a launching pad for ambitious, innovative startups to make a mark in space, aerospace, or defence. Interested in learning more about NSIH, head here: https://lnkd.in/gisqZPQU #deeptech #innovation #aerospace #defence #space

And that's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who attended our Customer Discovery in Defence course! This 4-week program, led by defence industry veterans, equipped startups and SMEs with the tools to navigate the complex world of defence procurement. Participants gained valuable insights from experts like Scott Russell (Cicada Innovations), Mark Le (Advanced Navigation), Allan Aaron (ODIS), Angus Bean (DroneShield), Archie Judd (Salus Ventures), Sian Priest (Cicada Innovations), Mai Le from Investment NSW, Steve Milanoski (AMRF) and heard briefly from Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). Through the course, our participants learned to: - Validate technology for defence applications. - Test assumptions about product-market fit. - Receive direct feedback from key defence stakeholders. The defence sector presents unique challenges – strict compliance, extended procurement cycles, and the critical need for dual-use technology. Our course bridged the gap, helping innovators unlock opportunities in this dynamic market. Did you miss out this time? We'll be offering the Customer Discovery in Defence course again soon! Stay tuned for updates here: https://lnkd.in/gACYrFP4 #defence #australianspaceindustry #deeptech #tech #techinnovation #SMEs #startups

Last week, we hosted our last Space Hub Connect of the year, and what an incredible way to close out 2024! 🚀 From the inspiring words of Prof. Iver Cairns, sharing the remarkable journey of the Waratah Seed project, to the insights from Dr. Annie Handmer (PhD) on Australia’s leadership at the IAC 2025, and the panel moderated by our very own Alex Shapilsky, the evening was a testament to the strength of collaboration in driving Australian space innovation forward. 🌟 A special thank you to our amazing panellists: - Matt Ryall (Mawson Rovers) - Anne Bettens (Deneb Space) - Dr. Dr Roger Kermode (NSW Space Research Network) Your stories and expertise continue to inspire and propel the Australian space sector forward. A special thank you to Investment NSW for your unwavering support throughout the year. Your contributions have been vital to the growth and success of our space community. 💫 To all our speakers, attendees, and the incredible innovators who’ve joined us this year, thank you for making this such a remarkable journey. We’re excited to see how the Australian space ecosystem will continue to thrive. Let’s build on the momentum and keep driving our sector forward! Curious about the National Space Industry Hub and how we’re supporting Australian space innovation? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gisqZPQU #Deeptech #Space #AustralianSpaceIndustry #SpaceTech #Aerospace #Defence

📃🖊️ Latvia's trade mission to Australia concluded with a major milestone: Laura Štrovalde, Deputy Director General responsible for Investment and Energy at Invest in Latvia, signed a letter of intent for collaboration with Australia’s leading deep tech incubator Cicada Innovations. This agreement highlights a shared commitment to advancing deep technologies, particularly in the space and defense sectors, and lays the groundwork for an even stronger partnership. 🦾 During the visit, Cicada Innovations facilitated productive meetings between Latvian entrepreneurs and the incubator’s heads, exploring potential collaborations and the possibility of a follow-up visit to Latvia in 2025. Additionally, the delegation, including Airis Rikveilis, the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of Latvia, Margers Krams, the Latvian Ambassador to Australia, and representatives from Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte (Riga Technical University), also visited the Cybersecurity and Defense Division at the University of Technology Sydney. Discussions centered on innovative approaches to enhancing technological capabilities, reducing national risks, and driving cutting-edge innovation. 🛡️🚀 #InvestinLatvia #EUfunds #EUinmyregion #InvestEU #DeepTech