CSIRO celebrates deep tech innovations at ON Accelerate showcase

Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, recently celebrated the innovative achievements of its latest ON Accelerate 8 cohort during a showcase event in Melbourne. The ON Accelerate programme is designed to help overcome the challenges that impede the conversion of deep tech research into viable commercial entities.

This year's showcase featured presentations from ten pioneering deep tech teams, selected for their work in critical spheres of innovation, including global health, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. The teams have spent three months in the programme, receiving tailored coaching and support aimed at transforming their ideas into market-ready ventures.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton praised this year's cohort for their groundbreaking work. "These researchers are working at the cutting edge of technology to tackle some of society's greatest challenges," Dr Hilton stated. "CSIRO is proud to play a pivotal role in unlocking success pathways that ensure the translation of ideas into real solutions, products, and companies. We are committed to continually breaking down barriers for researchers to foster the next era of Australian inventiveness."

One of the standout moments of the event was the announcement of the prestigious 2024 Stanford Australia Foundation (SAF) award scholarship. Dr Grant Lynch of EMU Systems, part of the University of Sydney, was the recipient. This scholarship will enable him to participate in the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program. Aaron Bilston, Chairman of the Stanford Australia Foundation, noted the importance of this award. "The SAF award scholarship will empower Dr Grant Lynch to advance his innovation and commercialisation skills, driving impactful solutions from research to real-world applications."

In addition, the CSIRO Impactful Leadership Award was presented to Dr Christine Carson, Co-Founder of Cytophenix from the University of Western Australia. Dr Carson received GBP £10,000 to aid her ongoing professional development and innovative efforts.

Each team in the ON Accelerate 8 programme has made considerable progress in their respective fields. Aquatone Solutions, for instance, has connected with a customer for product trials and is collaborating with the Australian Prawn Farmers Association. They are also in discussions with overseas operators and have received an investment of AUD $100,000 from an industry partner.

Other notable achievements include Continuous3D's redeployment of their software in CSIRO laboratories, which allows robots to perform complex tasks in unstructured environments. Cytophenix is developing FloCAST, a rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test, and has secured more than AUD $9 million in non-dilutive development funding.

EMU Systems received the University of Sydney's Sydney Knowledge Hub PERIscope Commercialisation Award and is looking to expand its heat stress management systems into broader occupational markets such as mining and construction. Dragonfly Thinking has been involved in significant AI and defence programmes, while ErythroSight has secured a patent and a USD $50,000 ANU impact grant for its vision-saving technology. Infinite Bioworks has garnered over AUD $150,000 in commercialisation funding and developed international partnerships.

Furthermore, Jessie Technology has received seed funding and is developing a Proof of Concept in collaboration with Microsoft. Plasmid Therapy has initiated human trials for its technology addressing antimicrobial-resistant infections. Wild Yeast Zoo has begun generating customer revenue and is looking to expand into biofuels and biobased chemicals.

Poppy Sykes, Manager of the ON Innovation Program, highlighted the significance of these advancements, noting that CSIRO is dedicated to fostering a thriving deep tech ecosystem in Australia. The ON Accelerate programme's success underscores the potential for Australian innovation to address global challenges effectively.