Your dose of research translation, deep-tech and innovation insights

Welcome to 2026, the Year of the Horse, a year built for momentum and bold moves!

If it felt like 2025 disappeared in a flash, you’re not alone.

As we dive into 2026, we’re excited to welcome new teams, new partnerships, and fresh opportunities to champion research translation across the country. Thank you for being such an essential part of our growing ON community.

In 2025, the CSIRO ON community supported researchers to move faster, learn smarter, and translate deep‑tech ideas into real‑world impact.

• Across ON Prime, ON Accelerate, and our national outreach work, hundreds of researchers and founders embraced experimentation, took bold risks, and strengthened their ventures through customer‑driven insight.
• Together, we supported 440 researchers from 128 teams, representing 30 universities, PFROs, and four CSIRO research units.
• Our team also travelled extensively, delivering 49 events and experiences to more than 2,100 attendees. A standout moment was bringing over 100 researchers together in Hobart and Launceston for our bespoke Research to Value workshops - a powerful reminder of the energy and ambition fuelling Australia’s innovation ecosystem.

Much of this momentum begins with ON Prime; often the first step for researchers exploring translation. With applications now open for our 19th cohort, we’re looking forward to supporting the next generation of teams to test ideas, learn quickly, and build confidence in what’s possible beyond research.

We were also proud to contribute new knowledge to the field, including the publication of Launching Lean: insights from early‑stage entrepreneurship development programs for scientists - a paper exploring what truly works (and what doesn’t) when supporting researchers on their translation journey while maintaining research excellence. More on this below!

Looking ahead

As we step into 2026, we’re energised by the momentum this community continues to build. Our focus is clear:

• Back diverse, interdisciplinary teams ready to translate deep tech into impact.
• Double down on lean, experiment‑driven learning to help de‑risk ideas earlier.
• Strengthen the national ecosystem by deepening connections with mentors, investors, industry partners, and policy leaders who believe in science‑led innovation.

Over the past year, we’ve seen researchers take brave steps, founders back themselves, mentors lean in, and connections form that will shape what comes next. Thank you for being part of a community that proves research translation works best when it’s done together!

Here’s to making 2026 a year of bold ideas, brave experimentation, and lasting impact. 

ONwards,
Tennille and the ON Team

 

ON Program events and development opportunities

Planning ahead?

We’ve got a range of ON events scheduled throughout the year, so there’ll be plenty of opportunities to connect with the ON community in 2026!

🚀 Save-the-date: ON Translate (formerly known as ON Core) x Showcase event: 11 June 2026, Melbourne
We’re bringing Australia’s research translation community together for a full day of bold ideas, deep‑tech innovation and founder storytelling. More details are on their way, but for now, mark your calendars - we can’t wait to see you there.

💻 10 February and 3 March | ON Prime Applicant Briefings
Know a researcher who could benefit from ON Prime ? Applications are now open, and we’re hosting short Applicant Briefing sessions on 10 Feb and 3 March to give new teams a clear overview of the program. Please share these dates with colleagues who haven’t been through ON Prime yet. Registrations are now open .

🤝 11, 18 and 19 February | Research to Value Workshops
Co‑hosted with partner research organisations, these half‑day Research to Value workshops build commercial and entrepreneurial capability while increasing awareness of ON Programs. Registration links listed below.

• 11 Feb, Melbourne: Hosted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
• 18 Feb, Sydney: Hosted by UNSW
• 19 Feb, Brisbane: Hosted by QUT (afternoon session)

📝 A full year of ON activity is ahead, with workshops, showcases and ecosystem events planned. Check out the list below - dates and locations will be confirmed soon. For enquiries, contact the team via on@csiro.au.

February

• Community catch-ups planned for Perth and Brisbane

March

• Pipeline workshop series (various dates and open rounds to be announced)
• ON engaging with the community at _SOUTHSTART2026
• Community catch-ups planned for Canberra, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne

April

• ON Accelerate 10 Networking event

May

• ON Accelerate 10 Networking event

June

• 11 June: ON Translate & ON Accelerate 10 Showcase — Melbourne. More information below.
• ON Prime 19 Showcases, to be hosted nationwide

August

• ON represented at the TechDiversity Awards
• Community catch-ups planned for Sydney and Melbourne

September

• ON engaging with the community at Cicada Tech23

October

• ON participating in the KCA Annual Conference
• ON Prime 19 Showcases, to be hosted nationwide

November

• ON connecting at the annual InnovationAus Awards for Excellence
• Community catch-ups planned for Melbourne and Sydney

From ON Core to ON Translate: Growing a Community That Moves Research Into Impact

So, what's changing?

The new name simply reflects what's already happening:

• More regular catchups , not just an annual gathering. Ongoing touchpoints that keep the community learning and moving forward together.
• A thriving LinkedIn group , where founders, researchers and alumni ask questions, share wins and support each other.
• Growing demand for workshops, deep dives and cross‑sector connections , with the community consistently showing up for more.

Why ON Translate?

Because translation is the heartbeat of ON. This community exists to turn science into impact and Translate speaks directly to that shared mission, beyond any single event.

What's next?

You'll start seeing the new name across ON's announcements, but nothing is being taken away. In fact, everything is growing: same people, same spirit, bigger vision. This evolution reflects a strong, active and future‑ready community, and ON's commitment to building a more connected, resilient and empowered translation ecosystem.

More spaces. More connection. More opportunities for researchers and founders to learn, collaborate and grow.

Spotlight: New research on early‑stage entrepreneurship for scientists i.e. Global recognition, local action

At CSIRO's ON Program, we've long championed the idea that researchers thrive when they're equipped with the entrepreneurial skills, networks and confidence needed to translate their science into real‑world impact. It's encouraging to see new research reinforcing exactly that.

A recent open‑access article in The Journal of Technology Transfer examines early‑stage entrepreneurship programs across eight countries - many modelled on the NSF I‑Corps approach - and highlights how these initiatives are strengthening university innovation ecosystems and accelerating research commercialisation.

The findings closely reflect what we see every day at ON: when scientists are supported early, they build the capability and momentum needed to take their ideas further, faster.

The study also underscores how program design choices influence outcomes, offering valuable insights for policymakers, program leads and institutions committed to growing Australia's translational capability.

These insights speak directly to ON's mission to build a thriving national network where ideas move, partnerships deepen and research translation becomes a shared journey.

Want the full insights?

If you're interested in the global evidence base behind programs like ON, you can read the full article on SpringerLink below:

Launching lean: insights from early-stage entrepreneurship development programs for scientists | The Journal of Technology Transfer

Spotlight: Startup Muster’s Latest Report

Startup Muster has released its latest snapshot of the Australian startup ecosystem—an especially valuable read for research‑driven and deep‑tech founders looking to understand where the landscape is heading.

Key insights include:

• AI is now mainstream: Nearly half of all startups are building AI‑enabled products or services, with many more using AI daily across development, content and marketing.
• Deep tech remains strong: Founders are tackling complex national challenges in climate resilience, advanced manufacturing and sovereign capability.
• Smaller teams, smarter spending: Teams are leaner and more capital‑efficient, and more startups are now reporting revenue.
• Growing university connections: Collaboration between startups and universities continues to rise, and more accelerators are being delivered by universities. A special shout‑out to I2N at the University of Newcastle for being named Most Recommended Incubator/Accelerator 👏

For anyone exploring research translation or commercialisation pathways, this report offers a useful reality check on emerging peers, how AI is actually being applied, and where deep tech is carving out its niche.

Read the full report.

ON the radar: Funding, events and program opportunities 

Grants and funding

Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program | NSW Government: Backed by the NSW Government, this program helps accelerate innovation across the state’s agriculture sector. It supports producers and agribusinesses to adopt new technologies and equipment that open export pathways, boost supply chain productivity, and reduce emissions. Applications close 26 January 2026.

Business Growth Fund Program | Business Queensland: Supports high‑growth Queensland businesses that are ready to scale, boost the state’s economy, and create more local jobs. The program provides direct financial support to small and family businesses to purchase specialised equipment that can accelerate growth, lift productivity, improve efficiency, expand market share, or unlock new export opportunities. Registrations of interest are now open and close at 5pm on 30 January 2026.

Free Electrons - The Global Energy Startup Program: Ready to scale your energy innovation? Free Electrons - developed and delivered by six leading global energy utilities - connects startups with real-world pilots, commercial pathways and expert collaborators. Apply now for the chance to co-develop and validate your solutions directly with progressive utility partners. Explore the program structure, meet the partners, and hear from alumni. Applications close 31 January 2026, so get in quickly.

Challenge — 77 Partners: The 77 Challenge is a 12‑week, founder‑first program designed to help early‑stage ventures sharpen their investment strategy, understand how the deal process really works, and get battle‑tested insights from world‑class operators and investors. The program is free, requires no equity, and is built for time‑poor founders—with just 2 hours per week of remote participation.

Diabetes Australia Grand Innovation Challenge . Diabetes Australia is inviting researchers, startups and deep‑tech teams to apply for its Grand Innovation Challenge, offering $500,000 in total funding across six grants to accelerate breakthroughs that improve the lives of people living with or at risk of diabetes. EOIs due 31 March 2026.

The Clean Energy Future Fund: Supports innovative clean‑energy projects across Western Australia (WA) that deliver high public value. The program is administered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, with support from Energy Policy WA. Three funding rounds have been completed. Round 4 closes on 20 April 2026.

AEA Ignite and Innovate Round 3 will open in 2026: $90 million in funding is now available to help universities and industry partners turn research into real-world impact, with support for both proof-of-concept (Ignite) and proof-of-scale (Innovate) projects. Ignite opens 21 January 2026, with Innovate EOIs to follow in Quarter 2 - giving teams the backing they need to start or scale their next big idea.

CSIRO Innovate to Grow – Farm and Food Tech: Offering early‑stage SMEs and startups a free, expert‑guided program to help them develop, refine and validate new ideas in agtech, food tech and related innovation fields. This cohort provides participants with structured learning, mentoring and opportunities to strengthen their commercialisation pathway. Applications close 15 February. Learn more and submit your expression of interest:  Innovate to Grow: Farm and Food Technology - CSIRO

CSIRO Innovate to Grow – Advanced Manufacturing: Sponsored by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF), this cohort supports businesses developing new manufacturing technologies, processes or products. Participants receive tailored guidance to progress their innovation, build capability and prepare for future commercial opportunities. Applications open 23 February. Sign up  for the program newsletter to be notified when applications for this cohort, and others, go live.

CSIRO Kick-Start: Matched funding for start-ups and small to medium enterprises to help access CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow your business.

Other events and development opportunities

CSIRO’s Industry PhD Program connects CSIRO, universities and industry to co-design PhD projects tackling real-world challenges. Apply for the Primary round (supporting approximately 30 new projects) between 2 Feb–2 Apr. Keen to learn more? Join the upcoming webinar: 6 Feb, 12:30–1:15pm AEDT CSIRO Industry PhD Program Information Session 2026 - CSIRO

Hosting tertiary student interns made easy by CSIRO . The Internship Toolkit offers step-by-step guidance, templates and best practices to support every stage of the internship journey from recruitment to completion. Download the free Toolkit or find out how you could access support with tertiary intern recruitment, visit Generations STEM Links webpage.

QUT’s Bridge and BridgeTech Programs . Two powerful pathways for taking Australian health innovation further, faster. Bridge: Medicines/pharma pathway (IP, regs, market access), i.e. end‑to‑end journey for new medicines and pharma products. BridgeTech: Medtech/devices & diagnostics, i.e. navigate design, regulation, reimbursement and scaling. Year-long cohorts with online modules, expert events and powerful networks for researchers, clinicians and industry pros. Don’t miss out, applications due soon.

Move from Prototype to Market-Ready : Secure Your Spot in the NSW Health Commercialisation Training Program Specialisation Courses *Free for NSW based participants. CTP Specialisations | Cicada Innovations

Critical Infrastructure & Space
How resilient is Australia’s critical infrastructure in a space‑enabled world? Join industry and government leaders for a free breakfast briefing exploring key risks, dependencies and policy responses. 12 Feb in Canberra,  register here.

2026 Universities Australia Solutions Summit , the sector’s premier annual forum bringing together more than 1,000 leaders from universities, government, industry and the community. The Summit drives bold conversations, collaborative solutions and strategic direction for the year ahead. 24-26 February, register here.

SOUTHSTART • RESONANCE : For the first time, every ticket holder will be able to list themselves on the Directory and be spotlighted before, during, and after March.14-15 March Grab your tickets today!

ON Alumni in the News

Had a win? Share it with us.

We're excited to see our ON alumni making waves! From startups to groundbreaking research, you're shaping the future.

• Spritz-OM (ON Accelerate 7) launches new spin ‑ out: Oto Medicines. Learn more about the team via our recently featured case study.
• Congratulations to team Proseek Bio (ON Accelerate 9) for placing 3^rd at the 2026 RESI (Redefining Every Stage of Investment) conference, held in conjunction with the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, USA.
• Congratulations to Anthea Roberts, co-founder of Dragonfly Thinking (ON Accelerate 8) for her recent AFR feature Artificial intelligence Australia: How a Canberra academic is using AI to war game problems.
• AEA Ignite Round 2 results. Congratulations to the 27 universities and 174 teams funded through AEA Ignite Round 2 to translate research into real-world impact. Were you part of an ON-supported team that was successful? We’d love to hear where you’ve landed and what you’re working on now!

We're proud of our ON community! Got an exciting breakthrough, milestone or update? Share your latest updates and let's celebrate your success together.

CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program is made possible through the Department of Education's URCAP funding.