ON Innovation Insider: October 2026

ON global collaboration and shared learning

We often talk about the gaps Australia faces in the innovation ecosystem, particularly when comparing ourselves to North America. In doing so, we can sometimes overlook our strengths and the things we do exceptionally well.

In fact, the ON Program was benchmarked alongside leading international accelerator programs in a recent study in The Journal of Technology Transfer. The findings affirmed our methodology and program design, highlighting it as an example others could learn from.

We've seen that play out in practice. Recently, we welcomed a team member from Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency, BRIN, to shadow the ON team, learn from our approach to research impact and commercialisation and explore how this could be adapted for their own innovation programs and ecosystem.

It's encouraging to see the value of CSIRO's impact approach, reflected through an external lens. Nisrina's visit also provided an interesting perspective on how other (inter)national research organisations are thinking about impact measurement and capability building.

This spirit of collaboration also extends beyond ON.

Last month, CSIRO welcomed Thailand's Prime Minister and a delegation from Thailand's National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) to two of our sites. The visit aimed to strengthen scientific cooperation between our organisations and build on the many successful partnerships already underway, including the Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program and the Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network.

While many researchers begin with a challenge that feels personal or local, solving a problem in their field, community or country, the reality is that many meaningful innovations have relevance far beyond our borders.

The challenges we face today, from food security and sustainability to health and resilience, are shared globally. Solving them requires a global community willing to learn from one another, share ideas and work together.

So, if you haven't already, consider looking beyond Australia for people tackling similar challenges. There may be a research team, startup or entrepreneur somewhere else in the world whose experiences could help accelerate your journey. Your next mentor, collaborator or even customer might be closer than you think, even if they're on the other side of the globe.

As with science itself, stay curious, stay connected and remain open to the possibilities.

ONwards

  

ON Program events and development opportunities

There’s something for everyone! Check out the highlights below or find the full details in our What’s ON calendar. We can’t wait to see you there.

• 14 Oct, 4 Nov, 24 Nov | ON Foundational Skills Workshops

The ON Foundational Skills Workshops are designed to give researchers a practical, confidence-building introduction to key skills, tools and system-level understanding of effective research translation and core entrepreneurial competencies. Free, online and delivered in 1.5 hours, you can join standalone workshops or multiple events in the series.

• 20 – 29 Oct | ON Prime 20 Showcases: Reimagined

Join us in celebrating research translation, as our ON Prime 20 cohort presents their ideas for creating real world impact. This time, we’re bringing a reimagined event experience – keeping the rapid-fire team presentations on their learnings, achievements and future direction, while bringing in exciting new elements including panel discussions, booth-style networking, and multi-room events. Come join the conversation, connect with the community and help shape what’s next for these emerging innovations.

• 24 Nov | Melbourne Deep Tech Mixer: ON Accelerate 11 Bootcamp Edition

Join us for an evening bringing together founders, researchers and industry leaders working at the forefront of deep tech and commercial innovation. The event will feature 20 rapid fire pitches from entrepreneurial research teams based across Australia, who are competing for a place in the ON Accelerate 11 Program.

Spotlighting: Innovation news of interest

• Main Sequence's deep tech pre-send fund, Atmosphere, gets quadrupled backing from CSIRO: From $5m to $20m committed, this investment will help ensure that Australia’s highest-potential breakthroughs get the early partnerships needed to scale locally and compete globally. This fund steps in before the product physically exists, helping researchers build the business around their IP.
• The Australian Government has released the Industry Data Classification Framework (IDCF): helping organisations better manage data risks and share data securely. It is designed to be a practical tool for organisations of all sizes.
• Innovation hubs in Melbourne supporting the start-up sector: Melbourne has spent the past three decades trying to become a “knowledge city”, based around innovation, higher education and attracting the world’s best and brightest.
• The Australian Government is seeking feedback on the Exposure Draft of the 2026 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap: The roadmap will guide Australia’s research infrastructure needs over the next five to ten years, supporting discovery, industry collaboration and innovation. Submissions are open to researchers, research organisations and industry professionals until 26 October.
• Significant Ventures has launched a new fund in applied tech commercialisation: Fund IV will be funding and commercialising emerging critical technologies that solve real-world industrial problems.
• Philanthropist Nicola Forrest turbocharges Antler’s $70m fund, giving women founders up to $120k non-dilutive firepower: Nicola Forrest’s Coaxial Foundation has committed up to $30 million to a partnership with Antler, anchoring the VC’s third Australian fund. While the fund backs both male and female founders, up to $10 million will support women through grants, co-investments and operating costs.

ON the radar: Opportunities in the community

Grants and awards

• AUS & NZ | Financial Review AI Awards 2027: Celebrating groundbreaking achievements in artificial intelligence. The awards are open to all organisations, including those outside the AI sector, that are involved in or contribute to AI-related projects and initiatives within Australia. Entries close Thursday, 22 October.
• AUS | Launchpad: Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)’s new streamlined funding program for early-stage startups and the ecosystem partner organisations helping them develop and grow. The Startup Funding Round has grants between $500,000 to $1 million for companies developing tech that can help lower emissions and accelerate Australia’s clean energy transition. Apply by Wednesday, 28 October.
• AUS | InnovationAus Awards for Excellence 2027: Celebrating Australia’s most outstanding innovators and entrepreneurial achievements. The ON Program is proudly sponsoring the Translation Hero Award category. Final entries close Friday, 30 October.
• AUS | Pipeline Accelerator 2026-27: Offering academic researchers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) access to a diverse range of Australian translational medical research capabilities, from the molecular basis of health and disease through to clinical trials, in a competitive voucher-style scheme. Applications close Friday, 30 October.
• Global | Ag Emissions Centre and AgriZeroNZ Innovation Investment Round 2026: Seeking novel approaches to reducing or measuring nitrous oxide and methane emissions, with applicants required to demonstrate a pathway to application in New Zealand. Applications close Wednesday, 18 November.

Programs and events

• Online | AI in Innovative Businesses: Is your data use legal, governed and ready to commercialise? This one-hour webinar explores how to identify your AI maturity, navigate privacy obligations and reforms, and prevent early design decisions from creating costly liabilities. Held Friday 16 October, register to attend.
• WA | Green Compute at the Edge Innovation Challenge: Access tailored support to help scale technologies for deployment in WA. The challenge seeks innovations from TRL 3-9, looking for solutions that progress WA’s digital and green economy future. Submissions close Sunday, 18 October.
• NSW | Australasian SynBio Challenge 2026 Final Showcase: 9 teams. 1 challenge. Months of experimentation, problem-solving, and innovation all coming together in one room. Come see what happens when the next generation of synthetic biologists turn bold ideas into working science. Held 22-23 October in Sydney, register to attend.
• VIC | All Energy Australia: All Energy Australia is the largest B2B renewable energy conference and exhibition in APAC. There will be over 490+ exhibitors and over 500+ speakers at the conference. Our very own alumni, Verdant-ion (ON Accelerate 10 2026), will be included in the Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge #4 Pitches & Awards. Held 28-29 October in Melbourne, find out more and register to attend.
• WA | Commercialisation Lessons from Biotech’s Front Lines: Bringing together industry leaders, experienced founders and investors for an honest, practical discussion about what it takes to translate therapeutic research into a successful commercial venture. Held Thursday 29 October in Perth, register to attend.
• QLD | Indigenous Australian Datathon: The ON Program is proud to be partnering with the Indigenous Australian Datathon, solving community issues with groundbreaking AI and big data solutions. This is a unique event that brings together Traditional Owners and Indigenous communities, technologists, data professionals, entrepreneurs and students to develop innovative solutions. Held in Cairns on 30 October – 1 November, register to attend.
• NSW | 2026 AIP Physics in Industry Day: Discover how physicists can influence decisions, address emerging needs in areas like quantum and nuclear, and engage effectively in political and public discourse. Hear from leaders including former Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley AM. Held Thursday, 12 November in Sydney, register to attend.
• NSW | Innovate Western Sydney 2026: Kicking off with a keynote from Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM, Chair of the AMRF Board and former Chief Scientist of Australia, the program features AI, advanced manufacturing, sustainability, commercialisation and future industries. Held Tuesday, 17 November, register to attend.
• AUS | WILD Program: Women in STEM leadership and board readiness program. The 12 month cohort based program includes the AICD Company Directors Course, real-world board observation, 3 day leadership retreat and access to a national network of influential innovation leaders. Open for applications until 30 November for Employer Sponsored places.
• QLD | Navigator Program: UniQuest’s introductory customer discovery and market validation program for researchers who are ready to take the next step beyond understanding commercialisation and start engaging directly with potential customers, end users and industry stakeholders. Held in Brisbane, 9, 10 & 17 December, register to attend.

ON alumni wins

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

• Proseek Bio (ON Accelerate 9 2025) was announced as a finalist for this year’s Radium Capital Emerging Innovator Award in the Life Sciences Queensland GENE Awards.
• Facet Amtech (ON Accelerate 9 2025) has raised $3 million in new funding, backed by round leader Main Sequence and existing investor Uniseed.
• PPB Technology (ON Accelerate 5 2019) was announced winner of the Small Business category at the 2026 ACT Chief Minister’s Export Awards. They were also announced as a finalist for the International Dairy Federation’s 2026 Dairy Innovation Awards.
• Infinite Bioworks (ON Accelerate 8 2024) was selected as a finalist for the 2026 ASCC x L'Oréal Sustainability Challenge.
• Woven Optics (ON Prime 3 2017) received the Water, Food & Agribusiness Award at this year's Australian Technologies Competition..
• Lee-Ann Kirkham, from alumni team Spritz-OM (ON Accelerate 7 2023), was announced Mid-Career Scientist of the Year in the WA Premier’s Science Awards for 2026. See our episode of ON Track featuring her founder journey with Spritz-OM.
• Proseek Bio (ON Accelerate 9 2025) and Genics (ON Prime 2 2017, ON Accelerate 4 2018) were announced as finalists at the Brisbane 2026 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, in the Product Innovation Award and the International Business Award categories respectively.
• QuantX Labs (ON Prime 1 2016) has been awarded a $2.19 million Department of Industry, Science and Resources Critical Technologies Challenge Program (CTCP) grant to strengthen the resilience of Australia's electricity networks.
• Justin Leung, from alumni team PredicTx Health (ON Accelerate 10 2026), has been chosen as 1 of 6 inaugural recipients of the Future Leader Fellows for Clinical Trials program in Victoria.
• Silentium Defence (ON Accelerate 3 2017) has been nominated as a finalist in the Collaboration category of the Defence Teaming Centre 2026 Defence Industry Awards.
• Prism Neuro (ON Prime 7 2019, ON Accelerate 6 2020) has had a collaborative project with Extra Nice Pty Ltd received a 2026 Australian Good Design Award in the Product Design, Medical and Scientific category.
• Noor E Karishma Shaik, from alumni team DeepDerm (ON Accelerate 10 2026), has been selected as one of 28 women in the 2025 cohort of the WILD for STEM Program with a full scholarship, following a highly competitive, nationwide process.
• Modular Photonics (ON Accelerate 2 2016) has secured investment from Main Sequence through their Atmosphere platform.

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.