CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, celebrated the progress and achievements of its latest ON Accelerate cohort at a showcase in Melbourne yesterday.
ON Accelerate tackles the barriers that hold deep tech research back, fast-tracking breakthrough ideas into real-world applications and market-ready ventures.
The showcase highlighted the incredible strides made by the 11 deep tech teams since the three-month program began in April.
Each team was selected for their groundbreaking solutions and ideas at the cutting edge of technology, including drug development, healthcare delivery and sustainability.
The ON Accelerate 9 cohort has collectively reached several key milestones, including over $33.8 million in grant funding and capital investment, demonstrating their potential to address critical market needs and drive financial progress.
Each of the 11 teams achieved technology validation through the program, with their accomplishments ranging from advancing novel medical treatments and diagnostic tools to developing sustainable industrial solutions.
Dr Jen Taylor, Executive Director of Future Industries at CSIRO, highlighted the impact of this year’s cohort in industries vital to Australia’s future, including biotech and healthcare innovation.
“We’re incredibly proud to support the next wave of Australian researchers endeavouring to solve society’s most critical challenges,” Dr Taylor said.
“Establishing connections with the broader innovation ecosystem, including mentors, investors and customers, is crucial for success, yet no easy feat, and continues to be a key barrier impacting Australian research translation.
“We’re committed to breaking down these barriers and unlocking pathways for success, ensuring this cohort continues on its impressive growth trajectory to boost Australia’s global research competitiveness and contribute to future economic growth.”
Dr Brennan Mills of I-VADE, from Edith Cowan University, was announced as the ON Accelerate 9 recipient of the esteemed 2025 Stanford Australia Foundation Hawkins Ueland & CSIRO ON scholarship.
The scholarship offers an ON Accelerate alum the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Executive Education Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Stanford Australia Foundation spokesperson, Roisin Ryan said, “The Stanford Australia Foundation’s Hawkins Ueland & CSIRO ON scholarship will play an integral role in supporting Dr Brennan Mills from I-VADE, to continue his innovation pathway. The award will help deepen I-VADE’s commercialisation capabilities to translate a breakthrough idea to an indispensable solution for those working in the healthcare industry.”
Notably, Ella Casale of Elemental Therapeutics, from The University of Melbourne was awarded the CSIRO ON Impactful Leadership Award for her exceptional program performance, receiving $10,000 to support ongoing professional development in innovation.
Throughout the ON Accelerate program, each team was provided with the tools and resources to translate their ideas into tangible solutions and market-ready ventures.
Personalised coaching, customer and investor engagement skills, entrepreneurial and commercialisation training, and event support are just some of the components of helping drive the success of the Accelerate 9 cohort well beyond the lifespan of the three-month program.
The 11 teams now join the ranks of ON Program alumni, which have gone on to create 83 new companies, secure $336 million in commercialisation grants and raise $415 million in investment capital.
Highlights from the Accelerate 9 cohort’s achievements include:
- 3DCeraFlex: Secured multiple pilot studies across the aerospace, defence, and biomedical sectors, demonstrating the versatility and demand for its advanced ceramic 3D printing technology. The company is also actively engaging with a growing base of customers seeking high-performance ceramic solutions for extreme environments and precision applications.
- Ability Optics: Is progressing two breakthrough technologies into the national phase across key international markets. The team is collaborating with one of the world’s leading drug-imaging instrument manufacturers to integrate their innovation into a global sales offering and is actively engaging with multiple prospective customers.
- Amorfoil: Pivoted towards addressing a critical industry need for amorphous electrical steel foils that boost efficiency in EV motors, transformers, and charging systems. Through ON Accelerate, the team accessed expert support in commercialisation, IP, and strategic partnerships.
- Elemental Therapeutics: Secured over $3M in non-dilutive funding to date, including investment from CARB-X, the gold standard in antibiotic drug development, and more recently a 2025 Australian Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite Grant ($480,390). The team will use the funding to expand its preclinical development and move its innovative antibiotic-enhancing technology for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia from the lab towards market readiness. Elemental Therapeutics were also one of ten teams selected to showcase their work on an international stage at the 9th AMR Conference Startup Pitch Competition in Switzerland.
- Enhanced Analgesics: Lodged a patent for their technology addressing chronic pain through a non-opioid drug providing 24-48 hours of effective pain relief.
- Epiblox: Secured a strategic partnership with a major pharmaceutical company, refining its R&D roadmap; the team also focused on building the right capabilities to scale. Now attracting strong interest from early-stage venture capital, Epiblox is seeking funding to advance a breakthrough treatment for children living with treatment-resistant epilepsy.
- Facet Amtech: Successfully spun out of the University of Newcastle, the team has lodged a patent for their innovative direct-water-to-ammonia technology, positioning them at the forefront of the transition to low-cost, clean ammonia production. They have also been selected for the Investment NSW Going Global Program, focused on expanding cleantech solutions into Malaysia and Singapore, as well as CSIRO’s Kick-Start Program and the Industry Growth Program to accelerate product development and commercial adoption.
- I-VADE: Accepted into the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, the team also secured a further $499,660 in innovation funding from the Future Health Research & Innovation Fund (Department of Health WA) to enhance their AI-integrated, virtual reality enhanced aggression and violence de-escalation training program and scale their solution to improve outcomes for both healthcare staff and patients.
- ProSeek Bio: The team has secured intellectual property rights and is advancing the development and industry adoption of its next-generation diagnostic technology — aiming to transform the early detection and global diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
- TopiCure: Awarded a 2025 Australian Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite Grant of $499,398, the team is advancing the development of innovative gel-based formulations designed to enhance transdermal delivery of active compounds — reducing side effects and improving patient compliance.
- Viortec: Engaged with investors, customers and industry leaders to accelerate their development pipeline and finalise the commercialisation timeline of its first product, the SmartClamp.
Meet the teams turning cutting-edge Australian research into real-world impact.
Additional media assets are available here, including images of all participating ON Accelerate 9 teams.
Notes to Editors:
About the CSIRO ON Innovation Program
The CSIRO ON Innovation Program helps transform cutting-edge research into real-world impact. Designed for research-driven innovation, ON provides entrepreneurial researchers with the skills, networks, and pathways to successfully commercialise their ideas. The program fosters collaboration between researchers, industry, and investors, driving Australia’s deep-tech innovation and strengthening its innovation ecosystem.
