Australia’s Deep Tech Engine: How CSIRO’s ON Program Is Turning Lab Breakthroughs Into Global Ventures

The Translation Gap That Australia Is Finally Closing

Australia has long punched above its weight in scientific discovery. From quantum computing to advanced robotics, the nation’s research institutions consistently produce breakthroughs that capture global attention. Yet for decades, a stubborn bottleneck has prevented many of these innovations from reaching the market. The challenge was never a lack of ideas—it was the treacherous journey from laboratory bench to commercial viability. CSIRO’s ON Accelerate program is systematically dismantling that barrier, and the 2026 cohort demonstrates just how far the ecosystem has come.

On 11 June 2026, Australia’s research, industry, and investment communities gathered for ON Translate 2026, a national event hosted by the national science agency. The showcase featured the 10th cohort of ON Accelerate, comprising 46 researchers from nine Australian universities and research institutions. What makes this cohort particularly significant is not just its size, but the collective momentum it represents. These teams have already secured more than $25.8 million in grant funding and capital investment, with several establishing commercial partnerships and securing places in leading national and international accelerator programs.

From Discovery to Deployment: The ON Accelerate Model

Unlike traditional startup accelerators that assume founders already possess commercial instincts, ON Accelerate recognises that deep tech researchers often begin with a breakthrough invention and must work backwards to identify its commercial application. This inversion of the typical Silicon Valley playbook creates unique challenges: longer development cycles, greater capital requirements, and a need for different founder skills and support structures.

The program addresses these challenges head-on by equipping researchers with commercial acumen, connecting them with investors, and facilitating the industry partnerships necessary to move technologies beyond the laboratory. Tennille Eyre, Program Director of the ON Innovation Program at CSIRO, articulated the core philosophy: “Australia is strong at discovery. The challenge and opportunity is turning that strength into outcomes that deliver real impact for the economy and communities”.

Cohort 10: A Snapshot of Australian Deep Tech Innovation

The diversity of technologies emerging from this cohort illustrates the breadth of Australia’s deep tech capabilities. Air2Energy from the University of Technology Sydney has developed a bolt-on electrochemical system that captures CO₂ from gas boiler exhaust and converts it directly into electricity, feeding clean power back into buildings. The team is preparing a pilot retrofit on existing gas boilers in Sydney following successful lab trials.

Axcelda from the University of Melbourne represents another promising venture, though its specific technology remains under commercial development. The cohort also includes Geney Bio from the University of New South Wales, focused on biotechnology applications. These ventures collectively address priority areas including the net zero transition, healthy communities, environmental restoration, and national resilience.

The Alumni Effect: $800 Million and Counting

The long-term impact of ON Accelerate becomes clearer when examining alumni outcomes. Together, ON alumni have secured over $800 million in funding, spanning more than $371 million in commercialisation grants and $433 million raised by new ventures. This track record demonstrates that structured commercialisation support can generate substantial economic returns. The program has also produced a growing pipeline of ventures helping to close Australia’s translation gap and strengthen sovereign capabilities in critical technology areas.

Beyond the Lab: What Makes This Wave Different

Several factors distinguish the current deep tech wave from previous commercialisation efforts. First, government procurement and infrastructure support are increasingly recognised as equally important as venture capital for deep tech scale-ups. Second, the ecosystem now includes specialised facilities—such as the Queensland Advanced Photonics Packaging Centre that opened in Brisbane in September 2026—that provide the physical infrastructure researchers need to test and package their technologies locally rather than sending components overseas. Third, programs like ON Accelerate have created a cultural shift, normalising the idea that researchers can and should pursue commercial pathways.

The journey from laboratory discovery to market-ready technology remains challenging, but Australia’s deep tech ecosystem is demonstrating that with the right support structures, the nation’s scientific excellence can translate into globally competitive ventures. The question is no longer whether Australia can commercialise its deep tech research—it is how quickly and at what scale this transformation can accelerate.