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All your Cicada x Tech23 FAQs answered

Sian Priest

It's just a pitch fest, right?
Is it a startup accelerator?
Is it worth the time?
How does this actually help my startup ?

Let's get the record straight.

Cicada x Tech23 is Australia’s biggest deep tech festival and one of the few places where serious deep tech ambition is surfaced, understood and backed.

It brings together founders, investors, industry, government, media and international delegates around one shared goal: moving deep tech forward.

If you’re building something grounded in science or engineering — something complex, long-term, and high-impact. This is where the right people start to pay attention.

We know you’ve got questions. Here are the ones we hear most and our responses.

“Am I deep tech enough?”

If you're pushing the boundaries of science or engineering to solve complex problems, then yes — you’re deep tech.

We’re looking for ventures grounded in technical innovation, tackling challenges that take time, rigour and persistence to solve.

If you're unsure, apply anyway. We’re not looking for perfect — we’re looking for real.

“What does Tech23 actually unlock for me?”

Cicada x Tech23 is not your typical startup event. It’s a curated platform designed to connect serious founders with the people who can help them go further, faster.

If selected, you’ll:

↘ Be positioned nationally as one of Australia’s most promising deep tech ventures
↘ Build relationships with investors, industry and partners in high-trust settings
↘ Access tailored support — from media to IP to storytelling — to sharpen how you show up
↘ Join a cohort of founders building through complexity, not chasing shortcuts
↘ Become part of Cicada’s national deep tech network, with connections that extend beyond the event

“Who will I actually meet at Tech23?”

Tech23 is intentionally curated — not for scale, but for relevance.

You’ll be in the room with:

Local and international investors actively backing deep tech
Industry leaders looking for real solutions and long-term partnerships
Government and policymakers shaping Australia’s innovation agenda
Media covering the technologies and founders shaping what comes next
International delegates seeking emerging technologies, partnerships and opportunities
Experienced founders, operators, and ecosystem leaders

These are the people who can influence what happens next — not just observe it.

“Am I at the right stage?”

Tech23 is not about stage — it’s about intent.

We’re looking for founders building technologies grounded in science or engineering, tackling problems that take time, depth and persistence to solve.

Whether you’re early in development or further along, what matters is:

The ambition of what you’re building
The depth of the problem you’re solving
Your commitment to seeing it through

If you’re building something that could matter for decades, you’re in the right place.

“Is this just another pitch event?”

No.

Tech23 is designed around conversations, not performance.

You won’t be delivering a standard pitch. Instead, you’ll share your work through formats that open up dialogue — panels, discussions and founder-led sessions focused on real challenges and opportunities.

This is about helping the right people understand what you’re building — and where it could go next.

“What’s the actual time commitment?”

It’s not a major time suck for busy founders.

If selected, your commitment is concentrated around the event period and includes:

↘ The main event in Sydney on 9 September
↘ A Founder VIP event on 8 September
↘ A small number of preparation sessions in the lead-up (July and August), designed to help you make the most of the opportunity
↘ Participation in a State Founder Summit event, designed to help you build deeper connections with the Tech23 founder community and your local ecosystem

The preparation is there to support you, not overwhelm you. It is focused on helping you sharpen your story, understand the format, and show up ready to make the most of the room.

So no, Tech23 is not a long-form program. It is a high-value, curated opportunity built around a defined event journey, not months of weekly commitments.

“Why is there a selection process?”

Tech23 is intentionally selective.

We’re not trying to showcase the most companies, we’re focused on bringing together the right mix of founders, ideas and perspectives to create meaningful connections and conversations.

The application process helps us identify founders with:

Serious technical ambition
Long-term vision
The potential to shape industries, not just enter them

It’s how we ensure the room, and the cohort works for everyone involved.

“Will it cost me anything?”

Applications are free.

If selected, you’ll need to cover your travel to Sydney. We’ll take care of everything else during the event.

“What happens after Tech23?”

What happens after Tech23 matters just as much as the event itself. Selected founders join an illustrious alumni network of deep tech companies that have gone on to raise capital, form strategic partnerships and achieve real-world impact. We see Tech23 as the beginning of an ongoing relationship — one where we continue to back, champion and connect you as part of Australia’s deep tech community.

“Who are the Tech23 alumni?”

Tech23 alumni include some of Australia’s leading deep tech companies: Algenie, Alt Leather, Banksia Minerals, Convergence Medical, Crest Robotics, Dovetail, ElectraLith, EPCA, Endua, Nutromics, Rux Energy, Syenta, Samsara Eco, and Uluu — alongside many others building globally relevant technologies.

For more information, check out our Cicada x Tech23 Insights report, which examines the current state of deep tech in Australia—the opportunities, the challenges, and the founders leading the way.

Ready to be part of it?

Tech23 is for founders who are building — even when the path isn’t clear.

If that sounds like you, there’s a place for you here.

Applications are now open.