25 Years of Cicada | The Evolution of Australia’s Startup Ecosystem with Niki Scevak

The Evolution of Australia’s Startup Ecosystem with Niki Scevak.

Join us for the launch of Cicada’s 25 Year celebration series, Deep Tech Icons – an inspiring fireside chat with Niki Scevak, a pivotal figure in Australia’s startup ecosystem. Hosted by Sally-Ann Williams, CEO of Cicada Innovations, this special event will delve into Niki’s remarkable journey—from his early days as a resident at Cicada (then known as ATP Innovations), where he based and launched Startmate, to co-founding Blackbird Ventures and backing the next generation of iconic founders.

The Deep Tech Icons series is a cornerstone of Cicada’s 25th anniversary celebrations, featuring influential alumni and community leaders who have helped shape the innovation landscape. Since 2000, Cicada has supported over 400 startups and played a key role in growing Australia’s deep tech sector—from fledgling ideas to global ventures.

Niki Scevak 

Niki is a co-founder of Blackbird Ventures, an investment firm with the dream to be a generational owner of generational companies born from Australia and New Zealand. Prior to Blackbird, he founded Startmate, an accelerator that helps nerds with ideas become great CEOs and build global startups. Earlier, he co-founded two software companies. 

Blackbird partners with founders at the very beginning and surrounds them with a community of other founders who have built successful technology companies before. The firm began in 2012 and today manages a portfolio of 100+ technology companies worth over $7 billion, with committed capital across five funds.

25 Years of Cicada Innovations

Cicada Innovations is celebrating 25 years of fostering Australia’s deep tech ecosystem. This series of events throughout 2025 aims to celebrate its vibrant community, showcase its impact, and look ahead to the future of deep tech innovation. The Cicada Deep Tech Icons Series features influential alumni and community leaders, highlighting Cicada's history and future.