Cicada Assemble: Official Launch
Description
Victoria produces world-class research and technical breakthroughs, but taking a complex, capital-intensive innovation from the lab or workshop to the market requires a completely different playbook.
To bridge the execution gap between technical discovery and sustainable commercialisation, Cicada Innovations is thrilled to announce the launch of Cicada Assemble, a new venture readiness program for Victorian deep tech founders, supported by Innovation Victoria.
Join us for our launch event, including a fireside chat with Tina Funder (Founder of Alt. Leather and Tech23 alumni), connect with Victoria's deep tech community, meet the Cicada team, and learn how Assemble helps early-stage founders move from validated science or technology to a defensible, scalable commercial venture.
What is Cicada Assemble?
Delivered by Cicada Innovations with support from Innovation Victoria, Assemble is a free, 16-week venture readiness program, for Victorian founders who have validated their science or technology but haven't yet built the commercial foundations to scale it.
A mix of online and in-person sessions, over the 16 weeks, you'll move through a 2-day Venture Bootcamp, followed by a series of structured short-form workshops (deep tech MVP, born global, capital strategy, GTM, communicating your innovation), and complemented with fortnightly cohort check-ins, keeping focus and building momentum across the foundations that matter most: demonstrating technical feasibility, commercial model, go-to-market, team, and funding.
This year, we're searching for founders to join the first of three cohorts.
Who is this for?
We are looking for aspiring or early-stage founders solving hard industrial, environmental, or societal problems with novel technology and defensible IP.
If you are developing a venture in any of the following fields, this is for you:
Advanced Manufacturing, Defence & Space
Climate Tech, Clean Energy & Materials
AgTech & Food Security
Robotics, Quantum, Sensors & Data-Enabling Hardware
Note: If you are building software or AI solutions, they should be applied to solving complex, real-world industrial or physical challenges.
About Cicada
Cicada Innovations is Australia's leading deep tech incubator. For 25 years, we've built the infrastructure, programs, and networks for founders solving hard scientific and engineering problems, helping these ventures navigate similar challenges: long lead times, capital-intensive R&D, and complex IP. Our alumni have raised $6.5B+ in capital and returned $400 in economic activity for every $1 of public investment, across three national incubators and two Global Best Incubator awards.
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About Innovation Victoria
Innovation Victoria exists to grow Victoria’s startup and innovation ecosystem by helping more people turn good ideas into successful, scalable companies, by bringing support, capability building and investment together in one place - so it’s easier to move from idea to commercialisation, growth and global impact.
Lineup
Rod Bristow
Rod Bristow is the CEO of Innovation Victoria. Rod has over 30 years of experience across stockbroking, asset and wealth management, agribusiness and not-for-profits. He has held senior leadership roles in venture capital, investment management, financial services and environmental organisations, including Investible, Clime Investment Management, CommSec and Greening Australia. Rod also co-founded a business in environmental management and carbon offsets.
Tina Funder, Founder, Alt. Leather
Tina Funder is the Founder of Alt. Leather. Previously, Tina spent over 16 years in advertising as an award-winning creative director, developing strategic, multi-national campaigns for some of the world’s largest corporations across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.
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