Three innovative start-ups from The Australian National University (ANU) have been selected to attend the deep-tech festival 2025 Cicada x Tech23 in Sydney.

The event will spotlight 23 emerging companies, connecting them with key industry players and accelerating their transformation from research to market-ready solutions, and from early-stage ventures to scalable enterprises.

The three ANU start-ups are Membrane Transporter Engineers, which transforms industrial wastewater into a source of valuable materials; CatQ (in partnership with University of Queensland), which addresses quantum computing’s error correction challenges; and Sprout Materials, which has created recyclable foam technology.

Professor Lachlan Blackhall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) said the selection of the three teams highlighted the University’s strength in translating research into commercial solutions.

“These three companies demonstrate how our researchers are tackling global challenges through innovative science,” he says.

“Their involvement in Tech23 reflects the quality of research coming out of ANU and the potential for our discoveries to create real-world impact. I look forward to seeing how they progress at this prestigious event.”

CatQ is revolutionising optical quantum computing by developing error correction technology that can improve efficiency by orders of magnitude, bringing real-world quantum applications closer to reality.

The ANU spin-out, led by quantum optics expert Dr Sophie (Jie) Zhao, addresses quantum computing’s Achilles heel by correcting optical quantum errors before they happen. Its technology delivers near-perfect efficiency, solving a key barrier to real-world quantum applications. Grounded in the University’s leading quantum optics research, CatQ is well-positioned to advance quantum computing worldwide.

Sprout Materials, led by ANU chemical engineer Professor Luke Connal and CEO Stephanie Allison-Logan, has created a chemically recyclable alternative to polyurethane foam that works with existing manufacturing systems, offering a practical solution for sustainability targets.

The ANU start-up tackles the widespread use of polyurethane – found everywhere from furniture and insulation foams to textiles – which is rarely recycled. Built on patented ANU chemistry, Sprout Materials has developed an input for polyurethane manufacturing that unlocks chemical recyclability whilst performing like conventional materials. Their circular inputs let producers meet sustainability targets without compromise, providing a practical climate solution ready for scale.

Professor Caitlin Byrt Photo: The Australian National University

Membrane Transporter Engineers (MTE), led by ANU plant scientist Professor Caitlin Byrt, is developing nature-inspired membrane technologies to recover valuable materials like lithium, copper cobalt and nutrients from industrial wastewater, turning waste into resources.

The ANU start-up figured out how nature controls the harvest and recycling of critical resources. By mimicking how plant cells selectively transport nutrients, their technology applies learnings from plant biology to optimise industrial critical resource management. MTE’s biotechnological advancements are relevant to mining and agricultural industries where limitations in efficient access to critical resources like metals, nutrients and water are restricting productivity, with potential to harvest and recycle billions of dollars’ worth of resources from industrial and urban wastes.

Cicada x Tech23 2025, Wednesday 10 September from 8.30am-6pm in Sydney. Tickets available here.