JUNE 2021LIFE SCIENCES REVIEW9methods measuring the perceptions of business leaders, not data on the number or success of these collaborations. Nor do they include the input of universities.And the more we see stories proclaiming Australian universities don't collaborate with industry, the more we perpetuate these incorrect perceptions. The reality is, there are successful research/industry collaborations hidden across the country like veritable nuggets of gold, which can and must be emulated at scale.But to profit from these above three factors, it is critical we integrate and invest in the ecosystems that support the deep technology companies solving the world's biggest problems.And we have evidence it is possible. Cases in pointThere are many science-based, IP-intensive innovations emerging in incubators and accelerators across the country. As one example, Cicada incubatee, Gelion, has created ENDURE: an energy storage platform designed to bring new capability to the energy sector globally. By re-thinking Zinc-Bromine, Gelion has created powerful batteries with more abundant ­ and, thus, lower-cost ­ materials, making it scalable, affordable, safe, and cheap.The new batteries can be organised into flexible configurations, depending on the required application, and can help to accelerate the proliferation of renewable energy so as to help Australia reach net carbon neutrality.Technologies such as those that Gelion are building will be the inputs into Australia's next resource boom and will, over time, be integral to solving the climate crisis and helping Australia avoid more natural disasters.At Cicada, here is another example of how deep technology will fuel a deep technology resources boom, which is also especially relevant for the Asia Pacific region, is SDG number two: "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture". Cicada incubatee, InvertiGro, is working on a vertical farming solution that converts indoor spaces into highly efficient rural-scale farms capable of growing leafy and micro greens, berries, fruits, vegetables, and more. The farms are 95 per cent more water efficient and yield 150 times more per square metre than traditional farming, use zero herbicides or pesticides, and production occurs 365 days per year.This will have enormous impacts on the reliable supply of fresh produce in any type of location, climate, and environmental conditions, such as high-density cities, remote locations, or even humanitarian crisis areas. Scaled globally, it could revolutionise food supply for billions of people.A word of warningWe might miss Australia's deep tech resources boom.Becoming a global supplier of the technologies driving these industries and addressing these issues requires specialised ecosystems designed to support the unique characteristics of deep technologies.These technologies take far longer to commercialise due to lengthy periods of R&D that often include field or clinical trials. They are capital- and IP-intensive, and demand larger, longer-term investment to achieve potential commercial success.Building a deep tech business is an enormous feat, and success cannot occur without dedicated ecosystems that bring together investors, mentors, talent, customers, markets, industry partners, and government (as both customers and advocates).What we are doing at Cicada Innovations is a microcosm of what needs to scale at a national level with more investment from both the private and public sectors.We would be remiss to forgo the opportunity of our lifetime because we remained focused on digging rocks and damaging fossil fuels out of our long-suffering land.Sally-Ann Williams
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