Fourteen South Australian startups working across space, health, sustainability, cybersecurity, construction and the arts have been chosen for Adelaide University’s startup acceleration program.
Now in its 11th year, the Innovation & Collaboration Centre’s Venture Catalyst program supports early-stage founders to plan, build and grow sustainable, globally scalable and investment-ready businesses.
The six-month program includes workshops, one-to-one mentoring, access to university resources, industry expertise and events designed to support business development.
Adelaide University Associate Director of Business Incubation Craig Jones said the 2026 cohort reflects the strength and breadth of South Australia’s startup ecosystem.
“There’s a real diversity of ambition in this cohort, from founders rethinking how we manage water and climate data from space, to an art historian building tools that could help galleries reach new audiences,” Jones said.
“What they share is a genuine willingness to learn and adapt, and that’s ultimately what determines who succeeds.”
Of the startups selected, 26 per cent are current Adelaide University students, 32 per cent are alumni and eight per cent are current staff.
Among the health-focused companies is SABRN Tech, founded by vascular surgeon Dr Abe Chandra. The company has developed portable diagnostic pods which deliver early cardiometabolic screening to communities without reliable access to traditional healthcare settings.
With prototypes already built and a pilot underway in Port Lincoln, SABRN Tech is combining clinical expertise with a focus on improving access to preventative healthcare in regional South Australia.
Also in the cohort is SoMe, a platform that turns raw product footage into strategic, ready-to-post social media videos in seconds, complete with captions and scheduling across major platforms.
SoMe was born from the frustration of co-founders Sofia Kette and Louisa Para, who were running e-commerce businesses and struggling to keep up with the demands of an ever-changing social media landscape, often requiring labour-intensive video editing or costly outsourcing.
While some startups are tackling challenges on the ground, others are using space-based technology to solve problems on Earth. Founded by Murali Krishna, EOI Space is pushing the boundaries of Earth observation to overcome the delays and limitations of traditional satellite data.
The company is developing low-flying satellites that can deliver high-resolution, near real-time images, helping governments and industry make faster and more informed decisions across defence, emergency response and critical infrastructure.
“We became aware of the Venture Catalyst program through the South Australian innovation ecosystem and recognised it as an ideal platform to refine our solution, build partnerships and scale a globally relevant, space-enabled business from South Australia,” Krishna said.
Since its launch in 2015, Innovation & Collaboration Centre has supported over 150 startups and 239 founders. In 2026, those companies continued to employ at least 577 people with the vast majority being in South Australia, where these jobs equated to an added $39 million to the state’s economy.
The Venture Catalyst program has provided almost $1.2 million in funding to new startups with the startups going on to raise over $116 million in further funding from a variety of sources.
Although working across different industries, the startups will move through the program over the coming months as one cohort, sharing experiences as they build, test and refine their ideas.
The founders will develop their early-stage concepts towards validated solutions, shaping businesses that could help define what comes next for South Australia’s innovation economy.
2026 Venture Catalyst cohort
Venture Catalyst, supported by Adelaide University
· Emify Pty Ltd: AI-driven teammate for sustainability reporting
· SABRN Tech Pty Ltd: Integrated cardiometabolic screening outside traditional healthcare settings
· SoMe Pty Ltd: Helping businesses sell authentically through social media in the age of AI
· SAM: Software tool for construction, keeping builders building instead of chasing paperwork
· DIVELIO: A bolt-on AI layer for cybersecurity SIEMs, designed to reduce alert noise
Venture Catalyst Space, supported by the South Australian Space Industry Centre
· EOI Space: Merging space and ground data to inform decisions on land, water and climate risks
· Tweaklogic: Edge AI solutions designed for space
· THE RED PLAN-ET: Sustainable menstrual care on Earth and in space
· ALTDATA Pty Ltd: Turning space data into AI-powered simulations for faster research in microgravity
· Rarity: Bringing space-grade engineering home to deliver materials resilience on Earth
· AgMap: Mapping agricultural research to the farms that need it
· OffDev: Providing software tools for secure offline and air-gapped systems
· HALO Aerotech: Enabling the future of logistics and air mobility with next-generation aerial platforms
Venture Catalyst Social Impact, supported by the Pank Family
· LUMI: Transforming artworks into engaging stories for diverse cultural audiences
Photo: Innovation & Collaboration Centre’s 2026 Venture Catalyst program cohort
Media contacts:
Georgia Minarelli, Senior Entrepreneurship Engagement Officer - Innovation & Collaboration Centre. Mobile: +61 413 314 726. Email: georgia.minarelli@adelaide.edu.au
Lara Pacillo, Media Officer, Adelaide University. Mobile: +61 403 659 154. Email: lara.pacillo@adelaide.edu.au