The room was buzzing with excitement on 23 October for the Climate 10x Accelerator Demo Day. After ten weeks of intensive mentoring, prototyping, and commercialisation support, five pioneering startups took the stage to showcase innovations that could reshape Australia’s path to a cleaner future.
Led by UNSW Founders and supported by TRaCE, the Climate 10x Accelerator is designed to fast-track climate-tech startups by connecting them with world-class R&D expertise, prototyping infrastructure, and pathways to scale. Since its launch in 2023, the program has focused on ventures whose innovations reduce emissions, improve the resilience and adaptability of existing infrastructure, accelerate the transition to renewable energy, or grow the circular economy.
The 2025 cohort highlighted the diversity and ingenuity of Australia’s climate-tech sector:
- Bearhug Pallet Wraps is rethinking logistics with durable, reusable pallet wraps that replace single-use plastics.
- IPMF Technologies has developed an energy-free drying system that transforms wastewater biosolids into valuable resources, reducing emissions while unlocking waste-to-value opportunities.
- CounterCurrent uses AI and ocean data to optimise shipping routes to cut fuel use and emissions across global trade lanes.
- Extraterrestrial Power is designing ultra-thin, low-cost solar cells for space with clear potential for terrestrial clean energy applications.
- P2AgentX combines AI agents and robotics platform to monitor and maintain large-scale solar operations that improves performance and reduces downtime.
Through the Climate 10X Accelerator, we’ve supported 16 startups. Participants also gain access to TRaCE’s support ecosystem, including:
- R&D vouchers: matched funding up to $50k for collaborations with UNSW researchers
- Technology Translation Squad: a specialist team to help solve technical challenges quickly
- Talent and training opportunities in climate and deep-tech innovation
- Eligibility for the TRaCE early-stage seed fund, backed by Investible and Hampton Capital
- Connections to UNSW networks and researchers
Demo Day marked a pivotal milestone, celebrating the founders’ achievements while signaling the start of the next phase: refining technologies, forging partnerships, and scaling solutions that can deliver tangible climate impact.
Congratulations to all the founders for their inspiring presentations. We look forward to following their journeys as they continue to develop their technologies, drive climate impact, and contribute to Australia’s transition to a clean, circular economy.
