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Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Richmond, Melbourne

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Innovation Bay x
ARENA

The Innovation Bay and ARENA 2025 Renewables Startup Showcase is returning for the sixth year! 

Every year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) partners with Innovation Bay to bring together 100+ of the country’s leading angel investors, Venture Capital, Private Equity and Corporate Venture Capital community for a gala event that showcases Australia’s most exciting renewable energy and climate tech start-ups, creating the connections to supercharge future growth. 

This year, the showcase will be held in Melbourne on Tuesday, 25 November.

Whether you’re an investor, corporate, policymaker or professional working in or passionate about the energy transition, this is your opportunity to gain front-row access to emerging innovation and connect with the ecosystem driving Australia’s net zero future.

Join us for an unmissable event where you’ll connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for renewable energy and clean tech. Get access to cutting-edge deal flow and gain insights into the latest trends shaping the market. Hear from keynote speakers and thought leaders driving Australia’s energy future, and discover the stories behind breakthrough technologies and the visionary founders bringing them to life. Be part of the momentum behind Australia’s transition to net zero and help shape what comes next

Presenting Startups

Algenie
Melbourne-based biotech startup Algenie is harnessing the power of microalgae to drive sustainable agriculture and environmental innovation. Through proprietary cultivation technology, Algenie produces natural biofertilisers and high-value bioproducts that enhance soil health, boost crop yields, and reduce chemical dependency. Founded by biotechnologists and engineers, Algenie’s mission is to decarbonise the agricultural supply chain by transforming microalgae into a scalable, circular solution for global food production.

Banksia
 Founded in August 2024 by former Rio Tinto executive Leigh Staines, Banksia is commercialising IndooCu, a breakthrough copper-production technology from the University of Queensland’s Hydrometallurgy Lab. Developed by Professor James Vaughan, the system enables smooth copper electrowinning from a chloride leach, overcoming a decades-long industry challenge. The process allows full copper recovery from complex ores, avoids harmful smelting emissions, and supports low-energy, decarbonised production. Banksia is advancing plans for a pilot demonstration in 2026 with industry partners to validate the technology for commercial deployment by 2030.

Factor
Factor is an API-first SaaS platform designed to automate and scale complex energy contract pricing. It replaces spreadsheet-based models and custom code with a modular engine that ingests forecast libraries, market variables and site-specific data to deliver accurate quotes across EV tariffs, batteries, PPAs and embedded networks. With its unified charge logic system, Factor allows multi-site portfolios to be priced in seconds while maintaining granular service-point accuracy. Designed for energy retailers, aggregators and service providers, it integrates seamlessly with CRMs, billing systems and meter-data platforms to accelerate deal velocity and minimise risk.

Good Heat
 Sydney-based Good Heat provides zero-carbon industrial heat as a service, using advanced heat batteries and smart energy management to replace fossil-fuel boilers. Its renewable-powered systems deliver reliable, affordable, and emission-free heat to manufacturers, helping reduce costs and carbon footprints. By combining storage, software, and service, Good Heat is pioneering cleaner, smarter industrial energy solutions that accelerate the shift toward sustainable production.

Stralis Aircraft
 Stralis develops hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for next-generation aircraft. Its patent-pending fuel-cell technology is six times lighter than existing systems, enabling aircraft to fly ten times farther than battery-electric models. The company has secured US$265 million in customer LOIs and plans to begin deliveries in 2026. The team includes engineers from Google X, Heart Aerospace, Archer, Airbus, Boeing, and Bombardier. Backed by Y Combinator (W23), Liquid2 Ventures, Collab Fund, Trucks, Schox, and Climate Capital, Stralis is ground-testing now and will fly Australia’s first hydrogen aircraft in 2026.

Totex Energy
 Totex Energy has created an AI-powered, all-in-one home energy system delivering heating, cooling, hot water, EV charging, energy storage, and backup power. With integrated lithium and thermal storage equal to four Tesla batteries, Totex optimises usage through real-time arbitrage and forecasting to lower costs and emissions. In 15 months, Totex built a working prototype 60 percent more efficient than traditional HVAC systems and launched successful pilots. With distribution, energy retail, and builder partnerships underway, Totex will launch in the US in 2026.

Speakers

Heidi Lee
CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE)

Heidi Lee is CEO of Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), an independent think tank driving the climate solutions to power Australia’s clean industrial future. Since 2020, she has transformed BZE into a national leader in decarbonisation and industrial innovation.

With over two decades in sustainable design and environmental leadership, Heidi focuses on practical, scalable change. Under her guidance, BZE has launched major national initiatives including the National Action Plan and regional decarbonisation programs shaping policy and accelerating the clean economy.

BZE is recognised by Giving Green as one of Australia’s top climate organisations, and Heidi has been named a Top Green Power Player by The Australian for three consecutive years. She also serves on the Net Zero Economy Authority stakeholder panel and advises The Energy media platform.

Megan Fisher
CEO & Director, EnergyLab

Megan Fisher is the CEO & Director of EnergyLab, Australia’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation ecosystem dedicated to reaching net zero.

EnergyLab helps talented founders tackling the
climate crisis connect with the mentors, investors, partners and peers they need to succeed.

With a background in product development and innovation, Megan has led the commercialisation and scaling of products and driven novel technology initiatives from pilot to adoption. Her career has spanned industries in the midst of disruption – from telecommunications and media through to energy – giving her
deep experience in transformation and change.


Since 2017, Megan has worked with innovators in the energy sector, supporting startups in Australia and around the world. In 2021, she “jumped the fence” from corporate into the not-for-profit sector to have a greater impact on the climate tech ecosystem, inspired by the more advanced international clean energy
startup communities she had engaged with

Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell
Chief Strategy Officer, 5B

Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell joined 5B in August 2020 as Chief Strategy Officer and leads strategy development, government engagement, and HR. She is also a company secretary.

5B is an Australian clean energy innovator that accelerates the deployment of large-scale solar using its prefabricated, modular, rapidly deployable 5B Maverick technology.

Prior to joining 5B, Nicole spent 10 years with management consulting company Bain & Co working across strategy, innovation and performance improvement, primarily in energy and industrial sectors.

She also has deep subject knowledge and expertise in photovoltaics, having completed a PhD in solar cell devices at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

Kara Federick
Managing Partner, Jekara

Kara is the Managing Partner of Jekara Group, a venture capital firm that has raised institutional and family office capital to back exceptional founders accelerating the global energy transition.

She has extensive global capital market experience on the sell side and the buy side in New York, Silicon Valley, and Australia. Jekara Group was recently listed as one of the Top 100 Green Energy Players in The Australian’s Green List.

Agenda

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