Innovation Bay & ARENA 2025 Renewables Startup Showcase: Meet the presenting startups

The Six Startups Powering Australia’s Race to 100% Renewables

From hydrogen-powered aircraft to algae-fuelled agriculture, six startups are redefining what’s possible in Australia and New Zealand’s transition to 100% renewables.

These ventures represent the next generation of clean-tech innovation, founders turning scientific breakthroughs into scalable, real-world solutions that can decarbonise entire industries. Spanning hydrogen aviation, industrial heat, energy storage, critical minerals, and sustainable agriculture, they’re not just reducing emissions, they’re reshaping how the world produces, stores, and uses energy.

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.

These startups will be featured at the sixth annual ARENA Renewables Startup Showcase, co-hosted by Innovation Bay and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Now in its sixth year, the Showcase brings together investors, corporates, founders, and researchers to accelerate the commercialisation of technologies that are driving the nation’s clean-energy transition. By connecting early-stage innovation with capital, capability, and industry expertise, the Showcase continues to play a critical role in turning climate ambition into commercial outcomes.In addition to the hand-selected start-up features, guests will be treated to thought leadership on the future of emerging technologies in the renewable energy sector from Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell, Chief Strategy Officer, 5B; Kara Frederick, Managing Partner, Jekara Group; Heidi Lee, CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions, and Megan Fisher, CEO and Director, EnergyLab; a cocktail gala event experience and, as always, incredible networking opportunities.

Tickets to the 2025 ARENA Renewables Start-up Showcase can be purchased here:

About Innovation Bay
Innovation Bay is the leading community for technology start-ups, scale-ups and investors in Australia and New Zealand. Since 2003, Innovation Bay has created valuable connections across the tech landscape, bringing founders, investors and leaders together to share experiences and learn from one another through curated events, programs and content.

About ARENA
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) supports the global transition to net zero emissions by accelerating the pace of pre-commercial innovation, to the benefit of Australian consumers, businesses and workers. Its purpose is to support improvements in renewable energy competitiveness, increase supply, and facilitate the achievement of Australia’s emissions targets through financial assistance and shared knowledge.

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