AI, MedTech, and Climate Innovation Take Centre Stage at UNSW 10x Demo Day 2025
Eighteen UNSW founders shared the ideas shaping Australia’s innovation future.
November 5, 2025
Cohort 10, UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator
UNSW 10x Demo Day 2025 brought together founders, investors, and industry partners for an evening of ideas and connection. Eighteen startup teams took the stage to share how they are turning research, creativity, and lived experience into new ventures. Rather than formal investor pitches, each founder delivered a two-minute invitation to conversation, offering a snapshot of the challenges they are addressing and the impact they aim to create.
From AI agents redefining work to clean-energy technologies and medical breakthroughs, the cohort reflected UNSW’s growing depth in deep-tech, health, and climate innovation. Behind every talk was a story of experimentation, collaboration, and persistence, qualities that continue to define the UNSW Founders community.
Recognised by Startup Muster as Australia’s most recommended startup accelerator, UNSW Founders 10x supports ventures translating research and ideas into commercial impact. Since 2019, more than 130 startups have graduated from the program and collectively raised over $200 million.
Now in its 10th cohort, the philanthropically backed accelerator continues to help founders build traction, connect with mentors and bring their ideas to market.
🎥 Watch the highlights from UNSW 10x Demo Day 2025 and meet the founders shaping Australia’s innovation future. 👇
Turning Research into Real-World Solutions
Deputy Secretary of Investment NSW, Rebecca McPhee, opened the evening by highlighting how programs like this play a vital role in translating research into commercial outcomes.
“Innovation has always been a driving force for progress. It tackles our most important problems, from health to the environment, and empowers communities to deliver change,” McPhee said.
Designed to be founder-first and traction-focused, the 10x Accelerator gives startups advice, introductions, and hands-on support, right when they need it most. For many, it’s the pivotal step between research and real-world impact. With six UNSW research spinouts and nine hardware ventures among the 2025 cohort, Demo Day highlighted how innovation born at the university continues to reach global markets.
The Future Revealed
Founders 10x: The Next Wave of AI
Founders 10x Cohort
From open AI protocols to new productivity tools, the Founders 10x cohort demonstrates the breadth of innovation emerging from UNSW.
ConnectOnion (Founder Aaron Xie) - The open source collaboration stack for AI agents. Join over 10 thousand builders and launch your own agent in minutes and let it safely work with other agents, inside or outside your organisation.
NextCoin (Founder Bal Singh) - Building the Future of Work for Young Pros. AI-driven global teams. Real paid work. Real impact. Delivering outcomes for businesses and pathways for Young Pros. Launching November with 2,000 Young Pros and 20 partner companies.
Rhombus AI (Founders Purnjay Peshawaria & Duy Nguyen) – The world’s first DataOps platform that turns text into complete workflows in seconds. Rhombus will officially launch on Product Hunt this month.
RTOPilot (Founders Manning Blackall, Alex Blazevski, Xavier Carmo & Tully Moffat)– Building modern infrastructure for vocational training - making it easier to train and reskill Australia's workforce at scale.
SeeStone (Founder Nilufer Haksever) - Tackling retail’s $230B waste problem with AI-driven buying decisions. Currently piloting its next-gen retail analytics platform with global brands and expanding capabilities set to be revealed at Demo Day.
Skilled Companions (Founders Robert Buhrke, Jill Bennett, Gail Kenning, Michael Thielscher & Volker Kuchelmeister) – Providing emotionally intelligent, AI-powered companionship for older adults, people with disabilities, and those experiencing loneliness. Currently in trial and launching early next year.
Health 10x:
Translating Science and Clinical Insight into Ventures Improving Health Outcomes at Scale
Health 10x Cohort
Delivered in partnership with The George Institute for Global Health, Health 10x is Australia’s leading health accelerator, focusing on evidence-based innovation to address major global health challenges, with specific focus on women’s health innovation
Arelis (Founders Tori Fox, Francis Martin, Maneesh Singh & Chris Dunn)– Developing a non-invasive urine test to detect endometriosis early using AI and infrared spectroscopy. The co-founders pioneered and validated their technology and are progressing towards clinical studies.
AttoQuest (Founders Yann Gambin, Emma Sierecki & Noah Graves)– Delivering rapid, ultra-sensitive pathogen testing for clinics and hospitals, guiding effective antibiotic use. AttoQuest are revenue-generating, piloting in major hospitals, and are finalising a major licensing deal for global commercialisation.
MicroCavitics (Founders Kazauaki Negishi & Tomoko Negishi) – Developing a portable ultrasound device that enables early treatment for heart attack patients. Initial clinical trial results were promising with second clinical trial underway.
ProHeme Diagnostics (Founders Yuyi You & Mehdi Mirzaei) – AI-powered blood tests to transform the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS). Validated across multiple independent cohorts with high accuracy, the team is now advancing toward clinical deployment with leading global pathology partners.
Roam Technologies (Founders Shan-Shan Wang, Natalie Ho, Jay Flack, Eugene Lai & Sisi Zheng)– Developed the first tankless, real-time oxygen device, bridging the gap between clinical oxygen and everyday use. Roam is partnering with a leading US medical innovation program at the world’s largest medical complex.
Valetudo MedTech (Founders Riccardo Cazzoli, Orazio Vittorio, Shunfa Yang & Massimiliano Tani) – Pioneering a microfluidic platform that turns red blood cells into nano-sized drug carriers to treat brain and neurological conditions. Pre-clinical work is complete with strong research collaborations.
Vively (Founders Tim Veron & Michael Pang) – Precision health platform combining personalised blood testing and expert coaching. Vively will launch its new precision health product at Demo Day, delivering clinician-guided, biomarker-driven lifestyle and nutrition plans
Climate 10x: Deeptech for a Decarbonised Future
Climate 10x Cohort
Supported by the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy, Climate 10x backs startups developing breakthrough technologies for emissions reduction.
Bearhug (Founders Tom Field & Max Higgins) – Building automation hardware to replace 1.5% of the world’s plastic waste (single-use pallet wrap) with a reusable, circular alternative. The company has built a customer base in Australia and will be expanding to Europe.
CounterCurrent (Founders Shane Keating, Steefan Contractor, James Keating & James Goldie) – “Google Maps for the Sea” - decarbonising the maritime industry by harnessing localised ocean currents and AI forecasting. The company will unveil a landmark partnership with a leading cruise line at Demo Day.
Extraterrestrial Power (ETP) (Founders Peter Toth, Prof Gavin Conibeer & Babett Volgyesi) – Delivering affordable, radiation-tolerant solar panels for satellites, now commercially proven in orbit aboard the Skykraft constellation.
IPMF Technologies (Founders Ilje Pikaar, Katrin Fluggen & Markus Fluggen)– Transforming wastewater sludge into a carbon-capturing resource and renewable energy feedstock; currently completing a paid pilot with an Australian council.
P2AgentX (Founders Jim Joseph John & Bram Hoex) – AI and robotics solution automating operations and maintenance of renewable energy assets globally. The startup will debut its new platform at Demo Day off the back of a successful ongoing pilot trial.
Building an Inclusive Innovation Economy
The night also celebrated diversity in entrepreneurship, with 40 percent of this year’s startups led or co-founded by women. Kristen Pelletier, Head of Product at Westpac, spoke about the ongoing partnership with UNSW Founders and its role in making entrepreneurship more accessible to all.
“We believe in supporting women founders and breaking down the barriers that still exist,” said Pelletier. “Partnering with UNSW helps make entrepreneurship more accessible and equitable.”
She then announced this year’s Westpac Scholarship recipients, each receiving $20,000 to accelerate their ventures:
Tori Fox - CEO of Arelis (Health 10x), developing a non-invasive test to detect endometriosis early.
Nilufer Haksever - CEO of SeeStone (10x), using AI to eliminate $230B in retail waste.
Emma Sierecki - CSO of AttoQuest (Health 10x), creating ultra-sensitive pathogen testing for hospitals guiding effective antibiotic use.
Thank You to Our Partners!
We extend a heartfelt thank you to our partners: UNSW Industry & Innovation, The George Institute for Global Health, Westpac, Virtus Health, and Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy, for their continued support in empowering founders.
Interested in joining the next 10x cohort? 👉 Express your interest here.