Silicon Catalyst Australia Announces First Five Portfolio Companies for ChipStart AU 2026 Queensland Program
Queensland-backed VCDF initiative launches with inaugural cohort spanning low-power edge-compute, AI, quantum security, advanced materials, power semiconductors, and MedTech biosensing
BRISBANE, Australia, May 18, 2026—Silicon Catalyst Australia, the Australian subsidiary of Silicon Catalyst, the world’s only incubator and accelerator focused exclusively on the global semiconductor industry, today announced the inaugural ChipStart AU 2026 cohort under the program supported by Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund (VCDF), which is managed by Queensland Investment Corporation.
The inaugural cohort demonstrates the breadth of Queensland's emerging semiconductor and deep technology ecosystem, spanning advanced power electronics, edge AI compute, quantum-secured communications, Medtech photonic biosensing, and advanced carbon materials. ChipStart AU gives participating companies access to Silicon Catalyst’s global ecosystem of industry veterans and experts as well as semiconductor industry partners, advisors, network, investors, EDA tools, IP, design services, prototyping pathways, and commercialisation support.
“ChipStart AU was created to help Queensland semiconductor and deep technology companies accelerate commercialisation and scale globally,” said James Lougheed, President of Silicon Catalyst Australia. “This first cohort demonstrates the great diversity of innovation emerging from Queensland across semiconductors, quantum, photonics, advanced materials, Medtech and AI-enabled hardware systems. We are excited to support these companies through ChipStart AU with access to Silicon Catalyst’s global ecosystem, strategic partners, advisors, and investor network, and we welcome them as new members of our global portfolio.”
The 2026 cohort of ChipStart AU companies are:
iQ Sense
Implantable biomonitoring technology using near-field RF energy transfer and photonic sensing for real-time biomarker measurement in animal health across companion animals, service animals, and livestock.
Cortisonic
Ultra-low power edge compute technology for SWaP-constrained applications, using MEMS-based reservoir computing for always-on AI and real-time signal processing and edge machine learning applications.
VeriQuantix
Quantum assured physical layer link validation technology for securing communications networks using quantum correlated photons to detect eavesdropping or tampering on fibre links without degrading classical data rates.
Silvertech
Novel silicon carbide lateral power MOSFET technology for high-voltage and fast-switching power conversion applications, enabling simplified manufacturing and highly integrated power systems-on-chip.
Sweet Atoms
Advanced carbon materials platform converting agricultural biomass waste into graphitic carbon, hard carbon, and glassy carbon materials for batteries, coatings, packaging, filtration, and thermal management applications.
“Queensland is continuing to build meaningful capability across semiconductor and deep technologies, supported by world-class research, technical founders and growing global demand for sovereign capability in strategical sectors,” said Leo Channon, QIC Ventures Investment Director. “The inaugural ChipStart AU cohort demonstrates the breadth of innovation emerging from Queensland across power electronics, quantum-secured communications, edge AI, photonics and advanced materials, with strong long-term commercial potential. Through the Venture Capital Development Fund, QIC is proud to support programs like ChipStart AU that help connect local companies with global industry expertise, commercialization pathways and the networks required to scale internationally.”
ChipStart AU helps Australian semiconductor startups reduce the cost and complexity of development while accelerating pathways to global customers, strategic partnerships, and investment. Portfolio companies also gain access to Silicon Catalyst’s worldwide ecosystem, which has reviewed more than 1,500 semiconductor startups globally and admitted over 150 companies into its accelerator programs.
Silicon Catalyst Australia was launched to strengthen Queensland’s quantum, semiconductor and advanced technologies commercialisation ecosystem by connecting local innovators with global industry resources, expertise, and investment networks.