Curtin University has revealed the next generation of innovators and industry shapers, announcing 13 startups in its 2026 Accelerate program cohort offering new ideas in healthcare, education, workplace safety, underwater vehicles, beauty products and more.
Running since 2013, Curtin Accelerate is a free program providing business owners the skills and networks needed to quickly and effectively take their innovative product or service to market, thanks to guidance from some of the world's leading innovators and startup founders.
The program's speaker and mentor network consists of local and global innovators such as Kanopy founder Olivia Humphrey, renowned angel investor Bill Tai and experienced CEO and venture investor Rob Newman.
The program has supported more than 180 founders develop early-stage companies, many of which continue to operate today.
Among the 2026 cohort is Minerva, a virtual-reality platform able to turn CT and MRI scans into true-scale 3D images to help surgeons plan complex paediatric heart procedures, while Sunfish Robotics is a solar ocean robot engineered for long-duration, low-cost ocean data collection.
Curtin Director of Entrepreneurship Danelle Cross said Accelerate continued to demonstrate the University's long-term commitment to building an entrepreneurial pipeline in Western Australia.
"Every year, the quality and ambition of the applications go up," Ms Cross said.
"This year's cohort includes founders working on lifesaving healthcare tools, safety tech and sustainable consumer brands.
"These are projects that will make a real difference to people's lives and show how Curtin supports innovation, from the mind to the marketplace."
Curtin Executive Director Commercialisation Rohan McDougall said Curtin Accelerate was so successful because of its focus on practical, founder-centred learning and hands-on mentorship.
"This program was created to help founders move faster, reduce risk and find the customers and investors they need to scale," Mr McDougall said.
"Over more than a decade, the results speak for themselves: alumni have launched more than 70 successful ventures, raising over $41 million in funding.
"Accelerate aims to turn great ideas into viable businesses that create jobs and diversify WA's economy - and we have no doubt our 2026 cohort will achieve this."
2026 CURTIN ACCELERATE COHORT
- Minerva - A VR imaging platform that turns CT/MRI scans into life-sized 3D anatomy to help clinicians plan and practise complex paediatric heart surgeries.
- Sonowest Healthcare - An integrated telehealth primary care model offering 24/7 support to improve health access for remote WA communities.
- Yalkarang Consulting - A Noongar-led service delivering culturally grounded learning to strengthen workplace and community understanding.
- AchieveAble - A fun and engaging maths tutoring program combining coaching, daily micro-practice and interactive lessons to boost student outcomes.
- aisembl - An intuitive design-to-documentation platform that streamlines material selection and project planning for homeowners and professionals.
- NeuroAnalyse - A clinical decision tool integrating dementia risk prediction into GP software to support earlier prevention.
- Safe Call Up - A discrete safety-monitoring app for family and domestic violence survivors using timed check-ins and silent alert features.
- Eikonic - Developing the world's first menopause-focused Advanced Oral Crème, powered by regenerative gold-calcium technology to support women in the menopausal life stage.
- Respiradigm - A digital health companion to predict infant asthma risk and provide parent-friendly guidance and clinician insights.
- Suss Beauty - A waterless, powdered and refillable skincare range designed to reduce environmental waste.
- Next Generation Sensors - Portable electrochemical sensors using ionic liquid-based film and gel technology for fast, on-site detection of explosives and water pollutants.
- hyvr - A cloud platform that streamlines maintenance handovers, unifying shift data and improving operational safety and compliance.
- Sunfish Robotics - Solar ocean robot engineered for long-duration, low-cost ocean data collection.
