The inaugural Australian Built brought more than 150 founders, investors and policymakers to Canberra. The message was clear: the industry is real, and scaling it is the hard part, Climate Salad’s Mick Liubinskas explains.
On September 16, we hosted the inaugural Australian Built in Canberra.
In the morning, Australian-built technology went in front of MPs, senators and ministers at Parliament House. In the afternoon, founders, investors and industry leaders moved to the Canberra Innovation Network to work out what would help these companies grow here.
Ministers Tim Ayres and Chris Bowen spoke, alongside MPs Jerome Laxale, Ed Husic, Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall and Senator Stephanie Hodgins-May. More than 20 MPs and senators came to the showcase, and seven companies demonstrated their technology.
The day’s clearest point: Australia already has a large and growing climate technology industry. It now matters for the country’s economic and jobs future, and the task is to build on it.
The opportunity is already here
Australian companies are already making climate and energy technology across the country. There are 15 operational facilities, more than 5,000 manufacturing jobs and around $8 billion invested in electrolysers, battery materials, thermal storage and circular systems. By 2035, the sector could support 20,000 manufacturing jobs and $100 billion in economic value.
The risk sits in the scale-up phase. Companies that cannot make that leap either close or move overseas. Relectrify manufactures its new AC1 battery system in Taiwan. Earthodic has scaled commercial production in the United States. v2food closed its Wodonga manufacturing facility. Each example shows what Australia stands to lose.
What we heard at Parliament House
Several themes came up repeatedly.
- Back ourselves earlier. Waiting until a technology is proven overseas means Australia captures less of the manufacturing, IP and jobs.
- First customers are the most important catalyst. Procurement and long-term offtakes give companies the demand certainty they need to build here.
- The pilot-to-plant gap is real. Early capital and demonstration can happen here. Commercial-scale manufacturing needs a different level of capital and risk sharing.
- Regional Australia stands to gain significantly. Port Kembla, Newcastle, Queanbeyan, Toowoomba and Geelong already host these facilities.
- Policy certainty changes investment decisions. Founders comparing Australia with the US, Europe and Asia need a five to ten year view, not just this year’s grant.
Minister Bowen used the day to launch the ARENA Launchpad program, a $30 million funding pool for Australia’s next clean energy startups. Ed Husic MP argued that the sector has built real momentum and now has a once-in-a-generation chance to create a new industry.
What industry asked government to do
In the afternoon, seven discussion tables turned the morning’s themes into concrete proposals. Minister Ayres joined to hear the priorities. The headline recommendations:
- An Emerging Markets Manufacturing Council, with industry, unions and government co-designing a focused industrial plan for energy and climate technology.
- A $200 million regional co-investment fund, alongside private capital, for hub-and-spoke manufacturing in green iron, critical minerals, batteries and clean fuels.
- A $500 million First-of-a-Kind Commercial Plant Program to help companies move from pilot to their first commercial plant on Australian soil.
- Government procurement of Australian-made batteries, electrolysers, thermal storage and solar across Defence, Transport and Buildings.
- Ten-year offtakes for energy storage and industrial decarbonisation, so companies and investors can commit to building capacity here.
- Supporting measures: sectoral manufacturing roadmaps, zoning protection for manufacturing corridors, and a skills and apprenticeship pipeline.
The common thread is that capital alone is not enough. Companies need customers, policy certainty and investors as partners. The briefing has gone to every MP and senator who joined us.
The companies building it
Seven companies showcased their work. MGA Thermal stores renewable energy as heat for industry and power, with 40 manufacturing jobs in Newcastle. Amber Electric builds software that helps households get more from their batteries, EVs and flexible energy use. Allegro Energy makes long-duration flow batteries, including a 100kW / 800kWh, eight-hour system for Origin Energy at Eraring. Sicona Battery Technologies manufactures next-generation battery materials at Port Kembla. MCi Carbon turns captured CO2 and industrial waste into construction materials, with 55 manufacturing jobs in Newcastle. Gelion develops advanced battery technologies and materials for safer, scalable storage. Samsara Eco uses enzymes to break plastics back into their building blocks, with 65 manufacturing jobs in Queanbeyan.
Taking it to COP31
I’ll be joining the Team Australia Business Mission at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, in November. The mission has two aims. The first is to show the world that Australia has energy and climate technology ready to solve big challenges. The second is to connect government, business and investment leaders with Australian companies and bring them to Australia.
The mission is supported by the Australian Government’s Accessing New Markets Initiative (ANMI), a $55 million program designed and jointly delivered by Austrade and industry to help Australian businesses diversify and grow their exports.
Australian Built is going to COP too. We’re running an Australian Built Climate Tech session at the Australian Pavilion on 16 November at 4pm. Companies showcasing at COP include Rux Energy, HydGene, Samsara Eco, MCi Carbon and Janus Electric. Rux is developing metal-organic frameworks for shore-to-ship power, and Janus Electric is commercialising zero-emissions solutions for heavy transport.
The reason to take this to Antalya is simple. Climate technology is an export story as much as a domestic policy one. Overseas buyers and investors are looking for proven technology, and the companies on this list are that proof. The job at home is to make sure they can build here while they sell there.
If you’re a founder, investor or corporate buyer who wants to meet the Team Australia delegation, register your interest at https://lnkd.in/gctUB64q.
What happens next
- The group that came together in Canberra will decide what it does from here. The view among us is that it should keep building on what it started.
- The Climate Capital Forum team will take company updates back to ministers and MPs every quarter.
- Australian Built returns to Parliament House next year to report on progress across jobs, facilities and apprentices. One founder told us the room will need to be bigger.
Big activities to finish the year
- Industry report data is coming in. Founders, update your data as soon as you can for the 2026 Australian Climate Tech Industry Report, launching in November.
- COP31 Australian Built session. 16 November, 4pm, Australian Pavilion, Antalya.
- Australian Climate Tech Connect and Awards.25 November at Ashurst in Sydney.
Thank you to everyone who travelled to Canberra, shared their experience, opened doors and demonstrated their technology, and to those who gave money and time to make the day happen.
If there is a company, investor, corporate customer or policymaker who should be part of Australian Built, introduce us. If there is one action, connection or policy issue we should pursue next, tell us.
Let’s keep building.
- Mick Liubinskas is cofounder and CEO of Climate Salad, a community of more than 700 member companies and 125 investors working on climate technology in Australia.
About the author
Mick Liubinskas
Mick was instrumental in the building of Pollenizer, Startmate and muru-D, and has spent decades building and supporting Australia’s startup ecosystem.
He’s now the founder of Climate Salad, Australia’s climate tech community with 800+ companies and 125+ investors, and is a principal at Melomys Advisory, focused on accelerating climate solutions.
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