Cicada Innovations

Creating A Category Leader

Situation

ATP Innovations was Australia’s first ever business incubator, which rebranded in 2016 to Cicada Innovations. It remains the only incubator in Australia to specialise in deep technology companies. However, a broad lack of understanding about deep technology meant that Cicada Innovations was misunderstood and sometimes overlooked by government, industry, and media.

Action

Third Hemisphere was retained by Cicada Innovations in 2017 to strategically build its profile as an industry-leading voice on deep technology. It was also tasked with educating on the crucial role deep technologies play in bolstering the economy and advancing the world as a whole.

Then CEO, Petra Andren, was established as one of the leading voices on deep tech in Australia. In 2019 Petra was replaced by Sally-Ann Williams, and Third Hemisphere’s mandate was retained and expanded under the new leadership. We have been integral in building and implementing Cicada’s public communications strategy.

Results

Third Hemisphere has achieved monthly tier-1 media for Cicada Innovations and its incubatees over the past 4 years and counting. This has included authoring and placing dozens of strategic thought leadership editorials in the AFR, The Australian, and a wide range of leading science-based trade publications.

Sally-Ann Williams has been positioned in stories alongside our former Innovation Minister, Karen Andrews MP, Atlassian’s Mike Cannon-Brookes, and President of the Business Council of Australia, Tim Reed – among many other industry titans.

She is now a top-of-mind resource whenever journalists, editors, and TV news reporters want commentary on deep tech. She is also sought out in areas of critical importance such as government policy, federal budgets, jobs and growth, and economic recovery plans, and is now an AFR columnist.

In 2021, Cicada Innovations was singled out as “Australia’s top deep tech incubator” and “a model for the future” in parliamentary speeches and press conferences by ALP Deputy Leader, Richard Marles.