Katherine Woodthorpe appointed chair of Cicada Innovations

Tech incubator Cicada Innovations is now led by two women for the first time in the company’s 23-year history and its new chair looks forward to the day this is unremarkable across business.

Cicada chair Dr Katherine Woodthorpe and chief executive Sally-Ann Williams.

Australian deep tech incubator Cicada Innovations has appointed Katherine Woodthorpe as its new chair, meaning the 23-year-old business is for the first time led by two women.

Dr Woodthorpe played a key advisory role in creating the home of Cicada Innovations in Sydney, formerly named the Australian Technology Park or “ATP”, and now known as the South Eveleigh precinct.

Cicada offers custom labs and offices for deep tech start-ups as well as mentoring and investment programs.

Dr Woodthorpe replaces Andrew Rothery, who occupied the role for almost eight years alongside chief executive Sally-Ann Williams.

Dr Woodthorpe recently became the first woman elected as president of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE). She will retain non-executive director roles at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, RACE for 2030 CRC, AnteoTec Ltd, and Bioplatforms Australia.

“Australia is still struggling to find enough scientists and engineers to ensure we hold our place in an increasingly tech-orientated future,” she said on Thursday.

“If we don’t encourage half the population to view STEM as a fulfilling career – and then create an environment where this is actually the case – then we are wasting half of our nation’s brain power.

Cicada Innovations chair Dr Katherine Woodthorpe.

“As the adage goes, you can’t be what you don’t see. In this context, the more normalised and uncontroversial we make it for women to occupy senior roles in STEM, the more girls and young women will see that there are genuine career opportunities awaiting them too.

“I look forward to the day when no one actually notices that there are two women at the helm of deep tech because it has become commonplace, a fact of life.

“As we strive towards this, I look forward to working with Sally-Ann to enable more deep tech entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential, while cementing Cicada Innovations as the leading deep tech incubator in the region.”

Cicada Innovations chief executive Sally-Ann Williams, a former Google executive, welcomed the appointment.

“Having a female trailblazer join Cicada’s board with the sheer breadth and depth of experience Katherine brings is a strong signal to everyone that there is a critical role for women to play in leadership in this crucial sector,” she said.

“Katherine understands the architecture, leadership and advocacy needed at a national level to facilitate growth in complex economies founded on science and engineering businesses.

“I believe she will help to elevate Cicada Innovation’s role not just nationally but also internationally.

“We need more women and people from under-represented backgrounds in STEM and deep tech, because their skills, capabilities, experience, and different ways of thinking drive better decision-making and outcomes.

“Creating visibility around this also helps to remove the stereotypes and artificial barriers that tell the world there isn’t a place or role for women in STEM. This is patently untrue.

“Everyone is welcome, and everyone is needed.”