ANFF works with small and medium enterprises as they develop new technologies and devices and move them beyond the lab. For many SMEs, this is the stage where ideas become physical, functional and repeatable. Access to the right tools, facilities and hands-on expertise makes the difference between something that works once and something that can work again and again.
Across its national network, ANFF provides fabrication and manufacturing environments that reflect how technologies are actually made and used. These environments allow companies to trial designs, refine processes and uncover practical challenges early. Working under real-world conditions builds confidence in how reliably a technology performs.
Meet these SMEs advancing technologies and devices toward real-world use:
Printing the Future of IVF: Fertilis is reshaping assisted reproduction with its microICSI device, designed to ease pressure on fertility clinics struggling to meet demand. Traditional intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) requires expert operators who stress oocytes by holding them with suction pipettes. microICSI simplifies the process by immobilising the oocyte in a precision 3D-printed structure. Fertilis partnered with ANFF-SA to acquire an UpNano 3D printer capable of producing intricate designs that interface with both sperm and oocytes. By streamlining procedures and minimising cell stress, Fertilis offers a promising step toward more successful and scalable fertility care.
High-Tech Green Thumbs: AgTech company Magic Wavelength develops compact, low-cost light-reflection sensors for non-invasive plant health monitoring via drones or handheld devices. Its drone-based AgTell enables remote spectral sensing of farmland, while PlantTell’s handheld device provides direct leaf-level insights for gardeners both indoors and outdoors. In partnership with the University of Western Australia, Magic Wavelength recently received an Australia’s Economic Accelerator grant to advance its technology. These tools help farmers and gardeners make smarter decisions, reducing fertiliser and water use while boosting yields and driving more sustainable food production.
Rapid Relief from Kidney Stone Pain: When kidney stones block urine flow, the ensuing severe pain often requires urgent stent insertion, typically done under general anaesthesia. Akeeko Medical (Akeeko™) is the first to develop an all-in-one device for this procedure with its flagship product – the Akeeko Stent Inserter™ (ASI). Combining a guidewire, stent pusher and a tip-mounted camera that streams images to a screen, the ASI is designed to allow use outside the operating room, providing faster pain relief and freeing up hospital resources. The ASI is for use by Healthcare Professionals and is not yet registered.
Solar is on a Roll: Kardinia Energy’s printed solar technology is purpose-built for locations where traditional PV panels are impractical or uneconomical. Produced using a roll-to-roll (R2R) printing process, Kardinia’s recyclable solar modules utilise ultra-thin organic PV layers on PET plastic, are lightweight and are flexible enough to be rolled up. These panels are currently produced using the ANFF-Materials Newcastle R2R print facility. Over $2M in funding from the New South Wales government’s Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative will enable Kardina to fast-track the world’s first commercial printed solar manufacturing facility in Newcastle.
Microbrain Magic: University of Melbourne’s Bram Servais is pushing the boundaries of biocomputing by improving how living human neurons communicate with electronics. Through an APR Internship at Cortical Labs, an Australian start-up harnessing neuron-driven computing, he tackled the challenges of building brain-on-a-chip systems from human-derived tissue. Using ANFF-VIC’s Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, scalable microfabricated platforms were created to interface neurons with electronic devices. These microscale systems allow precise control, stimulation and measurement of human brain tissue, opening new possibilities for drug testing, neural research and next-gen biocomputing technologies.
Space-Made Super Fibres: Flawless Photonics is pioneering the production of ZBLAN optical fibres in microgravity, fabricating nearly 12 kilometres aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Valued for its low signal loss and wide transmission range, ZBLAN will revolutionise telecommunications, sensing and laser technologies. Central to this effort, ANFF-OptoFab Adelaide manufactures radially layered ZBLAN preforms that are drawn into fibres on the ISS. By merging expertise in glass fabrication with space-based fibre drawing, the partnership is deepening insight into how microgravity improves ZBLAN’s quality and performance for future photonics and communications applications.
The broad impact of ANFF on developing Australia’s good ideas is visible in the depth and range of technologies being developed. Altogether, the companies featured here are working at the edge of advanced manufacturing, developing the innovations that shape what comes next.
This article is republished with adaptation from the 2025 ANFF Casebook.
Posted 23 February 2026