A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed during IMARC this week between APC Technology and Whitecell Systems shows the importance of Australia’s leading mining and resources event as a forum to drive real-world partnerships between innovation and investment.

The partnership is designed to deliver clean energy solutions for Australia’s defence and mining sectors by bringing together Whitecell Systems’ globally proven fuel-cell technology and APC Technology’s rugged Australian engineering expertise in designing and integrating systems that perform reliably in harsh, remote environments.

IMARC Event Director Paul Phelan said this is the sort of outcome that IMARC was designed to facilitate, with a renewed focus by the event organisers on connecting Australian innovation with potential partners and customers.

He said the IMARC Innovation & Investment Alley has become one of the most talked-about destinations at this year’s event, offering a vibrant showcase of pioneering technologies that are reshaping what’s possible in mining.

“From intelligent automation and clean energy systems to next-generation process optimisation tools, the Innovation & Investment Alley connects startups, researchers, and technology developers with investors, miners, and venture capitalists ready to accelerate their ideas into commercial reality,” Mr Phelan said.

"It captures IMARC’s mission to connect innovation with opportunity and reflects the needs of exhibitors and delegates to make meaningful connections for their business, while helping drive industry transformation, unlock cross-sector collaboration, and build a sustainable, tech-enabled future for mining and resources.”

“IMARC has always been a forum for collaboration, but the Alley takes that one step further. It enables future-defining ideas to find their first big audience and to create momentum for solutions that can change the trajectory of the industry, economically, socially and sustainably.”

A Launchpad for Commercial Breakthroughs

Each participating company in the Alley is showcasing a single, standout solution, designed to drive measurable improvements in efficiency, safety, sustainability, or cost reduction. The zone’s format ensures that every conversation is purposeful: innovators meet directly with mining company innovation leads, corporate VCs and technology investors seeking the next big breakthrough.

At the centre of the Alley, Innovation Roundtables create intimate, high-value discussions. In these sessions, innovators lead focused conversations with investors, corporate partners, and clients, exploring pathways to scale, collaboration opportunities, and market readiness.

Participating innovators and commercialisation partners include EcoHoist, Founders Factory Management Australia, Health & Wellness Water, RTCM Trailblazer, and UniQuest Pty Ltd.

Founders Factory, which recently announced a new cohort of startups under its accelerator partnership with Rio Tinto, is attending alongside six of those startups. 

As Founders Factory CEO Henry Lane Fox said: “Startups can drive further productivity, safety and automation in the mining sector, whilst accelerating the industry’s transition to Net Zero.”

IMARC’s Paul Phelan said the Alley offers an important forum for innovators to build credibility and visibility at Australia’s most influential mining event. 

“By gaining exposure to corporate VCs and tech investors, innovators have an opportunity to accelerate market entry and commercial opportunities, aligning with global priorities such as decarbonisation, digital transformation, and sustainable growth.”