Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dates
Tue, 4 August 2026 – Thu, 6 August 2026
Venue
Adelaide Convention Centre
Location
Adelaide, Australia
Organizer
Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), Australian Department of Defence
Cost
paid
Scale
regional
Recurrence
biennial
Reg. deadline
15 May 2026
Format
On-site
Why it matters
ADSTAR is the single most direct access point to Australia's Defence science and technology decision-making community, drawing senior ADF leaders, allied nation delegations, and the Chief Defence Scientist under one roof. For SMEs and startups, the dedicated Startup Alley, ASCA Pitch Day, and 350+ abstract submissions from 128 organisations signal genuine procurement and partnership pipeline opportunities. The biennial cadence and government-hosted format mean that exhibiting or presenting here directly shapes the Defence IS&T investment priorities articulated in the National Defence Strategy.
ADSTAR is Australia's premier government-hosted defence innovation, science and technology summit, held biennially and hosted by the Defence Science and Technology Group on behalf of the Department of Defence. The 2026 edition — the third instalment — runs under the theme 'Delivering More, Together' and is structured around four strategic lines of effort drawn from the Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy. The three-day programme features keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops, live demonstrations, e-posters, and an interactive exhibition floor connecting early-stage research with operational Defence outcomes. The 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy was formally released at the summit, alongside an ASCA Pitch Day focused on resilient command and control.
Market intel
Moderate pricingmedium confidence
ADSTAR 2026 was the third edition of Australia's flagship defence science and technology summit, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre with more than 2,000 delegates expected from Defence, government, industry, and academia across Australia and allied nations. The event featured an ASCA Pitch Day on resilient C2, a Startup Alley, and the formal release of the 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy, making it a pivotal policy and partnership event. Exhibitor and floor-space figures were not publicly released ahead of the event; post-show statistics had not yet been published at the time of research.
Notable exhibitors
Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA)Defence SA (South Australian Government)Adelaide University / Defence TrailblazerDefence Science InstituteEOS AustraliaDefenSight (startup)Lot Fourteen innovation precinct
AI-researched Tue, 25 August 2026. Estimates from public sources. Verify with the organizer.
This is the only dedicated regional defence conference in Australia that places prime contractors and SMEs in the same room for structured, direct engagement — making it a critical pipeline event for Hunter-region and NSW suppliers seeking to enter or grow within ADF programs. Senior leaders from all three services and Joint Capabilities attend, providing rare first-hand insight into current capability priorities and procurement pathways. For SMEs and startups, the small-group discussion format offers direct access to decision-makers that larger trade shows rarely replicate.
As the premier security marketplace in the Asia-Pacific region, this event is the primary venue for global security suppliers to launch products into the Australian market and engage directly with integrators, consultants, government buyers, and critical-infrastructure end users. The co-location with Integrate and Fire Security Expo expands the addressable buyer pool to ~14,500 professionals across converging physical, cyber, fire, and AV sectors. For SMEs and startups, it is the most cost-efficient route to the Australian security procurement community, with free visitor registration and a sold-out floor plan signalling strong buyer intent.
SubSTEC is Australia's only dedicated submarine science and engineering conference, making it the primary access point for suppliers seeking to engage the RAN submarine enterprise, Defence SA, and AUKUS programme decision-makers in a single venue. For SMEs and startups, the SME Spotlight sessions and tiered sponsorship tiers (Bronze upward) offer direct visibility to the naval and government officials who shape sovereign capability investment. With Australia committing to a multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar nuclear submarine transition, SubSTEC8 is the earliest opportunity to position technology and services ahead of major procurement cycles.
