The Melt
Published on 28 April 2025
Regional communities like the Hunter have played a critical role in powering Australia. As we transition to net zero, creating new industries, jobs and opportunities for the Hunter region is essential.
One business supporting the region through the transition is The Melt.
With The Melt’s help, new businesses in the Hunter are having their clean energy ideas turned into reality.
The Melt is a hardware accelerator that provides programs, services, facilities and investment attraction to help clean technology and manufacturing start-ups begin their projects.
Melt Ventures early-stage venture capital funds provide startups with up to $1.5m of investment - but The Melt is much more than an investor. It also creates, builds, scales and connects innovators of hardware and clean tech. It enables new technologies to be piloted in real-world environments, helping to identify barriers to commercial success and connects start-ups with further investment opportunities.
Modern Manufacturing Centre
The Melt’s Modern Manufacturing Centre is where startups, scaleups and existing businesses can build a prototype alongside industry experts using world-class equipment.
With strong links to clean energy precincts such as AGL's Hunter Energy Hub, The Melt is well positioned to understand the emerging needs of industry – then invest in and grow the tech to meet those needs.
The Melt’s latest facility opened in 2023 in the Hunter Innovation Precinct at Muswellbrook. With the help of a $1.79 million grant from the NSW Government, The Melt is hosting acceleration and commercialisation programs over a 4-year period.
The Melt also supports local students with an interest in manufacturing and renewable energy, providing them with the opportunity to develop their ideas into a prototype at the centre.
Supporting new businesses
The Melt has supported some of the region’s most exciting innovators and new businesses, including Allegro Energy and MGA Thermal.
Allegro Energy creates water-based, fully recyclable, long duration renewable energy storage batteries. MGA Thermal is responsible for pioneering large-scale clean steam, power and energy storage in thermal blocks.
Transforming the Hunter into a clean energy hub
The team’s vision is to transform the Hunter into a clean energy super precinct to help secure local jobs and support industry to work towards net zero.
Brett Thomas, Partner and Chief Operating Officer at The Melt, says the Hunter provides an ideal location for The Melt.
‘Most of Australia's key and largest energy coal mines and power generators are here. As they diminish over time, we need to find ways to be able to re-employ or re-skill those people to keep them here,’ he said.
‘The vision for this region is for it to remain the energy heartland of NSW. In order to do that, we’re creating the next generation of startups and scaleups.'
Find out more about what is happening in the Hunter and how the Authority is supporting the transition on our Hunter region page.