"With perseverance and absolute candour - our goal is to help great people do great things, and invest our profits into further great things."
Founded in 2001, COLETEK is a multi-award-winning, founder-led, and proudly Australian product development company. We specialise in lean R&D, rapid prototyping, and sovereign technology, transforming complex ideas into real-world systems across robotics, AI, embedded systems, and cloud software.
With over 150 real-world product builds delivered across software and hardware across industries—from mission-critical and safety systems to agriculture, autonomous systems, medtech, environmental robotics, and consumer products—we work at the intersection of deep tech and practical execution.
Our in-house prototyping lab is part engineering skunkworks, part innovation studio. We've proudly hosted organisations such as:
We’re also known as the "ghost team" behind many commercialised inventions and often invited to speak at industry events.
As recognised providers in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, we use NVIDIA tech, AI, and edge computing to drive product development and robotics innovation.
We love solving complex, cross-disciplinary problems—careful, smart, and lean.
“Robotics is more than engineering. It’s a mirror for life. The more we understand nature, the better we can design machines — and the more we build, the more we uncover about ourselves.”
Technical Founder, Luke Cole (Dual BEng: Mechatronics & Software)
We don't chase trends. We build for purpose.
If you're tackling a tough challenge or building something that matters, reach out — we're here to help. And just so you know, we do much more than robotics.
Between client projects, we’ve been quietly bootstrapping a suite of our own technologies — purpose-built to solve real-world problems, explore new markets, and push the boundaries of what’s possible at the edge of innovation. Most are still under active development, with first use cases already in the field.
We’re just getting started — with more moonshots underway. Expect to see advances in robotics tooling, AI for the land and body, decentralised infrastructure, and systems that merge utility with sustainability. But as always, “great things take time”.
🏅 COLETEK has received multiple prestigious Good Design Awards, recognising excellence in innovation, functionality, and user-focused product development across robotics and technology.
COLETEK’s work has been featured at major global events, most notably:
Media appearances include:
Also featured in the Gold Coast Bulletin, Courier Mail, Rugby League Week, the classic Zoo Weekly Magazine Tech Page, and various others.
🏆 COLETEK was named one of APAC CIO Outlook’s 25 Most Promising Robotics & Automation Tech Solution Companies in 2016, recognising innovation in embedded systems, AI, and automation.
From national news to global expos and viral online platforms, COLETEK continues to capture attention across industries—wherever frontier technology meets real-world impact.
Founder (Luke Cole) – Young Achiever Highlights:
Known as the only teen in his district to bring a laptop to school and gain computer access during exams, Luke also sold FM bugs and laser pointers, was a state champion swimmer, placed top 25 nationally in street rollerblading, and was dubbed “Luke the Fluke” for his signature midcourt basketball trick shots.
Raised in humble beginnings around the Southern Highlands and Wollongong, NSW, in a family of builders and tech-lovers. COLETEK began long before it was a company — it started in 1990 when Luke Cole, aged 9, built his first robot out of scrap wood and salvaged electronics. That spark became a lifelong obsession—by his mid-teens, he was already being hired by national research labs for pioneering real-world robotics and computer vision work, alongside the former Chief Defence Scientist of Australia Alex Zelinsky (AO FAA FTSE FRSN) and Richard Hartley (FAA).
Throughout his late teens and early twenties, Luke contributed to a decade of robotics, computer vision, and embedded systems research at institutions including the ANU Robotics Lab, CSIRO, NICTA (now CSIRO Data61), and Seeing Machines. During this time also created a PICProg, Parallel Port PWM Kernal Space Linux Driver and the phpSite framework.
Around 2007, he created the popular Linux driver for the classic USB Missile Launcher, and also launched LowZo.com — one of Australia’s earliest standalone online marketplace platforms, well before the e-commerce boom.
In 2010, Luke developed the world’s first fully autonomous tractor while working at Hemisphere GPS (formerly BEELINE — the original pioneers of agricultural auto-steering systems). The auto-steer division was later acquired by AgJunction, forming the foundation of several commercial precision ag systems. Prior to that, he worked on indoor, GPS-free tracking systems at Location Aware Technologies.
He has since developed high-accuracy object ID systems, collaborated with the German automotive industry—including visits to BMW research labs and other Tier 1 German R&D manufacturers—and architected a range of AI-powered IoT products for industry.
From 2001 to late 2012, COLETEK operated as a part-time side venture alongside his roles in research and industry. In 2013, it became a full-time commercial enterprise focused on delivering deep tech solutions and original IP across product development—spanning consumer products, bespoke industrial automation, robotics, AI, IoT, and secure systems.
We’ve operated under three major ABNs across our growth stages:
Throughout these eras, our focus remained the same: helping great people build great things—and investing in technologies to help shape a better world.
Multistore Industries was in the process of developing new product for a client and needed a 3D handle printed before we went into the expense of mass production. I meet with Luke several times and he assisted with the drawings and then printed the handle. The handle was then presented to our client within 1 week and approved by the client. Thank you to Luke and his team for making this process so easy and for a client who couldn’t visualise the finished product Coletek was the perfect solution. Our company will not hesitate to use COLETEK for further projects.
Luke and the team do a amazing job. Extremly happy from start to finish
COLETEK proved to be the perfect choice to help us kick our project off. Their analysis of the problem we presented with them with, and their suggestions for the most efficient and effective way to achieve a solution prevented us wasting time and money heading down the wrong path. I'd recommend COLETEK without any reservations.
Thank you for your recent help with my enquiry. I have been able to proceed with my project which was proving very difficult before I was fortunate enough to make your acquaintance. The help you have given me and the contacts I have made with your support has been invaluable. Thank you so much and I look forward to a long and fruitful association.
I would like to thankyou for your time and development knowledge for assisting me in designing a new helmet for the Fire Fighting Sector. I apologise that I came to you with not much information to work with but I must admit I was very impressed with what design you came up with from your CAD drawings to achieve the final outcome. That new design is in the hands of our manufacturer over in Europe and we are hopeful that we will be able to release a new futuristic finished product for the next fire season. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to other customers who were looking to design new products.
Our first foray into the world of 3D printing brought us to COLETEK. We consider ourselves fortunate to have made this connection. COLETEK were accessible and easy to communicate with. They provided clear feedback and advice regarding the printing process, 3D file formats, resolution options and the likely time and costs involved. They provided prompt, invaluable service at a critical stage of product development, demonstrating a real understanding of our particular needs. The costs of services were totally appropriate and represented real added value to our final product. Thank you Luke and the team, we look forward to further opportunities to engage COLETEK.
Thank you for the fast and efficient service you have provided us over the years for 3D printing prototypes of specialised containers we are developing to manufacture. The 3D printing has been beneficial in perfecting and obtaining the perfect containers to suit the purpose and our needs.
COLETEK have been absolutely fantastic in their support and manufacture of various components for us. Our designs are always bespoke, intricate and low volume and it’s great to have an Australian company like COLETEK as a trusted and quality manufacturer for our spacecraft mechanical components and assemblies – which have been flight proven through successful mission operations. Keep up the great work!
We engaged COLETEK to conduct a series of research projects on robotics and we very pleased with their technical skill, creative thinking and hard work. If you need to prototype a complex technical idea, they are a great partner to work with.
I can say that I've only dealt once with Luke Cole at COLETEK and I found him to be very professional and helpful with his assessment of my device. His expertise and suggestions with regards to my invention was great, despite my pedestrian review of it and what I was hoping it could achieve. In the end his advice was paramount in my final decision as to whether I would move forward with the development of a prototype.
Intuitive, innovative & efficient are three words that would appropriately describe the COLETEK service. Luke and the team at COLETEK have taken our concepts to the next level.
I'm in the early stages of my prototype design. I have worked with Luke for a couple of years now and in that time I have found Luke to be very reliable, responsible with my design, honest and trustworthy. What stood out the most was Luke's pride and commitment that he undertakes to ensure a positive outcome. I consider it a privilege to call Luke an associate and have no hesitation in encouraging others to do the same.
Delivered excellence on time, great work and great team, thanks!
In the development of our new product Smart Syphon we had a tight deadline to launch the commercial version of our product and experienced some issues with our drawings. Luke and his team dealt with the issues, worked through the week-end and delivered a quality outcome on time.
We have used COLETEK on a couple of occasions and found their service to be professional and on time. We specialise in engineering and design of height safety equipment and since a lot of parts are made by casting from stainless steel we require a quick model before we proceed with the tool manufacture. COLETEK has been able to provide this quickly saving us valuable time and giving us peace of mind knowing our parts will look right when casted from stainless steel.
As the proprietor a DIY environmentally pest control products business I have been more then impressed with COLETEK's design capability and professionalism in assisting to realise an idea into reality. From concept, CAD drawings, 3D modelling, alterations right through to the finished product. I am extremely happy with our new termite control product. I have no hesitation in recommending COLETEK's services.
Our dealings with COLETEK were pleasant and professional. Luke was kind and courteous and very easy to talk to. High quality design concepts were emailed through with regularity so that we always knew exactly what was going on. I would recommend supporting hard workers and local Australia business by working with COLETEK
I have had the pleasure of working with Luke, our exceptional robotic product developer, over the past few years. Luke's expertise and professionalism have been pivotal in advancing our projects. Their innovative approach, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence have consistently exceeded our expectations. The quality of work and dedication Luke brings to each level of our project has significantly contributed to our success. I highly recommend COLETEK for their outstanding skills and unwavering professionalism.
I consulted COLETEK for some work, commencing in 2014, and haven’t looked back. The project was very important to me, and COLETEK not only saw that but exuded sincere enthusiasm about the project; they are attentive, and thorough in their research and development service. They are a wealth of information and advice, for many aspects of the entire engineering and commercialization space, and this has been invaluable to me. I look forward to continuing work with them long into the future!
We had the pleasure of doing business with COLETEK who provided us with service work. Their level of service and the quality of their work is exceptional. They communicated with us through the entire process to let us know when the work would be completed. We are very happy to have worked with them.
We used COLETEK on a small project involving mechanical and electronic design aspects as well as software development. COLETEK understood our requirements at the outset and worked to accommodate our needs. The whole process was professionally conducted and we highly recommend COLETEK
COLETEK have provided one to one communication throughout the development process and gone above and beyond in bringing our ideas closer to becoming a reality! Luke's expertise and knowledge with computer software and electronics is Jedi like, but what I liked most about working with him was his willingness and ability to think outside of the box.
Luke has a very broad depth of knowledge across many engineering disciplines and has a large project base to draw experience from. I engaged COLETEK for assistance in some early electro-mechanical design for a hoisting system. They've been a great resource for helping develop ideas.
Excellent service quick response and great results and reliability.
COLETEK has assisted on a variety of last-minute 3d printing overflow tasks for various projects. I've always found them to be very responsive to my needs and turned around urgent work in shortest possible time frame. I wouldn't hesitate to use or recommend COLETEK for any future design and/or 3d printing requirements.
I would thoroughly recommend COLETEK they provided me with excellent feedback and engineering knowledge with regards to our idea. They also have continued to help us with what direction we should take and introduced us to other professionals that have also guided us. I suggest anyone who has been thinking of something they would like to pursue should contact them to get the most realistic approach of making it successful.
I engaged COLETEK several years ago to produce designs and working prototypes of 2 products I am currently developing as I was having difficulty obtaining what I required from overseas design companies. I have always found Luke easy to work with and having face to face meetings made explaining my concepts so much easier than endless emails. Design changes and modifications are always produced in a timely fashion and available for pickup locally.
From an idea in my head to making sales nationwide and now worldwide. COLETEK were there every step of the way. The product was my first development so I had no idea really. With COLETEK offering privacy agreements and steering me in the right direction, it gave me confidence instantly. One thing that may seem irrelevant they questioned me about what it was I was trying to achieve and if in fact if it's even viable? That for me showed COLETEK wasn't in it just for my money. After some meetings and a couple of CAD drawings we had our first working prototype. COLETEK's knowledge and experience definitely made this whole process a lot easier. From CAD drawings, prototypes, liaising with suppliers in Australia and overseas - COLETEK done the lot. I'd highly recommend COLETEK!
We worked with Luke from COLETEK to develop a prototype for a new venture. Luke was able to give us practical advice on how to execute the project inline with our budget that was super useful. What has been endearing, is that even after the build was complete, Luke continues to touch base with us offering help to keep the momentum of the project going forward.
I had a technical design and prototype job I needed done and had contacted two companies in Brisbane before I discovered COLETEK. From my first conversation with Luke, I knew that he was the best person for the job and he delivered under budget and within the required timeframe. The device he manufactured for my company will save us thousands of dollars and it is highly likely that we will on-sell the device to similar organisations. I recommend COLETEK for any design and prototype work you can imagine for your business.
Working with COLETEK has been a pleasure. All parts we received are good quality and made exactly to our drawings, turnaround times were quick and never later than stated. Overall a great supplier and would recommend to any others interested in 3D Printing. Thank you!
We had the opportunity to work with Coletek on the re-work of some complex SMD PCB assemblies during 2019. The work was carried out to a very high standard and we were extremely pleased with the outcome. We would not hesitate to recommend COLETEK for any type of complex technology work requiring high accuracy and professionalism.
Great delivery, and great relationship orientated services.
We met with Luke Cole from COLETEK and very quickly realised that he was very knowledgeable in robotics and prototyping. What separates his company from the rest, is that he had a unique value proposition - COLETEK offers a tele-operated / robotic unit for rent and with the flexibility to be modified to build proof-of-concepts. That unit lowered both the cost and time for us to produce a video showing a very challenging concept. In general COLETEK's service was great value. We would recommend them - they will get it done.
After approaching COLETEK with a few sketches of a plumbing tool I had in mind Luke and I immediately bounced a few ideas around. Leaving things with Luke he quickly produced some 3D images and ideas we subsequently used. Before long COLETEK produced an operational 3D printed prototype of the tool. I was then able to use this prototype to seek funding for further research and development.
We had an idea that needed very complex design and prototype requirements. After much frustration dealing with other prototyping companies both in Australia and overseas we came across Coletek and have not looked back. Luke has been extremely helpful to date and we are now on the road to developing the product we had envisioned. Luke has been more than capable of taking multiple and constantly changing design facets in his stride and has ultimately given us a clear path to a successful product.
Our company has been working with COLETEK and Luke Cole for several years. Luke is very intelligent in many areas and has provided us with excellent designs and service. With the addition of a marketing section to provide brochures, packaging, etc. COLETEK is a one-stop shop. Based on our experience, we would highly recommend Luke and his company.
Salita engaged Luke Cole to troubleshoot issues we were having with a drive motor system with a dynamic variance of torque and speed. After approaching no less than a dozen Australian supplier and engineering firms to provide a solution, and after 12 months of product design and testing, they could not verify why their recommended motors where failing and reversing suddenly. Luke undertook testing and analysis and quickly supplied information on the failures. Not only did Luke uncover a rare, uncommon failure but also provided a solution. The COLETEK team are our go to for the correct solution the first time, for all our electronic needs.
Skykraft is a Canberra based company designing and developing spacecraft for the delivery of global space-based services. Luke and the team have been very responsive with quotes and delivery of machined parts for our company. Looking forward to working with COLETEK on our space programmes.
I used COLETEK for the design and prototyping of a new medical airway device I invented. They were enthusiastic, responsive to my input and I was very satisfied with the product they gave me. I can strongly recommend their services.
I was grateful to find Luke Cole at COLETEK in the early days of an invention idea. He was very patient and generous with information to guide me along the way. And even though I did not preceed with my project, I would still recommend his services. Thank you.
Luke from COLETEK has assisted us on a number of occasions and has always been helpful, courteous and understanding of our needs. There was an instance when timing was of the essence and Luke was able to prioritise our job to ensure we weren't affecting our customers in a negative way. He is highly recommended.
Great prototype product made to our specs with minimal fuss. Delivered on time and within budget. Thanks team.