Australian venture funding, tracked

AgriFood Signals: Dicamba reinstated, Bayer gets Stryax green light, SP Ventures closes $50m

AgFunderNews roundup of agtech and foodtech items: startup raises across Asia, Europe and Australia, acquisitions including SunOpta and Cosmix, SP Ventures' $50m fund close, executive hires, Avant Proteins' shutdown, and regulatory news.

Investment Notes: CounterCurrent

Investible's climate fund has invested in CounterCurrent with UNSW and unnamed angels; the note argues new shipping carbon rules make its AI navigation technology valuable.

Qantas and Airbus back $10 million Series A for methanol startup

Methanol venture HAMR Energy has secured ten million dollars in Series A backing from Qantas, Airbus and Thyssenkrupp Uhde for its Victorian renewable fuel projects.

HAMR Energy lands $10 million runway from Qantas and Airbus

HAMR Energy, an Australian low-carbon fuels company, has closed a $10 million Series A backed by Airbus, Qantas and Thyssenkrupp Uhde to advance its sustainable fuel projects in Victoria.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Former Canva executive raises $9.9 million for product mapping startup Adora

Product-mapping startup Adora, co-founded by an ex-Canva product chief, has landed seed funding with Blackbird leading and four other backers, earmarked for product work and Sydney hiring.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Investment Notes: Adora Seed

Key takeaways

Tenacious Ventures explains why it led Agovor's $3 million pre-seed round alongside Hort Innovation, profiling the startup's compact autonomous farm tractors, founders, new chief executive, and grower savings.

Also AgFunderNews

Neara powers up to unicorn status with $90 million capital raise

Neara joins the unicorn club after a TCV-led $90 million Series D at a $1.1 billion valuation, with existing backers participating; funds will fuel global expansion and engineering hires.

Also Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily

Operata raises $11 million Series A as AI reshapes contact centres

A Melbourne software firm monitoring AI-driven customer service operations has closed a Series A round led by Tidal Ventures, valuing it at $100 million, with proceeds earmarked for platform integrations and international growth.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Directed energy developer RedTail Technology completes Catalyst Accelerator program in Colorado

Sydney directed energy startup RedTail Technology completed the Catalyst Accelerator's Colorado program, one of six small businesses in the 15th cohort, handpicked by US Air Force and Space Force, with a November demo day.

Visionary Machines signs counter-drone agreement with Imrex

An Australian counter-drone technology developer has appointed a Singaporean defence distributor to sell its Pandion Sentinel system, its first step toward in-country sales across the Asia-Pacific region.

CEO Message — One Year In

Breakthrough Victoria's chief executive marks his first year, tallying 70 investments, university and fellowship programs, a Jumar Bioincubator grant with partners, and looks ahead to a consolidated Victorian innovation entity.

HMC ready to invest in first big battery project after landing major cash deal with investment giant KKR

KKR will invest up to $603 million in HMC Capital's energy transition arm, funding its first big battery, after HMC bought Neoen's Victorian assets and battery developer Stor-Energy.

Also RenewEconomy

HMC ready to invest in first big battery project after landing major cash deal with investment giant KKR

HMC Capital has landed KKR backing of up to $603 million for its new energy platform, unlocking its first grid battery and a multi-gigawatt project pipeline.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Targeting the Untouchable: The High-Stakes Race to Outsmart 'Invisible' Tumors

Profile of Percheron Therapeutics, an ASX-listed biotech led by Dr James Garner, developing HMBD-002 against the VISTA protein to treat cancers that resist PD-1 immunotherapy, with Phase 2 trials planned for 2026.

The “Anti-Botox” Breakthrough: How a Rural Doctor is Using Tetanus to Help the World Breathe

Profile of Snoretox, a biotech using a modified tetanus toxin to strengthen weak muscles in dogs and humans, which has won a $1 million government research grant and is seeking investors.

Why the Future of Heart Health is 'Cuffless'

Profile of emergency physician Dr Keith Joe, whose Zaplutus Health is seeking funds for Ora Connect, a stick-on wearable measuring blood pressure without a cuff, aiming for regulatory approval and use by doctors.

Massive wind, solar and hydrogen hub in Nullarbor brings in Asia partners to advance first stage

The Western Green Energy Hub in Western Australia has signed Chinese and South Korean partners for a first-stage feasibility study, days after its developer received $21 million from ARENA for a Pilbara project.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Atlassian's first investor leads $8.55 million Seed in workflows documentation startup Fluency

Melbourne work-documentation startup Fluency raised a US$6 million seed led by Accel at a $30 million valuation, with DST Global and others participating; its founders previously raised $1.5 million.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Applications open for Basecamp 2026

LaunchVic is seeking applicants for its 2026 Basecamp program, which coaches founders on hiring and leadership choices; a graduate, Calcs.com's CEO, credits it with guiding recent team expansion.

Chris Morris & family - Forbes

Forbes billionaire profile of Chris Morris, Computershare co-founder, valuing his family at $1.68 billion on the 2026 Australia's 50 Richest list and noting his Morris Group holdings and past company roles.

Contented - $4.1M Seed | Startup Intros

Contented has raised a $4.1 million seed round with Altered Capital leading six other investors; the page's funding history also lists a prior $25 million seed round.

Also Capital Brief·Startup Daily

AI allied health platform Splose raises $46 million Series A

Splose, an Adelaide maker of practice software for allied-health clinicians, has landed a $46 million Series A from Spectrum Equity and Athletic Ventures to speed product development and push into the UK.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia

AI cybersecurity agent Nullify re-Seeds with $17.8 million

Australian-founded AI vulnerability platform Nullify, now San Francisco-based, has closed a second seed round led by SYN Ventures with returning backer Black Nova; SYN's Glenn Chisholm joins its board.

Also Startup Daily

AI data centre startup Firmus Technologies banks another $100 million

Firmus, an AI data centre builder, has received a further $100 million from Maas Group, lifting its five-month total past $900 million; Maas also sold its construction-materials arm for $1.7 billion.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany

Annature launches 21 CFR Part 11 compliant digital signatures to support FDA-regulated companies

BTC Markets Names Lucas Dobbins CEO and Paul Stonham CCO as Regulations Tighten

The cryptocurrency exchange has promoted its longtime technology chief to run the company and hired a new commercial head, pointing to a maturing local regulatory landscape for digital assets.

Introducing the newest members of Alberts Investment Committee, Tracey Duff

Alberts announces that former Rest fixed income head Tracey Duff has joined its Investment Committee, with a profile of her 40-year finance career and what drew her to the role.

CorePlan raises $5 million to expand its mining software platform

Perth-based mining software firm CorePlan has secured $5 million in a follow-on raise, with existing backer EVP leading, to grow its team and push into drilling and geology workflows; BHP is a user.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Giant Pilbara wind, solar and hydrogen hub dumped by bp wins $21 million government grant

The Pilbara green hydrogen hub abandoned by bp has won a $21 million ARENA grant, helping owner InterContinental Energy advance engineering studies toward a 2028 final investment decision.

Also RenewEconomy

Apple of his isle: Fintech investor Brian Collins named Enterprize Tasmania CEO

Enterprize Tasmania has appointed Brian Collins, deputy chair of FinTech Australia and co-founder of fintech fund Triple Bubble, as CEO, with the ten-year-old organisation seeking national and global reach for the state's startup ecosystem.

Troy Duggan appointed new CEO with autonomous systems developer C2 Robotics

C2 Robotics has named Troy Duggan, a former naval platform commander, as its chief executive. The piece also describes the firm's teaming with Thales Australia and Austal Australia on undersea surveillance.

BTC Markets appoints Lucas Dobbins as Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director, and Paul Stonham joins as Chief Commercial Officer

Crypto exchange BTC Markets promotes Lucas Dobbins to chief executive and executive director, hires Paul Stonham as its commercial chief, and shifts outgoing CEO Caroline Bowler onto its board as a non-executive director.

Real estate startup Agentsy closes $700,000 pre-seed raise

Agentsy, an Australian proptech startup, has announced a pre-seed round of $700,000 led by Empress Capital, completed in December, as it moves its AI platform to commercial release for agencies nationwide.

Also SmartCompany

Here comes the next gen of Australian startups, Antler kicks off residency #15

Antler's Australian arm begins its fifteenth founder residency, selecting 57 participants from roughly 2,000 applications; two past participants praise the programme, and applications for the next one open in April.

NRF tips $20 million into Diraq for homegrown quantum computing

The National Reconstruction Fund has invested $20 million in Sydney quantum startup Diraq, an equity stake the government fund says will aid domestic production and hiring ahead of a planned 2029 product launch.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·ellty.com

Square Peg secures $650M first close as new fund begins investing

Square Peg Capital has reached a A$650 million first close across its two newest funds and is already investing the money, with payments company Airwallex among recipients, ahead of a final close.

Also Forbes Australia·Business News Australia

Factory Raises $4.69 Million Series A

Sydney maker of manufacturing software Factory has closed a 4.69 million Australian dollar Series A led by Shearwater Capital, with several co-investors, to build product, grow sales and enter the United States.

KK Press collapses as Cosmopolitan Australia shuts down

Publisher KK Press has entered voluntary liquidation, ending Cosmopolitan Australia and T Australia. Founder Katarina Kroslakova announced the closure; her custom publishing business Primary Ideas continues.

Also Mumbrella·mi-3.com.au·Mumbrella

Our investment in Cortisonic: Computing with sound waves to power the Edge AI revolution

Main Sequence announces backing Cortisonic, a deep-tech startup coming out of stealth with phononic chips for low-power edge AI, plus an Australian defence contract and a Lockheed Martin partnership.

Also Forbes Australia

AnteoTech Accelerates Battery and Life Sciences Commercialisation as Capital Raise Extends Runway

Quarterly update for ASX-listed AnteoTech covering a January equity placement, battery material scale-up progress, and life sciences orders including a shipment to an Indian vaccine maker.

Also quartr.com

Diageo Sells Starward Whisky Stake Back To Founder

David Vitale has bought back his Melbourne whisky company from Diageo, ending the multinational's decade-old minority shareholding taken when Starward joined its startup program in 2015.

Also drinksdigest.com·australianbartender.com.au·SmartCompany

Six Aussie startups that raised $197.4 million this week

Roundup of six Australian funding deals: AutoGrab, Applied EV, Checkbox, Hometime, Factory and On the House, with amounts, investors, and Hometime's past acquisitions and raise history detailed.

Also Startup Daily

ENA Respiratory Announces Dosing of First Participants in Phase II Study of INNA-051 Nasal Spray Designed to Protect Against Symptomatic Viral Respiratory Infections

Melbourne biotech ENA Respiratory has begun dosing volunteers in a mid-stage trial of its INNA-051 antiviral spray, aimed at limiting common viral illnesses in at-risk groups.

Airbnb property management platform moves in on $19 million debt and equity deal

Sydney short-stay property manager Hometime has secured $19 million in fresh equity and debt, led by Verona Capital with Commonwealth Bank refinancing; the piece also recounts earlier raises and three rival acquisitions.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Checkbox raises $35 million Series A to scale AI legal platform

Australian legaltech firm Checkbox has raised a $35 million Series A led by Touring Capital to grow its AI platform for corporate legal teams, with four institutional backers joining.

Also Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Startup Daily

Starward founder buys back iconic Melbourne whisky brand

Starward's founder has bought the whisky business back outright, ending a decade of backing from Diageo through the Distill Ventures program, which Diageo began closing last year.

Also drinksdigest.com·australianbartender.com.au·thewhiskeywash.com·glassandnote.com

Inside the Australian Life Sciences Boom: Renowned Investors, World-Class Partners, World-Leading Breakthroughs

Wholesale Investor's Steve Torso highlights Australian life sciences companies from the Emergence Preview Series, noting government grant funding, a Series A extension, venture co-investment, and a medtech company's ASX listing.

Also Wholesale Investor

Autonomous industrial EV platform drives $57 million Series B

Melbourne autonomous EV maker Applied Electric Vehicles has secured US$40 million in Series B funding, with the National Reconstruction Fund contributing $30.7 million alongside Barrenjoey, Japan Post Capital, Suzuki and St Baker.

Manufacturing software platform Factory constructs $4.69 million Series A

Sydney manufacturing software startup Factory has raised a $4.69 million Series A led by Shearwater Capital to build product capacity and expand into the US, after a seed round from Investible in 2023.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily