Ledger.

Startup · $14.8m raised · Energy

AGL

Coverage

Stories naming AGL. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

Exit / M&A

Sia accelerates its expansion in Australia with the acquisition of Seven Consulting

Consulting group Sia has bought Seven Consulting, an Australian transformation consultancy, adding Sydney and Melbourne offices, a Perth presence and major clients across banking, government and retail.

Also Dealroom·Dealroom·sevenconsulting.com·briefglance.com·melbourne-insider.au·cfotech.com.au·consultancy.com.au

Exit / M&A

Zen Energy sinks despite 11th-hour rescue efforts, blaming volatile market as banks and networks get cold feet

Renewable utility Zen Energy has entered voluntary administration despite regulators clearing Gunvor to buy its retail business; McGrathNicol is administrator and customers moved to AGL.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Funding announcement

Swiss commodity trader gets approval to buy Zen retail business and PPA deals. Will it take on Big 3?

Competition regulator approval lets Swiss trading giant Gunvor proceed with buying Zen Energy's retail arm and power purchase agreements; terms undisclosed. Article weighs whether the newcomer will challenge Australia's dominant gen-tailers.

Funding announcement

Swiss commodity trader gets approval to buy Zen retail business and PPA deals. Will it take on Big 3?

The competition regulator has cleared Swiss trader Gunvor to buy Zen Energy's retail arm and linked PPAs; terms undisclosed. The article asks whether the deep-pocketed newcomer will challenge Australia's big three gen-tailers.

Exit / M&A

Australian offshore wind trailblazer pulls up stumps, warns against “overstated risk aversion and timidity”

Offshore wind developer Oceanex Energy will shut down in 2026 after ending partnerships and abandoning Australian and New Zealand projects, with co-founder Andy Evans urging Australia to overcome risk aversion and execute renewables opportunities.

Also RenewEconomy

undisclosed $10m

AR 2024/25: Breakthrough Victoria's J-Curve Moment

Breakthrough Victoria's CEO reviews its 2024/25 year: growing capital base, strong co-investment leverage, portfolio milestones including Amber's $10m raise, first fellows awarded, and projected economic impact ahead.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·RenewEconomy

4 deals

$45.5 million to supercharge Australian solar manufacturing

ARENA grants $34.5 million to solar module maker Tindo and $11 million across Solquartz, Energus and Stellar PV for polysilicon feasibility studies under the federal Solar Sunshot program.

Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Exit / M&A

Looking Back to Look Forward

Blackbird partner Samantha Wong reflects on a decade of the firm's Sunrise conference and Australia's startup ecosystem, recalling Atlassian's Nasdaq listing and Aconex's float and sale to Oracle.

Also SmartCompany

2 deals

It's taken 12 months, but solar power startup Raygen Resources finally bagged another $75 million for its Series D

Solar storage firm RayGen has wrapped up a $127 million Series D a year after it began, with SLB leading and Breakthrough Victoria, ARENA and energy companies among the backers.

Also RenewEconomy·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia

Key hire

“Shell companies for rent seekers:” Coalition attacks solar innovators, including Turnbull-backed SunDrive

A federal opposition senator attacks Labor's solar manufacturing program and SunDrive, which has cut staff and changed CEO while pursuing partnerships with AGL and Trina Solar to localise panel production.

Seed $1m

Energy retailer behind shared renewables collective collapses amid fresh market turmoil

RenewEconomy reports renewables retailer Maximum Energy, trading as Circular Energy, was suspended and wound up, its customers moved to big-three retailers; it also recalls earlier retailer collapses and Oxamii's seed backing.

3 deals

Tech's 'sleeping giant': Inside the $100 billion industry ripe for disruption

Australian insurtech momentum examined: Honey Insurance's Series A and Cover Genius's raise led Q2 2024 funding, while an Airtree partner argues incumbents have left insurance open to technology-driven challengers.

Also SmartCompany

9 deals

Nine ANZ startups that raised $60.3 million this week

Roundup of the week's funding news: nine companies across Australia and New Zealand secured investment spanning clean energy, construction logistics, legal tech, coaching, research tools, creator media, medtech and marketing software.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·LaunchVic

2 deals

Solar power startup Raygen generates $51 million in Series D

Solar storage company RayGen has opened its Series D with A$20m from Breakthrough Victoria plus US$20m (A$31m) from SLB, backing plans to take its concentrated solar and thermal storage technology into overseas markets.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing

Series D+ $51m

RayGen secures $51 million for renewable energy expansion in Victoria

RayGen has banked a $51 million Series D co-led by SLB and Breakthrough Victoria to scale its solar and thermal storage technology, alongside earlier backers AGL Energy, Equinor Ventures and ARENA.

Also SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·RenewEconomy

3 deals

RayGen to scale up manufacturing after $51 million raise

RayGen Resources closed a $51 million round led by SLB, with Breakthrough Victoria contributing $20 million, to expand Victorian manufacturing; the piece recalls its 2021 Series C backers and an earlier ARENA grant.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy

2 deals

RayGen Resources

Breakthrough Victoria announces putting $20 million into RayGen Resources, a Victorian solar and thermal energy storage maker, to support clean energy, local manufacturing and the company's growth alongside its existing backers.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing

Exit / M&A

Superloop knocks back Aussie Broadband’s $466 million takeover bid as ‘opportunistic’

Superloop's board has rejected Aussie Broadband's merger proposal as too low, with Aussie already holding a 19.9% stake; the piece also recalls Superloop's VostroNet purchase and Aussie's Symbio buyout.

Funding announcement

Mike Cannon-Brookes names former Macquarie banker Tan Kueh as Grok's CEO

Mike Cannon-Brookes' investment vehicle Grok Ventures has hired Tan Kueh, ex-Macquarie, UBS and BlackRock, as CEO, joining CIO Jeremy Kwong-Law, as it sharpens its strategy around climate investing.

Key hire

Grid Connections: Who’s going where in Australia’s energy transition

A rolling roundup of Australian energy-sector job moves, listing dozens of executives, directors and ministers joining or leaving utilities, regulators, developers and industry bodies between May and December 2023.

Grant $4.5m

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Manufacturing briefs: XRF Scientific posts record results, Universal Biosensors receives an R&D tax rebate, Imugene and SMC appoint executives, FWPA promotes forestry in a new campaign, and AGL agrees a Loy Yang transition fund.

Funding announcement

Australia's regional areas lead the way in technological revolution

Feature on tech startups thriving outside Australian capitals, recording Cauldron's seed raise and government backing, with views from investors and founders at regional companies.

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