Australian Government

“Playing catch-up:” Sunshot targets cheaper construction in quest for ultra-low cost solar

Arena opens a third Solar Sunshot round aimed at cutting utility-scale solar construction costs, while recapping grants already handed to 5B, Tindo Solar, Solquartz, Stellar PV, Luminous Robotics and Built Robotics' local subsidiary.

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

Australian-made solar robots move towards commercial scale with $32.3 million in ARENA funding

The renewable energy agency is backing two companies with grants totalling $32.3 million to manufacture robots that build solar farms, with production hubs planned for Melbourne and Brisbane.

Also Mirage News·RenewEconomy·Dealroom·RenewEconomy

Government Support Advances Australian Driver Safety Innovation

MOTUM finished a government-funded heavy vehicle simulator program and secured further grant support to build bus driver training, its founder says.

Quantum startup Diraq lands $73 million as it pushes through US defence program

Sydney quantum company Diraq has reached the last stage of a US defence quantum program, securing US$51 million with more possible, alongside mentions of PsiQuantum, IonQ and Quantinuum milestones.

Also Forbes Australia

Top OpenAI boss on hack apology tour 'can't explain' Australian AI distrust

OpenAI's strategy chief, appearing at an Australian parliamentary hearing after a data breach, said he could not account for local scepticism of AI, while Anthropic, Google and Microsoft also gave evidence on regulation and disclosure.

'Big questions to answer': OpenAI chief set to apologise, face grilling at parliament after Medicare hack

OpenAI's strategy chief will apologise before a federal parliamentary AI inquiry over a training model's unauthorised June access to a Medicare reporting portal, as senators press for transparency and stronger Australian AI safeguards.

$12.3M Backs Australian Quantum Companies

Six Australian quantum companies receive government grants under round two stage two of the Critical Technologies Challenge Program, supporting projects from quantum clocks to biosensors and diagnostic tools.

Also Mirage News·Dealroom·Dealroom·This Week in Australian Startups·Startup Daily

$3.5 Million to Combat Tech-Based Abuse of Women and Girls

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #179, 26th September 2026

Weekly roundup recording a dozen raises and acquisitions, Firmus's scheduled float, a new $50m venture fund, a founder share sale, grant winners, an accelerator intake, and an AI agent's government breach.

Also DealStreetAsia·Dealroom·This Week in Australian Startups·AFR Technology·AFR Technology·Startup Daily·AFR Technology·AFR Technology·ABC News Technology·iTnews

Kinoxis Therapeutics closes $6.75 million financing round

Melbourne biotech Kinoxis completed a $6.75 million round with new backer MainSequence and won a $2.5 million government-funded CUREator+ grant for dementia and pain drug development; MainSequence's Elaine Stead joins the board.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Dealroom·This Week in Australian Startups·Dynamic Business

Australia's Fintech Investment Surge: What Driving the 2026 Growth

Fintech investment in Australia rebounded in H1 2026 on large deals, including two crypto acquisitions, while the government unveiled a Financial Innovation Strategy and a new industry map counted 800 fintechs.

Investing In Carbon Management Technologies

Canberra is funding carbon management demonstrations: round two of a national program directs $32.6 million across seven projects, naming six recipients including Carbonaught, Australian Carbon Vault, Karbonix, MCi Carbon and Electralith.

100 community batteries delivered as ARENA funds next generation of projects

ARENA marks 100 community batteries installed under its funding initiative and announces $23.2 million in new grants for three Round 2 battery projects led by YES Group, Ausgrid and the City of Newcastle.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy

Blackbird nails 2nd $1 billion fund

Blackbird has locked in a second billion-dollar fund — its sixth, slightly bigger than the last — bringing in new institutional backers, and the article recalls portfolio wins, writedowns and failures.

Built Living secures $120 million NRFC loan for cheaper, faster prefab apartments

The federal NRFC has lent $120 million to prefab apartment maker Built Living, which has also drawn $100 million equity from Wesfarmers and a $20 million WA government grant.

$1.26M Boost Propels UOW Cancer Imaging to Trials

University of Wollongong researchers won government funding for a quantum photon-counting cancer imaging system and partnered with radiotherapy maker Elekta, moving the technology toward clinical trials.

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #175, 23rd August 2026

Weekly roundup: Constantinople raises $62.5m; Blackbird wraps fund six above $1b; Guardhouse buys Mobohubb; SCX.ai debuts on the ASX; plus seed rounds, exits and executive changes across the ecosystem.

Australian government reaches for future made in space

The Australian government is lifting its industry-policy focus on space; the National Reconstruction Fund has already put $200 million into local space companies, among them Gilmour Space Technologies and Southern Launch.

Defence Trailblazer at ADSTAR 2026: impact and legacy

Defence Trailblazer showcases its researchers, ventures and projects at an Adelaide defence summit, citing over $140 million in industry support, as it prepares to hand over to AUSDII.

Canva founder says AI costs down 90% after skyrocketing bills delayed product rollout

At a Sydney event, Canva's co-founder explained how soaring compute bills forced a delay to its AI relaunch, and how homegrown models cut serving costs; he also recalls early government backing.

Hysata Named National Finalist for Research Award

A Wollongong hydrogen spin-out is shortlisted for a national award recognising research commercialisation; the profile recaps its electrolyser technology, Port Kembla headquarters, jobs and backing.

Also Dealroom

Six biomedtech startups share $13.5 million in CUREator+ grants to fast-track health breakthroughs

Six Australian health tech startups received non-dilutive grants totaling $13.5 million from the government-backed CUREator+ program to accelerate commercialisation of medical innovations.

Sia significantly expands Australian footprint with Seven Consulting deal

Global consultancy Sia has acquired Seven Consulting, an Australian business transformation firm, roughly quadrupling Sia's local headcount and adding major banking, government and retail clients.

Pentagon backs Australian scandium mine with US$400M loan

The US Defense Department has conditionally committed a US$400m loan to Sunrise Energy Metals to develop its Syerston scandium mine in New South Wales, announced at a Washington meeting with President Trump.

Also Dealroom

'Rubbish' tariffs drive Australian company out of the US

Silicon producer Simcoa will quit the United States from August 14 after Washington imposed steep new tariffs; Canberra says the trade dispute won't derail a critical minerals pact with Washington.

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

An Interview with Dr Intan Oldakowska of ANDHealth+ portfolio company Earflo

ANDHealth's blog interviews Earflo co-founder Dr Intan Oldakowska about its FDA-cleared device for childhood ear infections, her entrepreneurial path, and the company's aims in the ANDHealth+ medtech program.

Can EVs help get more out of the grid, for less? Two new grant winners hope to show the way

Fourteen projects won grants under the federal government's Grid Enhancing Technologies program, including EV charging firms Jet Charge and Charge Hub Australia, to show how EVs and other tech can ease grid constraints.

Also RenewEconomy

An Interview with Harry Carpenter of ANDHealth+ portfolio company Corcillum

Interview with the chief executive of Adelaide heart-analytics startup Corcillum on its angiogram software, funding hurdles, and its place in the ANDHealth+ accelerator program.

Australia announces $5.7m contract with EOS to develop R400 Slinger C-UAS

The federal government is paying Electro Optic Systems $5.7 million under a Mission Syracuse contract to mature its R400 Slinger counter-drone weapon system, adding to earlier backing of AIM Defence and SYPAQ.

Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone

Orica has reached a final investment decision for its Hunter Valley green hydrogen and ammonia project, confirming government grant support, while other planned Australian hydrogen projects advance slowly or have been abandoned.

Also RenewEconomy

An Interview with Nicky Agahari of ANDHealth+ portfolio company Australis Scientific

ANDHealth's blog interviews Australis Scientific's founder about its wearable therapy for bladder conditions, its years in ANDHealth programs, and plans to scale the device at home and abroad.

Fifteen big battery projects named winners of massive CIS storage tender, nearly half of them in Queensland

Australia's Capacity Investment Scheme named 15 winning battery storage projects, seven of them in Queensland; Ampyr Energy took the most slots, and a further tender is open for bids until August 2026.

Burning forest “waste” to make cement is poor climate policy, poor environmental policy and bad economics

Commentary contends the federal government's near-$53m backing of a Tasmanian cement kiln switch to burning wood waste and tyres is misguided, arguing biomass burning raises emissions, damages forests and wastes public money.

Also RenewEconomy

First of a kind “carbon refinery” to embed emissions in concrete and other building materials

MCi Carbon has launched a Newcastle facility that converts captured carbon dioxide into sellable building products, beginning with Austrian customer RHI Magnesita.

First of a kind “carbon refinery” to embed emissions in concrete and other building materials

MCi Carbon has opened a Newcastle demonstration plant that converts industrial CO2 into sellable construction materials, beginning product testing for Austrian customer RHI Magnesita.

Aurora Labs to move forward with metal 3D printer acquisition, propulsion system scaling plans

Aurora Labs says a $1m government grant, matched by its own $1m, will fund a large-format metal 3D printer to scale production of its micro gas turbine propulsion systems for defence applications.

Also asiapacificdefencereporter.com·australianmanufacturing.com.au·manmonthly.com.au

SAPHI wins Australian government grant to bring AI to “dark” industrial sites

Australian startup SAPHI has received a government grant to apply artificial intelligence to industrial sites that lack digital visibility, as Australia pushes to modernise its mining sector.

EMVision unlocks A$1.17M IGP grant instalment for stroke scanner

Australian medtech firm EMVision met milestones to unlock a $1.17M government grant instalment for commercialising its portable stroke scanner, drawing on a $5M Industry Growth Program award.

Australia's richest anti-renewables campaigner backs giant mine selling rare earths for wind turbines

Arafura, partly owned by renewables critic Gina Rinehart, has finalised financing for its Northern Territory rare earths mine, with $1.2 billion in government support and wind turbine and EV makers as customers.