Ben Gust

Breakthrough Victoria is slinging another $75 million at local VC funds

Victoria's Breakthrough Victoria has committed $75m to five specialist VC funds covering climate tech, life sciences, female founders and healthcare, each pledging a quarter of its capital to local startups.

BREAKTHROUGH VICTORIA INVESTS $75 MILLION IN VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS TO BUILD VICTORIA'S INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Breakthrough Victoria is putting $75 million into five venture capital funds, including Virescent, SYNthesis BioVentures, Scale and Galileo, each of which has pledged a quarter of its capital to Victorian startups.

Veteran EV charging scaleup powers up on $72 million raise

Jet Charge, an Australian electric-vehicle charging company, has secured $72 million with Mirova leading and earlier backers returning, to develop charging technology and its subscription model.

Also SmartCompany

Queensland Investment Corporation backs Virescent Ventures' new climate technology fund

Virescent Ventures says QIC has joined Westpac and the CEFC backing its second climate tech fund, with new commitments lifting the initial close to roughly $125 million toward a $200 million goal.

Also @AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy

Downforce Technologies draws investor support with innovative soil carbon solution

Soil carbon measurement startup Downforce Technologies closed a $3 million seed round backed by CEFC's Clean Energy Innovation Fund, Perivoli Innovations and Tiverton, with Australia as its first target market.

Using microbes to accelerate carbon removal – Loam Bio raises AUD $40m Series A

Australian microbial carbon-removal startup Loam Bio raised a $40 million Series A led by TIME Ventures, with CEFC, Main Sequence, Horizons Ventures and others joining; Virescent Ventures says it has invested $5.8 million.

Also Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia

Novalith sets sights on global lithium industry with backing of the CEFC

Novalith raised a $2.5 million seed round backed by the CEFC's Clean Energy Innovation Fund and a Grantham trust vehicle, funding a Sydney pilot plant for its low-carbon lithium extraction technology.

Also RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·Cut Through Venture·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany

Energy startup Wattwatchers raises $5.3 million series B

Wattwatchers has raised a $5.3 million Series B led by Kilara Capital's new Growth Fund, with CEFC following its earlier backing. Funds will drive international expansion, Australian manufacturing scale-up and new product development.

Also Virescent Ventures

Wattwatchers continues global expansion

Kilara Capital has put $5.3 million into Wattwatchers' Series B, with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation also participating; the energy-data company will use the money to grow internationally and scale manufacturing.

Also Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·SmartCompany

CEFC makes first hydrogen-related investment, alongside lead investor IP Group

Electrolyser developer Hysata has raised $5 million, led by IP Group with a $750,000 commitment from the CEFC through its Clean Energy Innovation Fund, to commercialise technology developed at the University of Wollongong.

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

Tenacious Ventures closes first agrifood tech fund, oversubscribed at $35m

Tenacious Ventures closed its debut agrifood tech fund oversubscribed at A$35 million, after a March 2020 first close of just over $20 million backed by the CEFC's Clean Energy Innovation Fund and Grok Ventures.

Also Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·evokeag.com·farmingahead.com.au·Dynamic Business·agriinvestor.com·@AuManufacturing·AgFunderNews·globalaginvesting.com·@AuManufacturing·globalventuring.com

GBS Ventures achieves its 4th New Drug Approval from the US FDA

GBS Ventures marks its fourth FDA drug approval as Hatchtech's head lice treatment Xeglyze clears the regulator, recalling earlier wins behind Picato, Synribo and Aridol with Australian biotech firms.