Ellerston Capital

🇦🇺 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

Ellerston Capital buys stake in Luxury Escapes at $525M valuation

Dealroom reports Sydney investment house Ellerston Capital plans to buy at least a 12% stake in travel platform Luxury Escapes at a $525 million valuation, with board representation and an expected two-to-three-year exit.

Ellerston inks $1b deal to sell NOJA to Goldman Sachs Alternatives

Ellerston has agreed to sell Queensland electrical equipment maker NOJA Power to Goldman Sachs Alternatives, signing a deal that values the company at more than $1 billion for a controlling stake.

Canva bet millions on data centre play Sharon AI before becoming its 'major customer'

Filings show Canva backed Sharon AI's US$103 million December 2025 raise with Regal, Ellerston, Digital Alpha and others; the Sydney compute provider has since floated on Nasdaq and raised US$2.15 billion more.

Also Dealroom

🇦🇺 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.

AI upstart SCX drops 30pc on ASX debut despite energy efficiency pitch

SCX.ai's shares fell up to 30 per cent in their first ASX days after the cloud computing firm raised $40 million, with Ellerston Capital, Frazis Capital Partners and Wilson Asset Management anchoring the offer.

Also ARN (ARNnet)·ARN (ARNnet)

Four Aussie startups that raised $2.86 billion this week (sort of)

Roundup of four Australian raises: Firmus Technologies' US$2 billion round at a $15 billion valuation, Eudaemon's $3.75 million, Zabidou's $3.5 million seed round, and Rampart's $2.3 million.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

AI data centre startup Firmus just raised another $2.85 billion at a whopping $15B valuation

Firmus has secured a further US$2bn at a $15bn valuation from Coatue, Nvidia, Blackstone and Jane Street, taking its 12-month capital intake past US$3bn to fund Australian AI data centre projects.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·AFR Technology·Business News Australia·This Week in Australian Startups·Techmeme·Cut Through Venture·AFR Technology·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·iTnews·Forbes Australia·DealStreetAsia·Forbes Australia·Mirage News·SMH Business·ABC News Technology·The Age Business

AI data centre startup Firmus Technologies banks another $100 million

Firmus Technologies received a $100 million strategic investment from Maas Group Holdings, taking total funds raised past $900 million in under five months.

24 Aussie startups that raised $91 million this week

Roundup of the week's Australian startup funding: fresh raises for five companies, Startmate's Summer '26 accelerator intake of 19 startups, and Affinda's acquisition of Pathfindr.

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

Six ANZ startups that raised $568.1 million this week

Funding roundup led by Airwallex's US$330 million Series G at a $12 billion valuation, with raises from Kasada, Hnry, All G, Bless Payments and Emanda, plus earlier rounds recalled.

Also Startup Daily

Breast milk substitution biotech raises $10 million amid French deal for global push

Sydney biotech All G raised $10 million via convertible note from Agronomics, Doehler's venture arm and ID Capital, alongside a joint venture with France's Armor Protéines to push its fermented lactoferrin products globally.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 6 startups kicked off December raising $24.2 million this week

Six Australian startups, including Bodd, Hachiko and Cor, collectively secured about $24 million in fresh backing, while seaweed peer Sea Forest floated on the ASX and jumped in early trade.

Six Aussie startups that raised $24.2 million this week

Weekly funding roundup covering raises by Bodd, Hachiko, Fremantle Seaweed, Cor, Detail Earth and Recovr, plus seaweed peer Sea Forest's ASX float at a $112 million market capitalisation.

Also Startup Daily

Body shape scanner Bodd fits up another $15 million

Bodd has banked a $15 million round with Blue Sky Capital leading and Ellerston Capital among backers, funding global expansion and a health push; the deal values the body-scanning company at $110 million.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

SEE Group secures $67 million investment from Ellerston Capital to accelerate growth

Ellerston Capital announces a $67 million investment in SEE Group, a Queensland and NSW civil and mining contractor, to fund fleet expansion, with investment partner Mark Paton joining the board.

Cheque-in: 5 Australian startups banked $340.2 million this week

Funding roundup covering five raises totalling $340.2 million: Firmus's Nvidia-backed round, plus H3D, Puralink, Escape This and Isaacus, across AI infrastructure, health tech, robotics, entertainment and legal AI.

Also SmartCompany

Roxy Jacenko's husband now has a unicorn data centre startup after Nvidia backs its $330 million raise

Australian-founded data centre firm Firmus, based in Singapore, has raised $330 million with Nvidia backing and Ellerston Capital leading, reaching a $1.85 billion valuation and unicorn status ahead of a planned 2026 ASX listing.

Also Startup Daily·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·techpartner.news·cfotech.com.au·digitrendz.blog·Business News Australia·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·Mirage News

Ellerston Capital Solutions advises on $114 million sale of Doors Plus

Ellerston Capital Solutions advised on the $114 million divestment of retailer Doors Plus, with the business sold to Colinton Capital Partners and the founders' property portfolio sold and leased back.

Home care services platform Mable is hoping a buyer will make it a unicorn

Startup Daily profiles care marketplace Mable, reportedly seeking a buyer, recalling its 2021 and 2019 raises, its purchases of two NDIS businesses, and a consumer regulator's action over unfair terms.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $104.4 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian startup raises, led by Sonder's $40 million round, plus AMP's $20 million raise and acquisition of the Shopify app Back in Stock.

Also Startup Daily·Defence Connect·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Defence Connect·Forbes Australia

EcoJoule Energy lands $15 million to power smart grid and battery tech

Brisbane-based EcoJoule Energy has brought in $15 million from investors Ellerston Capital and Fifth Estate Asset Management, its first institutional money, to fund manufacturing expansion and international growth.

Also Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·SmartCompany

Tennis Australia's VC fund aces first close with nearly $50 million from blue chip investors

Tennis Australia's venture arm AO Ventures has reached a first close on its new sports, media and health tech fund with about $49 million committed by local and international backers.

Four Aussie startups that raised $28 million this week

Weekly roundup of four Australian startup raises: Kismet's $20m seed extension, Primary's $3.5m seed round, Willed's $3m from Seven West Media, and East Forged's $1.5m from a Vietnamese agribusiness's venture arm.

National security fund invests in specialist boat builder

Bondi Partners' 1941 fund has put $5 million into The Whiskey Project Group's latest capital raise, which could reach $20 million and will fund US expansion plus growth of its NSW boatyard.

Ellerston, Bondi's 1941 Fund backs Australian navy boat builder

Tactical watercraft maker The Whiskey Project Group has banked new investment in a round headed by Ellerston Capital alongside Bondi Partners' 1941 Fund; sum undisclosed, while its boat-building chief chases US contracts and growth.

Also privateequitymedia.com.au

12-year-old document processing scaleup rides AI wave with $10 million raise

Melbourne document-analysis company Affinda has pulled in $10 million from its previous backers at double its earlier valuation, and Christine Christian has joined its board.

Also Forbes Australia

Plant-based meats venture ProForm Foods in voluntary administration

KPMG administrators took control of ProForm Foods, the company behind the Meet brand, and the piece recalls earlier raises at v2food and All G Foods as the plant-based sector cools.

Five Aussie startups that raised $163.6 million this week

Weekly roundup covering five Australian startups' raises: an insurtech Series E, a digital ID Series A, medtech and proptech funding, and a recycling platform's equity crowdfunding campaign.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Data Zoo secures $35 million in Series A Funding from Ellerston JAADE to fuel global expansion

Identity verification firm Data Zoo has banked roughly A$35 million in Series A backing from Ellerston JAADE, its first external capital, and recently installed an ex-LSEG chief executive as it eyes international growth.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Nine Aussie startups that raised $233.5 million this week

Weekly roundup of nine Australian startups that together raised over $233 million, led by Hysata's $172 million Series B, with rounds also for V2 Digital, AgriWebb, Disco, Genero, Brainfish, Kite Therapy, Nucanon and Maslow.

Also Startup Daily·Business News Australia·Startup Daily

Women-focused fintech Verve Super joins Simon Sheikh's Future Group

Future Group has acquired Verve Super, a super fund aimed at women, with terms undisclosed; the piece also recalls earlier raises by Verve and by Future Super.

Also Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Women's Agenda

Burgers and acquisitions: All G Foods spins out plant-based meats in merger with Fenn Foods

All G Foods spins its Love Buds plant-based range into a merger with Fenn Foods' vEEF, forming a new entity; All G pivots to fermented dairy, with both companies' earlier raises recapped.

Christmas comes early for 14 Aussie startups that raised $260 million this week

Weekly roundup covering 14 startup raises totalling over $260 million, headlined by Synchron's $110 million round, plus Roller's shareholder liquidity payout, Partly's record New Zealand Series A, and several government grants.

Also GrainCorp Ventures·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·Startup News (WA)·Startup News (WA)

BiomeBank to scale up with $10.65 million capital raise

Biotech firm BiomeBank raised $10.65 million from Ellerston Capital, the South Australian Venture Capital Fund and The Hospital Research Foundation to expand manufacturing and advance its microbiome therapies.

Also SmartCompany·Techboard

FUNDED July 2022 Anniversary Edition

Techboard's anniversary roundup catalogues a month of Australian startup funding: megadeals, three acquisitions, large debt deals, grants, accelerator intakes, and fund news including Archangel Ventures' committed capital.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia·Business News Australia

Poolwerx announces latest strategic partnership to drive global expansion

Australian pool-service franchisor Poolwerx has brought in Ellerston Capital as a growth backer to support local and overseas expansion, joining the manager's private assets portfolio, building on an earlier tie-up with Norwest.

Funeral disruptor defies deadly market conditions to bank $10m

Republished AFR report on funeral startup Bare banking a ten-million-dollar round from Perennial and Ord Minnett, plus rival Willed's June raise from Thorney, Ellerston and a Bell Potter investor.

Also OIF Ventures portfolio·Archangel Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Drone startup Aerologix raises $4.2 million Seed round

Sydney drone marketplace Aerologix has raised a $4.2 million seed round led by Ellerston Capital and Nightingale Partners, funding research, commercial hiring and plans to expand overseas.