EnergyLab

EnergyLIB Enters Growth Phase With Cheche Investment Proposal

Investor behind Amber Electric hits $10 million under management, milestone for new fund

Climate tech fund manager Impact Ventures has passed $10m under management and taken its follow-on vehicle to a first close; its portfolio spans Amber Electric, Orkestra and Infravision.

Investor behind Amber Electric hits $10 million under management, milestone for new fund

Sydney early-stage climate tech backer Impact Ventures says it now manages $10 million and has completed the first close on its follow-on vehicle, which will keep backing its maturing portfolio companies.

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #173, 9th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Firmus completes its $2.85b round; Procore acquires DroneDeploy; Atlassian rebounds while Canva cuts guidance; plus fresh raises for Zabidou, BioScout, Vexev, Enrola, Spacetalk and others.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA-backed accelerator selects 'hardware' climate tech startups

EnergyLab unveils ten hardware-focused climate tech startups joining its 2026 Climate Solutions Accelerator, supported by $1.64 million from ARENA; alumni Infravision, Renewable Metals, Orkestra and Amber later received ARENA funding.

“Every tool in the kit:” From kerbside EV charging to microgrid building, 10 companies line up for funding, incubation

EnergyLab names ten hardware-focused climate tech companies joining its 2026 Climate Solutions Accelerator, which pairs seed investment with a six-month program. Several hold government grants, and Catch Power's 2024 purchase of Solar Analytics is recalled.

Also RenewEconomy

The little big battery using local smarts and deeper storage to help fill gap in most renewable grid

South Australian startups Lunio Energy and OptiGrid launch a 5 MW Strathalbyn battery into market trading; the piece recalls OptiGrid's seed round backed by CEFC, IP Group, Hostplus, universities and EnergyLab.

The little big battery using local smarts and deeper storage to help fill gap in most renewable grid

A 5 MW South Australian battery has started trading, the first project for developer Lunio Energy and the first four-hour site run on OptiGrid's optimisation platform, whose seed backers are recapped.

Meet the 19 ventures sharing $400,000 to connect women, investors and opportunity

NSW Government grants worth $400,000 across 19 recipients include EnergyLab, Barayamal, Go Remote, Western Sydney Women and Scale Investors, funding events and initiatives aimed at closing the gender funding gap.

Construction tech startup builds $3 million pre-Series A after rebrand

Melbourne construction software firm SPEC Toolbox, once CLT Toolbox, has banked a fresh $3 million round with Black Nova and Investible co-leading, its third raise after earlier seed and bridge funding.

Also SmartCompany

EV startup Savic Motorcycles raises $2 million as a new CEO grabs the handlebars

Melbourne electric motorcycle maker Savic has banked $2 million via a convertible note, handing the chief executive job from founder Denis Savic to EV systems veteran Marc Alexander.

Also Business News Australia

Battery efficiency startup Voltavate powers up on $850,000 pre-Seed raise

Melbourne battery-separator startup Voltavate has banked $850,000 in an Artesian-led pre-seed round, with Investible, Electrifi Ventures and angel backers taking part, to make energy storage safer and more efficient.

Also RenewEconomy

Ten start-up battery innovators tapped to join Supercharge Australia incubator

Ten battery start-ups, mostly Australian, join Supercharge Australia's first incubator cohort; the piece also recalls earlier Innovation Challenge award wins by Renewable Metals and Veepower.

Pioneering Australian company marks new milestone on “mission” to upcycle end-of-life solar panels

Solar panel recycler Elecsome has secured a patent for its dismantling and glass recovery methods; the piece also recaps its accelerator participation, a feasibility study with AGL and an Enel Green Power agreement.

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: IDT Australia wins a Sanofi mRNA contract, Amplia collects an R&D tax refund, OptiGrid enters EnergyLab's accelerator, plus a ship launch, hydrogen towers, road works and a job listing.

Seven Aussie startups that raised $45.6 million this fortnight

Roundup covering seven Australian companies' recent raises — Splend, Rich Data Co, Slice, InvestorHub, Eyeonic, Graceview and Monty Compost Co — from fleet electrification finance to AI compliance and compost-monitoring seed rounds.

Two Aussie startups that raised $5 million this week

Weekly roundup: InvestorHub banks a $4m Series A extension led by EVP, while Brisbane compost-tech maker Monty Compost Co picks up $1 million from Skalata, Antler and other backers.

Also SmartCompany

We've Secured QVCDF Investment & Will Continue To Build A Better Future

Sprint Ventures announces a binding term sheet making QVCDF a cornerstone backer of its upcoming third fund, and flags plans to invest across healthcare, climate tech and AI, plus a July event.

Early VC #5 - Early VC #5 - Jet Zero raises $19M , Kismet secures $10M in seed funding, and Employment Hero controversy

Newsletter highlights Australian startup funding including Jet Zero, Kismet, VaultEscrow, Jupiter Ionics, ChronoForge, FLK it over, Anni, and Bae Juice, alongside M&A activity.

Also Early VC

Early VC #3 - Diraq and Marqo raised Series A. Ansarada acquired for $236.3m. New Bupa's $20m fund.

Australian startups Diraq, Marqo, and Hatch secured funding rounds. Ansarada was acquired by Datasite. Bupa launched a new venture fund, and the Queensland government backed several VCs and accelerators.

Queensland is backing 5 accelerators, including Farmers2Founders & Energylab, to help 100s of startups get VC-ready

Queensland's QVCDF, managed by QIC, will fund five accelerator programs to ready over 160 local startups for venture capital investment across two years.

EnergyLab lands more funds to support next generation of renewable startups

RenewEconomy reports the national renewable energy agency's announced plan to back the climate-focused startup accelerator EnergyLab, recapping its years supporting clean energy founders and naming standout graduates.

EnergyLab selects a WA startup for a clean future

EnergyLab's Energy Scaleup program takes Perth clean-energy startup My Solar Manager into its 2023 cohort; alumnus Village Energy endorses the program, and applications for 2024 are open.

Here are the 10 startups climate tech accelerator EnergyLab selected for its scaleup program

EnergyLab has picked 10 startups, six of them Australian, for the newest round of its Scaleup Program, which pairs clean energy companies with corporates, backers and mentors to hasten grid decarbonisation.

The Techstars team – in their own words – on what to expect in Sydney

Q&A with Kirstin Hunter and Lauren Fong, who lead Techstars' new Sydney accelerator backed by the NSW Government, on their backgrounds and the first 12-company class starting in July.

Melt Ventures launches $10 million climate tech fund, but isn’t interested in software

Melt Ventures has closed a $10 million fund for hardware-focused climate tech and named its first investments, including Endua's $11.8 million pre-seed round backed by Melt, Main Sequence, QIC, 77 Partners and Ampol.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·mgathermal.com

Melt Ventures raises $10m for new hardware investment fund

Hardware-focused venture fund Melt Ventures has secured $10 million for its first fund, backed by new angel investors and family offices plus earlier supporters, and has already invested in three energy storage startups.

Renewable Metals wins ‘Supercharge Challenge’

A Perth company that recycles lithium batteries has won the inaugural Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge Award, finishing ahead of Sicona and Roev, and now plans a NSW plant feasibility study with state fund support.

Brisbane recyclable battery start-up signs up first international investor

Turkish battery-circularity firm Niocycle has become Brisbane startup Vaulta's first overseas backer, joining a further funding instalment; earlier backers included Renu Energy, and Vaulta was picked for a Supercharge Australia program.

Also @AuManufacturing·Techboard

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup covering an SME sentiment survey, Renewable Metals winning a Supercharge Australia award, a new Queensland trade commissioner, an FFI green hydrogen power deal, a Siemens emissions pilot, and a CDU drones grant.

EnergyLab is backing these 11 Australian lithium battery startups with plans to change the world

EnergyLab's Supercharge Australia initiative has selected eleven startups for its first Innovation Challenge, covering lithium batteries, EV conversion and recycling, with experts judging a Sydney pitch event in March.

Melt Ventures launches $20 million Advanced Manufacturing Venture Fund

Melt Ventures launched an advanced manufacturing venture fund expecting first close soon and targeting $20 million by March 2023; the piece also recalls earlier backing of Camplify, Gamurs, Greaseboss and other companies.

10 promising climate change startups in the new EnergyLab accelerator program

EnergyLab's 2022 Climate Solutions Accelerator has taken ten Australian climate tech startups into its six-month program, backed by $750,000 in total pre-seed funding from angel investors, half again more than the prior year.

The 10 startups EngergyLab selected for its Climate Solutions Accelerator

EnergyLab has picked ten Australian climate startups for its 2022 Climate Solutions Accelerator, a six-month program, with the group sharing $750,000 from angel investors.

Ocean Impact launches startup accelerator program and VC fund

A non-profit is starting an ocean-health startup accelerator with a climate-tech accelerator partner, while an impact firm will help it raise a new early-stage fund for participants.

Envato co-founders back climate impact investing fintech Bloom in $675,000 pre-seed raise

Climate fintech Bloom Impact Investing has closed a pre-seed round led by EnergyLab, with angel backing including Envato's co-founders, to build its retail impact investing app and climate impact fund.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Here are the 6 startups tackling climate change in EnergyLab's new accelerator

EnergyLab's Climate Solutions Accelerator has picked six climate tech startups for its six-month program, backed by a combined $500,000 pre-seed investment; three are Sydney-based, two Brisbane, one Californian.

Growing Australian renewable energy startups

A government renewable energy agency announces a grant to back a clean energy accelerator's programs for startups, and notes that one company it previously supported has just closed a funding round.

Sydney battery materials start-up raises $1m towards possible “EV game-changer”

Sicona, a Sydney battery materials startup, raised $1 million led by Artesian, its second round after a June Seed-1 raise also led by Artesian with Kemplant participating.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Coronavirus update for business: Grocery restrictions relaxed, restaurant chatter in your own home, and Netflix eyes up $1 billion

A business news roundup: supermarkets ease buying limits, EnergyLab secures government-backed funding for a startup scale-up program, Startmate hosts an online demo day, Netflix plans new funding, and EatClub launches app features.