Ledger.

Startup · $256.5m raised

Fleet Space Technologies

Adelaide, SA

Coverage

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

2 deals

He's quietly invested in Australia's biggest space tech startups. Now he's moving to launch a $150m fund

Profiles space investor Will Scully-Power, whose Pine Gap firm backs Australian space startups and plans a larger US fund with partners; defence VC Beaten Zone has also wrapped up a $26 million fund.

Funding announcement

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #176, 30th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Blackbird confirms a record fund close and Galileo reaches a first close, Genesis merges with Proudi, IREN secures massive debt, and several startups report raises, grants and program wins.

2 deals

DeteQt clutches $750,000 pre-seed raise for 'diamond-on-silicon' approach to quantum

Quantum sensing startup DeteQt, spun out of the University of Sydney, has raised $750,000 in pre-seed funding from Main Sequence and Austin's ATP Fund, and holds a $3 million defence contract.

Pre-seed $750k

University of Sydney quantum sensing spinout lands $750,000 pre-Seed

University of Sydney spinout DeteQt raised $750,000 pre-seed from Main Sequence Ventures and ATP Fund, appointed Rupal Ismin COO, and counts a $3 million defence contract as first revenue.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

5 deals

The Australian government is getting local startups to head to Mars for $3.6 million

Five Australian space companies receive federal grants under the Moon to Mars program, totalling $3.6 million, for projects including navigation systems and radioisotope heaters; Gilmour Space says launch approval delays cost it $20 million.

12 deals

From quantum computing to quesadillas: Top 12 biggest capital raises of 2024

Year-end roundup ranking 2024's twelve largest startup raises, headed by PsiQuantum's $940 million government-backed quantum computing round, plus Guzman y Gomez's ASX listing and Betashares' Temasek investment.

3 deals

Fleet Space lands $150 million, valuation rockets to $800 million

Satellite company Fleet Space has closed a Series D backed by Teachers' Venture Growth and prior backers, lifting its valuation past $800 million, with proceeds earmarked for its mineral-exploration platform.

Also Space Connect·spaceanddefense.io·aap.com.au·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·spaceexplored.com·Space Connect·Defence Connect·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·TechCrunch Venture

3 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: OncoSil, K-TIG and Aurora Labs complete or commit raises, Amplia opens an offer, Siemens agrees to buy Altair, CSIRO unveils a printed-solar facility, and a WA medical alliance grows.

4 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing roundup: Australian Vanadium and entX land government grants, Hexagon Energy Materials completes a $1 million round, Australian Dairy Nutritionals appoints a CEO, Aurora Labs adds a director, plus vessel, export and research briefs.

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.

3 deals

The 3 Australian companies on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list

Three Australian companies — Fleet Space Technologies, MoreGoodDays and Syneta — feature on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list; the piece profiles each business, its backers and recent raises.

4 deals

Almost $40 million in Moon to Mars Initiative grants awarded

Four Australian space companies are named among ten recipients of Moon to Mars Initiative Demonstrator Program grants, sharing nearly $40 million for projects spanning atomic clocks, navigation technology and payload racking systems.

Also @AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Defence Connect·Forbes Australia

28 deals

FUNDED May 2023

Techboard's May 2023 roundup of Australian startup funding: 42 private raises topped by Fleet Space's $50m round, two $40m acquisitions, multiple grants, accelerator intakes, and fund news including GiantLeap's $50m fund raise.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy

2 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing news roundup: Fleet Space's oversubscribed Series C, a grant-backed 3D printing research project, an agreed brand acquisition, equipment orders, a cargo drone first flight and industry awards.

8 deals

Five startups that raised $109.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of five startup raises: Fleet Space's Series C, Checkmate's Series A, Adventus's new round, Endua's hydrogen funding and Servicely's raise, with investors named.

Also Forbes Australia

2 deals

Fleet Space Technologies raises another $50m - Bondi Partners

Bondi Partners reposts The Australian's coverage of Fleet Space Technologies' $50m Series C round, which Blackbird Ventures led and Bondi joined, valuing the Adelaide-based nanosatellite maker above $350m.

Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Techboard·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·satcom.digital·Space Connect·Space Connect·TechCrunch Venture·TechCrunch Venture

Grant $6.4m

Australia is pouring $3.4 billion into a defence capabilities accelerator

Australia will create the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, backed by a decade-long $3.4 billion commitment, to speed defence innovation and procurement; the news follows Fleet Space's recently revealed $6.4m Defence contract.

Grant $6.4m

Fleet Space to lead $6.4 million defence communications project

Fleet Space Technologies wins a 6.4 million dollar Defence Space Command contract to lead the ASCEND2LEO project, developing LEO satellite communications with a consortium including DSTG, University of South Australia, Rice Satcom and SmartSat CRC.

Venture debt $8m

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

News roundup: Elsight locks in $8 million through convertible notes; Northrop Grumman extends its Quickstep supply agreement; Titomic grows US sales; Fleet Space to survey for Core Lithium; Venture Catalyst Space applications open.

17 deals

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Super-fast unicorn, VC funding boom, put another founder on a Barbie

Ignition Lane's weekly roundup: Zip's deal for Sezzle, Zeller's unicorn raise, several Australian funding rounds, Startmate backing Provvy, a space manufacturing grant, NZVC's first close, and tech's response to Russia.

3 deals

Federal government awards $20 million grant for Adelaide satellite manufacturing hub

Canberra is putting $20 million from its Modern Manufacturing Initiative toward a space manufacturing park at Adelaide Airport, adding to state support, while a plant-protein consortium led by Australian Plant Proteins earlier secured $113 million.

Series B $26.4m

Fleet Space to 3D print new generation Alpha satellites

Adelaide satellite firm Fleet Space is developing 3D-printed Alpha small satellites for launch from 2022, following its recent US$26.4 million Series B raise, with global connectivity coverage targeted by 2026.

Also Bondi Partners portfolio·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·satcom.digital·Space Connect·Space Connect·TechCrunch Venture

13 deals

Ten Aussie startups that raised a total of $267 million this week

Weekly roundup of Australian startup raises, including Airwallex's Series E extension, Fleet Space's Series B and Montu's record crowdfunding, plus Giant Leap raising $19.5 million toward a $50 million second fund.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Business News Australia·startupscaleup.com.au·SmartCompany

Funding announcement

Mike & Annie Cannon-Brookes just turned Grok Ventures into Australia's first $1 billion VC fund to invest in climate tech

Startup Daily reports the Atlassian co-founder and his wife have pledged a billion dollars via their family firm Grok Ventures to climate-focused startups, plus half a billion to philanthropy.

12 deals

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: the rise of the technouveau riche

Weekly roundup covering Canva's huge raise and rich-list climb, a run of Australian startup funding rounds including SiteMinder and Mable, Domain's purchase of IDS, and Mailchimp's sale to Intuit.

Also Startup Daily·Australian FinTech·Cut Through Venture·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Australian FinTech

3 deals

“Not just about rockets”: Australia’s space tech industry is taking off. Here’s why

Feature on Australia's growing space tech sector: an accelerator chief cites Gilmour Space's series C, space agency grants to four startups, and emerging companies in geospatial data, space medicine and orbital manufacturing.

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

Unnamed stage $500k

Rocket fuel: Moonshot accelerator bags $500,000 in funding, as Branson's blast-off brings space-tech down to earth

Moonshot, an Australian space-tech accelerator, has secured $500,000 from the federal government's Incubator Support Scheme and private investors, with a consortium of space figures investing as mentors, including Andrew Aldrin and Amir Blachman.

13 deals

Ignition Lane Weekly Wrap: Australian space takes off, edtech learnings, Facebook hits $1 trillion

Weekly roundup reporting Gilmour Space's raise, several startup funding rounds, KKR's Education Perfect deal, ASX listings, new funds from Accel and the Albert family, and global tech listings and acquisitions.

Also Forbes Australia

Grant $400k

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing briefs: Fleet Space's satellite is orbiting, First Graphene wants industry partners, Micro-X wins a $400,000 government grant, Wellnex completes two acquisitions before relisting, Forbidden Foods enters Chinese e-commerce, Monash opens a blockchain hackathon.

Also @AuManufacturing

Grant

Spiral Blue's ground-breaking image computer for satellites is now in space

Sydney startup Spiral Blue sent its Space Edge Zero computers into orbit aboard SatRevolution satellites via Virgin Orbit, and holds an Australian Space Agency Moon to Mars grant and a Defence Innovation Hub contract.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing

2 deals

As Gilmour Space secures $61 million, here are seven Aussie startups heading into orbit

SmartCompany surveys Australia's space tech sector as Gilmour Space lands a $61 million Series C, profiling players such as Fleet, Myriota and Space Machines and recalling Moonshot's incubator backing of eleven startups.

Also @AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

2 deals

A GIANT LEAP: Australian rocket startup Gilmour Space fires up with $61 million series C

Gold Coast rocket firm Gilmour Space raised a $61 million Series C led by Fine Structure Ventures, with Blackbird, Main Sequence and super funds taking part, ahead of a planned 2022 orbital launch.

Also SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

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