Investor · 1 deal
Every published round HEST took part in, and every parcel of existing shares it bought off another holder. Deals we hold but haven't published yet are not counted.
| Company | Stage | Announced | Amount | Role | Alongside | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmour Space | Series D+ | 20 Jan 2026 | $217m | Participant | Business News Australia, Startup Daily, SmartCompany (Tue 28 Apr 2026), SmartCompany (Fri 23 Jan 2026), Beaten Zone Venture Partners, australianmanufacturing.com.au, AFR Technology, SmartCompany (Tue 20 Jan 2026), Dealroom, Forbes Australia, Main Sequence Ventures portfolio |
Companies HEST has backed in a published round, and companies whose existing shares it bought off another holder.
| Company | What it does | First invested | Rounds | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmour Space | 20 Jan 2026, Series D+ | 1 | 0 |
Fund closes reported for HEST, as distinct from the investments it has made.
Companies HEST has backed that another company then bought. An exit for the holding, not a deal HEST did.
Stories naming HEST. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
MUFG's pensions arm has struck a binding agreement to acquire Grow Inc, a Sydney-founded superannuation administration startup whose shareholders — among them HESTA, Five V Capital and AirTree Ventures — must still approve the deal.
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.
Blackbird's Rick Baker recounts backing rocket firm Gilmour Space from its 2017 Series A to a newly closed A$217 million Series E at a valuation above US$1 billion.
SEA Electric orders batteries after a $54m raise; Baraja raises $40m for LIDAR, led by Blackbird; Stealth demos weed detection; Wattle Health lifts profit and sells its dairy arm; Hydac wins VR training grant.
Blackbird announces the close of its fourth fund at $500 million, bringing total committed capital to $1.24 billion, and separately announces Mike Cannon-Brookes joining its board as chair.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily
Brandon Capital's blog reports a first close of $210 million toward its $250 million MRCF 5 biotech fund, with super funds and CSL backing, and recalls past portfolio sales of Spinifex and Fibrotech.