Main Sequence Ventures

Meet the Australian VC firm with two homegrown unicorns

Profile of deep tech investor Main Sequence covering Elaine Stead's promotion to Partner, portfolio unicorns Gilmour Space and Advanced Navigation, CSIRO's expanded Atmosphere backing, and a fourth fund now being raised.

Main Sequence promotes Elaine Stead to Partner as firm builds toward Fund 4

Main Sequence announces Elaine Stead's promotion to Partner while preparing its fourth fund; CSIRO has lifted its commitment to the firm's Atmosphere pre-seed program, and two portfolio companies have reached unicorn status.

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #181, 11th October 2026

Weekly digest: Firmus withdraws its planned listing, Square Peg reaches a billion-dollar close on two vehicles, MUFG clears regulators to buy Grow Inc, and Lubdub, RocketDNA, Energy Bay and Metal all raise.

Also @AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Quantum startup Diraq lands $73 million as it pushes through US defence program

Sydney quantum company Diraq has reached the last stage of a US defence quantum program, securing US$51 million with more possible, alongside mentions of PsiQuantum, IonQ and Quantinuum milestones.

Also Forbes Australia

Australian AI lab challenges case for copyright carve-out

Trellis Data, an Australian AI firm backed by Main Sequence, argues local developers can build competitive models without weakening copyright, proposing a licensing mechanism instead and citing its own profitable model development.

How we think about Physical AI

Main Sequence sets out its investment thesis for physical AI, describing portfolio companies across robotics, vision, connectivity, compute and simulation, and recalling over $100 million invested since inception.

Currus Biologics Wins FDA Clearance for CUR-001 Phase 1 Trial

America's medicines regulator has approved Currus Biologics to begin human trials of CUR-001, its solid-tumour CAR T-cell therapy combination, with dosing expected from early 2027.

Currus Biologics announces FDA IND clearance for Phase 1 trial of CUR-001 in mesothelin-positive advanced refractory solid tumours

Australian biotech Currus Biologics has won US regulator clearance to begin human testing of its lead cancer therapy, CUR-001; the company's backers include Brandon Capital, Main Sequence and Uniseed.

Currus Biologics announces FDA IND clearance for Phase 1 trial of CUR-001

Australian biotech Currus Biologics has won US regulatory clearance to begin human testing of its lead cancer therapy, CUR-001, combining an antibody platform with CAR T cells for solid tumours.

🇦🇺 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

Dementia biotech Kinoxis raises $6.75 million with a $2.5m grant as cherry on top

Melbourne dementia drug developer Kinoxis secured $6.75 million equity led by Main Sequence plus a $2.5 million Medical Research Future Fund grant via CUREator+, funding trials of its agitation and pain drug candidates.

CSIRO quadruples deep tech bet to $14M for Main Sequence's Atmosphere fund

Dealroom reports CSIRO lifting its stake in Main Sequence's early-stage Atmosphere vehicle fourfold to US$12.9 million, money earmarked for a fourth fund the firm has yet to raise.

Main Sequence targets $400 million for new fund amid deep tech boom

Deep-tech investor Main Sequence is seeking $400 million for a fourth fund, with $75 million already committed by the federal government, after two portfolio companies reached unicorn status this year.

Four Aussie and Kiwi startups that raised $21.5 million this week

Roundup of four trans-Tasman raises: First Table, Metacognition AI, Dela and GoTroppo secured a combined $21.5 million for restaurant discounting, robotics software, scam-safe payments and flexible internet plans.

'OpenAI can't mark its own homework': Optus ex-CEO says rogue AI is an inevitability

Former Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin warns rogue AI agents in enterprises are inevitable and discusses Aigentsphere, her AI-monitoring startup, which raised a $4 million seed round from Main Sequence in April.

Brandon Capital's $60m taypayer-funded biotech bets

Brandon Capital has put roughly $60 million of National Reconstruction Fund money into ten biotech companies and warns R&D tax changes would hurt deep tech; portfolio company Myricx Bio went to Novartis.

Also australiatimes.com

🇦🇺 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.

Our investment in Facet Amtech: Rethinking how the world makes ammonia

Main Sequence explains its decision to back Facet Amtech again alongside Uniseed in a $3 million round, funding the startup's water-based ammonia catalyst work and its first pilot plant.

Also AgFunderNews·Dealroom

The 8 Australian startups on Forbes Asia's 100 To Watch list

Eight Australian companies make Forbes Asia's annual 100 To Watch list; the piece profiles each and recaps recent raises across climate tech, health and software.

Our investment in Zabidou: Giving heavy industry eyes it can finally afford

Main Sequence announces a follow-on seed investment in Zabidou, an industrial vision-systems startup it earlier backed at pre-seed, and recalls its previous backing of founder Cibby Pulikkaseril's LiDAR company Baraja.

Also Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·This Week in Australian Startups

🇦🇺 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

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

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone mapping firm Emesent secures $15 million SAFE Note plus $10 million venture debt from federal government's National Reconstruction Fund.

Australian start-up unveils sovereign counter-drone system to tackle emerging battlefield threats

MILLIBEAM, an Australian deep-tech firm, has revealed Rakurai, a portable counter-drone device built on bespoke chip-level radiofrequency design; the piece notes prior Commonwealth grants behind its semiconductor technology.

His self-driving car startup hit $300m before crashing. Now he's back for round two.

Deep tech founder Cibby Pulikkaseril has banked a $3.5m seed for Zabidou, whose lasers inspect factory output, with Black Nova, Main Sequence and Antler backing; his earlier LiDAR venture Baraja folded.

Also SmartCompany

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone-mapping firm Emesent has raised $15 million via a SAFE note plus $10 million in venture debt from the National Reconstruction Fund — the fund's first such deal — four years after its Series A.

Medical Angels scrubs up Michael Batko as venture partner to raise $40 million fund

Doctor-led syndicate Medical Angels is turning its backing of 30-plus health startups into a $40 million fund, with $4 million banked, and has recruited former Startmate chief Michal Batko as venture partner.

Seven ANZ startups that raised $71.8 million this week

Weekly roundup covering seven raises across the Tasman: Phonely's Series A, Pay.com.au's private placement, and rounds for Atomic Tessellator, Caruso, Deteqt, Clean Slate Clinic and Earthletica, worth roughly $72 million combined.

Also crane.vc

Three ANZ startups that raised $81 million this week

Roundup of three trans-Tasman raises: Ordermentum landed $55m from Five V Capital, defence-tech firm Arkeus closed $25m, and music platform Lume gathered NZ$1.3m from well-known backers before its launch.

Also Startup Daily

Our investment in Aigentsphere: Unlocking agent adoption in the enterprise

Main Sequence's post sets out why the fund backed Aigentsphere, which builds governance tooling for enterprise AI agents, citing the founders' banking backgrounds and a $4 million seed raise.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Beaten Zone Venture Partners Congratulates Arkeus on A$25M Series A as Portfolio Company Reaches Inflection Point

Arkeus has closed a A$25 million Series A with QIC Ventures leading, as early backer Beaten Zone Venture Partners returns alongside other existing backers; proceeds fund Queensland manufacturing and a doubled team.

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

Our investment in Arkeus

Folklore Ventures announces it has joined Arkeus' A$25 million Series A with QIC Ventures, R+ VC and returning backers, describing the Melbourne defence-sensing startup's technology and growth plans.

Also Beaten Zone Venture Partners portfolio·Beaten Zone Venture Partners portfolio·arkeus.com·Forbes Australia·Cut Through Venture·SmartCompany·Dealroom

Currus Biologics: a tale of perseverance, persistence and patience

Profile of a Peter Mac spinout advancing solid-tumour cell therapies; recounts its Series A backers, later investment, grant support, and chief executive Sam Cobb's earlier career building and listing AdAlta.

Our investment in Deteqt: When physics becomes perception

Main Sequence reflects on its early backing of Deteqt through its Atmosphere platform, describing the startup's diamond-based quantum magnetic sensing chip and its case that machines need better ways to perceive their surroundings.

Deteqt Featured Across Defence and Technology Media Following A$5 Million Seed Raise

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

Eight ANZ startups that raised $373.3 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing eight trans-Tasman raises totalling A$373.3 million, headlined by Halter's Series E, spanning quantum computing, biomanufacturing, robotics, adtech and agtech, plus a recalled $2 billion founder exit.

Also Startup Daily

Our investment in Andromeda Robotics: When empathy meets engineering

Main Sequence's post explains why the firm invested in Andromeda Robotics, pointing to aged-care workforce shortages, resident loneliness, and early customer enthusiasm for the Abi companion robot.

Regional biomanufacturer Cauldron brews up $19 million Series A2

Biomanufacturer Cauldron Ferm has banked a $19 million Series A2, led by Main Sequence with Horizons, SOSV and NGS Super aboard, adding to an earlier $9.5 million round and a $4.3 million federal grant.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Arlula raises $3.4m as defence and AI demands reshape satellite data infrastructure

A Sydney defence and space technology company has completed an oversubscribed funding round led by Paspalis Capital to expand its satellite data coordination platform and grow its engineering team.

Climate tech startup MGA Thermal raises $17 million

MGA Thermal, a Hunter Valley energy storage maker, has banked $17 million from IP Group and others to commercialise its heat-storage technology, lifting its total funding to $50 million.