NSW Government

🇦🇺 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

The Victorian Opposition wants to end the state’s $2 billion VC fund

Victoria's opposition pledges to shut down Breakthrough Victoria and sell its investments, calling the state fund a failure. The piece recalls portfolio raises, a rescue deal, an NYSE listing and the LaunchVic merger.

NSW FLIP Opens Applications for Women Founders in 2026

Applications are open for the second 2026 intake of NSW FLIP, a free program offering training, mentoring and possible seed funding to women founders across New South Wales, run by the University of Newcastle.

Debt-ridden property firm Bathla may collapse this week, says administrator

Administrators Teneo warn the debt-laden developer Bathla Group could close within days without emergency funding; 350 staff are unpaid and the NSW government has declined a bailout.

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

Emergency service women to trial fire-resistant period undies and bras

A former navy sailor created fire-resistant menstrual underwear for frontline workers, with a $200,000 New South Wales government grant funding a second generation and trials upcoming with Australian fire services.

Well, well, Wells

Capital Brief's roundup: superannuation policy plans, a NSW data centre planning dispute, KPMG resisting a break-up, Stripe and Canva leaders on AI, Stripe's local Treasury push, and Culture Amp's data policy change.

Hysata Named National Finalist for Research Award

A Wollongong hydrogen spin-out is shortlisted for a national award recognising research commercialisation; the profile recaps its electrolyser technology, Port Kembla headquarters, jobs and backing.

Also Dealroom

NSW awards $1 million in MVP Ventures grants to 22 startups

Grants totalling slightly more than $1m went to 22 NSW startups in the latest MVP Ventures round, with individual awards between $24,225 and $75,000; a third round is being assessed.

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.

NRF trebles its stake in Silicon Quantum Computing with another $40 million

The National Reconstruction Fund has put another $40m into Sydney quantum chip maker Silicon Quantum Computing, following its $20m investment three months earlier, part of a larger round still underway.

Remarkable, Catalysr and Indigenous pre-accelerators score NSW government support for diverse founders

Four organisations join a NSW government diversity pre-accelerator program as delivery partners, running programs for migrant, disability and First Nations founders alongside two university-based partners already on the roster.

Construction starts at state’s first “end-to-end” hydrogen and ammonia production plant

Construction has begun near Moree on a plant that will make hydrogen and ammonia for green fertiliser, with $45.2 million from two NSW government funding programs.

Also RenewEconomy

Inside the sublease structure behind Fishburners’ move to Tech Central

Fishburners operated as Stone & Chalk's subsidised sub-tenant at Tech Central before entering administration; KPMG is running a fast EOI process to find buyers or investors.

Sydney Startup Hub rent bill owed to the NSW government pushes Fishburners into administration

Fishburners, the Sydney not-for-profit co-working community, has gone into voluntary administration over a long-running rent debt to the NSW government. KPMG administrators will keep it trading while pursuing a sale and recapitalisation.

UNSW to fast-track female founders in new $4m NSW Government program

UNSW Founders will run the NSW Government's new $4 million Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program for female and culturally diverse health founders, with the University of Newcastle also delivering support; applications open in July.

Minns Labor Government puts female founders in the fast lane with launch of Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program

The NSW Government has opened the first round of its $4 million Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program for female founders, appointing University of Newcastle and UNSW Founders to deliver training and mentoring for women-led startups.

NSW Govt backs new wave of female founders - Inside State Government

The NSW Government has opened the first round of its $4 million Diversity Pre-Accelerator Program for female founders, appointing University of Newcastle's I2N and UNSW Founders to deliver training and mentoring.

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

Silicon Quantum Computing receives $20 million NRF boost

The National Reconstruction Fund has put $20 million into Sydney quantum chip maker Silicon Quantum Computing via a SAFE note, following its smaller-than-planned 2023 Series A and a similar NRF bet on Diraq.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Cotton farm to start work on one of state's biggest green hydrogen and ammonia projects

Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral Company's NSW farm project will produce green ammonia from hydrogen after the state government added $9.4 million in fresh grant funding, with work due to begin in April.

Cotton farm to start work on one of state’s biggest green hydrogen and ammonia projects

A NSW cotton farm's green ammonia plant near Moree, fed by hydrogen made with solar power, has secured financing via an initial $35.8 million state grant plus a fresh $9.4 million top-up.

AgriFood Signals: First close for Aqua-Spark Africa fund, Anchr nabs funds for AI in food distribution

Roundup of international agtech and foodtech items: startup funding rounds, investment funds reaching closes, a New South Wales government lending fund, CEO appointments and new partnerships.

The NSW government is getting into startup lending with a $20 million commercialisation fund

NSW's government is lending startups money to commercialise research via a new repayable fund, and names biotech and RNA grant recipients while reopening a ventures grants round.

NSW launches $20 million emerging tech commercialisation fund

NSW has launched a $20m fund to help startups commercialise emerging tech and named All G, HydGene Renewables, Number 8 Bio and Swan Genomics as recipients of Biosciences Fund grants.

Also Startup Daily

Australian printed solar technology used to power Coldplay world tour secures federal funding

Newcastle printed solar company Kardinia Energy has won a $2.1 million federal grant to scale up its flexible panel technology, following a state government grant the previous year.

Also RenewEconomy

Techstars Sydney is the latest victim of the NSW government’s ongoing startup purge

Techstars' Sydney accelerator will close after three years and 36 startups backed, its NSW government funding having ended; the program's chief and team are departing, while a state diversity pre-accelerator awaits a delivery partner.

$6 million, 36 startups, zero future: NSW cuts funding for Techstars Sydney

The NSW government has ended funding for Techstars Sydney, which closes after three cohorts; its managing director, Christie Jenkins, and her team are departing, and the $4 million diversity pre-accelerator has no operator yet.

Why Canberra software startup Aristotle Metadata went with venture debt for capital

Canberra data governance firm Aristotle Metadata has borrowed $400,000 from Tractor Ventures as venture debt, planning to grow its consulting partner network after equity investors labelled it too risky.

2025 in review: Purpose and partnerships

Alberts' year-in-review post recounts its 140th anniversary, board and staff appointments, follow-on venture investments in three portfolio companies, music education advocacy, a philanthropy strategy review, and reconciliation and gender-lens finance commitments.

Also SmartCompany

One of Australia’s biggest battery storage developers completes its first project

Akaysha Energy has completed Ulinda Park in Queensland, its maiden grid-scale battery, while reporting its Waratah project remains at reduced output and that its Elaine development has secured project financing.

Also RenewEconomy

Wayfinding startup BindiMaps emerges from administration with new owners

BindiMaps has exited administration with fresh owners set to broaden its commercial focus; the piece recalls earlier Artesian backing and a $1 million NSW government grant.

Medovex awarded $760,107 to make spinal surgery devices at Wollongong

Medovex has received a $760,107 NSW government grant to set up a spinal device production and sterilisation plant in Wollongong, adding five jobs as it scales for export.

Space Machines Company is setting up its satellite manufacturing in Western Sydney

Space Machines Company will make satellites at Bradfield's Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility under a NSW government agreement, and last month finalised its Scintilla 3D-printed rocket engine.

Solidcast awarded $2 million NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative grant to expand Wauchope site

Precast concrete maker Solidcast has received a NSW government grant of $2.033 million to lift output of low-carbon panels at its Wauchope plant, adding 25 jobs as the sole successful applicant among 47.

Also suburbstory.com·16news.com.au·psnews.com.au·tradeearthmovers.com.au·portmacquarie.newsofthearea.com.au

Sell & Parker to build $66 million Blacktown steel products factory to supply renewable energy projects

Steel recycler Sell & Parker has won a $28 million NSW government grant toward a $66 million Western Sydney plant making steel parts for wind, solar and transmission projects.

Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Equity Clear is building national standard for investment diversity reporting

Equity Clear, an initiative of Scale Investors, Giant Leap and Alberts, wins Investment NSW sponsorship and UNSW academic partnership to build a national investor-diversity reporting standard, led by Noga Edelstein.

NSW food and beverage makers get gov funding boost

The NSW government has granted money to two Riverina food processors for facility upgrades, while the article recalls Grove Juice's purchase of the Leeton Juice Factory from Bega Group a year earlier.

Also @AuManufacturing

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, August 11 – August 15, 2025

Weekly roundup of the publisher's five most-read stories: Victorian government grants to eleven manufacturers, Kongsberg defence export contracts, a federal grant for Iondrive, battery maker Energy Renaissance entering administration, and NSW recycling grants.

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, July 14 – 18, 2025

Weekly roundup of readers' five favourite stories: a precast factory opening for a Sydney tunnel, a grants panel, Circuitwise's agreed New Zealand acquisition, NSW clean-tech grants, and BlueScope's Whyalla bid position.