Paspalis

🇦🇺 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

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.

Transcelestial expanded funding will power Japan’s critical, national defence and space communications with laser technology

Transcelestial announced a further US$9.7m close of its latest round, lifting total funding to US$34.7m, with MPower Partners joining SEEDS and Kickstart Ventures to back its Japanese defence and space communications push.

Paspalis Co-Investment Fund

Paspalis Capital's page describes its Territory-backed co-investment fund and lists six portfolio investments — Esper Satellites, Go Locum, Praetorian Aeronautics, Salty Games, Blueflite and Atomionics — with stages, years and leaders.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Beef Central / Grain Central

Transcelestial brings laser communications investment to Australia and Japan's telecom, defence and space infrastructure

Transcelestial has secured a new investment round co-led by NTT Finance and Paspalis Capital, alongside other backers, to roll out its laser communications technology across Australian and Japanese telecom, defence and space infrastructure.

Also darwininnovationhub.com.au·korea.500.co·transcelestial.com

Six Aussie startups that raised $56.7 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing six Australian startup raises announced this week, covering Heidi Health, Instant, Esper, Trusst AI, Flowing Bee and GonGlobal, with investors, founders, valuations and earlier rounds.

Also Startup Daily

Mining exploration satellite startup pockets $5 million Seed round

Esper, a Melbourne maker of mineral-scanning satellites, has banked a $5 million seed round co-led by Paspalis Capital and Hejaz; its 2023 pre-seed drew US investors.

Northern Territory government puts $10 million into co-investment fund to back startups

The Northern Territory government and Darwin firm Paspalis have launched a $20m co-investment fund, each committing $10m, to back businesses expanding into the Territory; applications are open.

Transcelestial raises new funding

Transcelestial raised an undisclosed new round co-led by NTT Finance and Paspalis Capital, with several other investors participating, taking its total funding to USD 30.7 million as it expands laser communications in Japan and Australia.