Dealroom

Western Australia commits $630,000 to seed local venture funds

Western Australia's government is funding three local early-stage venture funds — Purpose Ventures, Fund WA and Quokka Capital — through its WAVES co-investment scheme, offering each capped annual operational support to grow the state's venture sector.

elite logistics australia buys FreightExchange to expand digital freight

Transport operator Elite Logistics Australia has agreed to acquire freight management platform FreightExchange, with the deal value undisclosed and FreightExchange's team, led by CEO Cate Hull, staying on.

Tidal Ventures leads $3.69M seed round into Mastercard-backed RedOwl

Tidal Ventures led a US$3.43 million seed round into Melbourne fintech RedOwl, with CP Ventures participating at a US$25.9 million valuation. The round follows a $15 million pre-seed raised in March 2025.

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Luminous lands US$20.1M grant to build solar robots in Australia

Australia's renewable energy agency is giving up to US$20.1 million to two robotics firms to make machines that assemble solar farms locally, announced October 2026.

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Open-banking fintech Qippay raises $5M for transtasman push

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Australia's Mentara launches with SPRIM backing to tackle Parkinson's dyskinesia

Nicola Forrest backs Antler's US$45.3M fund with a $20.9M push for women founders

Nicola Forrest's Coaxial Foundation commits up to US$19.4M as anchor limited partner in Antler's third Australian fund, with part earmarked for grants and support aimed at women-founded startups.

Identifai Genetics raises $6.96M in ASX debut for prenatal screening platform

Identifai Genetics has joined the ASX after raising about US$6.47 million in its IPO, with proceeds going toward its non-invasive prenatal screening platform Windrose; Aesir Corporate managed the offer.

Also Mirage News·Business News Australia

Square Peg raises $696M for two new funds

Square Peg Capital has banked about US$647 million for two fresh vehicles, its biggest fundraise yet. The piece also recalls Blackbird's billion-dollar fund and Square Peg's past stake sales and exit windfalls.

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PEP buys 30% of Grok Ventures-backed Energy Bay

Pacific Equity Partners has agreed to take a 30 percent stake in Australian on-site renewables firm Energy Bay, mainly via new shares; existing backers include Skip Capital, Grok Ventures and Soletto. Value undisclosed.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

RocketDNA raises US$1.44M to roll out drone-in-a-box hardware

RocketDNA completed a US$1.44 million strategic placement, led by major shareholder Daniel Narayan through Sadietilly Capital, to fund its xBot drone hardware rollout, software engineering and security accreditation.

Arrow Ventures seeks US$125 million to turn animal health science into treatments

Australian animal health investor Arrow Ventures, founded by Nick Bova, is seeking up to US$125 million to develop veterinary therapeutics; five portfolio companies are named, but no money has yet been committed.

dorsaVi raises $2.09M to push sensors into humanoid robotics and chips

ASX-listed Melbourne sensor maker dorsaVi has raised US$1.94 million in a post-IPO placement backed by 62 Capital, to expand its movement-data library and advance neuromorphic and RRAM chip development.

Also Biotech Dispatch

FeBI Technologies lands $1.52M grant for quantum iron blood test

FeBI Technologies won an Australian government grant of about A$1.52 million for its quantum-based iron blood test, building on earlier Stage 1 funding, and will partner with universities and Aboriginal health services.

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SQC lands $2.5M government grant for quantum-enhanced energy forecasting

Silicon Quantum Computing received a US government-backed grant to advance quantum-enhanced energy forecasting work with Schneider Electric and UNSW into Stage 2 of the Critical Technologies Challenge Program.

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Bose buys FMOD maker Firelight to push into gaming audio

Bose has acquired Firelight Technologies, the Melbourne creator of FMOD interactive audio software, to expand its business-to-business audio unit into gaming and other real-time applications; terms undisclosed.

Australia's Firmus raises $4.94B in IPO, pricing shares at US$7.12

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Hypersonix lands $46M to build hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft

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Melbourne Uni concrete recycling spinout R2Crete raises $521,000 pre-Seed

A university spinout commercialising concrete recycling has secured pre-seed backing from Genesis Pre-Seed Fund and Uniseed to build a pilot plant, with field trials planned for early 2027.

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Skopos Bio raises $8.4M seed to advance radioactive cancer therapy

Melbourne oncology startup Skopos Bio has raised a seed round from Tenmile, Tin Alley Ventures and Yosemite to advance radioactive cancer therapy toward human trials.

Yojee raises $7.3M after launching MOSAIC, posts $8.2M FY26 loss

Australian logistics software company Yojee raised about US$6.76 million via placement and share purchase plan, exceeding its target, while reporting a fiscal 2026 net loss as it rolls out its MOSAIC platform.

Adelaide's Eastend Ventures closes $21M debut fund

Adelaide-based Eastend Ventures closed its debut fund at US$19.4 million, backed by cornerstone investor Funds SA and over 50 investors; it has deployed over US$5.18 million into seven startups.

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APM Group buys Medcor to build North American occupational health platform

APM Group, an Australian company, is buying Medcor, an employer-facing healthcare business, at a price it did not disclose, and will merge it with WorkCare and Assure into a single North American workplace-health operation.

Trendspek raises $4.2M Series B to bring AI to ageing infrastructure

Sydney-based maker of 3D infrastructure inspection software has landed a Series B with OIF Ventures leading, earmarked for growth abroad, hiring and product work.

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Ellerston Capital buys stake in Luxury Escapes at $525M valuation

Dealroom reports Sydney investment house Ellerston Capital plans to buy at least a 12% stake in travel platform Luxury Escapes at a $525 million valuation, with board representation and an expected two-to-three-year exit.

Main Sequence backs dementia biotech Kinoxis in US$5.99M round

Kinoxis Therapeutics, a biotech targeting dementia symptoms, raised US$5.99 million in a round announced September 2026; CSIRO-backed Main Sequence took part, alongside a US$1.62 million grant.

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Syngenis-backed venture Gene S Dx acquires Australian pharmacogenomics platform Rosa

A new precision-medicine company formed by Perth's Syngenis Labs, a research institute and two scientists has bought Gene S, maker of the Rosa pharmacogenomics tool; no price was disclosed.

Heidi raises $100M Series C at $900M valuation to scale AI for clinicians

Heidi, maker of AI tools for clinicians, raised a Blackbird-led Series C with earlier backers joining, plus growth capital from General Catalyst, to expand from documentation into supervised clinical action.

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Graphene Manufacturing raises $10M to scale production

Brisbane clean-tech firm Graphene Manufacturing Group is issuing shares to a lone private backer for about US$10 million to lift graphene and battery output, with completion due about 23 September.

Promethean BioPharma raises $2.3M to bring CBD pain tablet to pharmacy shelves

Sydney biotech Promethean BioPharma has launched an OnMarket crowdfunding round to fund manufacturing, trials and its push for non-prescription status of its CBD pain tablet in Australia.

Direct Capital backs Australian waste platform Jerrara from its $525M fund

Waste platform Jerrara Environmental has taken investment from Direct Capital and MADAUS Capital Partners, the second deal from Direct Capital's $525m fund raised in April 2025.

SkySight lands £720,000 UK grant for stratospheric flight platform

Brisbane weather-tech startup SkySight received a UK research agency grant to build a forecasting and flight-planning platform for stratospheric aircraft, delivered through its UK subsidiary among 18 funded teams.

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Amber raises $56M to take home battery automation from Australia to Europe

Australian energy retailer Amber Electric has raised US$50.8 million in a round led by Morgan Stanley's climate fund 1GT, with earlier backers joining, to drive local growth and a European expansion.

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Scalare backs AI scent startup Auric, which opens Sydney lab

Listed investor Scalare Partners has taken an undisclosed early-stage stake in Sydney AI scent startup Auric, which has opened a lab at Tank Stream Labs after earlier backing from Antler and Sputnik ATX.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

Nyrada raises $8.6M placement to fund Xolatryp heart trial

Australian biotech Nyrada has banked US$7.76 million through a share placement managed by Bell Potter, with proceeds going to its clinical pipeline, including the Phase IIa trial of Xolatryp in heart attack patients.

Telix bets $1.7B on ITM to build radiopharma powerhouse

Australian-listed Telix is buying German radioisotope supplier ITM in a $1.65 billion deal with contingent milestone payments, creating an end-to-end radiopharmaceutical business.

IVE Group buys out-of-home media firm Motio in US$13.4M deal

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.

Hysata lands $35M grant to build hydrogen electrolyser line at Port Kembla

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Portable wins US$711.8K grant to fight Australian wage underpayments

Design and technology company Portable received a Business Research and Innovation Initiative grant to build Sweep, its wage-underpayment detection platform, as Australia criminalises intentional wage underpayment.

AI boom powers new raise for energy-trading firm Xpansiv

Xpansiv has wrapped a growth equity round with Blackstone, Macquarie, CBA, Goldman Sachs, Aware Super and Aramco Ventures among its backers, as the IPO hopeful looks to fund expansion in Australia and globally.

Evatto raises $1 million pre-Seed to automate event admin

Sydney events-software startup Evatto has raised a $1.02 million pre-seed round led by Purpose Ventures to fund product development, international growth and hiring.

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Ceretas triggers final $490,000 grant tranche as dementia device prototypes clear review

Australian medtech Ceretas hit a milestone in its CUREator+ program, unlocking the final instalment of a government-funded grant; the piece also recaps its A$8 million IPO and ASX listing earlier in 2026.

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Brookfield to buy plumbing maker Reliance for $2.8B

Brookfield has struck a deal worth about $2.8 billion to take over plumbing products maker Reliance Worldwide; the target's board backs the offer, with completion expected in 2027 pending approvals.

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Australia's Sicona buys New Orleans battery firm Advano, backs drones for demand

Dealroom reports Australian battery materials startup Sicona acquired Louisiana-based Advano, taking its New Orleans facility, and recalls Advano's earlier $45 million raise backed by Tony Fadell and Peter Thiel.

Volt Resources lands $5.4M US Department of War grant for domestic graphite

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Cycliq raises $1.1M at near 50% discount to fund inventory and AI

Cycliq, which makes cycling safety cameras, has completed a steeply discounted A$1.5 million equity raise brokered by CPS Capital Group, with proceeds earmarked for stock, artificial intelligence projects and general operations.

Also Business News Australia

Dataworks locks in $3M placement to fund government-tech push

Listed regtech firm Dataworks Group has locked in A$3 million in committed investor backing via a share placement, with Cygnet Capital running the raise, to repay debt and expand its government technology platforms.

Auravelle Metals completes $150,000 second tranche placement

Australian gold explorer Auravelle Metals has settled the second instalment of its post-listing share placement, worth about A$205,000, with the cash earmarked for drilling at projects in South Australia and Western Australia.

Calvary consortium acquires Healthscope, ending 16 months of uncertainty

A consortium fronted by Calvary Health Care has completed its takeover of Healthscope, the nation's second-biggest hospital operator, ending 16 months of instability. Whyalla's steelworks will shed 500-plus jobs after its furnace restart failed.

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Netwealth to buy AI advice startup Paradino for $14M

Wealth platform Netwealth is acquiring AI advice-automation startup Paradino for A$20 million upfront, mostly cash, plus earn-outs that could reach A$9 million, and intends another A$10 million of investment.

Melbourne's Elita raises $1.9M to extend dogs' healthy lives

Pet-health startup Elita Genetics, based in Melbourne, has secured $1.9 million to grow from cell banking into canine longevity, with Boost VC leading and four other backers alongside.

Also Startup Daily

F1 supplier EM Motorsport buys Australian timing icon Dorian

A British Formula 1 hardware supplier has bought Melbourne timing specialist Dorian for an undisclosed sum, keeping the brand serving racers in the region while Alitrax continues frontline support.

Australia's clean-energy fund backs Darwin chemical recycler with $39M debt deal

Darwin chemical recycler Global Resource Recovery has obtained A$55 million in debt funding from the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation to build out facilities at the port, creating construction and permanent roles.

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MetaCognition raises $10M seed to build an operating system for robots

MetaCognition, an Australian AI startup, has raised a $10m seed round led by Main Sequence to develop software that lets AI models control robots and industrial machinery.

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YES Group wins $7.4M grant to roll out 14 community batteries in Australia

Dealroom reports South Australian renewables firm YES Group obtained ARENA funding for 14 batteries across SA and NSW, in a tranche that also grants Ausgrid and the City of Newcastle money for more storage.

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Dela raises $720,000 seed round to strip scams out of secondhand sales

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Thoma Bravo backs bootstrapped Australian HR platform Tanda after 14 years

Growth equity firm Thoma Bravo has invested in Tanda, a Brisbane workforce-management software business, its first external funding after 14 years of bootstrapping; the money targets AI features and overseas expansion.

NextDC raises $790M in convertible notes, its third capital raise in four months

NextDC, an Australian operator of data centres, announced a A$1.1 billion convertible note offer, following April equity and May debt raises, to bankroll local expansion.

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Lexaria raises $5.9M by repricing warrants to extend runway into 2027

Lexaria Bioscience agreed immediate warrant exercises to raise about $5.9 million gross, cutting exercise prices, with H.C. Wainwright placing; proceeds plus an Australian tax rebate may carry operations and R&D into 2027.