Startup Daily

Before VCs, a university writes the first cheque

A contributed piece announcing UNSW Founders' accelerator has backed sixteen early-stage startups with 1.6 million dollars, plus Westpac boosts for three women founders, calling the university a leading pre-seed investor.

How this founder took legal tech startup Dispute Buddy from zero to $2 million ARR in just 9 months

Founder Jenny Rudd explains how angel investing and mentoring prepared her to build legal tech Dispute Buddy to $2m ARR, with a $765k pre-seed backed by angels, Epic Angels and Techstars Sydney.

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Credit card fintech taps $11 million raise

Melbourne corporate card startup Archa has raised $11 million in equity plus a $50 million debt facility to grow its business credit card platform, backed by The Fintech Fund and several local executives.

Also Australian FinTech

“We’re building an era-defining business for Australia”: The startups building global tech powerhouses from Wollongong

A partner feature profiling Wollongong-based companies Hysata and Scalapay, recalling Hysata's record Australian cleantech Series B and arguing the region can host globally ambitious startups.

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Australian startup funding rose 80% in Q3, even without the Firmus megaround, but big deals still dominated

Cut Through Venture's Q3 report shows Australian startup funding up nearly 80% year on year to $1.31 billion excluding Firmus, with a handful of large deals and AI companies dominating the quarter.

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Kiwi open banking fintech Qippay pockets NZ$5 million for 25% stake

Auckland open banking payments company Qippay has raised NZ$5 million, with Australian fund All Roads Wholesale Fund taking a quarter of its parent group, and the fund's founder joining the startup's board.

Also Dealroom

July founders pour $2 million into Memobottle for a 20% stake

July's two cofounders personally bought a fifth of bottle maker Memobottle for two million dollars, valuing it at ten million, and will join its board.

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Nicola Forrest anchors Antler’s $70 million 3rd fund in $30m push for women founders

Antler's third Australian fund has drawn a $20m commitment from Nicola Forrest's Coaxial Foundation, part of up to $30m backing women founders via grants and co-investment through the new Momentum program.

Firmus float fizzles out

AI data centre company Firmus withdrew its ASX listing, blaming market volatility after a weak book-build, and will now pursue private capital, leaving early backers facing dilution triggers if the listing stays delayed.

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US defence invests $73 million in Diraq with another $357m on the table

Sydney quantum startup Diraq has received an initial US$51 million from DARPA after reaching the final stage of its quantum benchmarking program, with more funding possible; the National Reconstruction Fund earlier invested $20m.

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

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The latest prototype of Australia's $42 million 2030 Moon rover has been revealed

A new prototype of the lunar rover Roo-ver was unveiled in Brisbane. The ELO2 consortium building it holds roughly $42 million in Australian Space Agency backing for a 2030 NASA mission.

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CDC kills off its $73.3 billion data cente rollout deal with Firmus

CDC Data Centres has abandoned Project Southgate, its data centre partnership with Firmus, which is pressing ahead with a $7.1 billion IPO on the ASX later this month at a $44 billion valuation.

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SQC among 6 startups sharing $12.3 million in quantum grants

Six Australian quantum startups, including Silicon Quantum Computing and QuantX Labs, have received federal grants totalling $12.3 million under the Critical Technologies Challenge Program for projects in energy, health, biosecurity and logistics.

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Cheque-in: 3 startups pocket $18.75 million to start October

Three Australian startups raised a combined $18.75 million: Skopos Bio's seed round, Trendspek's growth round led by OIF Ventures, and R2Crete's pre-seed backed by Uniseed and the Genesis Pre-Seed Fund.

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Role call: new people at allt, SQC, RedBelly Network, Neara & Indebted

Weekly people-moves column: new executives at allt, SQC, Redbelly Network, InDebted and Neara, including Clive Dickens joining allt's board and Chris McNamara becoming InDebted's CEO.

Ampol to buy EV charging scaleup Evie Networks for $225 million

Fuel retailer Ampol has proposed acquiring EV charging network Evie Networks for $225 million, pending regulator approval, while the article recalls the charging company's seed, Series A, government grant and debt funding history.

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Melbourne Uni concrete recycling spinout cements $750,000 pre-Seed

University of Melbourne spinout R2Crete, recycling waste concrete into aggregates and cement replacement, raised $750,000 pre-seed from the uni's Genesis fund and Uniseed to build a pilot plant.

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Eastend Ventures nails $30 million debut fund to back SA, WA and Queensland startups

Adelaide firm Eastend Ventures has closed its debut $30 million fund, with Funds SA as cornerstone backer, to invest in early-stage tech startups across South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.

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Sydney quantum startup Diraq expands US presence with New Mexico lab

Sydney quantum computing startup Diraq is opening a New Mexico research lab under a memorandum with Roadrunner Quantum Lab, adding to US sites; the National Reconstruction Fund invested $20 million in February.

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‘The next grid will be made of light’: Laser energy startup Aquila takes out Most Innovative Startup

Customer data startup Paperbark signs Unilever brands to tackle ecommerce sales gaps

Paperbark, a Sydney startup helping ecommerce retailers recover lost revenue, was founded by Bryce Antoine and Eli Simic, took $120,000 from Josh Parsons, and has signed Onnit and Olly, two Unilever-owned brands.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

Asset analysis platform Trendspek banks $6 million to keep critical infrastructure upright

Trendspek, a Sydney maker of 3D infrastructure condition records, has banked $6 million in a round OIF Ventures led, funding North American and European growth and AI tools that flag defects in inspection imagery.

Also Dealroom·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·This Week in Australian Startups

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Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks named Best New Founder as Ovum scales women's health AI

Profile of Ovum founder Ariella Heffernan-Marks, who won a first-time founder award; the piece recalls her women's health AI startup's June seed round, its valuation, early traction and new partners.

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Proptech play RentBetter moves in on $5 million

RentBetter, a Sydney platform letting landlords manage rentals themselves, has banked $5 million from investor EVP, whose partner joins its board, to hire and build AI tools.

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Medical edtech Medcast diagnoses $5.4 million for clinical AI platform

Medcast, a NSW medical education firm, has banked $5.4 million in a round led by Best Practice Software to expand its MedLuma clinical AI tool, adding staff and integrating with practice systems.

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7 startups share $15.6 million in the latest round of government-backed dementia research grants

Seven Australian health startups receive equity-free grants totalling $15.6 million in the second CUREator+ round for dementia research, backed by the Medical Research Future Fund, spanning gene editing, medicines and diagnostic tools.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

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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.

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AI debt recovery fintech OpenDebt bags $2 million in pre-Seed

Sydney fintech OpenDebt, which applies AI agents to debt recovery, has secured $2 million in pre-seed backing from Blackbird and Antler to grow its team and explore US partnerships.

Also Australian FinTech·Business News Australia·This Week in Australian Startups·Dynamic Business

Space monitoring startup scores NRF backing in $37 million Series B

Beaten Zone Venture Partners led a US$25 million Series B in HEO Robotics, which images other spacecraft, with the NRFC contributing $10 million; the piece also recalls earlier Series A and seed rounds.

Also Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·Space Connect·This Week in Australian Startups·Dynamic Business

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Airtree is offering $350,000 to ANZ founders to kick off in Silicon Valley

Startup Daily reports Airtree has extended its Frontier founder residency to San Francisco, dangling uncapped US$250,000 SAFE notes at expat Aussie and Kiwi founders; its Sydney edition hosts alumni of major local tech firms.

Buildkite quietly raised $21 million earlier this year after posting massive losses

ASIC filings show Buildkite raised $21m via convertible debt in January 2026 after heavy losses and a CEO change; its earlier backers include OneVentures, AirTree, General Catalyst and Dom Pym.

Also Capital Brief

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Workplace psychological safety startup ReFresh plants $2.5 million Seed round

ReFresh, which sells software for managing psychosocial hazards at work, has landed a seed round of $2.5 million with Black Nova Venture Capital leading and earlier backers Antler and Archangel Ventures returning.

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From Amber Electric to Infravision, climate tech is simply good business

Impact Ventures' Zoe Whitton argues climate tech is now proven business, citing her firm's early bets on Amber Electric and Infravision, and urging Canberra to strengthen carbon pricing and demand for clean industries.

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Startmate alumni Evatto raises $1.02 million pre-Seed

Sydney event-tech startup Evatto has raised a pre-seed round led by Perth firm Purpose Ventures to build its platform and expand abroad, after going through Startmate's Summer 26 program under its earlier name Wiingman.

Also thesaasnews.com·app.fundz.net·trysignalbase.com·Dealroom

From Melbourne to 190 countries: Heidi named Best in Tech's AI Gamechanger of the Year

Melbourne healthcare AI company Heidi won two Best in Tech awards; the profile recounts its rapid global growth, hospital deployments, and its Point72-led Series B raise.

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The Coalition will kill off Innovation Victoria’s VC fund and sell its 100 investments if they win the state election

Victorian opposition pledges to scrap Breakthrough Victoria and sell its holdings if elected, claiming billions in savings; the piece recalls portfolio deals including a medtech rescue and Infleqtion's NYSE listing.

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Canine health startup gets $1.9 million treat

Elita, a Victorian dog-health startup, secured $1.9m in a Boost-led round to develop its Blueprint health-tracking product and a 24/7 vet telehealth service with VetChat; it previously raised $1.1m in 2025.

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SiteHive named Startup of the Year at the 2026 Best in Tech Awards

AI startup raises $10 million to build robotics operating system

Metacognition AI, cofounded by Anton van den Hengel, has raised $10 million from Main Sequence to build an operating system letting non-experts train robots and AI agents.

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Dela, which takes the scams out of marketplace sales, raises $1 million

Dela, a Sydney payments startup founded by Meg van der Velde, has banked slightly more than A$1m from an unidentified backer to build out its buyer-protection app for peer-to-peer second-hand sales.

Also SmartCompany·Dealroom

Gilmour Space and Hypersonix partner up for 6,100kmh defence flight tests

Two Queensland aerospace firms will collaborate on hypersonic flight testing for defence; the article also recalls Hypersonix's $46 million Series A raised about a year earlier, with $10 million from the National Reconstruction Fund.

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EVP launches 40x to support software startup founders looking to raise

EVP has launched 40x, a peer network for revenue-generating software startups in Australia and New Zealand planning to fundraise within a year, led by Mark Zmarzly; applications close mid-September.

Melbourne VC Skalata rebrands as Tall Order Ventures after management buyout

Melbourne seed fund Skalata was bought by its managers and renamed Tall Order Ventures, refocusing on AI-era first cheques after a five-month pause; portfolio company Doohly was sold to Canva.

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Viral infections biotech ENA Respiratory inhales $3 million from government fund

ENA Respiratory wins a $2.98 million grant from a government-backed biotech incubator to test its nasal antiviral in asthma patients, joining five other vaccine developers in the program's first funding round.

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Expert360 founder and early investors miss out in $16 million exit

Talent marketplace Expert360 is set to be bought by Swipejobs at a $16 million valuation, with the founder and earliest backers reportedly shut out; the piece also recaps its funding history.

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Women’s health founders are heading overseas because local investors don’t prioritise them

Women's health founders say weak local investment is pushing them offshore; Baymatob, Ovum and BreastScreen leaders describe funding struggles at a Sydney summit, with all-female teams receiving just 2% of 2025 startup capital.

Investment fintech Pearler bags $16 million Series A

Investing platform Pearler has closed a 16-million-dollar Series A led by returning backer Portage, with several funds and an individual investor taking part; the company also appointed a new creative director.

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IVF startup GonGlobal raises $1.2 million for needle-free treatments

Biotech GonGlobal raised $1.2 million to make IVF treatment needle-free, backed by Innovation Victoria, RMIT and a private investor, after earlier support from LaunchVic's JumpStart Studio and the Alice Anderson Fund.

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Energy network management platform Gridsight charges up on $36 million Series B

Sydney-founded Gridsight has banked a US$26 million Series B, with Insight Partners leading and Airtree, Galvanize, Energy Transition Ventures and Aera VC also taking part; cricketer Pat Cummins backed its previous raise.

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Anti-scammer startup Apate.AI nabs $11.4 million Seed raise amid US move

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Airwallex tips $1 million into 10 AI startups

Airwallex's inaugural Latitude 37 program has selected ten AI startups, each receiving $100,000 in non-dilutive cash alongside mentorship, connections and overseas travel.

Also Dealroom·Australian FinTech·fundedstartupsdaily.com

OpenAI has handed out $5.5 million in startup credits in just 9 months

OpenAI's credits program for Australian builders has issued over $5.5 million in API credits, including to two school-age founders; Firmus secured $2.85 billion this month, and student startups Petrex and Workwise are profiled.

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Pay.com.au banks $39 million Series E for US launch

Melbourne payments fintech Pay.com.au closes a US$28 million Series E to fund a United States launch under the PayRewards brand, adding to three earlier raises.

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Breakthrough diabetes biotech Immunobiota looks to raise $5 million Seed for clinical trials

Melbourne biotech ImmunoBiota Therapeutics, a Monash University spinout, is developing an oral type 1 diabetes treatment and seeking seed funding for paediatric trials; its founder won a Diabetes Australia innovation prize.

Blackbird nails 2nd $1 billion fund

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.

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Galileo Ventures looks to the stars with the first close of Fund II

Galileo Ventures has held an initial close for its second fund, bringing in Innovation Victoria as a backer, and the piece also recalls its earlier stake in robotics maker Andromeda.

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AI-based science research startup Bower bags $2 million pre-Seed

Bower, a Gold Coast maker of AI smart glasses for laboratories, has raised a $2 million pre-seed round led by TEN13, with early customers including Mount Sinai Hospital and Southern Cross University.

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Canberra defence tech startup Seitec detects $4 million

Canberra defence startup Seitec secured $4 million led by ACTivate Capital, which separately reached a $23 million first close toward its $50 million fund, with Beaten Zone Venture Partners and UNSW participating.

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Queensland beef genetics biotech Nybro doubles Seed round to $20 million

A Queensland livestock-reproduction startup has grown its seed round to $20 million, drawing $2 million from a newly launched state government fund whose manager had already backed the company.

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Canva wipes $11 billion from its valuation, putting IPO plans in doubt

Blackbird and Airtree mark Canva's worth down sharply, the employee share price falls too, and commentators question whether a 2027 sharemarket float remains realistic amid sliding confidence in AI-era software.