3195 rounds · 2024 startups · 3707 investors
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AgFunderNews interview with the founder of Australian fermentation startup Cauldron, who argues continuous processing can make microbial protein affordable for commodity ingredients and outlines plans for a contract manufacturing network.
Startupbootcamp Australia profiles WINIM, a FoodTech Tasmania 2023 startup whose platform tracks supermarket inventory and expiry dates to cut food waste; its Demo Day pitches are set for 16 November.
Woodside has committed another US$750,000 to 1414 Degrees' SiBox molten silicon storage demonstration, lifting its total backing to US$2.75 million, on top of earlier Australian Government money.
Thermal storage firm 1414 Degrees has won an extra $750,000 from Woodside's technology arm for its molten silicon SiBox pilot, taking that backer's support to $2.75 million, with the demonstration unit now running unattended.
Also @AuManufacturing
Autodesk has finalised its buyout of Reekoh, a Future Now Ventures holding, wrapping up a deal signed in September; terms stay undisclosed, though press speculation values it near AUD 31.5 million.
Perth biotech PharmAust appointed Dr Michael Thurn as chief executive and reported positive urinary biomarker findings from its motor neurone disease trial of drug candidate MPL.
Weekly roundup of the five most-read stories: Tritium shifting charger production to Tennessee, Carbon Revolution's NASDAQ listing, defence grants for manufacturers, a bushfire-resistant paint hitting shelves, and Cobram Estate Olives' 25-year growth.
ASX-listed software firm Vection Technologies has named Damian Banks, formerly Konekt's chief executive, as its board chairman, while Bert Mondello steps into a non-executive director seat.
Seven Australian startups together banked over $90 million in the past seven days across venue software, hydrogen aviation, social media, craft brewing, plastics alternatives, aged-care robotics and accountant training.
Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia
Roundup: ClearVue gets a $935,000 research tax credit; UNSW and Northrop Grumman Australia team up on quantum communications; Sentinel Boats shows an autonomous vessel; UOW leads national research rankings; LETA welcomes CCS progress.
NAB's annual report reveals its venture arm put further money into Edstart, the lender helping Australian families spread private school fee payments over time.
Venue-management software firm Roller has raised $78.5 million led by Insight Partners, one of the year's biggest raises, following earlier rounds in 2018 and 2022, with a managing director set to join its board.
Canberra climate-tech firm Goterra has installed its insect-powered waste processing at Brisbane's Howard Smith Wharves precinct, its first Queensland site, with $18 million of outside funding behind it and Woolworths already a client.
Folklore's blog introduces new investor Mitchell Bissinger, who discusses his operating background at a healthcare company, advisory work and a food venture, plus his views on early-stage backing in the region.
Main Sequence, CSIRO's deep tech venture fund, adds Cochlear chair Alison Deans as a venture partner, extending her investment committee service since 2017; its third fund brought in $450 million in July.
Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale started to back women founders across Australia and the US, its Australian backers, and its portfolio companies Eugene, Loupe, HowToo and Othelia AI.
Crunchbase's October 2023 unicorn board update: nine newcomers led by two cybersecurity firms, with Sydney's Employment Hero reaching unicorn status, Shield AI revalued upward, and Convoy and Olive AI shutting down.
Also Crunchbase News
Phantm, an Australian startup replacing plastics with seaweed-based materials, has secured $2 million in seed backing from Blacknova VC, Salus Ventures and CoVentures to scale its platform and expand overseas.
Vehicle subscription software firm Loopit says it has attained SOC 2 data-security compliance, with help from Vanta and an audit by Johanson Group, strengthening trust for its enterprise clients.
Square Peg explains why it backed Lounge's AU$4m seed round, profiling the community and events app for young people started by two former BCG colleagues and inviting candidates to apply for open roles.
Also SmartCompany
Melbourne circular-economy startup Phantm has closed a $2 million oversubscribed seed round with three venture backers, helping firms swap plastics for natural alternatives, with customers including a major coffee chain.
Also worldbiomarketinsights.com·startupscaleup.com.au·Forbes Australia
Profile of Cairns agtech startup Rainstick, which mimics lightning with electricity-based seed treatment to lift crop yields; its co-founders are closing a pre-seed round and have built early partners in Singapore.
Profile of Packamama, maker of flat recycled-PET wine bottles that trim freight emissions; the London-headquartered startup, with a Melbourne office, just finished SparkLabs Cultiv8's Orange accelerator and counts big Australian wine retailers as partners.
Payments software firm Spenda will integrate AirPlus virtual cards into its products, backed by a pre-approved $18 million credit line serving AgriChain customers, targeting agricultural procurement first.
ARENA grants AMSL Aero $5.43 million under its Advancing Renewables Program to develop Vertiia, a hydrogen-powered electric aircraft, its first hydrogen aviation project.
Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily
Earlypay, an ASX-listed lender, is buying Timelio, a Melbourne invoice and trade finance provider, for $3 million — a fraction of what its shareholders previously invested.
Adelaide composites maker Aerobond has won a federal grant to build guided-weapons production capability, funding a $1.67m expansion that includes making launch canisters for Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile.
Also @AuManufacturing
Adelaide chip maker Hendon Semiconductors has received a $690,000 defence grant, matched by the company, to upgrade its integrated circuit and circuit board assembly production for the defence sector.
Also @AuManufacturing
Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale run from California to back women founders across Australian and US markets; also covers its backers, early investments, and Warren's ELEVACAO program.
Fire-retardant paint from Flame Security International and UNSW, developed with a $3m federal grant, has met the BAL-40 bushfire-resistance benchmark and is now stocked at Bunnings.
SunCable has picked Bell Bay in Tasmania for its manufacturing facility after a two-year site search; the piece also recalls the administration fight that left Cannon-Brookes' consortium in control.
Aura Ventures' post sets out its case for leading Haast's pre-seed round alongside Black Sheep Capital and angel investors, backing the AI startup's platform for brand and regulatory compliance across digital marketing.
Also Aura Group portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily
Perth-listed video analytics company icetana has secured $2.3 million, with VGW founder Laurence Escalante lifting his holding substantially; CEO Kevin Brown calls the raise a vote of confidence from major shareholders.
Sun Cable has picked Bell Bay in Tasmania for a potential cable factory to serve its planned solar power exports to Singapore, though the idea remains at an early stage.
Job advertisement from Alberts seeking a Sydney-based Investment Associate on an eight-month parental leave contract, with applications due via Be Applied by 13 November.
Weekly roundup covering nine Australian startups' new capital totalling $40.5 million, across solar, quantum computing, marketing tech and crowdfunding, plus a look back at Aconex's $1.6 billion Oracle sale.
Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Wholesale Investor
Ten local manufacturers split a fresh $3.6 million Defence grant pool, with each award itemised, to develop armour, sonar, test chambers, metrology and machining for defence and export markets.
Profile of Mantaray Climate, an SME carbon accounting tool founded by former lawyer Rujuta Natu, which tracked and offset emissions for Techstars' Sydney Demo Day after joining its NSW Government-backed accelerator.
PV Lab Australia and Singapore's QE Labs used drones for Australia's first electroluminescence scan of a solar farm, imaging every panel at night; PV Lab also received ACT government funding for panel degradation research.
WA VC fund Purpose Ventures has taken on genetic testing startup Gene S as its fourth investment; earlier 2023 backing of PlanCare, Paperly and IDEAcademy is recalled, and the fund's $45m size noted.
Dispute resolution tech company Immediation entered voluntary administration, with FTI Consulting appointed and seeking recapitalisation or asset sale bids; the article recounts its funding history and leadership turmoil.
Sydney proptech Happly, which simplifies moving house, has secured $1.75 million at seed stage from backers including Danny Hanna and Max Cunningham, with the capital earmarked for product development and national expansion.
Also SmartCompany
Atlassian has acquired Melbourne data quality startup AirTrack for undisclosed terms, its second October purchase after the US$975 million Loom deal, with several earlier acquisitions also recalled.
Fund manager Munro Partners has rolled out a global growth strategy for small and mid cap listed companies, to be run by Qiao Ma, per a post on GSFM's site.
Queensland algae startup Provectus Algae launches a seaweed-based livestock methane additive, touting cheaper production; founder Nusqe Spanton recently took strategic backing from Korea's CJ Bio.
Startupbootcamp Australia unveils the ten startups joining its Sustainable Fintech 2023 Accelerator Program, drawn from eight countries, with support from corporate partners including Amazon, Stripe and the ASX.
Hola Health, a telehealth provider, has rolled out psychology consultations and subsidised mental health assessments for Australians, months after taking investment from the newly formed early-stage fund FundWA.
SunDrive secured an A$11 million ARENA grant to take its copper-metallised solar cell manufacturing from prototype to commercial scale in Sydney, with plans targeting up to 5GW of yearly capacity.
Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy
Investment house Munro Partners has rolled out a new fund picking global small and mid-sized growth stocks, with Qiao Ma at the helm.