Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Chair, Fortescue Future Industries · angel in 1 deal

Dr Andrew Forrest

Coverage

Stories naming Dr Andrew Forrest. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

12 deals

Brandon Capital's $60m taypayer-funded biotech bets

Brandon Capital has put roughly $60 million of National Reconstruction Fund money into ten biotech companies and warns R&D tax changes would hurt deep tech; portfolio company Myricx Bio went to Novartis.

Also australiatimes.com

Seed $3.5m

Australia’s ADHD system made him ‘snap’. Now he’s raised millions to build a new one

Zac Altman’s ADHD telehealth startup Kantoko has secured $3.5 million in a Side Stage Ventures-led seed round, with Andrew Forrest’s Tenmile and Go1’s founders investing; the article also recalls his earlier ventures’ sales.

Also Dealroom·Startup Daily·Business News Australia·SmartCompany

4 deals

Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone

Orica will proceed with its Hunter Valley green hydrogen plant after a final investment decision, the first under Hydrogen Headstart; earlier government grants to it and CIP's Murchison are recalled.

5 deals

Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone

Orica has reached a final investment decision for its Hunter Valley green hydrogen and ammonia project, confirming government grant support, while other planned Australian hydrogen projects advance slowly or have been abandoned.

Also RenewEconomy

News

Andrew Forrest among big winners as NSW grants grid access to giant wind, solar, and battery facilities

NSW has granted grid access in its Central-West Orana renewable energy zone to ten wind, solar and storage projects totalling over 7 GW; winners include Squadron Energy, Tilt Renewables, Acen and Lightsource bp.

Fund close $100m

SISTER ACT: Nicola Forrest drops $100 million into an investment fund to back women

Future Generation launched Future Generation Women, a gender-lens fund seeded with $100 million from the Minderoo Foundation, with twelve women portfolio managers deciding investments pro bono; the trust is open to wholesale investors.

3 deals

Plant-based meats venture ProForm Foods in voluntary administration

KPMG administrators took control of ProForm Foods, the company behind the Meet brand, and the piece recalls earlier raises at v2food and All G Foods as the plant-based sector cools.

Seed $10.2m

The ten richest women in Australia, according to the AFR

Profiles Australia's ten wealthiest women from the AFR's new list, alongside Canva's in-progress share sale, a large gift to a global gender-fund vehicle, and one backer's earlier healthtech round.

Also quadrantpe.com.au·Forbes Australia

9 deals

Eight Aussie startups that raised $81.5 million this week

Roundup of eight local raises totalling roughly $81.5 million: generative AI, sustainable packaging, VR medical training, optical radar, drinks, preventive health and wholesale retail software.

Also Ten13·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia

4 deals

Burgers and acquisitions: All G Foods spins out plant-based meats in merger with Fenn Foods

All G Foods spins its Love Buds plant-based range into a merger with Fenn Foods' vEEF, forming a new entity; All G pivots to fermented dairy, with both companies' earlier raises recapped.

Exit / M&A

Sun Cable: Cannon-Brookes wins battle for world's biggest solar and battery project

A Grok Ventures-led consortium with Quinbrook has agreed to acquire Sun Cable out of administration, reviving plans to ship solar power to Singapore, after Andrew Forrest's side stayed out of the final bidding.

4 deals

Four Australian startups that raised $60.6 million this week

A weekly roundup reports four Australian companies together securing about $60 million: Unyoked, SpeeDx, Mutinex and Live Verdure, with funds earmarked for European and US expansion and product development.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany

Funding announcement

Here are the 12 startups from Startmate's Summer23 cohort

Startup Daily profiles the twelve ventures entering Startmate's Summer23 accelerator intake, spanning carbon capture, renewables, health, education, robotics and proptech, with founders named for each.

2 deals

Mike Cannon-Brookes lends Sun Cable $65 million to keep the show on the road as its administrators look for a buyer

Atlassian's cofounder, through his family firm Grok Ventures, has extended a $65 million interest-free loan to administrator-run Sun Cable, which is up for sale after a founder split; Grok earlier co-led its $210 million Series B.

Also RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy

2 deals

Bill Gates, Twiggy invest in methane-reducing feed additive company

WA climate tech firm Rumin8 closed the second phase of its seed round, raising US$12 million from Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Harvest Road Group, with existing climate fund investors topping up their holdings.

Also SmartCompany·Techboard

Seed $17.2m

Bill Gates fund invests in Perth startup slashing cow farts in Australian-first

Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the fund led by Bill Gates, took part in a $17.24 million round for Perth climate startup Rumin8, whose cattle feed additives cut methane; Prelude Ventures, Aware Super and Harvest Road also invested.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·AgFunderNews·Startup Daily·Startup News (WA)·AgFunderNews·Crunchbase News

2 deals

Billionaires Andrew and Nicola Forrest take aim at peanut allergy

Biotech Aravax has received a US$20 million Series B commitment from Brandon Capital and Tenmile to advance its peanut allergy therapy PVX108 into Phase 2 trials.

Also Brandon Capital portfolio·Startup Daily·Startup News (WA)·Techboard·Startup Daily

Series B US$20m

Aravax commences Phase 2 development for peanut allergy therapy with $20m commitment to Series B round from Brandon Capital and Tenmile

Aravax has begun its Series B with a US$20 million investment from Brandon Capital and Tenmile, funding Phase 2 trials of its peanut allergy immunotherapy PVX108 while it seeks further capital.

Also Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·Brandon Capital portfolio·Forbes Australia·Techboard·Business News Australia

Something wrong? Tell us