Startup · $8m raised
Australian utility partner of Neara
Every investor coverage indicates participated in a round Ausgrid raised.
| Investor | Rounds | Invested |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Renewable Energy Agency | Grant | $8,000,000 |
| Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) | Grant | - |
Companies Ausgrid acquired or merged with, per published coverage. Buying a company is not investing in one: nothing here counts in the deals column.
Stories naming Ausgrid. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
ARENA marks 100 community batteries installed under its funding initiative and announces $23.2 million in new grants for three Round 2 battery projects led by YES Group, Ausgrid and the City of Newcastle.
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US infrastructure investor DigitalBridge has agreed to acquire PLUS ES, a major Australian smart meter provider running about two million meters, via its managed vehicle, with the deal still awaiting regulatory approvals.
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DigitalBridge has reportedly been chosen as the leading bidder for Ausgrid's Plus Es, the largest holder of utility smart meters, in what would be the New York-listed investor's first major Australian deal.
Australian grid-modelling startup Neara raised a $90 million Series D led by TCV, valuing the company above $1 billion, funding ML and expansion.
Neara joins the unicorn club after a TCV-led $90 million Series D at a $1.1 billion valuation, with existing backers participating; funds will fuel global expansion and engineering hires.
Analysis of ADNOC's proposed cash takeover of Australian gas producer Santos, arguing the deal may harm domestic gas supply and national interests, with government, regulators and shareholders able to block or condition it.
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.
Weekly roundup of eight Australian startup raises, led by Sonder's $40 million round, plus AMP's $20 million raise and acquisition of the Shopify app Back in Stock.
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Brisbane-based EcoJoule Energy has brought in $15 million from investors Ellerston Capital and Fifth Estate Asset Management, its first institutional money, to fund manufacturing expansion and international growth.
Sydney EV charging startup Jolt has borrowed C$194m from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to deploy 1,500 kerbside chargers across Canada, having previously raised $100m from BlackRock Real Assets in 2021.
ARENA commits $2.4 million to EVX for 250 kerbside EV chargers across three Australian states, funded through the Driving the Nation Program, with electricity distributors and a retailer supporting the rollout.
Also @AuManufacturing
Round-up reporting Neara's $45 million Series C, Alimetry's US$18 million Series A2, Earthodic's US$4 million seed, and Antler's latest residency intake of startups each receiving $225,000 for 12% stakes.
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Neara, an Australian AI infrastructure startup, raised $45 million led by EQT, Partners Group and Square Peg Capital, with Skip Capital and Prosus Ventures returning; funds target North American and European expansion.
Australia's renewable energy agency conditionally allocates up to $143 million to twenty named recipients for a national rollout of as many as 370 community batteries, with a second grant round flagged.
Neara, an energy-sector digital twin platform, has raised a $15.25 million Series B extension with Prosus Ventures leading and prior backers Square Peg and Skip Capital returning, to fund US and European expansion.
Roundup of Australian manufacturing briefs: ZoneRV wins a Queensland grant, CLS and ARM Hub build a laundry robot prototype, Traffic Technologies lands a street-light order, Conflux launches a cooler, and UNSW unveils a solar car.
OIF Ventures' note explains its decision to back Neara's A$20 million Series B alongside Skip Capital and Square Peg, describing the infrastructure-modelling startup's technology, utility customers and growth.
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