Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Vice-Chancellor, ANU

Prof Brian Schmidt

Coverage

Stories naming Prof Brian Schmidt. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

2 deals

ACT Investors: 15 Canberra Funds Backing Deep Tech in 2026

A directory of fifteen Canberra investors backing deep tech, noting ACTivate Capital's fund first close, several government-backed company raises, an incubator's alumni, and one portfolio acquisition.

Series C $50m

Liquid Instruments Announces $50M Series C Funding Co-Led by Keysight Technologies and Australia's National Reconstruction Fund

Liquid Instruments has raised a $50m Series C for its reconfigurable testing hardware, co-led by Australia's National Reconstruction Fund Corporation and Keysight Technologies; proceeds go to AI development and aerospace, defence and chip markets.

Also angelinvestorsnetwork.com·iTnews

2 deals

$50m ACTivate Capital fund launched to back ‘great science’ and boost Canberra startups

The ACT Government has launched the ACTivate Capital venture fund, with an initial $23 million close and capacity for $50 million, to back Canberra startups and commercialise local research, led by fund manager Ken Kroeger.

Unnamed stage $18.2m

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of manufacturing briefs: biotech Imugene's share plan added A$18.2 million, EVOS shifted its Brisbane head office, ANSTO won federal backing for nuclear medicine, CSIRO endowed Wollongong scholarships, plus two chief executive appointments.

Funding announcement

Advanced Navigation acquires ANU tech spin-out

Robotics firm Advanced Navigation, backed by publisher OIF, is buying ANU spin-out Vai Photonics in an all-scrip deal of up to $40m; Vai's navigation tech is in talks with NASA.

Also OIF Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·Dynamic Business·Startup Daily

2 deals

Canberra software startup Instaclustr is being acquired by Nasdaq-listed US tech giant NetApp

US software company NetApp is buying Canberra data platform Instaclustr in a deal reportedly exceeding $500 million, nine years after its founding, rewarding early backers including ANU Connect Ventures and Bailador.

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