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🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #179, 26th September 2026

Weekly roundup recording a dozen raises and acquisitions, Firmus's scheduled float, a new $50m venture fund, a founder share sale, grant winners, an accelerator intake, and an AI agent's government breach.

Also Dynamic Business·DealStreetAsia·This Week in Australian Startups·Dealroom·ABC News Technology

CSIRO quadruples deep tech bet to $14M for Main Sequence's Atmosphere fund

Dealroom reports CSIRO lifting its stake in Main Sequence's early-stage Atmosphere vehicle fourfold to US$12.9 million, money earmarked for a fourth fund the firm has yet to raise.

Main Sequence targets $400 million for new fund amid deep tech boom

Deep-tech investor Main Sequence is seeking $400 million for a fourth fund, with $75 million already committed by the federal government, after two portfolio companies reached unicorn status this year.

Four Aussie and Kiwi startups that raised $21.5 million this week

Roundup of four trans-Tasman raises: First Table, Metacognition AI, Dela and GoTroppo secured a combined $21.5 million for restaurant discounting, robotics software, scam-safe payments and flexible internet plans.

Critical Resources battery tech holds firm in month-long test

Critical Resources reports its solid-state pouch cell ran over a month of continuous cycling while retaining most capacity, a de-risking milestone for its solvent-free battery process as it seeks licensees.

Critical Resources battery tech holds firm in month-long test

ASX-listed Critical Resources reports its solid-state pouch cell kept three-quarters of its capacity through a month-long cycling trial, further validating its solvent-free battery manufacturing approach.

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

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone mapping firm Emesent secures $15 million SAFE Note plus $10 million venture debt from federal government's National Reconstruction Fund.

Q-Sera announces first product launch of its RAPClot™

Uniseed-backed Australian medtech Q-Sera's blood-clotting tube technology has debuted in Japan via Terumo's VenoJect II launch; the post also credits MRCF and UniQuest Extension Fund as backers.

Sendle is back and under new ownership

The Sendle delivery brand, liquidated earlier in 2026 after a troubled merger, has been bought by logistics executive Andrew McKenna, who expects a September relaunch with Quantium Solutions handling deliveries.

Little Creatures Brewing Pty Ltd: A Fremantle Origin Story That Reshaped Australian Craft Beer Culture

Historical profile of the Fremantle craft brewery founded in 2000, covering its rise, its 2012 acquisition by Lion and 2023 sale to Asahi, and its lasting mark on Australian beer culture.

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone-mapping firm Emesent has raised $15 million via a SAFE note plus $10 million in venture debt from the National Reconstruction Fund — the fund's first such deal — four years after its Series A.

Seven ANZ startups that raised $71.8 million this week

Weekly roundup covering seven raises across the Tasman: Phonely's Series A, Pay.com.au's private placement, and rounds for Atomic Tessellator, Caruso, Deteqt, Clean Slate Clinic and Earthletica, worth roughly $72 million combined.

Also crane.vc

DryFlow Magnetics: Investment Notes

Virescent Ventures announces it co-led DryFlow Magnetics' $10m seed round with Orion Industrial Ventures and Taronga Group, funding a demonstrator for the startup's dry ore-beneficiation technology.

Also Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Eight ANZ startups that raised $373.3 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing eight trans-Tasman raises totalling A$373.3 million, headlined by Halter's Series E, spanning quantum computing, biomanufacturing, robotics, adtech and agtech, plus a recalled $2 billion founder exit.

Also Startup Daily

Improving laboratory management and patient outcomes – Q-Sera announces first product launch of its RAPClotTM rapid serum blood collection tube technology in Japan

Q-Sera's rapid-clotting blood tube technology has gone to market in Japan via Terumo's VenoJect II launch; the Melbourne startup's backers include MRCF, Uniseed and the UniQuest Extension Fund.

Founder Spotlight: Ana Belgun

Interview with Terria founder Ana Belgun on the geospatial digital-twin company's CSIRO origins, government and infrastructure customers, 3D data challenges, and a planned Singapore hub.

Infleqtion lists on the NYSE

Breakthrough Victoria's release marks Infleqtion's New York Stock Exchange listing, the investor's first portfolio listing, and notes further quantum backing of Quantum Brilliance plus Infleqtion's Victorian operations and partnerships.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Data-scraping bot blocker backed by Malcolm Turnbull pockets $30 million

Bot defence firm Kasada has secured $30 million from EQT plus earlier backers Turnbull & Partners, Reinventure, Main Sequence, OIF, StepStone and Ten Eleven, with founder Sam Crowther back in Sydney.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 6 startups kicked off December raising $24.2 million this week

Six Australian startups, including Bodd, Hachiko and Cor, collectively secured about $24 million in fresh backing, while seaweed peer Sea Forest floated on the ASX and jumped in early trade.

Six Aussie startups that raised $24.2 million this week

Weekly funding roundup covering raises by Bodd, Hachiko, Fremantle Seaweed, Cor, Detail Earth and Recovr, plus seaweed peer Sea Forest's ASX float at a $112 million market capitalisation.

Also Startup Daily

WA livestock methane startup Freemantle Seaweed raises $2.2 million in crowdfunded Seed round

Western Australia seaweed venture Fremantle Seaweed banked A$2.176 million from 676 crowd investors, with a larger sophisticated-investor tranche planned; Sea Forest's fresh ASX listing frames the story.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 8 startups gobbled up $572.12 million in funding this week

Weekly roundup of eight raises totalling $572.12 million, led by Firmus's $500 million round; RAGE Biotech, SunDrive, Number 8 Bio, Fabra, Keeyu, MyGig and Drone-Hand also funded, plus two RAGE Biotech executive appointments.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Business News Australia

Livestock methane reduction startup swallows $11 million Series A

Sydney synthetic-biology venture Number 8 Bio has banked an $11m Series A with Icehouse Ventures leading, to advance cattle trials of its methane-cutting supplement; its 2024 seed and accelerator stint are recalled.

Also AgFunderNews·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Perth infection management medtech Cytophenix prescribed $1.3 million in pre-Seed

Perth medtech spin-out Cytophenix raised a pre-seed round above its target to advance trials and grow the team behind FloCAST, a rapid test identifying effective antibiotics, after earlier grants and accelerator programs.

Uniseed boss Peter Devine calls time on 20 years leading Australia's OG VC

Uniseed chief executive Peter Devine departs after two decades; Monash's Alistair Hick takes over in 2026. The piece recounts Uniseed's fund history and recent stakes in ENA Respiratory and Morse Micro rounds.

Neurala is Rewiring Mental Health with Psychedelic Biotech

Profile of Melbourne-based biotech Neurala Biosciences, founded by two researchers turning DMT and harmala compounds into medicines, covering its origins, grant and investor backing totalling $4.5m, and planned first-in-human studies.

Founder Spotlight: Jim Fader on Eden Brew's precision-fermented casein mission

Eden Brew founder Jim Fader discusses the company's origins as a co-creation between CSIRO, Norco, Main Sequence Ventures, and its nutrition goals.

Australian-first bimetal rocket thruster printed at CSIRO for Space Machines Company vehicle

CSIRO has printed what is called a national-first dual-metal rocket thruster for Space Machines Company's Optimus Viper spacecraft under the iLAuNCH program; the founders appear on the publisher's podcast this week.

Breakthrough Victoria and Infleqtion: Powering Victoria’s Quantum Future

Breakthrough Victoria reflects on its 2022 investment in quantum company Infleqtion, part of a larger raise, detailing Victorian operations, university partnerships, workforce programs and a planned US listing via SPAC.

Nursing home robots startup powers up on $23 million Series A

Additional contract recipients announced for emerging, disruptive tech program

Defence's innovation accelerator has awarded three more contracts under its emerging and disruptive technologies program, funding quantum and information-warfare work at CSIRO, four universities and Silicon Quantum Computing, adding $9 million to the program.

Archangel Ventures 2021 - A year in review

Archangel Ventures reviews 2021: the Australian early-stage firm closed its first annual fund, made 24 investments, and recalls portfolio raises by Atelier, Bardee, Heaps Normal and Relevance AI.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Women's Agenda

Mirugen Secures A$4.5m to Pioneer Cell (Re)programming, and Welcomes Charlotte Casebourne Stock as Executive Chair

Mirugen, a Melbourne biotech spun out of an eye research institute, has closed a A$4.5m seed round with three backers and hired Charlotte Casebourne Stock as chair and acting chief executive.

Also cera.org.au·Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·insightnews.com.au

Federal government awards Iondrive $3.9 million grant to help pilot plant build

Iondrive has secured up to $3.9m from Canberra's Industry Growth Program for a battery-recycling pilot plant, with an earlier $100,000 award from Green Industries SA funding urban mining research.

Also @AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

v2food buys up US company Daring Foods for undisclosed amount

Australian plant-protein maker v2food bought US plant-based chicken firm Daring Foods and struck a partnership with Japan's Ajinomoto, price undisclosed. The page also recalls v2food's $77 million Series B and local industry failures.

Clearing launch tower was 'major milestone', hails Gilmour

Gilmour Space's Eris rocket lifted off but exploded seconds later near Bowen; the founder hailed the short flight as a milestone, while its ElaraSat satellite bus flew successfully on a SpaceX rideshare mission.

Titomic establishes UK subsidiary

Titomic, a cold spray 3D printing firm, has incorporated a UK entity and appointed Les Gregory to lead UK business development, a week after closing a fifty-million-dollar share placement.

Also @AuManufacturing

Gilmour receives fresh $5m federal grant

Gilmour Space Technologies has secured the maximum $5 million grant under the federal Industry Growth Program, money earmarked for its next-generation engine, even though its founder publicly attacked the national space regulator.

Also Startup Daily

Provectus Algae nets fresh funds to scale methane reduction seaweed tech platform

Queensland seaweed producer Provectus Algae raised a $10.1m Series A led by At One Ventures plus a $2.5m government grant to scale indoor Asparagopsis production for livestock methane reduction.