Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Startup · $5.5m raised · Education

Curtin University

Perth, WA

Coverage

Stories naming Curtin University. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

Exit / M&A

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.

2 deals

WA Government Backs Space Industry With $6.5 Million In Funding

Western Australia's government is putting $6.5 million into the local space sector, dividing it between the AROSE consortium and Curtin University's Binar satellite program, with South Australia's bigger spend cited for comparison.

Unnamed stage $505m

💫 Ramplify: April Architect

Rampersand's April newsletter: an essay on AI services startups, model releases from Anthropic and Meta, Firmus Technologies' $505 million raise, Dexibit's sale to accesso, plus portfolio jobs, events and market commentary.

Also Dealroom

21 deals

21 WA Startups Share $1.9 Million In Latest Round Of IBG & CBG Government Grants

Western Australia's latest Innovation Booster and Commercialisation Bridge grant round gives 21 startups a combined $1.9 million, unveiled at West Tech Fest; two-thirds are regional, First Nations or female-founded ventures.

23 deals

Cheque-in: 17 ANZ startups – plus Brooki and The Memo – raised $59.61 million this week

A weekly roundup of funding deals by Australian and New Zealand startups, spanning baked goods, retail, health AI, beverages, edtech, solar, legal tech, and Western Australian medical research grants.

12 deals

Western Australia backs 12 medtech startup ideas with $5 million in Seed funding

WA's Innovation Seed Fund has awarded almost $5 million in grants to 12 researchers and startups for health projects, from liver cancer tests to endometriosis diagnosis, ranging from $90,000 to $500,000.

Also Startup Daily·Startup News (WA)

Unnamed stage $4.5m

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup: Titomic's April equity raise, a Curtin student's SunSmart fashion win, Innovation Bay's NT angel launch, BenchOn's Queensland portal, WHISE backing a Victorian manufacturing strategy, plus Curtin nanocrystal research.

60 deals

WA Innovators Share $8.5m In WA Government Grants

Western Australia's government has awarded $8.5 million in grants across three schemes, a health innovation seed fund, commercialisation bridge grants and innovation booster grants, naming dozens of local recipients.

News

Keynote speaker announced for Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers awards event

Ahead of its 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers awards breakfast, @AuManufacturing names Advanced Navigation chief executive Xavier Orr as keynote speaker, recounting his company's gyroscope manufacturing, Botany factory and underwater exploration work.

21 deals

ARENA awards $59.1 million to hydrogen, steel-related R&D projects

Australia's renewable energy agency handed out $59.1 million in grants across two rounds, backing 21 university, CRC and startup projects in green hydrogen and cleaner iron and steel production.

Also RenewEconomy

21 deals

ARENA boosts funding and names winners for green hydrogen, iron and steel projects

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has expanded its hydrogen and green metals research funding to $59.1 million across 21 projects, with recipients including Hysata, Curtin University and Fortescue subsidiary MIH2.

Also @AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

2 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: Iluka's refinery cost estimate, a biotech placement with a founder sell-down, a CEO appointment, a retirement, an R&D refund, a distribution deal, a CRC merger and Victorian grants.

Pre-seed $300k

Omni Biotech Raises $300k Pre-Seed Round To Make Hydration An Everyday Trackable

Hydration-tracking startup Omni Biotech, based in Perth, has completed a $300,000 pre-seed round from Skalata Ventures to develop phone- and wearable-based hydration monitoring, founders Will Poot and Zac Farrow announced at West Tech Fest.

Also Startup Daily

Funding announcement

Two new WA investment syndicates announce first target deals

Two new Western Australian syndicates, West Tech Investor Network and VentureX Capital, have unveiled debut deals via the Aussie Angels platform, eyeing Procuracon and HeyLady; an earlier $100,000 outlay across three startups is recalled.

2 deals

Crowd-sourced funding: solving the tyranny of distance to capital

Birchal's cofounder argues equity crowdfunding is closing the capital gap for founders outside the big cities, citing Western Australia's FY23 growth and two regional companies reaching the $5 million cap.

2 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing news roundup: Fleet Space's oversubscribed Series C, a grant-backed 3D printing research project, an agreed brand acquisition, equipment orders, a cargo drone first flight and industry awards.

Funding announcement

Here are the 10 startups emerging from the Curtin University Accelerate program

Ten startups graduate from Curtin University's 2023 Accelerate cohort, spanning health, education, mining and tech; the group shares $100,000 in equity-free money backed by Lotterywest via Spacecubed's IdeaStarter fund.

Pre-seed $330k

Perth designer and architect marketplace CO-architecture banks $330,000 pre-Seed round

Perth marketplace CO-architecture secured $330,000 pre-seed funding from Skalata Ventures and local angels to connect design professionals with hiring businesses; its founders earlier came through Curtin's Ignition and Accelerate programs, winning an MVP grant.

Also SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)

Funding announcement

Startup News Award winners 2022

Startup News hands out its fifth annual community-voted awards, honouring WeMoney, Stuart Kidd and Paula Taylor, plus Spacecubed's Golden Ticket won by Matilda, and recaps the year's most-read stories including several funding rounds.

17 deals

17 grants awarded to help commercialise WA medical and health inventions

Also Startup News (WA)·Techboard

Grant $50m

Federal government awards $50 million to new clean tech and recycling Trailblazer hub

A consortium led by two Australian universities has received a $50 million federal Trailblazer grant for recycling and clean energy research commercialisation, following hubs announced for Curtin and Adelaide under the same program.

2 deals

$50 million funding awarded to four-year defence manufacturing project

A $50m federal grant funds an Adelaide-led defence research commercialisation centre, with matching pledges from universities, CSIRO and industry partners; a Curtin-led resources hub and engineering internship funding were also announced.

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