Defence Science and Technology Group

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #173, 9th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Firmus completes its $2.85b round; Procore acquires DroneDeploy; Atlassian rebounds while Canva cuts guidance; plus fresh raises for Zabidou, BioScout, Vexev, Enrola, Spacetalk and others.

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Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, July 7 – July 11, 2025

Weekly roundup of readers' five favourite stories: a hydrogen grant for 1414 Degrees, LS Precast's rail tunnel contract, AML3D's US Navy pact, quantum clock breakthrough, and Suntory Oceania's launch.

Space Machines, Adelaide University and others developing new robotics testbed

A satellite-servicing firm leads a collaborative effort, backed by program funding, to build a robotic test facility with university and defence partners; its 2026 debris mission earlier received an $8.5 million space agency grant.

AICRAFT – from research to innovation for the customer

Profile of edge computing maker Aicraft and its founder, recognised among Australia's most innovative manufacturers; its products serve space and defence, with work progressing under a state government grant.

Hendon Semiconductors grant for defence microelectronics

South Australia's Economic Recovery Fund has granted Hendon Semiconductors $605,561, matched by the company, to lift defence electronics production capability; it earlier received a 2023 sovereign capability grant.

New round of grants open for SA industry and researchers

The Defence Innovation Partnership opens applications for a $2.4 million Activator Fund grant round, and recalls Acacia Systems leading a $1.6 million government-funded undersea surveillance project for the Navy, announced in January.

Australia wants to build a laser that can stop a tank. Here's why 'directed energy weapons' are on the military wishlist

An academic explainer of directed energy weapons, covering AIM Defence's newly launched Melbourne testing range, a Defence deal with QinetiQ for a prototype laser, and the ASCA program.

$600,000 funding for innovative defence projects

Four defence and space research projects in South Australia, including one by Adelaide startup Safety from Space, have received grants through the Defence Innovation Partnership's Collaborative Research Fund.

Excellence in maritime manufacturing – Making a case for safer lithium batteries

Profile of Feline, a startup founded by Kymberley and Peter Talbot developing safer lithium-ion cells for marine and defence use, supported by AMGC co-funding and defence partnerships.