EQT

🇦🇺 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

Big buyout firms set to raise paddles for $1.5b-plus Pickles

Ritchie Bros has been knocked out of the Pickles sale, leaving buyout houses such as EQT, Warburg Pincus and Pacific Equity Partners to work through the data room ahead of first bids.

BGH Capital gatecrashes TPG's $658m bid for EQT Holdings with higher offer

EQT Holdings faces a potential bidding war as BGH Capital's higher cash offer for the trustee group tops TPG Global's bid from days earlier; both proposals remain conditional and non-binding.

TPG swoops on EQT Holdings with $658m takeover bid after First Guardian fallout hammers shares

Private equity firm TPG Global has launched a non-binding $657.7m bid for embattled ASX-listed EQT Holdings, whose stock slid amid the First Guardian collapse and ASIC litigation; the board is evaluating the proposal.

Sarah Thompson

Street Talk roundup: Tasman Capital's new fund reaches first close, EQT buys control of an NRL club, KKR eyes a Drifter exit, PAG dealmakers jump to Jardine Matheson, Colter Bay lands a debut loan.

Also AFR Technology·AFR Technology·AFR Technology·Dealroom

Neara joins the billion-dollar club with $90 million Series D

Australian grid digital-twin startup Neara raised a $90 million Series D led by TCV, reaching unicorn status amid rising data centre power demand.

Energy grid digital twin platform Neara turns unicorn with $90 million Series D

Australian grid-modelling startup Neara raised a $90 million Series D led by TCV, valuing the company above $1 billion, funding ML and expansion.

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #169, 12th July 2026

Weekly roundup: four raises totalling $20.5m, WiseTech's founder-chairman leaving his board role, Firmus nearing a large capital raise, and Aura's agreed ASX backdoor listing through Qoria.

Cheque-in: 10 ANZ startups raised nearly $193 million this week

Weekly roundup of ten Australian and New Zealand startup raises totalling nearly $194 million, topped by Neara's $90 million round at a $1.1 billion valuation, with Splose, Operata, HAMR Energy and Adora also covered.

Neara powers up to unicorn status with $90 million capital raise

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.

Also Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily

Six ANZ startups that raised $568.1 million this week

Funding roundup led by Airwallex's US$330 million Series G at a $12 billion valuation, with raises from Kasada, Hnry, All G, Bless Payments and Emanda, plus earlier rounds recalled.

Also Startup Daily

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

Hillhouse's $7 Billion Signal: Is Asia's Private Equity Market Waking Up?

The article recalls a 2021 fund haul that set an Asian record and frames the firm's current capital-raising push as a gauge of whether Asia's private equity market is reviving.

Hillhouse in US$7 billion fundraising as Asia private equity revives: sources

Business Times reports Hillhouse has begun seeking US$7 billion for its sixth private equity fund as Asia-Pacific dealmaking and fundraising pick up, with KKR and Blackstone also raising and past Hillhouse buyouts recapped.

EQT sells Nexon Asia Pacific to Adamantem Capital

Global investor EQT has offloaded Sydney-headquartered IT services firm Nexon to Adamantem Capital, ending a six-year ownership during which Nexon made eight add-on purchases and lifted revenue more than fivefold.

Travel Funding Holds Strong As Etraveli Said To Reach $3.1B Valuation

Roundup of travel-sector dealmaking: KKR invests in Etraveli at a reported $3.1 billion valuation, Airalo, TravelPerk and Klook raise big rounds, and SevenRooms and MadeComfy are acquired.

Fifteen ANZ startups that raised $81 million this week

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.

Also Startup Daily

PE giant buys in as Aussie AI infrastructure start-up raises $45m

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.

This venture fund wants more billion-dollar businesses founded by women

Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale started to back women founders across Australia and the US, its Australian backers, and its portfolio companies Eugene, Loupe, HowToo and Othelia AI.

'A turning tide': Marisa Warren and Kate Vale's venture fund will level the playing field for female founders

Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale run from California to back women founders across Australian and US markets; also covers its backers, early investments, and Warren's ELEVACAO program.

WiseTech acquires another US logistics company for $602 million

WiseTech is acquiring Blume Global, a US rail-logistics software provider, for US$414 million, following its Envase purchase; founder Richard White separately bought Kyckr for about A$43.5 million through his investment vehicle.

Also Startup Daily