Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Startup · $339m raised

Fleet Space Technologies

nano satellite startup

Adelaide, SA

Coverage

Stories naming Fleet Space Technologies. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

2 deals

He's quietly invested in Australia's biggest space tech startups. Now he's moving to launch a $150m fund

Profiles space investor Will Scully-Power, whose Pine Gap firm backs Australian space startups and plans a larger US fund with partners; defence VC Beaten Zone has also wrapped up a $26 million fund.

Funding announcement

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #176, 30th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Blackbird confirms a record fund close and Galileo reaches a first close, Genesis merges with Proudi, IREN secures massive debt, and several startups report raises, grants and program wins.

5 deals

Airwallex is Blackbird's new Canva, as the VC devalues workplace software unicorns Culture Amp and Safety Culture

Leaked details from Blackbird's investor day showcase Airwallex and Canva as standout performers, record valuation cuts for Culture Amp and SafetyCulture, and detail Kiki's New York shutdown and settlement.

Pre-seed $750k

University of Sydney quantum sensing spinout lands $750,000 pre-Seed

University of Sydney spinout DeteQt raised $750,000 pre-seed from Main Sequence Ventures and ATP Fund, appointed Rupal Ismin COO, and counts a $3 million defence contract as first revenue.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

5 deals

The Australian government is getting local startups to head to Mars for $3.6 million

Five Australian space companies receive federal grants under the Moon to Mars program, totalling $3.6 million, for projects including navigation systems and radioisotope heaters; Gilmour Space says launch approval delays cost it $20 million.

12 deals

From quantum computing to quesadillas: Top 12 biggest capital raises of 2024

Year-end roundup ranking 2024's twelve largest startup raises, headed by PsiQuantum's $940 million government-backed quantum computing round, plus Guzman y Gomez's ASX listing and Betashares' Temasek investment.

2 deals

Fleet Space raises $100M to scale satellite-enabled mineral prospecting tech

Adelaide satellite company Fleet Space has banked a $100 million Series D, with Teachers' Venture Growth leading and a $525 million valuation, to grow ExoSphere, its space-based mineral exploration platform.

Also TechCrunch Australia·spaceexplored.com

3 deals

Fleet Space lands $150 million, valuation rockets to $800 million

Satellite company Fleet Space has closed a Series D backed by Teachers' Venture Growth and prior backers, lifting its valuation past $800 million, with proceeds earmarked for its mineral-exploration platform.

Also Space Connect·spaceanddefense.io·aap.com.au·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Space Connect·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia

3 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: OncoSil, K-TIG and Aurora Labs complete or commit raises, Amplia opens an offer, Siemens agrees to buy Altair, CSIRO unveils a printed-solar facility, and a WA medical alliance grows.

4 deals

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing roundup: Australian Vanadium and entX land government grants, Hexagon Energy Materials completes a $1 million round, Australian Dairy Nutritionals appoints a CEO, Aurora Labs adds a director, plus vessel, export and research briefs.

Funding announcement

Mike Cannon-Brookes names former Macquarie banker Tan Kueh as Grok's CEO

Mike Cannon-Brookes' investment vehicle Grok Ventures has hired Tan Kueh, ex-Macquarie, UBS and BlackRock, as CEO, joining CIO Jeremy Kwong-Law, as it sharpens its strategy around climate investing.

3 deals

The 3 Australian companies on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list

Three Australian companies — Fleet Space Technologies, MoreGoodDays and Syneta — feature on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list; the piece profiles each business, its backers and recent raises.

4 deals

Almost $40 million in Moon to Mars Initiative grants awarded

Four Australian space companies are named among ten recipients of Moon to Mars Initiative Demonstrator Program grants, sharing nearly $40 million for projects spanning atomic clocks, navigation technology and payload racking systems.

Also @AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Defence Connect·Forbes Australia

28 deals

FUNDED May 2023

Techboard's May 2023 roundup of Australian startup funding: 42 private raises topped by Fleet Space's $50m round, two $40m acquisitions, multiple grants, accelerator intakes, and fund news including GiantLeap's $50m fund raise.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily

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.

8 deals

Five startups that raised $109.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of five startup raises: Fleet Space's Series C, Checkmate's Series A, Adventus's new round, Endua's hydrogen funding and Servicely's raise, with investors named.

Also Forbes Australia

2 deals

Fleet Space Technologies raises another $50m - Bondi Partners

Bondi Partners reposts The Australian's coverage of Fleet Space Technologies' $50m Series C round, which Blackbird Ventures led and Bondi joined, valuing the Adelaide-based nanosatellite maker above $350m.

Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Techboard·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·satcom.digital·TechCrunch Australia·Space Connect

Grant $6.4m

Fleet Space to lead $6.4 million defence communications project

Fleet Space Technologies wins a 6.4 million dollar Defence Space Command contract to lead the ASCEND2LEO project, developing LEO satellite communications with a consortium including DSTG, University of South Australia, Rice Satcom and SmartSat CRC.

Venture debt $8m

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

News roundup: Elsight locks in $8 million through convertible notes; Northrop Grumman extends its Quickstep supply agreement; Titomic grows US sales; Fleet Space to survey for Core Lithium; Venture Catalyst Space applications open.

17 deals

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Super-fast unicorn, VC funding boom, put another founder on a Barbie

Ignition Lane's weekly roundup: Zip's deal for Sezzle, Zeller's unicorn raise, several Australian funding rounds, Startmate backing Provvy, a space manufacturing grant, NZVC's first close, and tech's response to Russia.

3 deals

Federal government awards $20 million grant for Adelaide satellite manufacturing hub

Canberra is putting $20 million from its Modern Manufacturing Initiative toward a space manufacturing park at Adelaide Airport, adding to state support, while a plant-protein consortium led by Australian Plant Proteins earlier secured $113 million.

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