Government · 3 deals
Every published round Hugh Victor McKay Fund took part in, and every parcel of existing shares it bought off another holder. Deals we hold but haven't published yet are not counted.
| Company | Stage | Announced | Amount | Role | Alongside | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phnxx | Seed | Mar 2025 | $1.8m | Participant | RenewEconomy (18 Mar 2026), RenewEconomy (18 Mar 2026), SmartCompany, Startup Daily | |
| The Leaf Protein Co. | Pre-seed | 13 Jun 2024 | $850k | Lead | Forbes Australia, AgFunderNews, LaunchVic | |
| The Leaf Protein Company | Unnamed stage | 12 Jun 2024 | $850k | Participant | SmartCompany (17 Dec 2024), SmartCompany (14 Jun 2024), SmartCompany (12 Jun 2024) |
Companies Hugh Victor McKay Fund has backed in a published round, and companies whose existing shares it bought off another holder.
| Company | What it does | First invested | Rounds | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phnxx | Portable containerised solar and battery systems that replace diesel generators or grid p… | Mar 2025, Seed | 1 | 0 |
| The Leaf Protein Company | 12 Jun 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| The Leaf Protein Co. | Developing functional plant proteins from green leaves | 13 Jun 2024, Pre-seed | 1 | 1 |
Fund closes reported for Hugh Victor McKay Fund, as distinct from the investments it has made.
Companies Hugh Victor McKay Fund has backed that another company then bought. An exit for the holding, not a deal Hugh Victor McKay Fund did.
| Name | Role | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda Derham | Member of the Investment Committee | SmartCompany, LaunchVic |
| Ilona Charles | Member of the Investment Committee | SmartCompany, LaunchVic |
| Matthew Pryor | Member of the Investment Committee | SmartCompany, LaunchVic |
| Susan Oliver | Member of the Investment Committee | SmartCompany, LaunchVic |
Stories naming Hugh Victor McKay Fund. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Breakthrough Victoria's update announces its Eagle Fund co-investment with La Trobe University, an $18 million pre-seed vehicle, and details $1 million backing each for agtech startup Yield X and diagnostics spin-out ExCelligent DX.
Breakthrough Victoria's agrifood director reflects on Victoria's food-system challenges and how portfolio companies Smart Paddock, Jupiter Ionics and Eden Brew could help build a more sustainable food future.
Profile of a Melbourne agtech startup commercialising leaf protein, recalling grant funding from LaunchVic with co-investment plus matched research funding that helped it scale production and court food manufacturers.
Weekly roundup detailing new funding for eight local startups: home lending, document verification, farm water monitoring, alcoholic drinks, freight software, leaf protein, artist content sales and organic bedding, totalling over $36 million.
Melbourne startup extracting protein from leaves has raised $850,000 in a round led by the University of Melbourne's Genesis fund, with Breakthrough Victoria, LaunchVic, Loyal VC and Big Idea Ventures also investing.
Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany
Victoria added $1 million to the Hugh Victor McKay Fund, lifting it to $2 million for early-stage AgTech investments delivered with LaunchVic; first investees include AgriNous and The Leaf Protein Co, alongside further grants.
LaunchVic and Agriculture Victoria introduced a $1 million fund backing early-stage agtech startups, and revealed seven companies as recipients of $50,000 equity-free grants.