Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Family office · 2 deals

Minderoo Foundation

Coverage

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

Funding announcement

ENA Respiratory Begins Part B Dosing

Melbourne biotech ENA Respiratory has begun dosing participants in the second part of its Phase IIa trial of INNA-051; its investor lineup, past government funding awards and BLUE KNIGHT alumni status are recapped.

News

ENA Respiratory Receives USPTO Notice of Allowance for Two Patents Covering TLR2 Agonists and Rhinovirus-Mediated COPD Exacerbations

Melbourne-based ENA Respiratory announced US patent allowances covering its TLR2 agonist platform and a COPD treatment method, strengthening IP protection for its INNA-051 nasal spray candidate now in Phase II testing.

News

ENA Respiratory Announces Dosing of First Participants in Phase II Study of INNA-051 Nasal Spray Designed to Protect Against Symptomatic Viral Respiratory Infections

Melbourne biotech ENA Respiratory has begun dosing volunteers in a mid-stage trial of its INNA-051 antiviral spray, aimed at limiting common viral illnesses in at-risk groups.

2 deals

‘Google for ESG’: Fair Supply raises $12m to date to take on the world

Fair Supply, which scores supply-chain ESG risks, announced a round of over $12 million led by Five V Capital with AirTree and QIC, funding growth in Canada and Europe.

Also app.fundz.net·Women's Agenda

Series A $6.3m

Fair Supply raises $12m+ to date to take on the world

Supply-chain ESG compliance software firm Fair Supply has a new investment round led by Five V Capital with AirTree and QIC taking part, as it prepares to expand into Canada and Europe.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·fairsupply.com

Fund close $100m

SISTER ACT: Nicola Forrest drops $100 million into an investment fund to back women

Future Generation launched Future Generation Women, a gender-lens fund seeded with $100 million from the Minderoo Foundation, with twelve women portfolio managers deciding investments pro bono; the trust is open to wholesale investors.

Unnamed stage $3m+

Inside Ochre – here’s what you need to know about a new pre-accelerator program for First Nations entrepreneurs

Profile of Dr Kyle Turner, who is building Ochre, a LaunchVic-backed pre-accelerator for First Nations founders, and previously raised $3m-plus for dental AI startup Pearlii.

Also Startup Daily·LaunchVic

Seed $10.2m

The ten richest women in Australia, according to the AFR

Profiles Australia's ten wealthiest women from the AFR's new list, alongside Canva's in-progress share sale, a large gift to a global gender-fund vehicle, and one backer's earlier healthtech round.

Also quadrantpe.com.au·Forbes Australia

9 deals

Eight Aussie startups that raised $81.5 million this week

Roundup of eight local raises totalling roughly $81.5 million: generative AI, sustainable packaging, VR medical training, optical radar, drinks, preventive health and wholesale retail software.

Also Ten13·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·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

Funding announcement

FairSupply completes Series A cap raise - Lawyers Weekly

FairSupply has closed its Series A funding round led by AirTree Ventures, with Tidal Ventures, Minderoo Foundation and Queensland Investment Corporation participating; the amount was undisclosed and K&L Gates advised on the deal.

Grant US$4.4m

ENA Respiratory Awarded $4.38 Million U.S. Department of Defense Agreement to Fund Development of Broad-Spectrum Antiviral INNA-051

ENA Respiratory receives a USD 4.38 million U.S. Department of Defense agreement to develop an intranasal dry powder antiviral; its past Series A backers are also recalled.

Also Brandon Capital portfolio

20 deals

Christmas comes early for 14 Aussie startups that raised $260 million this week

Weekly roundup covering 14 startup raises totalling over $260 million, headlined by Synchron's $110 million round, plus Roller's shareholder liquidity payout, Partly's record New Zealand Series A, and several government grants.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)·Startup News (WA)

Funding announcement

High-tech twist on the rain dance sparks a shiitake storm

Profile of Cairns startup Rainstick, which uses artificial lightning to boost mushroom growth. It won $20,000 from Dream Ventures, has taken in $200,000, and joined CSIRO's ON Accelerate with nine other teams.

Series A $6.3m

ESG startup FairSupply raises $6.3 million Series A to tackle corporate greenwashing

Sydney ESG supply-chain analytics firm FairSupply has raised a $6.3 million Series A led by AirTree, with Tidal Ventures, Minderoo Foundation and QIC investing, following Minderoo's earlier 2021 backing.

Also SmartCompany·Forbes Australia·AgFunderNews

2 deals

ULUU wants to solve the plastic crisis with seaweed

Seaweed-based plastics maker ULUU has raised AUD 8 million led by Main Sequence, with angels including Karlie Kloss and Kevin Parker taking part, to scale its biodegradable PHA polymer and launch first products.

2 deals

Alternative liquidity investor SecondQuarter raises $83 million for 2nd fund backed by Andrew Forrest, Sam Kroonenburg & Dom Pym

Secondaries fund SecondQuarter has reached an $83m first close on its second vehicle, aiming past $100m, with founder-angels and Minderoo among new backers; its portfolio includes past sales of ActivePipe and A Cloud Guru.

Also Techboard

Funding announcement

ENA Respiratory Selected for BLUE KNIGHT™ to Accelerate Development of Pan-Antiviral Nasal Spray

Antiviral nasal spray developer ENA Respiratory has joined the Blue Knight program run by JLABS and BARDA, the first Australian company selected; background notes recall its Series A backing by Brandon Capital, Minderoo Foundation and Uniseed.

Funding announcement

ENA Respiratory Selected for BLUE KNIGHT™ to Accelerate Development of Pan-Antiviral Nasal Spray

Brandon Capital reports that ENA Respiratory has become the first Australian company chosen for BLUE KNIGHT, a JLABS-BARDA initiative supporting its intranasal broad-spectrum antiviral spray INNA-051.

Series A $20m

Turnbull's AI robotics bet taps investors for blockbuster raising

Advanced Navigation, with Malcolm Turnbull on its board, is seeking $80-135 million; the piece recalls its 2019 $20 million Series A and Minderoo's strategic investment.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

Seed $1.6m

Stylerunner twins raise $1.6 million for their new shopping startup, Her Black Book

The founders of the shuttered Stylerunner have raised seed funding for their new shopping app Her Black Book, led by Andrew Hagger with Touch Ventures support; the article recalls Stylerunner's acquisition by Accent Group.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany

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