NRF Corporation

SQC among 6 startups sharing $12.3 million in quantum grants

Six Australian quantum startups, including Silicon Quantum Computing and QuantX Labs, have received federal grants totalling $12.3 million under the Critical Technologies Challenge Program for projects in energy, health, biosecurity and logistics.

🇦🇺 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

NRF backs space startup HEO after US$100 million-plus contract

Satellite-monitoring camera maker HEO has landed a $37 million Series B, with the federal reconstruction fund contributing $10 million, and will grow its team while pushing more cameras into geostationary orbit.

Also Forbes Australia·Space Connect·This Week in Australian Startups·Dynamic Business

Brandon Capital's $60m taypayer-funded biotech bets

Brandon Capital has put roughly $60 million of National Reconstruction Fund money into ten biotech companies and warns R&D tax changes would hurt deep tech; portfolio company Myricx Bio went to Novartis.

Also australiatimes.com

🇦🇺 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.

The 8 Australian startups on Forbes Asia's 100 To Watch list

Eight Australian companies make Forbes Asia's annual 100 To Watch list; the piece profiles each and recaps recent raises across climate tech, health and software.

Australian government reaches for future made in space

The Australian government is lifting its industry-policy focus on space; the National Reconstruction Fund has already put $200 million into local space companies, among them Gilmour Space Technologies and Southern Launch.

🇦🇺 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.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ANU spinout Syenta raises $36 million Series A to make AI chips

Sydney-based chip packaging startup Syenta raised a Series A led by Playground Global and the National Reconstruction Fund to commercialise its interconnect manufacturing technology and expand into the US.

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone mapping firm Emesent secures $15 million SAFE Note plus $10 million venture debt from federal government's National Reconstruction Fund.

Mine drone mapping scaleup Emesent raises $15 million

Brisbane drone-mapping firm Emesent has raised $15 million via a SAFE note plus $10 million in venture debt from the National Reconstruction Fund — the fund's first such deal — four years after its Series A.

NRF boosts Southern Launch in $25 million Series A

Southern Launch raised a $25m Series A with $10m from the National Reconstruction Fund, led by Brindabella and Company and including ex-Macquarie executives and Coupland Asset Management, to grow headcount and launch services.

Also SmartCompany·Dealroom·Startup Daily·Space Connect

NRF trebles its stake in Silicon Quantum Computing with another $40 million

The National Reconstruction Fund has put another $40m into Sydney quantum chip maker Silicon Quantum Computing, following its $20m investment three months earlier, part of a larger round still underway.

Brisbane Airport out, Moreton Bay in: PsiQuantum picks new site for its $940m quantum computer build

PsiQuantum has relocated its $940m government-backed quantum computing project to Moreton Bay after dropping the Brisbane Airport site, with groundbreaking set for June following timeline slippage flagged in Senate Estimates.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Three ANZ startups that raised $61.4 million this week

Weekly roundup of three Series A raises: chipmaker Syenta (US$26m), insights platform Ideally and battery recycler Renewable Metals, detailing leads, amounts and each company's earlier funding.

Also Startup Daily

AI chip maker Syenta raises $36 million to expand to the US

Chip startup Syenta raised a Series A led by Playground Global with the National Reconstruction Fund to commercialise its packaging technology and expand into the US; ex-Intel chief Pat Gelsinger joins its board.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

ANU spinout raises $36 million Series A to make AI chips

Syenta, an ANU spinout in Sydney, has secured $36 million in Series A funding to commercialise its chip packaging technology; Playground Global and the National Reconstruction Fund led, and Pat Gelsinger joins the board.

Eight ANZ startups that raised $373.3 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing eight trans-Tasman raises totalling A$373.3 million, headlined by Halter's Series E, spanning quantum computing, biomanufacturing, robotics, adtech and agtech, plus a recalled $2 billion founder exit.

Also Startup Daily

Silicon Quantum Computing scores $20 million in govt funding in new raise

Australia's National Reconstruction Fund has put $20 million into quantum chip maker Silicon Quantum Computing via a SAFE note, weeks after backing Diraq; a larger raise remains unannounced.

Silicon Quantum Computing receives $20 million NRF boost

The National Reconstruction Fund has put $20 million into Sydney quantum chip maker Silicon Quantum Computing via a SAFE note, following its smaller-than-planned 2023 Series A and a similar NRF bet on Diraq.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

NRF tips $20 million into Diraq for homegrown quantum computing

The National Reconstruction Fund has invested $20 million in Sydney quantum startup Diraq, an equity stake the government fund says will aid domestic production and hiring ahead of a planned 2029 product launch.

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

Six Aussie startups that raised $197.4 million this week

Roundup of six Australian funding deals: AutoGrab, Applied EV, Checkbox, Hometime, Factory and On the House, with amounts, investors, and Hometime's past acquisitions and raise history detailed.

Also Startup Daily

Autonomous industrial EV platform drives $57 million Series B

Melbourne autonomous EV maker Applied Electric Vehicles has secured US$40 million in Series B funding, with the National Reconstruction Fund contributing $30.7 million alongside Barrenjoey, Japan Post Capital, Suzuki and St Baker.

NRF bets big on driverless cars as Applied EV raises $57 million

The National Reconstruction Fund has put $30.7 million into Melbourne autonomous vehicle maker Applied EV, forming most of its $57 million Series B alongside Barrenjoey and Japan Post Capital.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Rocket fuel: Gilmour Space hits unicorn status after $217 million Series E

Rocket firm Gilmour Space raised a $217 million Series E co-led by the National Reconstruction Fund and Hostplus, reaching a billion-dollar valuation; earlier Series B, C and D raises are recapped.

Investment Notes: Gilmour Space Series E

Blackbird's Rick Baker recounts backing rocket firm Gilmour Space from its 2017 Series A to a newly closed A$217 million Series E at a valuation above US$1 billion.

Also @AuManufacturing

Three Aussie startups that raised $55.8 million this week

Roundup of three Australian raises: Omniscient Neurotechnology's in-progress Series D drawing a $20m national fund investment, deceased-estates platform EstateXchange's first raise, and fitness software firm Hapana's Microequities-led round.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Breakthrough Victoria Portfolio Highlights 2025 Funding and Milestones

Breakthrough Victoria highlights portfolio achievements including Amber Electric's forty-five million dollar raise, Bygen and Diag-Nose grants, and Quantum Brilliance series A funding.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·Dealroom

Climate tech now employs 7000+ people and is driving Australia's economic growth, Climate Salad's annual analysis finds

Climate Salad's report says Australia's climate tech sector has passed 7,000 workers across 730 startups and drew $680 million in venture capital; Sea Forest's ASX debut and fund commitments point to investor appetite.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $108.6 million this week

Roundup of eight funding deals: Synchron's Series D, plus raises by Lumonus AI, Hullbot, Nbryo, Cytophenix, Giftbee, Understanding Zoe and Zeligate, spanning medtech, robotics, agtech and AI.

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

AI AI investors: Data centres and artificial intelligence startups fire up Australian VC backing

A quarterly report on the Australian venture market finds Q3 2025 investment passed a billion dollars, led by a Singapore data centre company's raise, with AI drawing premium valuations and bubble warnings.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Quantum Brilliance processors installed at Oak Ridge facility in “the first big steps” towards quantum computing for scientific discovery

Quantum Brilliance's diamond-based quantum processors are running in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's commercial quantum cluster in the US. The piece also recalls the National Reconstruction Fund's $13m Series A investment made in December 2024.

Peter Beattie AC appointed Brandon BioCatalyst Chair

Brandon BioCatalyst has named Peter Beattie its chair as Bill Ferris retires, with Andrew Nash joining the board and Ross King becoming deputy; manager Brandon Capital's newly raised $439 million fund was noted.

The National Reconstruction Fund speaks on internal tension over risk

NRF chair Martijn Wilder describes boardroom disagreement over risk appetite at the government investor, recounting earlier deals backing Harrison.ai, Quantum Brilliance, Myriota, QuintessenceLabs and Vault Cloud.

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup of manufacturing news: Sydney Rum Distillery's plans for a former dairy factory site, HiveKeepers beating its Kickstarter target, FBR's $6.3 million placement and restructure, plus research on enzymes, timber supply and waste-to-energy.

Breakthrough Victoria Portfolio Companies Celebrate Milestones and Global Growth

Breakthrough Victoria highlights recent achievements of portfolio companies including funding, awards, and expansions for firms like Liquid Instruments, Quantum Brilliance, and Samsara Eco.

Gov gives quantum computing a major funding boost

The National Reconstruction Fund has taken a $13 million stake in quantum maker Quantum Brilliance, while a defence accelerator funds University of Western Australia quantum research and Germany's Cyber Agency contracts the company.

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

NRF makes first investment – $40m in Russell Mineral Equipment

The National Reconstruction Fund has placed its first investment, $40 million, into Toowoomba mill relining maker Russell Mineral Equipment, within a wider $100 million co-investment partnership with Resource Capital Funds.

Also @AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Industry and science minister Ed Husic wants you to know something is going to happen, soon

Industry minister Ed Husic told a Tech Council summit the National Reconstruction Fund is close to its first investments after asking for a $300m drawdown; the piece recaps federal tech funding moves including PsiQuantum's.

Industry Growth Program funds flow to commercialise technology

First grants from the federal Industry Growth Program include battery developer Li-S Energy, announced as Minister Ed Husic opened its Geelong facility. The $392 million program feeds the National Reconstruction Fund.

Also RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy