Phil Morle

NSW startup Cauldron adds $19 million to its funding pot

Fermentation technology company Cauldron has banked fresh capital in a Series A2 extension led by Main Sequence Ventures, with three other backers, and landed on Fast Company's Asia-Pacific innovation list.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Regional biomanufacturer Cauldron brews up $19 million Series A2

Biomanufacturer Cauldron Ferm has banked a $19 million Series A2, led by Main Sequence with Horizons, SOSV and NGS Super aboard, adding to an earlier $9.5 million round and a $4.3 million federal grant.

Also Startup Daily

The founder of one of Main Sequence’s first investments, medtech Maxwell Plus, on failure, timing, and being ahead of the pack

A retrospective on Maxwell Plus, a machine-vision prostate cancer medtech that folded, with founder Elliot Smith and investor Phil Morle sharing lessons; Harrison.ai's later raise underscores the timing they missed.

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

‘Game changer’: Samsara Eco raises $100 million for infinite recycling of plastics

Australian plastics recycler Samsara Eco secured a Temasek-led Series A+ of $100 million to scale enzyme-based infinite recycling, with Southeast Asian facilities planned, adding to its 2022 Series A.

Also TechCrunch Australia·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·Techboard·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

Eden Brew raises $24.4 million to bring animal-free dairy products to market

Precision fermentation company Eden Brew raised a $24.4 million Series A led by Main Sequence, with Breakthrough Victoria and other backers, to commercialise animal-free dairy and relocate from Sydney to Melbourne.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·AgFunderNews·Crunchbase News

v2food, one of the biggest local names in fake meat, has changed strategy after its founder departed

Plant-based meat maker v2food changed course and is shutting its Wodonga factory after founder-CEO Nick Hazell's departure, with Tim York now chief executive; the story recalls its two Series B raises.

Australia's regional areas lead the way in technological revolution

Feature on tech startups thriving outside Australian capitals, recording Cauldron's seed raise and government backing, with views from investors and founders at regional companies.

Cauldron raises $7m to expand precision fermentation platform using 'smaller, smarter, cheaper' continuous process

Also SmartCompany·Women's Agenda·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany

v2food to close Wodonga plant

Plant-based meat maker v2food will shut its Wodonga factory and shift production to third parties, while chief operating officer Tim York replaces departing founder Nick Hazell as chief executive.

Main Sequence announces new Partner, Gabrielle Munzer, to build companies with biology

Australia's Main Sequence fund promotes Gabrielle Munzer to Partner to lead its biotech push; the article also covers her finance background, the firm's company-building model, a UNSW accelerator, and recent diverse hires.

Alt-milk CSIRO spinout raises $US 5 million

Fermentation startup Eden Brew announces US$5 million towards an ongoing raise, with follow-on backing from Main Sequence and new investment from Digitalis Ventures, funding dairy-free milk development and a planned ice cream launch.

Also AgFunderNews·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing

This week on SUDS, the Startup Daily TV podcast: Tech on women's rights, MCB v AGL, how to raise $100m, what to do with fugly fruit

Preview of the Startup Daily TV podcast covering a bid against AGL's demerger, reproductive-rights tech policy, VC conversations, a fintech fund raise, and interviews with Skedulo, Good & Fugly and One Key Access founders.

End of an Era as Australian Startup Pioneers Pollenizer Call It a Day

Australian startup incubator Pollenizer is shutting down after failing to build a sustainable business, having broken the news to staff and backers. Phil Morle and Mick Liubinskas started the company in 2007.