Salus Ventures

🇦🇺 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

Space monitoring startup scores NRF backing in $37 million Series B

Beaten Zone Venture Partners led a US$25 million Series B in HEO Robotics, which images other spacecraft, with the NRFC contributing $10 million; the piece also recalls earlier Series A and seed rounds.

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

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.

Seven ANZ startups that raised $71.8 million this week

Weekly roundup covering seven raises across the Tasman: Phonely's Series A, Pay.com.au's private placement, and rounds for Atomic Tessellator, Caruso, Deteqt, Clean Slate Clinic and Earthletica, worth roughly $72 million combined.

Also crane.vc

Three ANZ startups that raised $81 million this week

Roundup of three trans-Tasman raises: Ordermentum landed $55m from Five V Capital, defence-tech firm Arkeus closed $25m, and music platform Lume gathered NZ$1.3m from well-known backers before its launch.

Also Startup Daily

Beaten Zone Venture Partners Congratulates Arkeus on A$25M Series A as Portfolio Company Reaches Inflection Point

Arkeus has closed a A$25 million Series A with QIC Ventures leading, as early backer Beaten Zone Venture Partners returns alongside other existing backers; proceeds fund Queensland manufacturing and a doubled team.

Also Startup Daily·Defence Connect·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia·@AuManufacturing

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.

Investment Notes: Gega Elements

Investible's note explains its pre-seed backing of Gega Elements, which extracts gallium and germanium from industrial waste, alongside Flying Fox Ventures and Salus Ventures via a co-investment program with TRaCE.

Also gegaelements.com

Five Aussie startups that raised $35.2 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing five Australian startups' raises: a PR platform's Series B, a biotech's post-stealth funding, a defence tech round, a pre-seed voice-AI raise, and a crowdfunding campaign.

Also Startup Daily

Beaten Zone Ventures Backs Arkeus in AU$5 million Raise to Supercharge Australia's Defence AI

Arkeus has raised an oversubscribed AU$5 million round joined by Beaten Zone Ventures, Main Sequence and Salus Ventures to scale its autonomous optics and AI surveillance technology for defence.

Also Beaten Zone Venture Partners portfolio·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

Four Aussie startups that raised $123.6 million this week

Weekly roundup of four Australian raises: HammerTech $105m led by Riverwood Capital, JigSpace $13m led by Breakthrough Victoria, ExoFlare's $5.3m seed, and Go Locum's $350,000 seed led by Paspalis.

Biosecurity threats software startup plants $5.3 million Seed round

ExoFlare, cofounded by ex-Data61 chief Adrian Turner, has banked $5.3 million in seed funding led by Salus Ventures to help food producers manage biosecurity risks.

Also SmartCompany

Australian tech VC fund expands investment team

Deep-tech investor Salus Ventures has recruited Archie Judd, previously at IQ Capital and Deloitte UK, for its investment team, with co-founders Dan Bennett and Marten Peck welcoming the appointment.

Queensland gets back in the venture capital game

Queensland's government has set up a venture capital fund managed by QIC and has put in $133 million, partnering with five VC firms so local startups can draw on matched funding.

Early VC #3 - Diraq and Marqo raised Series A. Ansarada acquired for $236.3m. New Bupa's $20m fund.

Australian startups Diraq, Marqo, and Hatch secured funding rounds. Ansarada was acquired by Datasite. Bupa launched a new venture fund, and the Queensland government backed several VCs and accelerators.

Queensland government backs 5 VCs, including Antler and Main Sequence, with $130 million

Queensland's government is committing $130 million across five venture firms — Antler, Five V Capital, Main Sequence, Mandalay and Salus — via a new fund to widen early-stage funding for local startups.

QLD tips $55 million into matched VC funding to grow and retain the next Sunshine State success

Queensland's government has committed another $55 million to its VC fund, lifting its total outlay to $130 million; five firms including Antler and Main Sequence are set to benefit.

Early-stage technology fund oversubscribed for debut

Salus Ventures' first fund has closed oversubscribed past its $40 million goal, with Queensland Investment Corporation's venture fund as cornerstone backer, targeting early-stage defence and dual-use technology.

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

Seven Aussie startups that raised $93.6 million this week

Seven Australian startups together banked over $90 million in the past seven days across venue software, hydrogen aviation, social media, craft brewing, plastics alternatives, aged-care robotics and accountant training.

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

Aussie anti-plastic company Phantm raises $2m and eyes global expansion

Phantm, an Australian startup replacing plastics with seaweed-based materials, has secured $2 million in seed backing from Blacknova VC, Salus Ventures and CoVentures to scale its platform and expand overseas.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Phantm raises $2m to wean businesses off plastics obsession

Melbourne circular-economy startup Phantm has closed a $2 million oversubscribed seed round with three venture backers, helping firms swap plastics for natural alternatives, with customers including a major coffee chain.

Also worldbiomarketinsights.com·startupscaleup.com.au·Forbes Australia

Four Aussie startups that raised $38.4 million this week

Weekly roundup covering fresh raises by four Australian startups: Ignition's banking facility, HEO Robotics' Series A, Laronix's seed round and Haast's pre-seed, plus a past ACT grant.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Wholesale Investor

Satellite inspection startup raises $12 million Series A

Sydney spacetech firm HEO Robotics has closed a $12m Series A led by AirTree Ventures, with Salus, In-Q-Tel, Y Combinator and angels also in, as federal cutbacks hit Australian space programs.

Also Business News Australia·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Former Salesforce Ventures boss Mike Ferrari is now running a new $40 million sovereign capabilities VC fund

Salus Ventures, a new Australian defence-focused VC fund, has hired ex-Salesforce Ventures and In-Q-Tel executive Mike Ferrari as managing director, with a $25 million first close toward a $40 million target.