Silicon Quantum Computing

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 #180, 4th October 2026

Weekly roundup reporting Australian startup funding rounds and government grants, a venture fund close, agreed acquisitions, an IPO pricing, a collapse, plus executive hires and AI policy developments.

Role call: new people at allt, SQC, RedBelly Network, Neara & Indebted

Weekly people-moves column: new executives at allt, SQC, Redbelly Network, InDebted and Neara, including Clive Dickens joining allt's board and Chris McNamara becoming InDebted's CEO.

$12.3M Backs Australian Quantum Companies

Six Australian quantum companies receive government grants under round two stage two of the Critical Technologies Challenge Program, supporting projects from quantum clocks to biosensors and diagnostic tools.

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Diraq pushing its quantum computer to the cloud amid commercialisation race

Sydney quantum computing company Diraq will station an eight-qubit prototype machine inside an Equinix facility from October, a step toward moving the technology from lab to market.

Q-Day: why quantum readiness can't wait, with Vikram Sharma, QuintessenceLabs

Allens' Cyber Brief podcast hosts QuintessenceLabs founder and CEO Vikram Sharma discussing quantum computing threats to encryption, harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks, and the governance steps boards should take toward post-quantum readiness.

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.

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.

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Silicon Quantum Computing built a bigger, better, faster processor chip

A Sydney quantum chipmaker says its new processor keeps improving in accuracy as more qubits are added, a milestone published in Nature, with DARPA benchmarking progress and systems used by Telstra and Australian Defence.

Additional contract recipients announced for emerging, disruptive tech program

Defence's innovation accelerator has awarded three more contracts under its emerging and disruptive technologies program, funding quantum and information-warfare work at CSIRO, four universities and Silicon Quantum Computing, adding $9 million to the program.

‘Record demonstration’: Dark horse in quantum race passes new milestone

Quantum computing startup Diraq announced record qubit control fidelity and chip-making partnerships with GlobalFoundries and IMEC; the piece also recounts its Quantonation-led Series A, early Allectus backing, and PsiQuantum's government funding.

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Labor bets big on quantum with $1 billion deal for PsiQuantum and multimillion-dollar Sydney Uni hub

The Australian federal and Queensland governments are investing $940m in PsiQuantum, which will open a Brisbane regional headquarters; $18.4m will fund a national quantum centre at the University of Sydney.

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Quantum leap: Diraq secures an extra $23 million in Series A

Diraq has added $23 million to its Series A in a Quantonation-led round, with Higgins Family Investments and UNSW also taking part, on top of the $30.6 million raised earlier.

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Ex-Arm chief announced as new Silicon Quantum Computing Chair

Quantum computing firm SQC names Simon Segars as chair and Fiona Pak-Poy as director; the article also recalls its $83m seed round and $50.4m Series A.

Queensland researchers launch quantum startup AQC with $3 million boost

Tom Stace and Arkady Federov launch AQC, a Queensland venture making miniature superconducting components for quantum computers, with Uniseed investing $3 million; the piece also recaps Australia's quantum funding momentum.

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UNSW quantum founder Michelle Simmons wins $250,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science

SQC founder Michelle Simmons receives a $250,000 science prize from the prime minister, with the article recalling the quantum company's seed round, government stakes, and July valuation jump.

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DOG'S BREAKFAST: Pet Circle's $75m raise from US VC a rare highlight for Australian startups amid a 42% fall in funding for September quarter

Cut Through Ventures' quarterly analysis shows Australian startup funding down 42% year-on-year at A$739 million over 77 deals, with Pet Circle's $75 million Series D from Prysm Capital the period's largest round.

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$739 million hits start-ups in Q3 – but funding still lags behind 2022

A quarterly venture funding report shows Australian startups collected $739 million across 77 deals in Q3 2023, trailing earlier periods; SafetyCulture and Lyre's Spirit Co drew the largest rounds while female founders' share improved.

Also TechCrunch Australia·SmartCompany·Capital Brief·Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·AgFunderNews

Silex Systems awarded defence support for quantum silicon production

Defence Trailblazer grants Silex Systems $5.1 million to build commercial-scale zero spin silicon output at its Sydney plant, securing local supply for quantum chipmaker Silicon Quantum Computing.

Five Aussie startups that raised $58.5 million this week

Weekly roundup covering five Australian startups that announced a combined $58.5 million in new funding, spanning quantum computing, advertising software, mining safety technology and event rental software, alongside government grant programs.

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Startup funding dropped massively in 2023, but AI and climate tech are still winners

KPMG data shows Australian startup funding fell sharply in early 2023, though AI and climate tech stayed strong, with several large raises listed and a new Main Sequence fund announced.

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Australia's own Silicon Quantum Computing raises $50 million for commercialised quantum computers

Silicon Quantum Computing closed a $50.4 million Series A backed by CBA, UNSW, Telstra and the Australian Government, lifting its valuation to $195.3 million, below its original $130 million target.

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Diraq awarded $3 million NSW Quantum Computing Commercialisation Fund grant

Quantum computing startup Diraq has received a $3 million grant from NSW's Quantum Computing Commercialisation Fund, following federal support last month through CRC-Projects round 14.

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Silex completes CRC-P project, produces silicon-28 to “highest purity ever achieved”

Silex Systems finished its zero-spin silicon research project with UNSW and SQC, backed by a government grant, and now plans commercial production of ultra-pure silicon-28 for quantum chips.

AUKUS innovation: about far more than submarines – by Michael Sharpe

An opinion piece arguing AUKUS Pillar Two reaches beyond submarines into quantum, autonomy, AI and hypersonics, citing Australian players including Internet 2.0, Anduril Australia and Hypersonix.

FUNDED JUNE 2022

Techboard's monthly roundup logs June 2022 Australian funding events, including GO1's Series E, Edrolo's Series B, two acquisitions, several new funds reaching closes, and accelerator intake announcements.

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UNSW startup engineers a quantum processor, bringing commercial quantum computers closer to reality

A UNSW-backed quantum computing startup says it has built the world's first atomic-scale processor and has launched a $130 million Series A to push toward a commercial quantum computer by around 2028.

VC investor Bill Bartee says what you need to know about investing in quantum tech

Startup Daily profiles Main Sequence's Bill Bartee on quantum investing, recalling past raises by QuintessenceLabs, Silicon Quantum Computing, Quantum Brilliance and Q-CTRL, plus government support for Australia's quantum sector.

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