Swinburne University of Technology

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.

Entropy takes TRP-8803 to the US in head-to-head depression trial

Entropy Neurodynamics has agreed with UCSF to run a US Phase 2 trial of its psilocin drug TRP-8803 against escitalopram in young adults with depression, pending FDA clearance, with Swinburne and BioCina supporting.

Four Aussie startups that raised $2.86 billion this week (sort of)

Roundup of four Australian raises: Firmus Technologies' US$2 billion round at a $15 billion valuation, Eudaemon's $3.75 million, Zabidou's $3.5 million seed round, and Rampart's $2.3 million.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

Breakthrough Victoria's university platform funds EntroMat, Excelligent and Remagine Labs

Victorian pre-seed program BVUIP, backed by Breakthrough Victoria and seven universities, has funded startups EntroMat, Excelligent and Remagine Labs, plus fellowship grants for three PhD-led ventures.

Austeng-led project will demo onsite green hydrogen generation and use for high-heat purposes

Engineering firm Austeng won a $500,000 federal grant to demonstrate onsite green hydrogen production and blending for industrial burners, working with SunGreenH2, Deakin University and Swinburne at its Geelong facility.

NASA is sending an Australian-made lunar rover to the Moon by 2030

NASA confirmed the Australian-built Roo-ver will reach the Moon by 2030 under its Artemis program. The ELO2 consortium, technically led by Lunar Outpost Oceania of Melbourne, has $42 million in Australian Government backing.

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Manufacturing roundup: OncoSil Medical locks in commitments for an $8.7 million raise, Soilco completes its purchase of Martins Fertilizers, Avecho collects an R&D rebate, alongside items on apprenticeships, Myriota, Recce and Swinburne research.

Also thecfigroup.com·divestmergeacquire.com·redchip.com.au·wastemanagementreview.com.au

Meet the Aussies on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list

Q&A with Dr Olga Hogan

Breakthrough Victoria's Dr Olga Hogan explains its University Innovation Platform, which co-invests pre-seed funding alongside Victorian universities, plus a fellowship helping PhD researchers turn research into companies.

Investment Update: EntroMat

EntroMat, a Melbourne developer of high-entropy metal powders, has landed $1 million from Breakthrough Victoria and Swinburne under a university research commercialisation platform.

Also SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily

Breakthrough Victoria and ACU Co-Invest $14 Million In State's Future Growth

Australian Catholic University signs on as the seventh university in Breakthrough Victoria's co-investment platform, with matched funding pledged; the article also recaps four earlier startup investments via Melbourne's Genesis Pre-Seed fund.

Skip to the Moon: the team behind a $42 million Australian Space Agency project to build Australia’s first lunar ‘Roo-ver’ revealed

Winner named for $42 million lunar rover contract

Breakthrough Victoria posts $3 million loss

The Victorian government's VC fund Breakthrough Victoria slipped to a loss, its annual report showing startup investments, cost cutting and boardroom departures amid criticism of its spending and performance.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Canberra-born startup Liquid Instruments scores $15 million from Breakthrough Victoria

Victorian government-backed investor Breakthrough Victoria has put $15 million into Liquid Instruments, a maker of reconfigurable instruments expanding to Melbourne; earlier raises by Acorn Capital and Anzu Partners are also recalled.

Also SmartCompany

Liquid Instruments

Breakthrough Victoria announces a $15 million investment in Liquid Instruments, a maker of software-defined test instruments, which plans a Melbourne office, local manufacturing growth and dozens of high-tech hires.

Also Breakthrough Victoria·Breakthrough Victoria·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·liquidinstruments.com·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: Pure Foods Tasmania announces a rights issue, Traffic Technologies banks a shareholder raise, Austal USA appoints a president, and Hanwha's Australian defence chief steps down.

Media release 21 March 2024

Breakthrough Victoria's media release marks three years, citing more than $300 million committed across direct investments, a fund, a grant and university partnerships, and discusses its Aravax and Seer Medical investments.

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup of manufacturing briefs: Latrobe Magnesium's share placement, DroneShield and Cyclopharm results, Graphene Manufacturing Group's US OTCQX listing, an Electro Optic Systems dispute settlement, HEO London recruitment, and a green steel partnership.

$51 million for CRC-P industry research collaborations

Federal grants roundup: 21 Cooperative Research Centres Projects awards worth $51 million in Round 15, with EQ Plastics, Optiscan Imaging and NEXSEN BioTech each receiving $3 million for product development.

Also RenewEconomy

Quantum Australia Conference 2023

Breakthrough Victoria's technology director writes on quantum trends from the Sydney conference, noting the firm's earlier investments in Infleqtion and Quantum Brilliance and Infleqtion Australia's launch under a new president.

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing news: a university metaverse partnership, a CSIRO digital appointment, electric buses in Queensland, two secured funding facilities, and several workforce and recycling initiatives.

Also @AuManufacturing

Advanced manufacturing startup Bodd raises $5 million

Melbourne body-scanning startup Bodd raised $5 million led by Candice and Nick Hirons to expand into North American wellness, fashion and pharmaceutical markets and grow its uniform business.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

End of year message from the CEO

Breakthrough Victoria's chief executive reviews the investment firm's first operating year, recalling backing for several startups, a university pre-seed fund platform, a quantum technology facility, and a new environmental challenge program.

$18 million awarded under first round of new aviation grant program

Twelve projects share $18 million in the first round of the federal Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships grants, with eVTOL maker AMSL Aero among the recipients; it also recently completed a $23 million Series B.

Also TechCrunch Australia

Solar plane and electric vertical take-off and landing technologies win Australian grants

AMSL Aero, Praxis Labs and Swinburne's Air Hub won federal grants under the Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships program, while AMSL Aero also recently secured $5 million from Trevor St Baker's energy innovation fund.

Also @AuManufacturing

Gilmour Space lands $52 million grant to ramp up Queensland’s rocket launching ambitions

The Gold Coast rocket maker has won federal co-funding for a 32-member space manufacturing network, backing a Queensland manufacturing hub and a new orbital launch pad at Bowen.

Also Techboard·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Manufacturing roundup covering Hexagon's blue hydrogen plans, Tritium appointing a new COO, a Fortescue-Airbus green hydrogen alliance, and Calix gaining registration for its crop protection product.