UniSuper

🇦🇺 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

Dementia biotech Kinoxis raises $6.75 million with a $2.5m grant as cherry on top

Melbourne dementia drug developer Kinoxis secured $6.75 million equity led by Main Sequence plus a $2.5 million Medical Research Future Fund grant via CUREator+, funding trials of its agitation and pain drug candidates.

Expert360's $16 million sale leaves founder, early investors with no share payout

Workforce platform Expert360 is being bought by AI hiring firm Swipejobs at a reported $16 million value, while its founder and earliest backers are set to receive nothing for their stakes.

Also Startup Daily

Aravax Awarded FDA Fast Track Designation for PVX108

The US medicines regulator has granted Fast Track designation to Aravax's peanut-allergy immunotherapy PVX108, easing its development path; the Melbourne-based biotech expects Phase 2 data later in 2026.

Seven ANZ startups that raised $93.1 million this week

Roundup of seven trans-Tasman raises worth $93.1m this week, headlined by IND Technology's $50m round, with LawVu also acquiring ClauseBase.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Uniseed boss Peter Devine calls time on 20 years leading Australia's OG VC

Uniseed chief executive Peter Devine departs after two decades; Monash's Alistair Hick takes over in 2026. The piece recounts Uniseed's fund history and recent stakes in ENA Respiratory and Morse Micro rounds.

Morse Micro raises $88 million for long-range Wi-Fi chips

Sydney chipmaker Morse Micro has banked an $88 million Series C led by Japan's MegaChips, with the national reconstruction fund and several existing backers also participating; funds will drive growth and future chip development.

Also Startup Daily·builtinsydney.au·semiiphub.com·Forbes Australia·morsemicro.com·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·smallbizai.au

Uniseed adds another $25m from UniSuper to commercialise academic research

UniSuper adds a further $25 million to its backing of Uniseed, reaching $100 million in total support for the university research commercialisation fund; past cheques to quantum and biotech startups are recapped.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $80 million this week

Weekly funding roundup covering eight local companies that together banked $80m, topped by twin $17m Series Bs at Safewill and Fresho, plus Celosia's $16.75m Series A and five smaller rounds.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·LaunchVic

Aravax Completes Recruitment into Phase 2 Study of PVX108, a novel immunotherapy for the Treatment of Peanut Allergy

Aravax has finished enrolling 95 young patients in its Phase 2 peanut-allergy immunotherapy trial across US and Australian sites, with results expected in the first half of 2026.

Five ANZ startups that raised $38.5 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing five raises across Australian and New Zealand startups — Hapana, Kinoxis Therapeutics, Appetise, Bike Matrix and Aglow — worth a combined $38.5 million, naming lead investors and planned expansion for each.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Kinoxis secures $14.5m in funding and announces expansion of clinical programs to target agitation and aggression in dementia patients

Australian biotech Kinoxis Therapeutics raised $14.5 million in Series B backing from Uniseed, UniSuper and others to fund Phase 2 trials of KNX100 for dementia-related agitation, including a new Australian study.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Eight Aussie startups that raised $118.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian funding rounds, led by Samsara Eco's $100m Series A extension; Diraq, 1Breadcrumb, Aquila, NRN, Klean, Bearhug and Sindy Labs also secured capital, and Klean won a Queensland grant.

Also TechCrunch Australia·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·Techboard·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·@AuManufacturing

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Roundup of Australian manufacturing briefs: Nova Eye Medical banks $8m, Ridley buys Oceania Meat Processors, Orica sells Deer Park land for $260m, plus appointments, research projects and CSIRO program deadlines.

Aravax Media Release

Breakthrough Victoria announces a $12 million investment in Aravax, part of a $66 million Series B, advancing the biotech's peanut allergy immunotherapy into phase two trials in Australia and the United States.

Also Brandon Capital portfolio·Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·@AuManufacturing·Business News Australia·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·Startup News (WA)

Pioneering VC fund Uniseed doubles its backers as five universities, including Monash, UTS and Macquarie, chip in

Uniseed adds Monash and a four-university NSW collaboration, lifting its third fund by $6.75 million to $56.75 million; the article recalls past portfolio sales to Novartis, Shire and Schneider Electric.

Nine Aussie startups that raised more than $104 million this week

Weekly roundup reporting nine Australian startups that together secured roughly $104 million across sports tech, semiconductors, regtech, legal automation, SaaS, edtech, agtech and biotech, with Vald's $36 million the largest.

Also Techboard

Morse Micro tops up Series B with another $30 million from super funds

Wi-Fi HaLow chip maker Morse Micro raised a further $30 million for its Series B from Australian superannuation funds, lifting the round to $170 million; its earlier seed and Series A raises are also recapped.

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

$16m cash injection to progress first-in-class therapy for inflammation and fibrosis

Australian biotech OccuRx secured $16 million co-led by Brandon BioCatalyst and Uniseed, including a CUREator grant, to advance its oral anti-fibrosis therapy into kidney disease trials; two executives also joined.

Also Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·Startup Daily

FUNDED MARCH 2022

Techboard's March 2022 roundup of Australian funding: megadeals by Immutable, Saluda Medical, Linktree and Zeller, many smaller raises, acquisitions, an IPO, several fund closes, and companies still seeking capital.

Also Australian FinTech

UniSuper tips $75 million into early stage VC Uniseed

UniSuper commits $75 million to Uniseed, the research commercialisation fund owned by four universities and CSIRO, its first venture investment; past portfolio sales to Schneider Electric, RTP Co and Novartis are recalled.