Vince Allen

Cheque-in: 8 startups gobbled up $572.12 million in funding this week

Weekly roundup of eight raises totalling $572.12 million, led by Firmus's $500 million round; RAGE Biotech, SunDrive, Number 8 Bio, Fabra, Keeyu, MyGig and Drone-Hand also funded, plus two RAGE Biotech executive appointments.

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ARENA commits $25.3 million to continue SunDrive's copper solar cell breakthrough

The renewable energy agency will grant SunDrive up to $25.3 million to scale its copper solar cell technology with partners Maxwell and Vistar, adding to $14 million in earlier support.

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“Shell companies for rent seekers:” Coalition attacks solar innovators, including Turnbull-backed SunDrive

A federal opposition senator attacks Labor's solar manufacturing program and SunDrive, which has cut staff and changed CEO while pursuing partnerships with AGL and Trina Solar to localise panel production.

“New era:” SunDrive wins funds to scale up Australia made solar cell production

SunDrive secured an A$11 million ARENA grant to take its copper-metallised solar cell manufacturing from prototype to commercial scale in Sydney, with plans targeting up to 5GW of yearly capacity.

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Scaling up SunDrive’s advanced solar PV manufacturing

ARENA grants SunDrive $11 million to take its copper-based cell metallisation from prototype to commercial production, its second award after $3 million for earlier demonstration work.

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Solar innovator Sundrive maps out plan for 5GW of Australian PV manufacturing

Breakthrough solar panel startup SunDrive teams up with Sydney University on $2.78 million research project

ARENA has awarded $2.78 million to a University of Sydney professor partnering with SunDrive on perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. The piece also recalls SunDrive's $21 million Series B and names its backers.

NSW grants $3 million to Cannon-Brookes backed solar cell innovator

NSW Environmental Trust grants $3 million to solar innovator SunDrive within a $6.5 million allocation shared with Hysata, Southern Green Gas and Quickstep; SunDrive's recent series A drew CEFC alongside Blackbird and Grok Ventures.

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Malcolm Turnbull and Atlassian, Tesla and Canva bosses back solar startup in $21 million Series B

Solar cell maker SunDrive has raised a $21 million Series B led by Main Sequence Ventures, with CEFC, Grok and Blackbird investing, and first-time backers including Turnbull, Denholm and Adams.

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SunDrive fabricates first ever full-size solar panel

Solar startup SunDrive has produced its first full-size panels using copper-based cells, a manufacturing milestone after September's efficiency record; the piece recalls backing from Cannon-Brookes, ARENA and Blackbird Ventures.

SunDrive, backed by Cannon-Brookes, produces first panel with record-busting solar cell

UNSW spin-out SunDrive has made its first full-size rooftop panel using record-efficiency copper-based cells; the piece recalls the $9 million ARENA grant it won in October 2020.

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