Katherine McConnell.
Climate Tech

CEFC backs Brighte with $40 million for cheaper home battery installation

- November 4, 2025 2 MIN READ

The federal government-backed Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is investing up to $40 million in household renewable energy fintech Brighte. The investment will share 2% off the cost of loans for home energy efficiency improvements, including solar and battery systems, energy-efficient heating and cooling, insulation, and EV chargers, with Brighte launching a new discounted green… Read more »

Climate Tech

Shipping climate tech startup Hullbot steams ahead with $16 million Series A

- November 4, 2025 2 MIN READ

Hull cleaning robotics startup Hullbot has raised $16 million in a Series A. The round was led by US-based Regeneration VC with support from Climate Tech Partners, making the first investment from its new fund backing technologies for emissions reduction in hard-to-abate industries. Also investing were Katapult Ocean, Folklore, Trinity Ventures, Rypples, NewSouth Innovations, and… Read more »

Carolyn Breeze
ASX

ASX-listed Scalare Partners launches AI-powered services solution platform, The Founders Union

- November 3, 2025 2 MIN READ

ASX-listed tech investment & advisory firm Scalare Partners has launched an AI-powered startup services platform, called The Founders Union.  The AI-enabled matching engine offers founders with curated access to organisations providing education, community, services, perks, and investment options, based on a startup’s growth stage and needs, taking into account issues such as budget and availability,… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Data privacy regtech SecurePII lands $5 million Seed raise for global push

- October 31, 2025 2 MIN READ

Melbourne compliance and data privacy startup SecurePII  has raised US$3.5 million (A$5m) in Seed funding. The round was led by Sydney VC Tidal Ventures. SecurePII was founded by Jason Thals, Haydn Faltyn and Bill Placke, self-confessed skiers, mountain climbers, soccer players, cyclists, marathon runners, campers, golfers, paragliders and travellers who are “into motorbikes, sports cars, woodwork, Lego, science fiction,… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Kiwi workplace feedback startup Huckleberry pockets NZ$2.1 million pre-Seed for US ambitions

- October 31, 2025 2 MIN READ

New Zealand voice-based 360 feedback platform, Huckleberry, has raised NZ$2.1 million ($1.84m) in pre-Seed funding. The round was led by US VC Oregon Venture Fund, with support from Archangel Ventures, plus US and NZ founders, including Mineral CEO Nathan Christensen, TradeMe’s Rowan Simpson and M-Com’s Serge Van Dam. Huckleberry enables people to talk rather than… Read more »

Sydney CBD, Harbour bridge
Business

The NSW government’s development fast-track program attracted $73 billion in data centre and tech projects seeking support

- October 30, 2025 2 MIN READ

The NSW Government’s Investment Delivery Authority (IDA) has received 48 major investment proposals worth $136 billion in just 10 weeks since it opened the first round of expressions of interest. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey announced IDA in the June budget, setting aside $17.7 million to get it up and running to “cut through red tape” and… Read more »

People

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

- October 29, 2025 2 MIN READ

Uniseed CEO Dr Peter Devine as called time on two decades leading the university-backed research commercialisation fund, staging his own exit at the end of 2025. Taking the helm in January 2026 is Dr Alistair Hick from Monash University, where he’s been its inaugural chief commercialisation officer, with responsibility for overseeing its IP commercialisation program,… Read more »

Richard White
ASX

WiseTech shares plunge after police raid over founder Richard White’s share sales

- October 28, 2025 3 MIN READ

Officials from corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Australian Federal Police officers raided the headquarters of ASX-listed WiseTech Global on Monday over concerns about share sales by founder Richard White and three others. WiseTech (ASX: WTC) shares fell more than 16% to around $71 in opening trade on Tuesday morning after… Read more »

Funding

NZVC will back up to 60 ANZ founders with its new $50 million Fund II

- October 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

Auckland-based NZVC is planning to invest in 50-60 Australia and New Zealand early-stage founders with its new NZ $50 million Fund II. Fund II invests from Pre-Seed to Series A, with smaller initial cheques and significant follow-on reserves. General partner Mark Pavlyukovskyy founded NZVC in 2021 as Aotearoa’s first operator-led venture fund, having relocated to… Read more »

Funding

Hydrogen-powered hypersonic defence aircraft startup soars on $46 million Series A

- October 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

A Brisbane startup developing hydrogen-powered aircraft engines and hypersonic Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has raised $46 million in a Series A as NASA prepares to test its 3D-printed ideas. The round for Hypersonix Launch Systems was led by UK national security investor High Tor Capital, with support from European defence company Saab and Polish family office RKKVC,… Read more »

Investible CEO Rod Bristow
Funding

Breakthrough Victoria is slinging another $75 million at local VC funds

- October 26, 2025 2 MIN READ

The Victorian government is investing $75 million across five specialist venture capital firms. The funding, via Breakthrough Victoria, will go to VCs backing climate-tech, life sciences, and female founders, as well as a cornerstone investment in an unnamed US specialist healthcare fund manager as they launch their first Australian fund. All five have committed to… Read more »

Business

ANZ bank kills off another startup investment – consumer data insights platform DataCo

- October 21, 2025 2 MIN READ

ANZ has shut down another startup backed by 1835i, the bank’s former VC fund, which it also terminated earlier this month,  DataCo Technologies, developed inside the 1835i Creation Lab, helped businesses collaborate safely on customer data sharing. Its closure follows the shutdown of fintech Cashrewards last month, despite a $100 million investment and the sale of… Read more »