3D body scanning platform Bodd has raised $15 million as it looks to expand globally. The round was led by US strategic investor Blue Sky Capital, supported by Ellerston Capital. Existing investors, including chairman Tim Allison, director Peter Leonard, Swans director John Gerahty and his family office Liangrove Group, commodities trader Ken Loughnan and fashion… Read more »
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 »
ASX-listed defence technology company DroneShield will spend $13 million developing a new R&D facility in Adelaide, South Australia. The investment covers three years of operational and capital expenditure. DroneShield sells protection against threats such as drones and autonomous systems as well as electronic warfare solutions and off-the-shelf counter-measures for terrestrial, maritime or airborne drone attacks,… Read more »
What does it take to be the best service provider in your field? Four leaders in defence tech, healthtech, executive recruitment and water infrastructure give us a glimpse. Ahead of the 2026 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ program’s 25th annual awards in October, Startup Daily is profiling the trailblazing entrepreneurs named as national finalists. So… Read more »
Quantum infrastructure software startup Q-CTRL has been awarded to contracts worth $38 million (US$24.4m) under the US Department of Defense agency DARPA’s Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program. The funding is for Q-CTRL’s quantum sensing technologies in high-performance military vehicles, in a collaboration with Lockheed Martin. Engaging Q-CTRL’s solution comes as GPS becomes increasingly vulnerable to… Read more »
The Queensland government has opened applications for its new $180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund, which will invest in defence, biomedical and biofuels companies in the state. Deputy Premier and state development, infrastructure and planning minister Jarrod Bleijie, said the fund will collaborate on “strategic and catalytic partnerships that will accelerate development in our priority… Read more »
We get hundreds of applications to UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator every year and as our reputation grows, that number climbs ever higher. Yes, you heard right. Hundreds. So the field is competitive. Each Program Manager at UNSW Founders usually has spent months scouting for startups, coaching them, running workshops on how to entrepreneur and generally… Read more »
A defence technology startup that helps analyse visual surveillance systems from drones and other optical systems has raised $5 million in new funds from its existing backers. Main Sequence, Salus and Beaten Zone Venture Partners wrote fresh cheques following on from a $4.5 million Seed round in December 2023. Defence expert Simon Olsen cofounded Arkeus… Read more »
Brisbane-based specialist defence technology venture capital firm, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, has secured more than $10 million in commitments, to call first close on the fund. The figure takes the fund to its final condition for ESVCLP (Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships) status, with its first capital call underway this week. Founder and… Read more »
Sydney quantum computing software startup Q-CTRL has been awarded $2.75 million contract by the federal government as part of a plan to deliver the defence sector additional capabilities in quantum and counter disinformation technologies. The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) program has signed 21 contracts as part of an investment… Read more »
Meta will make its generative artificial intelligence (AI) models available to the United States’ government, the tech giant has announced, in a controversial move that raises a moral dilemma for everyone who uses the software. Meta last week revealed it would make the models, known as Llama, available to government agencies, “including those that are… Read more »
In a significant blow to Australia’s defence capabilities, the federal government is cancelling what would have been the nation’s largest-ever space project: a $7 billion military satellite communications system. The decision was confirmed in a press statement on Monday. It comes just 18 months after the Albanese government gave the green light to the ambitious… Read more »
Quantum sensors startup QuantX Labs has bagged a $2.7 million deal with the Australian government for optical atomic clocks for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Two contracts will enable partners in the defence pact AUKUS between Australia, the US and UK, to develop position navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities in precision navigation and timing in… Read more »
Autonomous navigation scaleup Advanced Navigation has new US-based Global Head of Defence, recruiting former US Army platoon leader and intelligence officer Wayne Prender to the role. The 12-year-old deep tech hardware venture, chaired by former PM Malcolm Turnbull, with legendary US Army general David Petraeus chairing its defence advisory board, is a world leader in… Read more »
Amazon has secured a A$2 billion contract with the Australian Signals Directorate – the agency responsible for foreign signals intelligence and information security. A local subsidiary of Amazon Web Services will build a Top Secret Cloud to provide secure data storage for military intelligence. The deal will securely manage top secret data vital to Australia’s… Read more »
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