From smart Lego bricks to robots big and small. Annual technology showcase CES (formerly Consumer Electronics Show) returned to Las Vegas this week, highlighting some of the most interesting new consumer products coming in 2026, and beyond. While the event showed yet again that generative AI continues to be integrated into everything from fridges to… Read more »
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 »
Queensland agtech startup SwarmFarm Robotics has secured $30 million in Series B funding to ramp up production of its autonomous SwarmBots and expand into North America. The round was led by European agtech investor Edaphon, with participation from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), QIC and Artesian Capital. The CEFC contributed $7 million through its… Read more »
Robotics data analytics platform Alloy has raised $4.5 million in pre-Seed funding. The round was led by Blackbird Ventures with support from Airtree, US-based robotics VC Xtal Ventures, and Skip Capital as well as strategic angels investors include senior engineering leaders and founders from Waymo, Tesla, Halter, Reach Robotics, and Carbon Robotics. The Eucalyptus cofounders… Read more »
Companion robots startup Andromeda has raised $23 million in a Series A that values the business at $100 million. The round was led by San Francisco VC Forerunner Ventures, supported by Rethink Impact, Artesian, CSIRO-backed Main Sequence, Visible and Trampoline, as well as ex-Atlassian futurist Dom Price. Existing backers Purpose Ventures, which led 2024’s $3… Read more »
Contactile, a deep tech startup giving robotics the subtlety of human-like touch, has scored $268,712 from the federal government under its Industry Growth Program The matched funding will go towards the the commercialisation of its tactile sensor-enabled smart robotic gripper. Contactile’s patented tactile sensor array has created a smart gripper measures 3D deflection, force, vibration, torque,… Read more »
An 18-month-old robotics startup that emerged out of the UNSW Founders Defence 10X program in 2023, has raised $2 million in a pre-Seed round led by CSIRO-backed deep tech fund Main Sequence. The raise for Breaker will be used to triple its team over the next six months and further expand its presence in the… Read more »
A medtech startup developing the world’s first arthroscopic (joints) surgical robot has raised $5 million in a Series A to crack the US market. Convergence Medical was backed by US investor Avicella Capital, at a valuation above $30 million. The funds will support plans to commercialise the robot, expand into the US to grab a… Read more »
Not-for-profit research and development company Hort Innovation is teaming up with venture capital firm Artesian for a new $60 million VC fund to back early-stage startups tackling challenges for fruit, vegetable and nut farmers. Hort will chip in around $24 million to the Hort Innovation Venture Fund, leveraged by co-investments sourced by Artesian, for a… Read more »
Robotics startup Nexobot has raised $400,000 in pre-Seed funding to deliver an affordable solution for order fulfilment in smaller warehouses. The round was backed by Skalata and Antler, to help smaller retailers and others compete against the multi million-dollar robotic systems deployed by the likes of Amazon. Nexobot was founded in 2023 by Dom Lindsay and… Read more »
As car manufacturers have demonstrated for years, there is no functional reason why robots require a head, face, or personality – but with Generative AI (GenAI) now offering irresistible possibilities for designers, humanoid robots were out in force at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Chinese firm Kepler Exploration Robot Co, for one, used the… Read more »
The federal government has issued a discussion paper on the development of a new National Robotics Strategy to better understand the opportunities and challenges for Australian industries adopting robotics and automation. Industry and science minister Ed Husic said the discussion paper will help guide a conversation on growing the production and responsible use of robotics… Read more »
Farming automation management startup SwarmFarm Robotics has raised $12 million in a Series A to address agriculture’s worker shortage. The round was led by Canadian agtech fund Emmertech, from Conexus Venture Capital, supported by Brisbane VC Tribe Global Ventures and South Australia’s Access Capital. Existing investors Tenacious Ventures and GrainInnovate, the Grains Research and Development Corporation… Read more »
With generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT and StableDiffusion being the talk of the town right now, it might feel like we’ve taken a giant leap closer to a sci-fi reality where AIs are physical entities all around us. Indeed, computer-based AI appears to be advancing at an unprecedented rate. But the rate… Read more »
CSIRO Chief Scientist Professor Bronwyn Fox has been appointed chair of a new National Robotics Strategy Advisory Committee to help guide Australia’s strategy for emerging automation technologies. Industry and Science Ed Husic announced Prof Fox’s new role, along with the rest of the committee, which includes Mike Zimmerman from VC Main Sequence, ahead of its… Read more »
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