Funding

Antler backs 8 new AI-first startups, from robotics to health, cybersecurity and fintech, in its 12th cohort

- May 1, 2025 8 MIN READ

Antler has unveiled its latest investments from the 12th Australian residency: eight new startups selected from thousands of applicants, spanning robotics, cybersecurity, and health – all with a strong emphasis on AI. The cohort reflects a growing trend for Antler: more founders building at the intersection of AI and deep industry expertise, moving faster than… Read more »

Climate Tech

Qantas and Airbus tip $15 million into VC Climate Tech Partners for aviation emissions reduction startups

- April 8, 2025 2 MIN READ

Qantas and European plane manufacturer Airbus have jointly committed to invest AUD$15 million into local VC Climate Tech Partners (CTP), in the hope it will accelerate the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other aviation decarbonisation solutions. Qantas is using the Airbus A350-1000 for its “Project Sunrise”, with plans to launch non-stop flights to… Read more »

Business

‘The investor’s role is to build, not to destroy’: StrongRoom AI’s Seed backer takes aim at EVP amid pending legal battle over $10.4 million

- April 1, 2025 3 MIN READ

A UK investor with close ties to one of the defendants in legal action against besieged medtech startup StrongRoom AI has come out swinging against Sydney VC EVP, which is fighting to get its $10.4 million investment back. Aaron Michelin, a director of Tyson & Blake – named after founder Chris Tornblom’s dogs – has… Read more »

Funding

University of Sydney quantum sensing spinout lands $750,000 pre-Seed

- March 27, 2025 2 MIN READ

A diamond-on-silicon quantum sensing startup cofounded by two University of Sydney professors has raised $750,000 in pre-Seed funding. The raise for DeteQt was backed by deep tech CSIRO-backed Main Sequence Ventures and US deep tech investor ATP Fund. DeteQt was founded by Adjunct Professor Jim Rabeau and Professor Omid Kavehei from the University of Sydney Nano… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

King River Capital is building a $157 million sixth VC fund to back AI

- March 18, 2025 2 MIN READ

UNSW chancellor David Gonski and Simon Sheikh’s impact investment fintech Future Super are among the investors in a new US$100 million fund to back artificial intelligence (AI) startups. King River Capital said it’s nearing the final close of  its latest A$157 million fund, which continues its ongoing strategic focus on AI-driven software startups both here… Read more »

Amp cofounders Cameron Priest and Patrick Barnes
Funding

eCommerce platform Amp raises $20 million and goes shopping

- March 11, 2025 2 MIN READ

An AI-driven eCommerce software platform with the same name as one of the country’s best known Australian financial services companies has raised $20 million. Amp, founded in 2022, has been backed by existing investor, Singapore’s Openspace Ventures, with Sydney’s One Ventures also hitting the EFT button. TradeGecko founder Cameron Priest and Advocately founder Patrick Barnes,… Read more »

Chris Mathwin, James Dao, Jackie Vullinghs, Soroush Pour
AI/Machine Learning

US-Australian cybersecurity startup hacks $4.75 million Seed round

- March 10, 2025 2 MIN READ

An Australian-American cybersecurity startup has raised US$3 million (A$4.75m) in Seed funding to develop its artificial intelligence-driven defensive systems. The round for Harmony Intelligence was led by Airtree Ventures, alongside 30 strategic investors, including First Row Partners, Maxwell Capital, and execs from Canva, Adept AI, and Plaid as well as The Lean Startup author Eric… Read more »

Mike Wishart
Climate Tech

Queensland renewables storage veteran charges up with $15 million raise after a decade bootstrapping

- March 10, 2025 2 MIN READ

A Queensland renewable energy tech company  has taken on its first external investment, banking $15 million in a round led by Ellerston Capital’s Industrial Growth Fund and Fifth Estate Asset Management. The raise for EcoJoule Energy, which provides solutions for managing renewable energy integration, will be used for international expansion, as well as a national… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Martech startup Flowing Bee lands on $1.6 million pre-Seed

- March 5, 2025 2 MIN READ

Flowing Bee, the AI-powered behavioural insights platform for marketing strategy and execution, has raised $1.6 million in a pre-Seed round. The raise was led by Archangel Ventures, with participation from The University of Melbourne Genesis pre-seed Fund, Antler, LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund, and M8 Ventures, plus strategic angel investors. The cash will be used to… Read more »