Welcome to our new weekly round-up of Australian startup raises, in a collaboration between Startup Daily and our sister publication, SmartCompany. The last week of August features 5 startups spanning vaccine delivery, logistics and cross-border payments, which collectively raised $95.45 million. (A shoutout to our cousins across The Ditch too, where the former Kiwi TikTok… Read more »
A pet food startup making dog treats from feral buffalo in the Northern Territory (NT) has banked around $30,000 to develop the idea thanks to the NT government’s Innovation Grants program. Peco Pet Food makes Buff Jerky and Buff Jellies treats for dogs. The startup will expand its range to Buff Bites an all-natural gelatin… Read more »
Perth startup Coursebox raises $750K from Purpose Ventures to scale its AI-powered platform that lets organisations create engaging, compliant training courses in minutes—already boasting users across 180+ countries and strong organic traction.
Needle-free vaccination delivery scaleup Vaxxas has raised $49.2 million in a Series D, but cut 10% of its workforce, including a clear out of its executives. The University of Queensland spin out has moved founding CEO David Hoey, who’s been on leave for the past three months, into a strategic adviser role after 13 years… Read more »
Cyber-intelligence startup Apate.ai, a countermeasure to Australia’s $2 billion scam industry, has raised $2.5 million in Seed funding. The round was led by OIF Ventures with participation from Investible. The funds are for product development and international expansion, including hiring engineering and go-to-market teams, as well as expanding its partnerships with financial institutions, telcos, and governments… Read more »
A pioneering collaboration between two medical startups tackling respiratory diseases with artificial intelligences has scored $3 million in federal government funding from Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) program. Diag-Nose.io and Human Health are working on RhinoMAP – an AI-enabled platform they hope will transform how respiratory diseases such as asthma, sinusitis, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary… Read more »
Cross-border payments fintech Send Payments, has raised $5 million as cofounder Paul Billing steps down as CEO. Existing backers Regal Funds Management and Kelly+Partners Investment Office once again invested with iPartners joining the cap table. The new funding is for continued development of the platform and its ability to turn cross-border payments into new revenue streams… Read more »
Queensland biotech Lucia Bio has topped up its Seed round with an additional $2 million to take the total raised to $3m. The startup, launched last year, is a joint venture between UK commercialisation firm Molecule to Medicine (MTM) and investor UniQuest’s QEDDI (Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative) team at the University of Queensland (UQ).… Read more »
An ecommerce fulfilment business has raised $38 million as it hopes to take on Amazon with same-day delivery for retailers. The raise for Skutopia led by Pemba Capital, with support from MA Financial and Blackpeak Growth Partners, and also includes debt. Skutopia began life in 2018 as Sydney-based Workit Spaces – a coworking hub for… Read more »
Aether, a Kiwi AI startup turning marketing presentations into a live documents, has raised NZ$3.8 million (A$3.4m) in Seed funding. The AI-powered SaaS platform, cofounded by former TikTok NZ country manager Carsten Grueber, has emerged from stealth mode with backing from Icehouse Ventures, and support from Brand Fund 2. The startup has emerged out of New+Improved,… Read more »
Australia is at a critical juncture. The global transition to a net-zero economy is no longer speculative, it’s underway and accelerating. The nation has everything it needs to lead: world-class research, abundant natural resources, and strong research institutions, but Charlotte Connell, head of impact at Greenhouse, said the issue is how funding is being deployed… Read more »
The NSW government has overhauled its MVP Ventures Program, introducing a competitive selection process. It is also launching a targeted funding stream for underrepresented founders, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, and regional entrepreneurs. The update follows weeks of uncertainty around the 2025–26 grant round, which was originally scheduled to open on July 1.… Read more »
Australia’s consumer economy is booming but investors are still looking the other way. While capital chases SaaS and tech, a new generation of brand-led, margin-rich, culturally relevant businesses are scaling fast with billions flowing through beauty, wellness, fashion, food, and lifestyle. This is not speculation. It’s already happening. From blockbuster exits like Zimmermann and MCo… Read more »
Sunshine Coast-based laundry solution The Laundry Lady, has ended 13 years of bootstrapping to raise $1 million in Seed funding for international expansion. The round was led by Brisbane investor and Techniche chair Karl Jacoby with support from Brisbane Angels, AngelLoop, AI ethicist Dr Catriona Wallace, and several local angel investors. The Queensland government’s Female… Read more »
The Winter ’25 cohort is full of founders chasing the edge of what’s possible and dragging the future closer. A future where period poverty is a thing of the past. Where anyone can service a machine like an expert. Where AI doesn’t just answer questions, but books your Uber, edits your work and fills a… Read more »
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
