An AI-based Sydney software startup that checks sewer pipes for preemptive maintenance has raised $5 million in a Series A to ramp up its push into the US market. VAPAR, cofounded in 2018 by engineers Amanda Siqueira and Michelle Aguilar, was backed Dutch water technology specialist VC PureTerra Ventures, supported by US engineering and construction… Read more »
Australia’s science and technology sectors have urged Federal Parliament to pass the Australian Research Council Amendment Bill – and make a key amendment that requires the research funding agency to notify successful applicants within 21 days of grant approval. In its submission to the Senate Committee on Education and Employment reviewing the Bill, Science &… Read more »
Melbourne biotech startup Prota Therapeutics has raised US$21 million (A$32m) ahead of a Phase 3 clinical trial for its oral therapy treatment for peanut allergy. The round, a combination of equity and debt financing, was led by Singapore-based SPRIM Global Investments (SGI). Australian VC OneVentures was an early backer of the biotech and one of… Read more »
Green energy infrastructure startup National Renewable Network (NRN) has secured $10 million in funding as part of its ambition to provide low cost solar and battery setups to 250,000 Australian homes by 2030. The funding facility of up to $10 million has come from Catalytic Impact Capital, an impact/ESG-focused private credit business offering secured loan… Read more »
Landlord borrowing alternative Futurerent, which lends property investors up to $100,000 of their rental income in advance, has secured $50 million in debt funding and is launching a new US division of the brand called Downpayments. The venture debt was provided by US VC Second Century Ventures and California-based lender Partners for Growth (PFG), which has… Read more »
A new venture capital and growth advisory firm to help startups move to scale-up has been launched by the chairman and CEO of advertising agency Claxon, Daniel Willis. One03 Ventures will focus on providing venture capital and/or growth advisory services to Australian businesses and brands with annual revenue between $2.5 million and $25m. Willis has… Read more »
New Zealand customer insights innovation platform Ideally has raised $2 million in a Seed round as it looks to expand its presence in the Australian market. Auckland VC Icehouse Ventures backed Ideally, which emerged from TRA Labs and Previously Unavailable – the partnership behind brand tracking phenomenon Tracksuit. Ideally’s self-service platform tests product-market fit, delivering… Read more »
The federal government-backed Australian Business Growth Fund (ABGF) has backed it second business run by a woman, tipping $10 million into clothing brand Solbari, which produces clothing, hats and accessories focused on sun protection. Founder and CEO Johanna Young launched Solbari in 2014, having moved to Melbourne from Europe in 2011 following a career in… Read more »
More than 1,100 investors have backed crowd-sourced funding (CSF) platform Birchal in its own CSF campaign, raising $2.39 million. Alongside a range of retail investors, the cap table includes existing investor Dom Pym, cofounder of Up; Mckeage Cole Foundation MD Connie Mckeage; Giant Leap venture partner Peter Cameron; TodayPay founder Peter Cameron; Doshii founder Sean… Read more »
Listed fintech Identitii (ASX: ID8) has sold nearly half its stake in its payments subsidiary Payble for $1 million, alongside a $2.5 million raise for the startup. Identitii sold 48% of its Payble shareholding to OIF Ventures for $1 million. The Sydney VC also tipped $2.5 million in additional capital into the fintech, founded in… Read more »
An all-in-one finance and lifestyle app for international students has raised $1.6 million in Seed funding. Mist was backed by Investible, Allectus Capital, Archangel Ventures, Seedspace, and The Hunter Angels. It wants to become the go-to app for international students, offering a streamlined solution for relocating to another country to study, especially around banking and… Read more »
A startup digitising security with what’s known as a digital lockout tagout (LOTO) has raised $600,000 in its Seed round. Smartlox is a cloud-based, real-time safety, security and smart access system that integrates with Nokē Bluetooth padlocks to increase the safety of frontline workers. It disrupts traditional lockout tagout practices through the use of electronic lockout… Read more »
Online wholesale marketplace Andisor has raised a $1M pre-Seed funding round. The raise was backed by Antler, LaunchVic’s female founder-focused Alice Anderson fund, Jam Pad Investments, and several prominent retail operators and leaders. Andisor emerged out of the Antler program in 2021, with founder and CEO Vandana Chaudhry, building a platform to connect enterprise-level buyers… Read more »
AI-based workflow automation startup has raised $15 million in a Series A as it looks to ramp up its international presence. The round was led by King River Capital along with support from Peak XV’s Surge (the former Sequoia Capital India), and existing backers Galileo Ventures and Insight Partners. Relevance AI previously raised $4 million… Read more »
Perth startup Omni Biotech has raised a $300,000 in pre-Seed funding from Melbourne VC Skalata Ventures to help develop its hydration monitoring platform. Curtin and Stanford University graduates Will Poot and Zac Farrow are Omni’s cofounders and are using the existing optical sensors in smartphones and wearable devices to monitor a wearer’s hydration levels in… Read more »
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