SQM Lithium Ventures, the VC arm of a major international lithium producer, has invested $3.6 million in Melbourne’s Kite Magnetics, a company that produces advanced components for electric motors. Kite Magnetics CEO Dr Richard Parsons said he was “excited” about the new partnership with SQM. “Their support will help us scale our technology to revolutionise… 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 »
Victorian climate tech startup Phnxx has raised $1.8 million in Seed funding to scale its modular energy system for the construction, mining and agriculture sectors. The round was supported by ASX-listed engineering company Synertec, ENGIE Factory, deep tech VC Pacific Channel, LaunchVic’s Hugh Victor McKay Fund and several angel investors. Synertec has partnered with the… Read more »
Main Sequence-backed Levur, a biotech startup looking to create a palm oil alternative from yeast using fermentation, has won $100,000 consulting advice from the KPMG Nature Positive Prize. The Sydney startup, founded Tom Collier and Joanne Barber, was part of the SparkLabs Cultiv8 program last year, and was among five Australian startups selected from among… Read more »
Startup builder Beanstalk Ventures recently harvested the first crop of agtech startups from its latest program, the Drought Venture Studio, a 12-week program backed by the federal government’s Future Drought Fund. Eight startups and their leaders were selected for the recent Innovation Showcase, whittled down from 24 chosen for the inaugural program from among 200… Read more »
Air-conditioning energy and emissions reduction startup, Conry Tech, has raised $1.6 million in a pre-Seed round led by Bandera Capital with support from Kiwi VC Pacific Channel. The Melbourne startup was cofounded in 2020 by long-term collaborators Ron Conry and Sam Ringwaldt, both experts in developing HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) products that cut CO2 emissions.… Read more »
Sydney early-stage VC Investible will partner with UNSW’s Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) program in a co-investment partnership to back climate tech startups emerging from the university. The Technology Commercialisation Venture Scheme will target Seed and Series A investments into UNSW climate-tech spin-offs and companies supported through TRaCE. The first-of-its-kind for an Australian… Read more »
MGA Thermal has added climate tech fund Electrifi Ventures and Climate Salad to its cap table with another top up of the clean energy startup’s pre-Series B, taking the total raised to $14.15 million. While the Hunter Valley startup, developed what it calls Miscibility Gaps Alloy (MGA) Blocks to absorb and store thermal energy made from… Read more »
Melbourne climate tech startup Kapture is making concrete a lot more environmentally friendly, developing a way to sequester carbon in it. The new process effectively captures and stores carbon dioxide emissions from combustion sources, permanently embedding them in concrete, reducing emissions while enhancing material performance. Kapture partnered with Western Australian concrete products manufacturer PERMAcast in… Read more »
Climate Salad’s big annual shindig connecting climate tech startups with investors, is on next Wednesday, November 27, in Sydney. Australian Climate Tech Investor Connect kicks off at 1pm at the Paddington Town Hall, and climaxes with the Climate Tech Awards from 4.30pm, recognising the best in local solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges.… Read more »
A recent change of government in the Sunshine State has not slowed the Queensland Investment Corporation’s (QIC) enthusiasm for backing venture capital firms eager to invest in local startups. QIC joined Westpac and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) as a cornerstone investor in Virescent’s new $200 million climate tech fund (Fund II), reportedly tipping… Read more »
5 finalists receive help to grow their nature-positive impact $100,000 Nature Positive Prize to the winner A $20,000 People’s Choice Prize chosen by KPMG staff A new First Nations category Two new themes: regenerative economy and sustainable food systems Applications for the annual KPMG Nature Positive Challenge for 2024 are now open to startups in… Read more »
Brisbane startup Earthodic has raised US$4 million (A$6m) in Seed funding as the climate tech packaging solution looks to make its mark in the US. The round was led by food systems focused California VC FTW Ventures, with support from Circulate Capital, the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), UniQuest Fund, Significant Capital Ventures, Branch Venture Group, RedStick… Read more »
As I reflect on the journey we’ve taken with Climate Salad, it’s with a mix of excitement and responsibility that I share a significant update about our next steps. Starting in 2025, Climate Salad will scale back to a more streamlined model — an online community, newsletters, and webinars, largely managed by me, part-time. This… Read more »
Breakthrough Victoria, the $2 billion state government-backed venture fund, has invested $2.5 million into a Melbourne startup recycling food waste as animal feed and fertiliser. Viridian Renewable Technology, founded in 2016, lays claim to being Australia’s first large scale insect protein manufacturing plant. It has a commercial plant in Derrimut, in Melbourne’s western suburbs and will use… Read more »
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