Kite Magnetics team
Funding

SQM Lithium puts $3.6M into EV tech startup Kite Magnetics

- May 21, 2025 2 MIN READ

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 »

Accelerator

How to ace your accelerator application 

- April 24, 2025 5 MIN READ

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 »

Climate Tech

Climate tech energy startup Phnxx powers up on $1.8 million Seed round

- March 20, 2025 2 MIN READ

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 »

Ag tech

Palm oil replacement startup Levur brews up $100,000 Nature Positive Prize

- January 23, 2025 2 MIN READ

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 »

Accelerator

The world’s first Drought Venture Studio is on the hunt for agtech ideas to future proof farmers

- December 20, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Ron Conry and Sam Ringwaldt
Funding

Air-conditioning emissions reduction startup Conry Tech raises $1.6 million pre-Seed

- December 11, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Prof Shawn Kook and Goran Bozic
Climate Tech

Investible teams up with UNSW to back climate tech uni spin-offs

- December 4, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Climate Tech

Climate tech startup Kapture cements carbon capture plans

- November 25, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Mick Liubinskas
Climate Tech

Clean Energy Finance’s Tim Buckley headlines Climate Salad’s annual climate tech investor showcase

- November 22, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Ben Gust and Kristin Vaughan
Climate Tech

Queensland Investment Corporation tips $10 million into climate tech VC Virescent Ventures

- November 19, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Camille Goldstone-Henry
Accelerator

KPMG Nature Positive Challenge is on the hunt for eco startups with a $100,000 prize up for grabs

- November 6, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Anthony Musumeci, Melissa Mail, Fiona Donaghey and Albert Tietz.
Funding

Queensland bio-packaging startup Earthodic banks $6 million Seed round for US push

- October 29, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Mick Liubinskas
Climate Tech

Climate Salad’s Mick Liubinskas on pivoting for the next phase of climate tech’s success

- October 24, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »

Black soldier fly larvae
Funding

Breakthrough Victoria pours $2.5 million into food waste rival to Goterra and Bardee

- October 17, 2024 2 MIN READ

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 »