Climate Tech

Battery startup Allegro Energy scores $1.85 million federal grant

- February 13, 2025 2 MIN READ

Battery storage tech startup Allegro Energy has scored a $1.85 million federal government grant to bring its battery technology to mass production. The Newcastle-based startup is one of five early stage tech companies funded under the $400 million Industry Growth Program. Allegro Energy has developed water-based Redox Flow Batteries (RFB) to store renewable energy. 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 »

Monique Conheady
Climate Tech

Flexicar founder and Wavemaker Impact investor Monique Conheady joins Hysata Board

- January 20, 2025 2 MIN READ

Clean tech founder and investor Monique Conheady has added another directorial arrow to her corporate quiver, joining the board of Wollongong hydrogen electrolyser startup Hysata.  Conheady was cofounder of the pioneering carshare startup Flexicar, acquired by Hertz Australia, and now chairs companies Energy Safe Victoria and JET Charge, as well as being a Breakthrough Victoria… 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 »

Climate Tech

MGA Thermal wins Impact Award in Climate Salad’s climate tech awards

- December 9, 2024 2 MIN READ

The best in the Australian climate tech ecosystem was honoured last week with eight awards honouring the startups and supporters who helped make it happen. The Australian Climate Tech Connect & Awards 2024 were hosted by Climate Salad, with the theme of connection. Climate Salad cofounder and CEO Mick Liubinskas said the day “delivered in spades”… 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 »

Goterra maggots
Climate Tech

Goterra’s maggot ‘robots’ launch in Western Sydney, set to revolutionise food waste management

- November 27, 2024 2 MIN READ

Climate startup Goterra’s innovative new food waste management system has launched in Wetherill Park in Sydney’s western suburbs and aims to transform how the city deals with the thousands of tonnes of food waste generated each week.  This represents a significant step towards creating a food waste circular economy. Goterra – winner of Most Innovative… 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 »

Climate Tech

The National Reconstruction Fund’s 1st investment is $40 million for a stake in a 40-year-old mining industry manufacturer

- November 19, 2024 3 MIN READ

Last week the industry and science minister Ed Husic stood in front of Australia’s tech titans at the National Tech Summit, telling them the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund was about to announce its first investments. Today Husic delivered on the promise, announcing $40 million for a manufacturer in Queensland. The funds went to Toowoomba-based… 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 »

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 »

Mark Swinnerton
Climate Tech

Green Gravity, which is turning old mineshafts into energy storage, raises $9 million

- October 16, 2024 2 MIN READ

A Wollongong startup converting disused mining shafts into long-duration energy storage has raised $9 million to turn the idea into reality. Green Gravity was backed by HMC Capital, BlueScopeX, New Zealand’s Pacific Channel and SCAP H, a subsidiary of Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation. BlueScopeX’s hosts Green Gravity’s demonstration plant at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks facility in… Read more »