Biosecurity threats software startup plants $5.3 million Seed round

An agtech startup cofounded by the former boss of CSIRO’s Data61 has raised $5.3 million in a Seed round.

The round was led by existing investor Salus Ventures, which has also backed local deep tech startups such as HEO, Advanced Navigation, and Q-Ctrl.

Also chipping in for ExoFlare were Harris Farm’s David and Cathy Harris, the Woolworths venture fund W23,Tesla chair Robyn Denholm’s Wollemi Capital, former Rabobank Australia boss Peter Knoblanche, CIA-backed CIA-backed US VC In-Q-Tel and Precision Group, along with Malcolm Nutt’s regional agtech VC Cultiv8 Funds Management.

ExoFlare is digitising the management of biosecurity threats. The platform allows the food and agricultural industries to evaluate and manage biosecurity hazards in real time while adhering to reporting standards. Founded in 2020, and in market since 2022, it was part of last year’s SparkLabs Cultiv8 climate tech accelerator, but declined media coverage at the time.

Cultiv8 partner Malcolm Nutt said the investment in Exoflare via the Cultiv8 Agriculture and Food Technology Fund, along with backing another agtech accelerator alumni, WollemAI, were examples of Australian innovation that support global food production system sustainability.

“In the two years since we launched the fund, we’ve seen very strong tailwinds for the sector,” he said.

“Two areas we’re seeing momentum are biosecurity and emissions management, and these sectors are exactly where these two companies sit.”

The two new investments bring the Cultiv8 Funds Management portfolio to six, joining companies from Israel, the US and Australia. Mr Nutt said the fund had received strong global interest since its launch in 2022.

Exoflare was founded by Adrian Turner, the former CEO of CSIRO’s Data6, and risk assessor Chris Aitken. It’s being used to deal with the current outbreak of avian flu at poultry farms across NSW, the ACT and Victoria.

The software platform is being use in around half of Australia’s poultry farms, sone 400 sites, to help manage the disease.

While the outbreak of the H7 strain of avian influenza has forced farmers to cull tens of thousands of chickens and slowed egg production, concerns are growing that the deadly H5N1 strain could make its way to Australia, decimating wildllife

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness warned this week that while the current triple strain outbreak of bird flu across the country was “unprecedented”, the devastating H5N1 strain could land here for the first time later this year. Australia is the only continent in the world free of H5N1.