Seven ANZ startups pulled in more than $80M over two weeks in late April and early May, converting the US dollar rounds. Here’s who raised and what they do.
1. Liquid Instruments: US$50M Series C
Canberra-born deep tech whose devices replace racks of traditional lab test gear with software. The round was co-led by Keysight Technologies and the National Reconstruction Fund. Users include Apple and NASA.
2. Aigentsphere: $4M seed
A Sydney platform that lets companies manage, monitor and govern the AI agents running inside their business. Led by CSIRO-backed Main Sequence. Cofounded by Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, the former Optus CEO, and Quinton Anderson.
3. Enaxiom: US$1.8M seed
Its HydroCool system cools AI data centres using non-potable water, including wastewater, and recovers clean water as a by-product. Led by Epic Angels, with BlackNova and Antler.
4. Manifest: A$2M pre-seed
A trans-Tasman startup that started inside an Auckland agency. It tracks how agency work actually gets done across teams, tools and AI, so agencies can drop timesheets. Led by Brand Fund, an early backer of Tracksuit and Ideally.
5. ReadySteadyPlug: A$1.51M from ARENA
A Sydney startup fixing EV charging in apartments. Trickle charging through standard outlets plus individual metering and billing means strata buildings can support EV owners without switchboard upgrades. This one is government funding from ARENA, not an equity round.
6. Smart AI Connect: $1M seed (oversubscribed)
A Gold Coast cybersecurity startup fresh out of the Fusion Venture Labs program. Backed by UniQuest, Admiralty Capital, TORUS and Pipeline Capital. Its platform, SuppliAssure, gives super funds and other regulated businesses live visibility of supplier cyber risk.
7. BuildPass: venture debt
The Melbourne construction software company took up to $5M in growth credit from Mighty Partners to push into the US. About six months after opening in Austin, the US is already more than 20% of revenue.
My read
Deep tech, infrastructure, governance and niche verticals. Not consumer apps, not AI wrappers. The money this fortnight went into the unsexy, hard to build categories, which is where I think ANZ is strongest.