CSIRO will increase its commitment to Main Sequence’s Atmosphere pre-seed fund from A$5 million to A$20 million, a fourfold expansion designed to move promising Australian research into venture-backed companies. The announcement was made during Deep Tech Week, two years after Atmosphere was launched as an experimental platform. The additional capital will be allocated through Main Sequence’s upcoming fourth fund and signals stronger institutional support for very early-stage science commercialisation.
Expanded support for early-stage science
Atmosphere targets a stage that sits earlier than traditional venture capital, often backing projects with little more than promising research and a scientist willing to build a company. The platform invests around $500,000 at a point when a product may not exist and a market may only be an idea. Main Sequence then works alongside founders to create the commercial structure needed to attract later investors.
A venture buildability approach
Grace Bird, head of Atmosphere, describes the approach as venture buildability, where scientists who understand their technology receive help building the commercial machinery around it. She said the value lies in access to the Main Sequence team, which supports whatever a company needs. The purpose is to ensure breakthroughs do not get stuck in the lab and can gain momentum before later funding rounds.
What the pre-seed platform provides
The platform is deliberately earlier than typical venture capital, focusing on researchers who may have an idea, a lab result, and the will to build something. The initial cheque is designed to be the hardest working, supporting hiring, customer discovery, and capital raise preparation. This operational scaffolding helps founders turn intellectual property into a company that later investors can back.
Early portfolio signals
Atmosphere has backed 11 companies since its launch, with three already graduating into Main Sequence’s core funds. Deteqt, founded around quantum sensing technology, has closed a $5 million seed round, grown to 12 people, won an ADF contract, and opened a US entity. Liarbird, founded by former national security professionals, is building security terrain control technology and is preparing for its next raise.
Why the quadrupled commitment matters
CSIRO’s expanded commitment is more than a capital injection; it validates the idea that Australian research needs early partnership to scale locally and compete globally. The organisation notes Australia ranks in the top one percent globally in 15 research fields, but commercial translation has often been the bottleneck. The expanded fund is intended to help more research move off the bench and into the world.
A wider pipeline of Australian innovation
The new funding will be allocated through Main Sequence’s fourth fund, which is expected to be raised later this year. It builds on an initial allocation of $5 million in the previous fund and reflects growing confidence in Australia’s deep technology pipeline. With more capital available, Atmosphere can support a broader range of scientific founders at the moment when support is most critical.
The increased funding positions Atmosphere to broaden its support for Australian scientists and deep technology founders at the earliest stage. By pairing modest initial capital with hands-on operational help, the platform seeks to turn promising intellectual property into investable companies. The move reinforces CSIRO’s role in bridging the gap between world-class research and commercial outcomes.
Source: Capitalbrief