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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Oceania, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌍
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📰 Important News
- Vaxxas secured TGA approval to manufacture needle-free vaccine patches in Brisbane, a major regulatory milestone toward a global rollout.
- Employment Hero narrowed its net loss to A$35.2 million as revenue reached A$243.5 million, signaling a shift toward profitability.
- Singapore-based fintech Aspire gained a full Australian Financial Services License, enabling it to deliver its financial stack to Australian businesses.
- Wedge reached NZ$100 million in managed funds within six months of launch, signaling strong demand for high-yield alternatives to traditional banks.
- Heartful is facing closure or sale after its founder's funding source, a design business, was crippled by an AI bot attack.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Melbourne's IND Technology secured a A$50 million Series A led by US and local VCs for global expansion and team growth.
- MEQ Solutions raised A$23 million in a Series A funding round led by U.S. VC Insight Partners to expand its AI-powered red meat quality solution.
- Ferronova secured A$6 million in funding to advance its nanoparticle image-guided surgery solution.
- Real Flow Finance landed a A$3.5 million investment from a strategic investor in a deal arranged by Ad Astra Corporate Advisory.
- Atrium has successfully closed a A$1.3 million pre-seed funding round to accelerate product development and expand its market reach.
💰️ Notable Exits
- ASX-listed payments platform Tyro is acquiring NAB-backed fintech startup Thriday, an AI-powered financial management platform, to expand its banking and payments capabilities for businesses.
- LawVu acquired intelligent contract drafting company ClauseBase, rebranding it as LawVu Draft, and launched LawVu Lens, an AI contract analysis engine, to expand its AI-powered legal workspace.
🏦 About Investors
- ASX-listed venture fund Bailador Technology Investments has boosted its portfolio value by A$13.3 million after increasing the valuations of telehealth platform Updoc and proptech company PropHero.
🚀 Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
IND Technology
IND Technology is a Melbourne-based energy technology startup founded in 2013 by RMIT Professor Alan Wong and Kokwai Leu in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires. The company develops early fault detection systems for power grids, using pole-mounted sensors and machine learning to identify electrical failures before they trigger outages or wildfires. This week, IND secured a A$50 million (US$33.2 million) Series A, co-led by Angeleno Group and Energy Impact Partners, with backing from Virescent Ventures and Edison International. With deployments across six countries and major U.S. utilities as customers, IND plays a critical role in strengthening grid resilience as climate risks intensify.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Bailador Technology Investments
Bailador Technology Investments is a Sydney-based, ASX-listed venture fund founded in 2014, focused on backing proven, expansion-stage technology companies across Australia and New Zealand. Operating as a public-market VC, Bailador typically invests in SaaS, digital health, marketplaces, proptech, and AI-driven platforms, taking active minority stakes with board involvement. Recently, the fund boosted its portfolio value by A$13.3 million after lifting the valuations of telehealth platform Updoc and proptech PropHero. Its portfolio spans more than a dozen companies, including SiteMinder, Rosterfy, and Mosh. Led by co-founders David Kirk and Paul Wilson, Bailador plays a key role in scaling regional tech champions.
🤑 Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: The Startup Innovation Challenge 2026
Applications are now open for the Startup Innovation Challenge 2026 by Energie AG Oberösterreich, a global opportunity for startups building solutions in energy, AI, and sustainability. Apply by 4 January 2026 to compete for up to $50,000 in PoC funding, hands-on collaboration with an energy utility, and access to technical experts and real-world data; collaboration is primarily remote, with optional engagement in Austria. The program targets early- to growth-stage startups and professional teams ready to pilot validated solutions, with Pitch Day scheduled for March 2026. Apply now to partner with an established energy group and accelerate your path to enterprise deployment.
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