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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
- Advanced Navigation demonstratedits Boreas D90 system in a U.S. Army trial, proving resilient navigation under GPS jamming with minimal error.
- Silicon Quantum Computing launched Quantum Twins, a quantum simulator to accelerate materials and molecular discovery.
- AdvanCell and 48Hour Discovery partnered to develop and license a Lead-212 radiotherapeutic targeting gastrointestinal cancer.
- QuantX Labs, Adelaide University, and Defence Trailblazer completed a project to advance optical atomic clocks for resilient defence and space timing.
- Annature launched an FDA 21 CFR Part 11–compliant eSignature module for life sciences and biotech electronic records.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Firmus Technologies secured a A$100 million strategic investment from Maas Group to accelerate its sovereign AI infrastructure platform.
- Diraq received A$20 million from the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation to advance quantum computing in Australia.
- Cybersecurity startup Nullify raised US$12.5 million in a round led by SYN Ventures to scale its autonomous AI workforce.
- CorePlan secured A$5 million in a follow-on funding round led by EVP to modernize global mining operations.
- Teacher's Buddy closed a NZ$2.3 million seed round from Soul Capital and Giant Leap to expand its AI EdTech platform globally.
💰️ IPO and M&A Watch
- US-based Aura acquired Australian online safety firm Qoria in a US$2.1 billion deal to create a global leader in digital safety.
- Vena agreed to acquire Acterys to create the first Microsoft-native orchestrated planning platform combining Excel-based FP&A with Power BI and Fabric analytics.
- WRKR completed its acquisition of PaidRight, significantly expanding its compliance platform into real-time payroll and pay compliance.
🏦 About Investors
- Square Peg Capital secured a A$650 million first close for Fund 6 and Opportunities Fund 3 to back Australian and Asia Pacific technology startups at scale.
- Pie Funds partnered with Altered Capital, giving KiwiSaver members access to high-growth private New Zealand technology firms.
- Pinnacle Investment Management is set to replace the remaining external shareholders in Pacific Asset Management.
🚀 Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
Firmus Technologies
Firmus Technologies is an Australia-based AI infrastructure builder focused on delivering sovereign, large-scale facilities for next-generation computing. The company develops vertically integrated AI factories, covering power, cooling, and system modules to support hyperscale and enterprise AI workloads. Firmus recently secured a A$100 million strategic investment from Maas Group Holdings, part of a broader capital injection that pushed its equity raised above A$800 million, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure plays in the country. Led by co-CEOs Oliver Curtis and Tim Rosenfield, the company is expanding domestic manufacturing capacity, partnering with local industrial players, and scaling facilities capable of supporting up to 1.5 GW annually. Firmus aims to anchor Australia’s sovereign AI supply chain and position the country as a global AI infrastructure builder.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Square Peg Capital
Square Peg Capital, founded in 2012 in Sydney, is an early-stage venture capital firm known for backing tech founders in Australia and New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Israel then doubling down through follow-on rounds. Led by co-founder and partner Paul Bassat, the firm recently secured an A$650 million first close across Fund 6 and Opportunities Fund 3, and began deploying capital ahead of final close. The new vehicles already supported portfolio leader Airwallex in its US$500 million Series G, underscoring Square Peg’s strategy of repeated, high-conviction investing.
🤑 Opportunities Expiring Soon
UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator (Pre X)
- 📢 Organizer: UNSW Founders
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Stage Agnostic
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 16, 2026
ACU Co-Lab Startup Pre-Accelerator Program
- 📢 Organizer: Australian Catholic University (ACU)
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator, Award/Prize, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Ideation, Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 15, 2026
Programa de Aceleração de Startups do Grupo Boticário (GB Ventures)
- 📢 Organizer: GB Ventures (Grupo Boticário)
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Revenue-generating, Seed, Pre-Series A
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Retail & Consumer, Health & Life Sciences, Finance & Insurance
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 11, 2026
Y Combinator — Spring 2026 Batch
- 📢 Organizer: Y Combinator
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 10, 2026
xG-Incubator
- 📢 Organizer: xG-Incubator
- 🗂️ Category: Incubator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Connectivity & Networks, DeepTech
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 9, 2026
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