Deep Tech Adventures #10 ??

Welcome back to Main Sequence’s Deep Tech Adventures, the first edition of 2024! After taking a short hiatus, we’re back with a refreshed look to share updates and insights happening across our ecosystem.

This year has kicked off with a bang for Australia’s deep tech industry, from big acquisitions to big partnerships, our portfolio companies are taking 2024 by storm.

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Did you know we have a jobs and opportunities newsletter? Sign up here to stay up to date.

Researcher Office Hours

If you are a #scientist, #engineer or #researcher trying to commercialise your work, we’d love to invite you to join us for a virtual coffee and chat. Our team are running weekly Researcher Office Hours, book a time here.

Coming up ?

16th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS 2024)

Held in Brisbane, Australia from 19-21st November, the symposium's theme is New Frontiers: Harnessing AI, Automation and Robotics for Space Exploration and Earth's Challenges.?Hosted by CSIRO , this in-person event will mark the first time that this international Symposium will be hosted in Australia in its 25-year history.

Curious to learn more or exhibit? Take a look here.

Resources for... Startups ??

How to climb the deep tech ladder to success??

The world of #deeptech success can be an incredibly tricky one to navigate. Unfortunately, many of the tools, assets and solutions many Aussie startup founders rely on fail to recognise the nuances of the deep tech industry, catering primarily for mainstream software solutions.?

To ensure our deep tech founders are receiving the right opportunities, we partnered up with Tenacious Ventures to create the Deep Tech Customer Ladder, outlining the steps deep tech founders must take to achieve a successful go-to-market solution.

If you’re a startup founder beginning your deep tech journey, take a look at the full asset here or reach out to us here if you’re keen to chat more.?

In the Labs ??

Welcome to ‘In The Labs’ where we share exciting insights into what’s happening behind-the-scenes.

MILLIBEAM is building the world's most powerful next generation 5G chipsets. Australia’s first fully designed and engineered 5G Semiconductor Chipsets are undergoing testing at the MILLIBEAM 5G development lab in Sydney. The chips support traditional 5G (Sub 6Ghz) as well as the next generation mmWave high bandwidth 5G.?

The team is getting ready to start sampling 5G modules to telcos and OEMs later in the year and will be launching specialised mmWave chips for Defence, Radar and Satcomms in the coming year.

More information?here.

Funding News ??

• Gilmour Space Technologies :?Raised an additional AU$55M,?seeing their total valuation rise to AU$650M. More via The Australian Financial Review here.
• RIOS Intelligent Machines :?Raised an AU$19M Series B. More via the Robot Report here.??
• Amber Electric :?Raised AU$29M in a Series C funding round.?More via The Australian here.
• Cauldron Ferm :?Raised AU$9.5M in a Series A. More via Future Alternative?here.
• Arlula : Received an AU$427,500 grant from the Moon to Mars Chain Capability Improvement Grants program.?More via InnovationAus here.

The Big Question ??

What will 2024 bring for SynBio??

The What: Kicking off a big year for the #bioengineering industry, CSIRO and Main Sequence partnered to publish Australia’s updated 2023 SynBio Roadmap.

The Opportunity: The industry could unlock $30B in revenue & 50K new jobs for Australia by 2040. With 16+ new synthetic biology-enabled startups and spinouts created since 2021, there’s a big opportunity for Australia to take advantage of the sector.?

The Challenge: Building Australia’s #SynBio slipstream needs continued community building and additional funding avenues across both private and public sectors.?

Where we fit in: Since 2021, Main Sequence has supported over a dozen startups with deep roots in SynBio, with those companies raising over $100M in funding and over 130 jobs. This includes Cauldron Ferm , Xylo Bio , Samsara Eco and more.

Where YOU fit in: Do you have a unique startup in bioengineering or are you curious to learn more? Take a look at the report at the link here?or lock in some time to speak with Main Sequence’s Jason Whitfield to learn more here.

Portfolio Highlights??

?? Loam Bio : Expanded into the U.S. with its microbial carbon capture technology, CarbonBuilder, and farmer-first carbon program, SecondCrop, now available to American farmers.

?? Cauldron Ferm : Founder Michele Stansfield was included in Women Agenda's list of women who will define 2024.?

?? Uluu : Announced its first commercial collaboration with Quiksilver.?

?? v2food : Acquired local ready-meal brand Soulara to offer greater meat-free food choices for consumers.

?? Morse Micro : Partnered with Zetifi to launch next-generation remote-area connectivity solution.?

?? Kasada : CEO Sam Crowther spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about how their unique bot-stopping technology is set to change how we look after ourselves online. They also spoke to The Project about the rise of bots being used for major concert tickets.?

??? Quasar Satellite Technologies : Welcomed Ilana Feain as co-CEO alongside co-CEO Phil Ridley , stepping into the role from her previous position as Chief Growth Officer.?

?? The EVERY Company : CEO and founder, Arturo Elizondo , shared his predictions with Forbes on the role of deep tech innovation for a more sustainable food system.

?? Regrow Ag : Deepened its global partnership with Cargill to support Australian canola farmers in adopting climate-smart practices.

?? Samsara Eco : Launched a new product with Lululemon, successfully recycling nylon 6,6 for the first time ever.

?? RapidAIM Pty Ltd : Co-Founder and CEO Nancy Schellhorn, PhD shared her insights on how diversity of thinking helps us understand the challenge of building resilient ecosystems.?

?? Practera : Was the EdTech delivery partner of the Study Australia Industry Experience Program which won gold for Oceania at the global QS Reimagine Education Awards.

??? Coviu Global : Announced partnerships with Next Level Speech Therapy in the US and CareRight by Clintel Systems in Australia.

?? Q-CTRL : Partnered with the United States Geological Survey to improve capabilities for science that impact natural resources, geologic hazards, and ecosystems.?

?? Endua : Was awarded in the Hydrogen Innovation Challenge by Smart Energy Council.?

?? MGA Thermal : CEO Mark Croudace spoke with the Sydney Morning Herald to look at technology solutions to the looming energy storage crisis.

?? Trellis Data : Expanded into Adelaide, injecting an estimated $100M into the SA economy.

?? Prospection : Appeared on the AWS Health Innovation podcast, diving deep into Prospection's journey with AI and how patient-centric intelligence can improve patient outcomes.

?? Gilmour Space Technologies : Completed final preparations on its sovereign orbital system, Eris.

?? Advanced Navigation : Launched into space as a key component of Space Machines Company’s Orbital Service Vehicle.

News from the home base ??

Welcoming Elaine Stead to the Main Sequence team!?

Building the future of deep tech in Australia requires many hands, which is why we’re thrilled to welcome the experienced and incredible Elaine Stead to the Main Sequence team.

Elaine will be heavily involved in unearthing opportunities for Main Sequence’s investment challenge: “Reach Humanity Scale Healthcare.”?

Elaine’s appointment underscores our commitment to fostering transformative technologies and building the next generation of deep tech innovation.

Find out more about?why Elaine's joining Main Sequence in her Medium post here.?

Jobs ??

There are hundreds of exciting job opportunities available within our portfolio. Find your next career adventure on our jobs board or sign up for our jobs and opportunities newsletter.?Highlights include:?

• VP of Manufacturing at The EVERY Company
• Mechatronics Engineer at Morse Micro
• Senior Platform Engineer - Australia at Regrow Ag