Main Sequence

What if commanding a fleet of autonomous drones was as simple as speaking? 🗣️ That’s what Breaker and Rheinmetall have demonstrated, bringing voice-controlled tactical orchestration to the Australian Army’s Boxer reconnaissance vehicle. In trials, crew members with less than 30 minutes of training used their voices to command autonomous drones while operating the 30-tonne vehicle. The result? Less cognitive load, fewer interfaces to manage and more attention on the mission. It’s a practical example of how autonomous software can change the way people work with robotic systems, making it easier to direct multiple machines without adding more screens and controllers to the mix. You can read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g9N9AQM2

Competing with global powerhouses like IBM and Microsoft doesn’t mean leaving your roots behind. 🌏 Diraq is proving that global ambition and home-grown talent can go hand in hand. Diraq has advanced to the final stage of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative in the US, earning its place alongside some of the biggest names in quantum computing. For founder Andrew Dzurak, the opportunity is clear: “I definitely don’t see it as an either/or. I see it as a win-win. Australia has a phenomenal talent pool, particularly in quantum computing and quantum technologies generally.” By combining that expertise with the scale of the US defence and semiconductor ecosystem, Diraq is positioning itself to take its research further, faster. We have a feeling this is just the beginning… 🌟 #DeepTech #Quantum

Australian deep tech needs more than capital to make the leap from breakthrough research to commercial impact. It needs access to industry, opportunities to prove its technology in the real world and customers who can help take it to market. 🤝 That is the thinking behind our newly formalised MOU with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), part of its new Industry Decarbonisation Funding Initiative. 🇸🇬 These MOUs aren’t a funding arrangement. They establish a basis for collaboration: sharing perspectives, connecting our portfolio companies with Singapore’s industrial ecosystem, and building real pathways to scale — including pilots, first customers, and a gateway into Southeast Asia. For us, backing Australian research remains the priority. But commercialising deep tech takes more than developing great technology. It takes the right partners, markets and a chance to show what that technology can actually do in the real world. Our Partner Phil Morle shares more on what this corridor means for the future of deep tech: https://lnkd.in/g6Ghgn-m #DeepTech

How do you secure an organisation when AI agents can operate inside its systems? That was one of the questions on the table at Ascend ‘26 last week, where Gabrielle Munzer joined Matthew Zwolenski from Wiz, ☁️ Stefan Avgoustakis from Google Cloud Security, and Chantelle P. and Nick Tamblyn from Liarbird for a discussion on cyber in the age of AI. 🔐 We learnt that perimeter defence alone won’t cut it. Protecting an organisation means embedding continuous governance and active controls straight into developer workflows, so teams can ship quickly without introducing critical risk. From our portfolio, Liarbird and Aigentsphere brought two practical perspectives to the room. Chantelle and Nick explored how deception-based defence can help organisations respond when attackers get through, while Quinton Anderson showed how AI agents can help startups tackle security with lean teams. Thanks to Wiz and Stone & Chalk for bringing the community together. 👏 #CyberSecurity #DeepTech

Two of our portfolio companies have been recognised in LinkedIn News Australia's Top Startups Australia 2026 list! 👏  🤖 Andromeda: Grace Brown and the team have built Andromeda into a robotics company tackling elder loneliness and care staffing shortages. Following Australia’s largest rollout of empathetic humanoid companion robots, deploying 22 Abis across mecwacare residential homes to support over 1,500 seniors, the team is now expanding into the US. ⚛️ Diraq: Led by Andrew Dzurak, Diraq is proving that standard silicon manufacturing is the fastest to commercial quantum computing. After recently opening two new hubs in the US, the team is working towards building a utility-scale quantum computer by 2031. Two very different problems united by the same idea: deep tech, built patiently into real companies, changes how the world works. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/AUTopStartups26 #DeepTech #LinkedInTopStartups

Quantum computing is one of the most consequential bets in deep tech right now. We’re proud to have participated in Universal Quantum’s US$100M+ Series A. ⚛️ Founded by Professors Sebastian Weidt and Winfried Hensinger, co-authors of the first practical blueprint for a large-scale trapped-ion quantum computer, Universal Quantum has spent nearly a decade translating that research into an engineering platform. Its modular design uses advanced integrated chips with patented interconnect technology to link quantum chips into larger systems. Combined with purpose-built chiplet arrays, this approach aims to reduce engineering risk and accelerate the development of quantum computers capable of practical, error-corrected computation. The company now has operations across three continents and paying customers, including a US$77M contract with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Quantum sits at the heart of our compute thesis and we believe the next intelligence leap will depend on machines that can solve problems classical computers simply can’t. Find out more about Universal Quantum in the comments. 👇

We’re proud to share that Elaine Stead has been promoted to Partner. Elaine has been the driving force behind our healthcare thesis since joining us in 2024. She’s led investments across therapeutics for substance use disorders and dementia, CAR-T cell therapies for solid tumours, immune-rebalancing treatments for IBD, next-generation neurotherapeutics, and non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring. In Elaine’s words: “Australia has one of the best track records in the world for health and medical innovation. This country has repeatedly produced transformative science, and we have the clinical research environment to keep doing it.” As we gear up for our fourth fund, with two unicorns under our belt, Elaine embodies the leadership, conviction, and perspective that leads our company builders to success. Please join us in congratulating Elaine on this well-deserved milestone. 👏 #DeepTech #HealthTech #VentureCapital

Last month, we gathered founders, investors, and builders for Deep Tech Week 2026. 🚀 Two days of candid conversations, real-world demos, and zero fluff about what it takes to scale breakthrough science into national capability. Check out the highlights 👇 #DeepTech #DTW2026

Australia has always had world-class quantum research. Now, we’re converting that science into a global commercial advantage by navigating two distinct challenges. ⚛️ First, funding timelines, which vary wildly across the stack. Quantum sensing is generating revenue right now, while full-scale computing requires patient, multi-year lead times. Investors need to understand which game they’re backing. Second, retaining local momentum. As our fastest-growing startups win massive offshore contracts, like Diraq recently securing $73M from DARPA, our ecosystem needs the capital and infrastructure so founders can win globally without leaving home behind. Alejandra Romero unpacks this and more in the latest 2026 ANZOS Photonic and Quantum Technologies in Australia and New Zealand report. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eVE-HsQc #DeepTech #Quantum

How do companies build security from day zero, without a dedicated team? 🔐 The old path of hiring developers, shipping an MVP and adding security later no longer works. Organisations need an autonomous security foundation so their first security hire can build on solid ground rather than starting from scratch. We’ll unpack this blueprint on stage at Ascend ‘26. Gabrielle Munzer joins Matt Preswick from Wiz, Stefan Avgoustakis from Google Cloud, as well as Chantelle P. and Nick Tamblyn from Liarbird. After the panel, watch the stage turn into a live showcase where Liarbird, Aigentsphere, and Kasada will demonstrate real-time solutions for agent identity, perimeter defence and active deception. Register for tickets here 👉 https://lnkd.in/g_qWNZFK #CyberSecurity #DeepTech