Breakthrough Victoria
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$11M Series B funding for Conflux’s innovative 3D printed heat exchangers
Heat exchanger 3D printing specialist Conflux Technology has raised $11 million in Series B funding. Led by Breakthrough Victoria, with support from AM Ventures and Acorn Capital, this capital will accelerate the development of lighter, more efficient heat exchangers and improve customer support across key markets. By focusing on these developments, the company aims to help industries meet sustainability goals while reducing their environmental impact.
With the new funding, Conflux plans to accelerate the development of its Conflux Production Systems (CPS), an advanced manufacturing solution for producing additively manufactured heat exchangers. This automated system is designed to replace traditional manufacturing processes, streamlining production, improving efficiency, and minimizing supply chain risks. Industries such as motorsports, defense, and e-mobility are expected to benefit significantly from these innovations.
Consequently, Conflux is also collaborating with Odys Aviation highlighting the company’s role in advancing next-generation aerospace technology. Together, they are working on a heat recuperator turbogenerator system that could reduce fuel consumption by more than 40%.
Liquid Instruments secures $12M in funding to expand manufacturing
Liquid Instruments, a leading innovator of reconfigurable test instrumentation, announced that it has secured a new round of funding totaling $12 million, led by a $10 million investment from Breakthrough Victoria, with other investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures, Acorn Capital, and Powerhouse Ventures. This funding will enable Liquid Instruments to significantly expand its manufacturing operations in Australia, establish a new office in Melbourne, and scale its global operations while supporting regional economic growth.
Founded in Australia in 2014, Liquid Instruments develops reconfigurable test and measurement devices to support and accelerate critical scientific research and development in a range of applications, from optics and photonics to aerospace and defense. The company’s flexible Moku platform leverages the processing power and versatility of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to integrate a complete suite of test instruments — from bench essentials like an oscilloscope to advanced tools like a lock-in amplifier — into a single, compact device. Liquid Instruments’ technology is rooted in decades of fundamental research at leading Australian universities, as well as the Australia-based ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the United States.
Samsara Eco raises $54M AUD for its ‘infinite plastic recycling’ tech
Samsara Eco, an Australian startup that uses enzyme-based technology to break down plastic into its core molecules, announced today it has raised $54 million AUD (about $34.7 million USD) in Series A funding. The company is planning to build its first plastic recycling facility in Melbourne later this year, with the target of full-scale production by 2023.
Samsara’s new funding will be used for expansion, building its library of plastic-eating enzymes and funding its first commercial facility, which it says will be able to infinitely recycle 20,000 tons of plastic starting in 2024. It will also grow its engineering team and expand operations into Europe and North America.