Steven Maarbani

Are you a NSW startup looking to commercialise your innovative product? Unlock your potential with the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) Ventures Program! The MVP Ventures Program is a NSW Government grant to support businesses bring new innovations to market. A total of $3 million is available each year for the next four years starting this financial year. There will be three application rounds for funding throughout 2025-26. The program will offer two funding streams, with a tailored stream for businesses founded by women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and regional entrepreneurs to address systemic barriers to raising required co-contribution funding. ◾ Stream 1 is available for all eligible businesses with a maximum grant of $50,000 and a minimum co-contribution of 50%. ◾ Stream 2 is available for eligible women-owned businesses, regional businesses and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses with a maximum grant of $75,000 and a minimum co-contribution of 25%. Applications for Round 1 of the 2025-26 MVP Ventures Program will open on Monday 1 September 2025. To check your eligibility and how to submit your application visit: https://lnkd.in/gkhPdR55 #NSWIndustryPolicy #InnovationBlueprint #StartupSupport #MVPVenturesProgram 

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Big news. Airtree have just announced their new $250M Seed fund and $400M Growth fund which will be used exclusively to back Kiwi & Aussie founders. Another huge win for the NZ / AUS tech ecosystem 🚀 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gWZiiuRn

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Why Labor’s unrealised gains tax proposal is a dangerous move for all Australians. From 10% to 30%: A tripling of the CGT burden. Under the current superannuation tax framework, capital gains on assets held for more than 12 months within a fund — including SMSFs — are effectively taxed at 10%, thanks to the one-third CGT discount applied to the standard 15% super tax rate. Labor’s proposal would scrap that discount and apply a flat 30% tax rate on all earnings — including unrealised capital gains — for fund balances over $3 million. That’s a tripling of the effective capital gains tax burden on superannuation investments, and it applies even when the gain hasn’t been realised, and no income has been received. Under the proposal, SMSF trustees could be forced to sell assets just to pay a tax bill on money they don’t yet have. It’s the kind of policy that punishes responsible, long-term investing and rewards short-term liquidity over smart strategy.

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Climate tech startup Vycarb has raised $5 million in seed funding. The money will help the company develop its new method of capturing and storing carbon using natural waters. SGInnovate is one of the investors in this funding round. The funding round was led by Australia’s Twynam. Other investors included MOL Switch LLC, Hatch Blue, Clocktower Ventures, Idemitsu, and SGInnovate. Garrett Boudinot | Lindsey Dukles | Jason Glover | Greg Humphries | Lydi Keppler | Prafull Moona | Matt Pfeiffer | Farhana Rahman | Benjamin Smith 🔗 Read full article link in comment #vycarb #climatetech #startupnews #funding #businessupdate

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🎉 No VC funding? No worries. For Aussie founders, access to capital can feel like the biggest barrier but you don’t have to give up equity to keep building momentum. There are a host of grants specifically for startups, tech, and innovation-driven businesses, covering everything from early-stage funding and R&D to commercialisation, export readiness, and climate-smart innovation. Too often, founders overlook grants, thinking the process is too hard (or hidden), but as this handy SmartCompany roundup shows, there's useful non-dilutive funding out there if you know where to look. Tips: 1. Match your funding ask to clear milestones, don’t just chase big numbers. Treat grant funders like investors: show outcomes, ROI, and alignment. 2. Start your grant search before you need it because success takes planning and researching and writing grant applications can take waaaay longer than you/I expect. 3. If making words pretty isn't your thing, engage a grant writer to do your grant application while you keep your startup moving forward Check out the full list of open grants and funding deadlines, including CSIRO Kick-Start, Seed-Start Grant, Female Founders Co-Investment Fund, WFP Innovation Challenge, and more, thanks to SmartCompany: https://lnkd.in/gHtHwPrD

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