UNSW teams up with Luminary Partners for $3.6m deep tech startup boost
Australia’s largest university-backed accelerator has secured major funding to drive breakthroughs in health, defence and climate innovation.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has partnered with venture capital firm Luminary Partners to commit $3.6 million in funding for startups emerging from its accelerator programs.
The partnership between UNSW Founders and Luminary Partners will see $200,000 invested into 18 startup companies in 2025.
According to David Burt, director of entrepreneurship at UNSW Founders, this collaboration represents the largest public–private partnership between a university-based accelerator and a venture capital firm in Australia.
"As a philanthropically funded accelerator, UNSW Founders depends on partnerships like this to turn groundbreaking ideas into high-growth ventures," said Burt. "Physical product innovation needs more than just capital–it needs access to infrastructure like prototyping labs, clean rooms and testing facilities."
