Brandon BioCatalyst's CUREator+ distributes $13.5M in grants
What's the deal? Six biomedical and health tech startups are sharing $13.5 million from the second investment round of CUREator+, a commercialisation program backed by Australia's Medical Research Future FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (MRFF). The recipients span Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia.
Who got what? Aleris TherapeuticsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Frontier Inflammasome TherapeuticsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Luma BioDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → each received $2.5 million. Navier MedicalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → received $2,130,609, NeurotologixDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → $1.95 million, and WeGuideDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → $1,945,111.
What are they building? The startups cover inflammatory disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, and AI-enabled digital health. Luma Bio works on peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals for cancer, while Navier Medical develops AI-enabled cardiac CT risk markers to predict heart attacks.
What's the endgame? CUREator+, run by Brandon BioCatalystDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → with ANDHealth, offers non-dilutive capital, commercialisation support, and industry network access. It aims to speed development of therapeutics, medical devices, and digital health tools.
Why now? Program head Dr Amanda Vrselja said Australia produces outstanding medical research, but too many discoveries struggle to access the capital and support needed to reach patients. "By combining milestone-based funding with experienced commercialisation support, we're enabling founders to build investable companies capable of delivering global healthcare impact from Australian innovation," she said.
In their words: Navier Medical CEO Sander Bangma said the funding will support clinical trials, platform development, and commercial readiness. "Preventing heart attacks starts with seeing the disease earlier," he said, describing a platform that turns routine CT scans into a tool for early detection.
The signal: The round reflects a growing push to bridge Australia's gap between research and commercialisation, using non-dilutive, milestone-based funding to move early-stage biomedical work closer to patients and investors.
Image credit: U.S. Navy Medicine
