We embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation as essential pathways to delivering positive impact.
Our innovators work tirelessly to do this; through critical therapeutics that save lives, disruptive technologies rising to meet global challenges, and programs which create safer, more inclusive communities, meaningful impact sits at the heart of innovation at the University of Sydney.
The Venture Investment team brings together the University of Sydney’s venture and investment capability to support the translation of research into scalable, high-impact companies.
We work with staff, students, alumni and affiliates to build ventures grounded in University of Sydney research and expertise, supporting their development from early concept through to commercial growth.
Through the Pre-Seed Fund, we invest up to $500,000 in early-stage opportunities, alongside providing expert guidance and access to the University’s innovation and enterprise ecosystem, which supports business, government, students, staff and alumni to transform ideas into solutions that create value and contribute to the common good.
Our Follow-on Fund invests in University of Sydney–linked companies with early traction and clear scale-up potential. It enables the University to remain an active investor in high-potential spinouts, attract co-investment, and support progression from research discovery to sustainable enterprise and market impact.
We also provide mentoring, strategic support and industry connections to support venture growth. Our focus spans high-potential sectors including AI, medical devices, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, frontier tech and clean technologies, contributing to a strong pipeline of globally relevant ventures.
From left to right: Venture Investment Team members Geoff, TJ and Noam. Photo credit: Seema Devashri.
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LinkGeoff is Head of Research Investment at the University of Sydney, where he leads venture investment activities that support the translation of research and innovation into high-impact companies. He works closely with researchers, founders and investors to identify, develop and fund promising opportunities emerging from the University, helping bridge the pathway from discovery to commercialisation.
Geoff brings extensive experience as a venture capital investor, entrepreneur, academic and adviser. Prior to joining the University, he managed Stoic Venture Capital's seed fund and invested as an angel investor in early-stage technology and life sciences ventures. Earlier in his career, he held academic appointments in the United States, Hong Kong and Australia, combining deep expertise in innovation, strategy and venture creation with a passion for turning research breakthroughs into real-world impact.
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TJ is a venture investor focused on helping innovations move out of the lab and into the real world.
She was previously an Investment Principal at a deep tech venture capital fund and incubator, where she backed early-stage startups and supported founders with strategic and board-level guidance.
With a background in biomedical science and commercialisation, TJ brings a practical approach to bridging research and market. She has also founded her own small business and makes angel investments, giving her experience on both sides of the table.
TJ is always on the lookout for founders who are deeply committed to solving meaningful problems.
Noam is a passionate biotech professional with over 20 years of scientific and executive experience across academic and commercial settings. An expert in commercialising innovative science, Noam bridges the gap between research and the commercial arena. She has led strategic, development, and operational activities in C-level positions, successfully securing funding from international venture capital firms in the US and Israel. Noam is also a strong advocate for empowering women in science and leadership.
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Deteqt makes chip-scale quantum magnetic sensors that scale from one chip to networks of thousands, with first uses in GPS-denied navigation and magnetic anomaly detection for subsea detection and mineral exploration. This new sensing modality can serve as the sensing infrastructure for autonomous systems, medical imaging, and beyond.
Sector: Quantum, Computing & Enabling Infrastructure
Deteqt is addressing a key barrier to quantum commercialisation: manufacturing scalability. Current quantum sensors rely on discrete, individually assembled components, which limits their size, durability and cost-effectiveness at scale.
Deteqt overcomes this by integrating a diamond quantum sensor with a custom CMOS chip, combining quantum sensing with established semiconductor manufacturing processes.
The company is building a global partner pipeline across defence, resources and healthcare, and is well positioned to translate Australian quantum research into a globally competitive platform.
Endo Axiom developing an oral insulin delivery platform with the potential to replace injections for people with Type 1 diabetes, affecting more than 8 million individuals globally.
Stage: Clinical-stage
Sector: Life Science & Biotech
Endo Axiom’s platform is designed to protect the oral insulin as it travels through the gastrointestinal tract and responds to digestion, delivering it to the liver through the route used by the body’s own insulin. Built on two decades of research and developed in partnership with CSIRO, the platform has broader applications across autoimmune and allergy-related conditions.
Endo Axiom is positioned to address a significant global market while advancing a new class of oral biologic therapies.
The clinical intelligence behind better mental health care. Innowell is the clinical intelligence layer for mental health services, turning every assessment, session and check-in into evidence that guides the right care, at the right intensity, at the right time.
Sector: MedTech & Digital Health
Built on 50+ peer-reviewed studies and 15 years of research with the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, Innowell supports measurement-based care. Through the Innowell mobile app, clients can complete assessments and check-ins at any time, set goals and see their own results over time, and everything flows back to their care team as evidence that helps clinicians make better-informed decisions. Clinical safety is built in: if a client's responses indicate elevated risk, including suicidal thoughts and behaviours, Innowell automatically notifies their care team, so clinicians can review, respond and adjust care to what the person needs.
Developed with young people through the Lived Experience Lab and with the clinicians who use it, Innowell helps services deliver more personalised, coordinated care across the mental health journey, including in regional and remote communities. For clinicians, Innowell integrates with Heidi Health, bringing AI scribing into the clinical workflow: Heidi drafts clinical notes for the clinician to review, so more of every session goes to care and less to documentation.
Since 2021, more than 5,000 clients have been supported through Innowell, with 38,000+ assessments across Australia and Canada, as health systems shift from counting sessions to measurement-based, outcomes-driven care.
Kinoxis Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders, including dementia and substance use disorders.
Sector: Life Science & Biotech
Its lead candidate, KNX100, is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, targeting an intracellular enzyme linked to both conditions and addressing significant unmet clinical need.
The company also has an earlier-stage program in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, valued at up to US$273 million, providing external validation and a pathway to global development. Kinoxis has secured over A$25 million in investment alongside substantial non-dilutive funding, and maintains a strong relationship with the University of Sydney to support ongoing pipeline development.
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Oli a maternal and fetal diagnostics company developing AI-enabled solutions to address a major unmet need in obstetric care. Oli aims to enable care teams to see what’s coming via a single maternal fetal monitoring device. Wireless, reliable and predictive intelligence gives clinicians the signal to act earlier and gives families the confidence to stay present.
Sector: MedTech & Digital Health
Oli is the first technology globally to identify patients at elevated risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) prior to delivery. PPH affects an estimated 14 million births each year and is the leading cause of preventable maternal death.
By providing clinicians with an early warning ahead of birth, Oli enables proactive intervention rather than reactive response. This supports improved clinical outcomes while reducing the cost and complexity of acute care. Baymatob is positioned to establish a new standard of care in obstetric monitoring, with clear pathways for adoption across hospital systems globally.
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Plasmaleap is advancing the decarbonisation of fertiliser production through a scalable, distributed manufacturing model developed in partnership with agribusiness and industry.
Sector: Climate Tech & Sustainability
Its modular technology enables on-farm and regional production of fertiliser, reducing reliance on centralised, emissions-intensive supply chains while improving cost efficiency and supply security.
The model is designed for scale across crops, geographies and international markets, supported by strong industry partnerships and early validation with end users.
Plasmaleap is positioned to capture value at the intersection of agriculture, energy transition and supply chain resilience, with a replicable platform for global deployment.
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Redbelly Network is a high-performance blockchain platform developed through collaboration between the University of Sydney, CSIRO’s Data61 and industry partners.
Sector: Quantum, Computing & Enabling Infrastructure
Its formally verified consensus algorithm enables faster, more secure transactions without the need for energy-intensive mining, addressing key limitations in scalability and efficiency across existing blockchain systems.
With the launch of its Mainnet, Redbelly enables the tokenisation and management of compliant on-chain assets, integrating identity and accountability at the transaction layer using zero-knowledge proofs and verifiable credentials. Positioned at the intersection of digital assets and regulated markets, Redbelly provides infrastructure for secure, transparent and scalable financial products, with strong potential for adoption across global asset issuers.
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Our spinout companies turn world-leading research into high growth businesses. They advance new technologies, attract investment, create skilled jobs, and deliver real impact across industry and society.
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