From workplace feedback platforms to hypersonic defence technology, this week saw a diverse range of startups secure significant funding across multiple sectors.
Companies raised a combined total exceeding $93 million, with investments spanning HR tech, government services, sustainable materials, healthcare, and aerospace innovation. Here’s a comprehensive look at the week’s most notable funding announcements.
Huckleberry secures $2.1M
Huckleberry, a pioneering voice-based 360 feedback platform, announced it has closed a NZD$2.1 million pre-seed funding round. The investment, led by Oregon Venture Fund with participation from Archangel Ventures and prominent tech founders including Nathan Christensen (CEO of Mineral), Rowan Simpson (TradeMe), and Serge Van Dam (M-Com), will fuel the company’s mission to democratize workplace feedback beyond traditional leadership assessments.
Founded by Aaron Ward and Diogo Böhm, Huckleberry is revolutionizing how employees share feedback by replacing time-consuming written surveys with conversational voice input. The platform’s AI-powered system listens to spoken feedback, provides guidance, and generates actionable insights in minutes, eliminating the burden of lengthy annual surveys and complex reports that have long plagued traditional feedback systems.
Kaizen raises $21M
Kaizen has secured $21 million in Series A funding to continue its work rebuilding America’s aging government digital infrastructure. The round was led by NEA, with backing from 776, Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, and Carpenter Capital, bringing the company’s total raised to $35 million following an earlier $11 million seed round co-led by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism practice.
The startup is tackling the widely acknowledged shortcomings of government technology platforms, which have fallen generations behind private sector standards despite facilitating services critical to the nation’s social fabric. Kaizen’s approach focuses on creating beautifully designed, user-friendly e-government solutions that aim to restore public confidence in government services by removing digital barriers and modernizing citizen engagement one agency at a time.
Uluu raises $16M Series A
Uluu has attracted $16 million in Series A funding to advance its groundbreaking technology that converts seaweed into a natural plastic alternative for industrial applications. German growth investor Burda Principal Investments led the round, joined by Main Sequence, Novel Investments (representing one of the world’s largest textile groups), Startmate, and a consortium of impact and family investors including Fairground and Trinity Ventures.
The capital will fund construction of a demonstration plant to scale the company’s seaweed-to-material technology. Uluu is also planning a commercial-scale facility capable of producing thousands of tonnes annually to supply major global markets, positioning the startup at the forefront of sustainable materials innovation.
Human Health raises $8.5M
Human Health, a patient care tracking platform founded by Canva alumni, has closed an $8.5 million funding round to support its international expansion. UK-based LocalGlobe led the investment, with continued support from existing backers Airtree, Skip Capital, Aliavia, and Scale Ventures, alongside notable angel investors including Cricket Health’s Arvind Rajan, former Kantar CEO Eric Salama, and OIF’s David Shein.
The platform enables patients to monitor and manage their health journeys more effectively, and the fresh capital will help the company extend its reach into new markets beyond its current operations.
Hypersonix Launch Systems secures $46M
Brisbane-based Hypersonix Launch Systems has raised $46 million in Series A funding as it develops hydrogen-powered aircraft engines and hypersonic Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, with NASA preparing to test its 3D-printed innovations. The substantial round was led by UK national security investor High Tor Capital, with participation from European defence giant Saab, Polish family office RKKVC, the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (contributing $10 million in its inaugural defence sector investment), and Queensland Investment Corporation.
The funding values the defence technology company at $141 million and will accelerate development of its cutting-edge propulsion systems and hypersonic vehicle platforms, positioning Australia as a significant player in next-generation aerospace and defence capabilities.
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