Melt Ventures

Melt Ventures is an Australian venture capital firm founded in 2021 and based in Newcastle, Australia — the first dedicated early-stage Advanced Manufacturing Fund structured as an ESVCLP (Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership) in the country. Managing Partners Trent Bagnall (founder of Slingshot Accelerator and chair of Camplify) and Steph Hinds (established angel investor) lead a team of 11 including three partners. The firm operates from the conviction that hardware is the new software, backing advanced manufacturing-focused Australian startups with global ambitions. Melt Ventures leads rounds and writes checks from $100,000 to $1.5 million at pre-seed and seed stages. The firm completed a $10 million first close with a target of $20 to $30 million. A separate $10 million climate technology fund focuses exclusively on hardware companies. The firm maintains a minimum 50 percent impact target, seeking companies capable of achieving at least 1 million tonnes of CO2 avoidance within three to five years. Across approximately 20 investments, covered sectors include clean technology, hardware and robotics, energy, agritech, advanced materials, sensors, automation, and deep tech. Portfolio companies include National Renewable Network (alternative energy, August 2025), Dingo Technology (September 2025), Newera Bio, MGA Thermal (follow-on investment), Extraterrestrial Power (aerospace), and Embeint (business software). The firm's dual-fund structure — one broad advanced manufacturing vehicle and one climate-dedicated hardware fund — reflects Melt's belief that Australia's engineering talent and natural resource base create a credible foundation for deep-tech hardware companies serving global markets. No exits have been recorded as the fund is still early in its investment lifecycle.