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Canberra-based defence technology company Seitec has secured a $4 million investment led by ACTivate Capital, as the passive sensing specialist prepares to expand into international allied markets and scale its local workforce.
Canberra defence technology company Seitec has secured a $4 million investment from a consortium led by ACTivate Capital, alongside Beaten Zone Venture Partners and the University of NSW.
The funding will support Seitec’s international expansion, product development and workforce growth as demand increases among allied nations for advanced passive sensing technology.
Seitec’s systems are designed to detect, classify and monitor activity in complex and contested environments without revealing the user’s position, providing defence and government operators with a low-signature sensing capability.
Founded in Canberra by former Royal Australian Air Force veteran Daniel Stevens, Seitec was established to address operational challenges encountered by Defence personnel in demanding environments.
The company has since expanded into defence, security and critical infrastructure markets, developing sensing technologies intended to provide earlier detection while reducing operational risk.
As lead investor, ACTivate Capital has committed $1.5 million from its $23 million fund. The broader investment will enable Seitec to expand its Canberra-based team, accelerate product development and strengthen its presence across key allied markets.
ACTivate Capital chairman Mick Cardew-Hall said Seitec represents the type of high-growth Australian technology company the fund was established to support.
“Seitec represents exactly the type of company ACTivate Capital was established to back,” Cardew-Hall said. “It’s an ACT company with globally competitive technology, early customer validation and the potential to become a sovereign defence capability with international reach.”
He said international exports would be critical to Australia’s ability to build and sustain a competitive sovereign defence industry. “Australia can’t rely on domestic demand alone to grow and sustain this sector,” Cardew-Hall said.
Seitec CEO Daniel Stevens said the company’s technology had emerged from a practical Defence requirement. “Seitec started because existing sensors kept failing in environments where failure isn’t an option,” Stevens said. “Our technology gives defence and government agencies earlier detection and reduced risk.”
The investment comes amid increasing private-sector investment in Australia’s defence technology industry, with exports identified as an important component of developing a sustainable sovereign industrial base.
ACTivate Capital was established to commercialise Canberra’s research and technology ecosystem, with an initial $23 million fund that can grow to $50 million.
Backed by the ACT government, UNSW Canberra, Epicorp and local family offices, the fund targets early-stage technology companies with strong ACT connections and international growth potential.
For Seitec, the latest investment provides capital to scale a Canberra-developed defence technology business while pursuing opportunities across Australia’s growing network of allied markets.
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