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Brighter Super backs $50m Queensland innovation in partnership with QIC

28 July 2025

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L-R Brighter Super CEO Kate Farrar, Finance Minister Ros Bates, Treasurer David Janetzki and QIC Private Equity Head of Asia Pacific Crystal Russell

Brighter Super will make investments in emerging Queensland startups as part of a $50 million partnership with Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC). The startup landscape in Queensland is growing substantially, with proven business success stories, a highly active start-up and innovation community, strong university research institutes and incubators, and innovation-supporting programs.

Leveraging QIC’s experience managing innovation programs on behalf of the Queensland Government and global portfolios for institutional clients, the partnership aims to capture the potential in the next wave of successful Queensland business leaders to drive productivity. 

The Brighter Super mandate will invest in startups aiming to deliver strong investment returns, drive job creation, and have a positive impact on Queensland’s innovation landscape and future economy.

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Video: Nick Guest, Partner QIC, and Kate Farrar, Chief Executive Officer Brighter Super, announce $50 million Queensland mandate.

Brighter Super Chief Executive Officer Kate Farrar said she was excited to announce the partnership with QIC, with whom Brighter Super have a longstanding relationship. Together, Brighter Super and QIC are working to invest Queenslanders’ retirement savings back into the state’s economy.

“This partnership reinforces Brighter Super’s commitment to investing in Queensland under our Queensland Investment Strategy to support our local communities and members by allocating capital to meaningful Queensland-based opportunities,” Ms Farrar said. “We believe that investing in these businesses has the potential to produce strong returns for Brighter Super’s members whilst contributing positively to Queensland’s economy and productivity.”

Last year, Brighter Super announced its Queensland Investment Strategy focused on investing an additional $500 million in Queensland assets in the next three to five years, on top of the $1 billion already invested in the state.

QIC Chief Executive Officer Kylie Rampa said the partnership connects capital, capability and a commitment to Queensland. 

“Since 2016, QIC has invested in more than 85 local businesses, enabling exceptional founders to create over 1,300 jobs building real-world solutions within a thriving, sustainable ecosystem,” Ms Rampa said. “Now, leveraging this capability and a dedicated local team, QIC is proud to manage this mandate on behalf of, and for the benefit of, Brighter Super members.”

Supporting high-growth businesses in Queensland

The mandate will invest alongside the QIC-managed Queensland Business Investment Fund (QBIF), supporting innovative Queensland companies across a range of sectors benefitting from high growth thematics such as Artificial Intelligence, Digitisation, Agtech, Healthtech and frontier tech.

Providing capital to support businesses as they progress from early commercial traction all the way to scaling and market leadership, the mandate’s investments will have attributes such as: 

  • At the time of investment, having significant Queensland growth potential, such as growing operations in Queensland, expanding in Queensland or relocating headquarters to Queensland
  • Aligning to the economic strength and strategic priorities of Queensland
  • Driving innovation or technology, demonstrable traction and a capacity to build a scaled global business
  • Demonstratable product market fit and revenue traction

Initial investments under the mandate will include autonomous agriculture pioneers SwarmFarm Robotics, and Attekus, Australia’s leading booking and event management platform provider tailored to local councils and government.

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SwarmFarm Robotics, founded by Queensland farmers Andrew and Jocie Bate, is pioneering autonomous agriculture with its SwarmBots - lightweight, app-controlled robots that help farmers cut chemical usage and boost productivity.

Founded in 2017 by Tom Muller and Andrew Cutler, Attekus emerged from their experience at TechnologyOne, where they identified a significant gap in the market for a modern, efficient booking and event management platform tailored to local governments.

The company’s flagship product, Bookable, automates and streamlines booking and event management processes for publicly owned assets and the broader community, offering features like automated pricing, invoicing, waitlist management, and seamless integration with existing council systems. The platform encourages accessibility and optimises costs for local government and public sector organisations.

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