Eight investors back Perth mining tech startups in 2026. BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue run active corporate VC arms. METS Ignited writes the first cheque for early-stage mining software.
Perth is the world's mining technology capital. BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, and Mineral Resources all run corporate VC arms from Perth.
Mining tech is different from every other startup sector. Your first customer is usually also your first investor.
Corporate VCs in Perth move slower than independent VCs but write larger cheques. METS Ignited and Austmine unlock early access to corporate decision-makers before a formal VC relationship.
This guide covers 8 active Perth mining tech investors and how to approach each in 2026.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHP Ventures | Corporate VC | A$500K-A$20M | Mining tech, automation, safety | bhp.com |
| Rio Tinto Ventures | Corporate VC | A$500K-A$20M | Mining automation, sustainability | riotinto.com |
| Fortescue Future Industries | Corporate VC/grants | A$500K-A$50M | Green tech, mining innovation | ffi.com.au |
| Mineral Resources | Corporate investment | A$500K-A$10M | Mining services, technology | mineralresources.com.au |
| Acorn Capital | Listed investment company | A$500K-A$5M | Mining tech, ASX-listed | acorncapital.com.au |
| Main Sequence Ventures | Deep tech VC | A$500K-A$10M | Mining tech, CSIRO-backed | mainsequence.vc |
| METS Ignited | Government industry fund | A$50K-A$2M | Mining equipment tech services | metsignited.com.au |
| Austmine | Industry association/fund | A$50K-A$500K | All mining technology sectors | austmine.com.au |
Share your mining tech pitch securely
Ellty gives you trackable data room links with granular permissions for each mining corporate investor.
Start free 14-day trialWhat Perth mining tech investors look for
Perth mining tech investors need a proven site trial before they write a cheque. Desk-based demos don't move corporate VCs here - get on site first.
Every corporate VC has a procurement team separate from their innovation team. Win a pilot contract before approaching the VC arm - it's a much warmer intro.
Use pitch deck sharing software to track which corporate reviewers engage with your deck. Mining corporates have long internal review chains - know when someone opens your document.
Safety ROI quantification is non-negotiable. Perth mining tech investors require fatality and injury reduction data alongside productivity gains.
Perth mining tech founders get 10 times the corporate customer access that any other startup city offers. The mistake is pitching the VC arm before winning a site trial with the operations team.
8 Perth mining tech investors
1. BHP Ventures
ASX giant's corporate VC with unmatched mining site trials and global resource connections.
Recent Deals: Mining tech and autonomy investments 2025-2026; underground automation portfolio active globally
LinkedIn: BHP Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, autonomy, AI
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: bhp.com
2. Rio Tinto Ventures
Rio's strategic fund with access to iron ore, copper, and aluminium operations for pilots.
Recent Deals: Founders Factory mining tech cohort 2025-2026; WA operations used as pilot sites for founders
LinkedIn: Rio Tinto Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, automation, processing
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: riotinto.com
3. Fortescue Future Industries
Andrew Forrest's clean energy and tech arm with mining tech and green hydrogen adjacency.
Recent Deals: Green hydrogen and mining clean energy investments 2025; FFI global clean energy portfolio expanding
LinkedIn: Fortescue Future Industries LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, clean energy, hydrogen
Stage Focus: Series A, growth
Location: Perth, Australia
Website: ffi.com.au
4. Mineral Resources
WA's fastest-growing mining company with an active innovation and technology investment mandate.
Recent Deals: Innovation investments in logistics and processing tech 2025; WA mining operations actively expanding
LinkedIn: Mineral Resources LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, logistics, processing
Stage Focus: Seed to growth
Location: Perth, Australia
Website: mineralresources.com.au
5. Acorn Capital
Listed investment company backing early-stage Australian companies including mining services.
Recent Deals: Early-stage Australian company investments 2025; mining services and industrial portfolio growing
LinkedIn: Acorn Capital LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining, resources, industrial
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: acorncapital.com.au
6. Main Sequence Ventures
CSIRO's VC bringing national research to mining tech - sensors, robotics, and AI at scale.
Recent Deals: Deep tech and mining adjacency investments 2025; CSIRO research-backed startups actively deployed
LinkedIn: Main Sequence Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, deep tech, AI
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Website: mseq.vc
Track who opens your Perth mining tech pitch
Ellty shows you which investors read your deck and how long they spent on it.
Start free 14-day trial7. METS Ignited
Australia's Mining Equipment, Technology and Services growth centre funding sector R&D.
Recent Deals: Mining tech R&D grants 2025; WA and national mining services innovation actively supported
LinkedIn: METS Ignited LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining services, tech
Stage Focus: Grants, R&D stage
Location: Perth, Australia
Website: metsignited.com.au
8. Austmine
Mining industry association with innovation funding and global network connections for founders.
Recent Deals: Mining innovation programs 2025; Australian METS sector global export connections actively maintained
LinkedIn: Austmine LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Mining tech, innovation
Stage Focus: Grants, early stage
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Website: austmine.com.au
Corporate VC vs independent VC for mining tech
Corporate VCs (BHP, Rio Tinto, FFI) give site access and customer relationships alongside capital. The trade-off is a 6-18 month decision timeline and complex IP ownership negotiations.
Independent VCs (Acorn, Main Sequence) move faster and have cleaner deal structures. But they have less mining operational credibility to open corporate doors for you.
Use investor update software to keep both corporate and independent investors aligned. Corporate VCs need operational updates. Independent VCs need financial and IP milestone updates.
The best Perth mining tech raises combine corporate VC for credibility with independent VC for governance. Corporate VCs are strategic; independents maintain board discipline.
Site trial to investment: Perth process
Perth mining tech investment follows a different path to every other startup sector. Win the pilot contract first, then approach the corporate VC arm second.
Most Perth mining tech rounds close in 3-6 months from first corporate meeting. Corporate decision chains are long - start discussions 6 months before you need capital.
Use your pitch deck to lead with safety and productivity ROI from your pilot data. Never pitch Perth mining tech without real site data behind your claims.
Track every corporate reviewer with pitch deck tracking software to see who's engaged internally. Mining corporates have 5-10 internal approvers before an investment committee.
Mining tech due diligence in Perth
Perth mining tech due diligence covers IP ownership, site safety compliance, and technical validation. All three run in parallel once a term sheet is issued.
IP diligence for mining tech is complex - corporate VCs want exclusivity arrangements. Get legal advice on IP licensing before any corporate VC term sheet negotiation.
Financial diligence covers your pilot contract economics and path to commercial-scale margins. Read our financial due diligence guide to prepare your mining tech financials correctly.
Prepare a due diligence ready data room with site trial data before starting your raise. Ellty lets you share trial data with corporate investors under NDA access controls.
How to pitch a Perth mining tech investor
Lead with site trial data and safety ROI. Corporate VCs don't fund untested technology.
- 1.Win a METS Ignited grant firstGovernment co-funding validates your tech. BHP and Rio Tinto move faster with it.
- 2.Get a site trial before the VC meetingReal site data closes Perth mining tech rounds. Demos don't convert corporate VCs.
- 3.Quantify safety and productivity ROIState injury reduction and cost saving per site. Both figures are mandatory.
- 4.Approach corporate VC after the trialIntroduce your VC contact to your site operations contact. Both sides need to connect.
- 5.Apply for METS Ignited alongside equityNon-dilutive government capital reduces the equity cheque you need from corporates.
How Ellty helps you land a Perth mining tech investor
Ellty is a data room for mining tech founders. Share trial data and track investor engagement.
- 1.Organise your trial and IP documentsAdd site trial data and patents. Control access for each corporate reviewer.
- 2.Share trackable links with corporate teamsSend each investor a unique link. Ellty logs every open across all internal reviewers.
- 3.Follow up when the right person engagesSee which reviewer opened your IP documents. Follow up directly with that contact.
Perth mining tech investors: common questions
- Yes. BHP and Rio Tinto require current or planned site trials. METS Ignited funds companies before site trials.
- Corporate VC closes take 3-6 months. METS Ignited grants take 2-4 months from application.
- Yes. METS Ignited validation reduces corporate VC diligence time significantly.
- Fatality and injury reduction per site per year. Include both leading and lagging indicators.
- Yes. Acorn Capital and Main Sequence Ventures back Perth mining tech without requiring corporate relationships.
