- Defence manufacturer Arkeus will relocate to Queensland after global investment led by Crisafulli Government.
- AI-powered sensing systems used by Australian Army and U.S. Department of Defense to detect and track threats in real time.
- Dozens of advanced manufacturing jobs delivered for the Gold Coast.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland's future after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government has delivered dozens of jobs and a boost to Queensland's sovereign capability with the relocation of fast-growing defence tech company Arkeus.
The company develops AI-powered sensing systems that serve as the eyes and brains of autonomous platforms like drones to detect, track and respond to threats in complex environments where traditional technology can fail.
Arkeus currently supplies its cutting-edge technology to customers including the Australian Department of Defence and U.S. Department of Defense and will use its new Queensland base to boost production to meet demand across Australia, the U.S. and Europe.
The Crisafulli Government was instrumental in luring the company to Queensland from Victoria by driving a $25 million global investment round through Queensland Investment Corporation.
The deal further strengthens Queensland's position as a national leader in defence and is yet another example of how the Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland's future after a decade of decline under Labor.
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the deal demonstrated that the Crisafulli Government has established Queensland on the world stage as an attractive place to do business.
"Queensland is open for business and ready to lead the nation when it comes to defence and advanced manufacturing, and it's obvious that this message is being heard loud and clear," Minister Bates said.
"The global landscape is evolving and it's imperative that we back Australia's sovereign capability, especially when it comes to defence."
"We have some of the best talent and lifestyle in the country, and businesses know their people want to live and work in Queensland, so it's little surprise to see a company like Arkeus move here."
Arkeus CEO Simon Olsen said the investment and presence in Queensland provided a clear runway to get capability into the field faster in support of Australia and its security partners.
"Building our manufacturing capability on the Gold Coast is about more than scale, it's about access to world-class engineering talent and a growing ecosystem of advanced manufacturing and research," Mr Olsen said.
"Queensland gives us the ability to attract and retain the people we need to build globally competitive technology here in Australia, and the support from QIC and the Queensland Government has been an important part of this decision.
"Our systems combine advanced sensing with onboard AI to allow autonomous platforms to understand their environment in real time, even in degraded or contested conditions where traditional systems struggle.
"As demand for more capable autonomous systems grows, Queensland provides a strong foundation for us to scale manufacturing and deliver that capability to defence customers globally."
Arkeus' $25 million Series A raise was led by QIC Ventures with participation from new investors R+ VC, Folkore Ventures and Dyne Ventures and continued support from existing investors Main Sequence Ventures, Salus Ventures and Beaten Zone.
