The launch of the La Trobe University Eagle Fund marks a significant milestone in Victoria’s innovation ecosystem. As part of Breakthrough Victoria’s $100 million University Innovation Platform (UIP), the Eagle Fund is a dedicated pre-seed investment initiative designed to accelerate the commercialisation of groundbreaking university research.
With $18 million in funding—$9 million from La Trobe University and $9 million from Breakthrough Victoria—the Fund is set to transform research discoveries into viable commercial ventures.
The Eagle Fund addresses a critical challenge: while Victoria’s universities produce world-class research, many early-stage innovations struggle to secure the necessary funding and industry support to reach commercial viability. By providing early-stage investment and strategic partnerships, the Eagle Fund ensures that promising research in areas such as digital health, artificial intelligence, disease detection and treatment, and food security can transition from the lab to real-world applications.
The Eagle Fund is one of several pre-seed partnerships under the University Innovation Platform, a broader initiative that has seen seven Victorian universities commit to co-investing alongside Breakthrough Victoria.
The impact of Breakthrough Victoria’s partnership with the Eagle Fund is already being realised. Companies like Gaia Project Australia and ExCelligent DX—both supported by the Eagle Fund—are prime examples of how targeted funding can drive high-impact innovation.
Gaia Project Australia is revolutionizing Controlled Environment Agriculture with its Omni-System, enhancing food security and sustainability. ExCelligent DX, a La Trobe University spin-out, is pioneering a blood-based diagnostic platform for early detection of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
These investments not only retain promising businesses within Victoria but also create new industries and jobs, strengthening the state’s innovation ecosystem. With over $1.06 billion in co-investment secured through Breakthrough Victoria’s initiatives, the Eagle Fund stands as a powerful catalyst for translating research into real-world impact, reinforcing Victoria’s position as a global leader in commercializing university-led innovation.
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About the Eagle Fund
The La Trobe University Eagle Fund, powered by Breakthrough Victoria, is a pre-seed investment program designed to support the commercialisation of groundbreaking research and drive innovation. Established in 2023 as a partnership between La Trobe University and Breakthrough Victoria (BV), the Fund is part of BV’s $100 million University Innovation Platform. Both La Trobe and BV have committed to investup to $9 million each to provide early-stage funding for researchers and start-up companies seeking to commercialise La Trobe intellectual property.
The Eagle Fund focuses on supporting innovations within key areas such as digital health, artificial intelligence, disease detection and treatment, food security, and other research strengths. By providing critical early-stage investment, the Fund enables promising research to transition from concept to market-ready solutions, bridging the gap between academia and industry.
The Problem
Despite world-class research and innovative breakthroughs emerging from universities, many early-stage discoveries struggle to secure the necessary funding to reach commercial viability. Without dedicated financial support, these innovations risk being underdeveloped or overlooked, limiting their potential impact on industry and society. Additionally, researchers often lack access to strategic partnerships and expertise required to scale their discoveries into successful enterprises.
The Solution
The Eagle Fund addresses these challenges by providing targeted investment in high-potential research and start-up ventures, ensuring they have the resources needed to thrive. Key benefits of the Fund include:
- Early-Stage Investment – Providing vital financial backing to help university-led start-ups and research projects progress towards commercialisation.
- Industry Collaboration – Facilitating partnerships between researchers, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate innovation.
- Commercialisation Support – Offering guidance and funding to ensure innovations move beyond the lab and into real-world applications.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell emphasised the importance of the Eagle Fund, stating that it offers industry partners a valuable opportunity for strategic collaboration. By bridging the gap between research and commercialisation, the Fund enables access to top-tier research, talent, and funding opportunities that drive industry growth and technological advancement.
As the Eagle Fund continues to invest in high-impact innovations, it solidifies its position as a crucial catalyst for translating university research into transformative solutions that benefit both Victoria and the global community.
Impact for Victoria
The La Trobe University Eagle Fund, powered by Breakthrough Victoria, is not only a catalyst for research and innovation but also plays a crucial role in strengthening Victoria’s economy and global competitiveness.
By investing in early-stage companies and start-ups commercialising cutting-edge research, the Fund supports the growth of industries that have the potential to create high-value jobs and position Victoria as a leader in key sectors such as biotech, agritech, and digital health.
The Eagle Fund’s strategic focus on translating university research into real-world applications directly contributes to building a vibrant, innovation-driven economy in Victoria. By enabling the successful commercialisation of breakthrough technologies, the Fund helps address critical challenges in sectors ranging from food security and disease detection to renewable energy and artificial intelligence. These innovations have the potential to transform industries, improve the quality of life for Victorians, and drive sustainable economic growth.
Additionally, the investments made through the Eagle Fund attract further funding from private investors, venture capital, and industry partners. This creates a multiplier effect, generating additional opportunities for economic development, collaboration, and job creation. As a result, the Eagle Fund plays a critical role in positioning Victoria as a global hub for innovation, fostering long-term prosperity and ensuring the state’s ongoing leadership in the global economy.
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| Investment | $1 million |
| The Company | Gaia Projects Australia |
| The University Partner | La Trobe University Eagle Fund |
| Breakthrough Victoria | $500,000 |
| Eagle Fund | $500,000 |
| Other Investors in the Round | Mandalay VC, Hugh Victor McKay Fund (LaunchVic) |
About
Gaia Project Australia (GPA) is a Melbourne-based company specializing in agricultural technology (AgTech) to future-proof food security. Founded in 2020 by engineer and innovator Nadun Hennayaka, GPA focuses on sustainable farming solutions for both Earth’s agriculture and space exploration. The company’s cutting-edge technology is designed to increase efficiency in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), a farming method poised to revolutionize food production.
Breakthrough Victoria, GAIA team, La Trobe University researchers and La Trobe University representatives Natalia Alvarez Lopez and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Research and Industry Engagement) Professor Chris Pakes
The Problem
With growing climate and cost pressures, and the rising global demand for sustainable food, the shift to Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has been slow. Traditional CEA systems often rely on fixed plant spacing or require expensive and complex robotic adjustments, limiting scalability and efficiency. The challenge lies in creating a system that maximizes yield while remaining cost-effective and adaptable.
The Solution
GPA has developed a patented technology called the Omni-System, which dynamically adjusts plant spacing in real time. Unlike traditional CEA systems, which maintain fixed spacing or require costly adjustments, the Omni-System allows young plants to grow in a more compact area, then gradually increases spacing as they mature. This innovative approach can boost leafy green vegetable yields by up to 40% without requiring expensive robotics or intricate workflow systems prone to failure.
GPA’s advancements extend beyond Earth. Alongside La Trobe University, the company was a finalist in NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, designing a system to grow food for long-duration space missions, including the Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars. Their prototype demonstrated a 40% increase in leafy green production compared to existing CEA technologies.
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| Investment | $1 million |
| The Company | ExCelligent DX |
| The University Partner | La Trobe University Eagle Fund |
| Breakthrough Victoria | $500,000 |
| Eagle Fund | $500,000 |
About
ExCelligent is a La Trobe University spin-out biotech company pioneering the development of a revolutionary blood-based diagnostic platform. This cutting-edge technology enables early and accurate detection of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases, transforming the landscape of medical diagnostics and patient care.
The Problem
Early detection of neurodegenerative diseases remains a significant challenge in the medical field. Current diagnostic methods are often invasive, expensive, and unable to detect these conditions at their earliest stages, delaying critical treatment and intervention. With an aging population and rising cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, there is an urgent need for a more efficient, accessible, and non-invasive diagnostic solution.
The Solution
ExCelligent is addressing this challenge with its groundbreaking blood-based diagnostic platform. By enabling early and accurate detection of neurodegenerative diseases, this innovation has the potential to revolutionize patient care, allowing for earlier intervention, better disease management, and improved outcomes.
The technology is designed to:
- Detect diseases early – Identifying biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative conditions at their earliest stages.
- Improve accessibility – Providing a non-invasive alternative to traditional diagnostic methods, making early screening more widely available.
- Enhance treatment outcomes – Enabling earlier and more effective interventions to slow disease progression and improve patient quality of life.
By transforming the way neurodegenerative diseases are diagnosed, ExCelligent is paving the way for a future where patients receive timely and accurate diagnoses, ultimately improving global healthcare outcomes.