Australia's Virescent Ventures backs local grid-protection tech

Wednesday, 17 December, 2025

Melbourne-based company IND Technology has received AU$50 million in funding to scale its early-fault detection and bushfire prevention technology globally.

Climate tech investment company Virescent Ventures is the Australian partner in this first institutional funding round, co-led by US-based energy sector specialists Angeleno Group and Energy Impact Partners. Edison International, one of the world’s largest electric utility holding companies, is also a backer.

IND Technology’s Australian-developed technology has been designed to detect the precursors to electrical failures in energy grids long before they lead to faults, preventing major incidents like power outages and bushfires.

The system works via sensors mounted on poles up to 5 km apart, which capture radio-frequency signals emitted by stressed or failing powerline components. These signals are analysed in real time, locating anomalies to within 10 m so that maintenance crews can intervene proactively instead of waiting for the next scheduled inspection. This means that utilities can shift from periodic, reactive inspections to continuous, data-driven prevention. It’s a method that supports reliability and resiliency, reduces the economic and social impacts of grid failures, and helps lower maintenance and operating costs.

Founded in Melbourne by RMIT Professor Alan Wong following the Black Saturday Bushfires, IND Technology is growing rapidly, with approximately 15,000 early fault detection units now sold across six countries. The company’s technology is used by major utilities including AusNet Services, Powercor, Western Power and Endeavour Energy in Australia; Southern California Edison, PPL Electric and PG&E in the US; and Fortis Alberta and ATCO in Canada, with new installs also underway in Europe.

Kristin Vaughan, Managing Partner of Virescent Ventures.

Kristin Vaughan, Managing Partner of Virescent Ventures, said that grid reliability and resilience were among the most critical challenges and opportunities for the energy transition.

“Ageing infrastructure, hotter and drier summers, and rising bushfire risk all mean utilities need smarter tools to detect faults before they become costly outages or catastrophic fires events,” she said.

“IND Technology has already secured global traction and deep adoption with their proven, homegrown solution preventing fires and improving reliability across major networks in Australia and North America, but the potential is vast. This is exactly the kind of innovation needed to underpin the electrification of the global economy. It is smart, proactive, data-driven technology that delivers immediate benefits for communities, utilities, network operators and the broader economy.”

The recent funding will support IND Technology’s expansion and accelerate the deployment of its flagship early fault detection (EFD) system, a preventative monitoring solution for electric utilities that has prevented more than 500 fire events globally, according to Wong.

The company will also use the capital to expand its machine-learning engineering team, further enhancing the platform’s ability to interpret complex fault data and deliver actionable insights for utilities.

RMIT Professor Alan Wong, CEO of IND Technology.

“For almost a decade, we’ve worked side by side with Australian utilities to prove that the EFD system can improve grid resiliency and reduce the risk of bushfires, with eight local pilots showing how valuable this technology can be when it’s deployed at scale. What matters most to us is making sure this technology reaches the places where it can make the greatest difference,” Wong said.

“With new partners, including local partners like Virescent Ventures who understand the Australian energy landscape, our focus is now on scaling our delivery, field support and deployments globally,” he added.

“This support is a strong affirmation of the value of homegrown innovation and in Australia’s ability to lead in practical, life-saving engineering. We’re committed to working closely with utilities to embed a prevention-first approach into energy networks and help protect the communities they serve.”