ORCA Opti Secures $200,000 Delivering For Queensland Female Founders Co-Investment Fund

Sunshine Coast-based cybersecurity innovator backed by Queensland Government to accelerate growth in defence and critical infrastructure markets.

The ORCA Opti team is proud to announce that we have been approved for up to $200,000 grant through the Advance Queensland Female Founders Co-Investment Fund, the maximum amount available under the program.

This is a significant milestone for ORCA Opti, and a strong signal of confidence from the Queensland Government in both our platform and the growing role that regional Queensland plays in Australia's national security and technology landscape.

What the Grant Means for ORCA Opti

The Female Founders Co-Investment Fund operates on a 1:3 matching basis, meaning the $200,000 in grant funding is tied to securing $600,000 in qualifying external investment. This co-investment structure is designed to de-risk early-stage capital raises for innovation-driven enterprises led by women, and it aligns directly with the capital raise ORCA Opti is currently undertaking.

For our investors, this grant effectively amplifies every dollar committed. It validates the commercial opportunity we are building and adds a layer of government-backed confidence to our raise.

Built on the Sunshine Coast, Built for the World

ORCA Opti is headquartered on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, and that is a deliberate choice, not a compromise. The Sunshine Coast is rapidly emerging as one of Australia's most dynamic innovation corridors, with world-class connectivity via the international submarine cable landing at Maroochydore, a growing technology workforce, and a quality of life that attracts exceptional talent.

We are proof that nationally significant cybersecurity and GRC capability can be built from regional Australia. Our AI-native platform was designed from the ground up to serve regulated organisations operating inside Microsoft 365, with a particular focus on the defence and critical infrastructure supply chains that underpin Five Eyes security cooperation. That mission does not require a Sydney or Melbourne postcode, it requires deep expertise, relentless focus, and the right technology architecture.

This grant recognises that regional innovation is not a secondary track. It is central to Queensland's economic future and to Australia's sovereign technology capability.

Addressing a Market-Wide Need

Organisations across Australia's defence supply chain, critical infrastructure sectors, and broader regulated industries are facing an escalating compliance burden. Frameworks like the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP), the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI), and international standards such as ISO 27001 demand rigorous, ongoing governance, and most organisations lack the internal resources to manage this effectively.

ORCA Opti was purpose-built to address this gap. Our platform brings together AI-powered governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) tools, real-time AI protection through our AI Guardian capability, and automated red-teaming. All delivered natively within the Microsoft 365 environment where these organisations already work. We are not asking teams to adopt yet another disconnected tool. We meet them where they are.

What Comes Next

With provisional approval secured, the ORCA Opti team is focused on completing our capital raise within the program's 180-day timeline. The grant funding will be directed toward accelerating platform development, expanding our go-to-market presence across Australian defence and critical infrastructure supply chains, and scaling our team on the Sunshine Coast.

We are also continuing to build our community of founding users through the Opti Assist free tier, giving organisations an immediate, zero-cost entry point to experience the platform and begin strengthening their security and compliance posture from day one.

A Note on What This Represents

Women-founded technology companies in Australia still receive a disproportionately small share of venture capital. Programs like the Female Founders Co-Investment Fund exist because the data makes the case clearly: the funding gap is real, and it holds back commercially viable, high-impact businesses.

Being selected for the maximum grant amount is something our team takes seriously. It reflects not only the strength of our business case, but also the broader opportunity to demonstrate that women-led, regionally based technology companies can compete at the highest level in national security and enterprise markets.

We are grateful to the Delivering for Queensland program as part of the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation for their support, and we look forward to delivering on the opportunity this grant enables.

ORCA Opti is an AI-native GRC and cybersecurity platform built for regulated organisations. To learn more or join our founding users community, visit orcaopti.ai.