
Innovaero raises $40M ahead of ASX debut
- Defence tech firm Innovaero raised $40 million through an initial public offering ahead of its market debut.
- The share offer values the Western Australian drone manufacturer at an estimated market valuation of $158.3 million.
- Capital raised will finance a new manufacturing facility to increase annual drone production tenfold alongside international expansion plans.
Innovaero completed a $40 million capital raise by issuing 80 million shares at $0.50 each ahead of its official stock exchange debut on Sept. 22.
The successful float caps a multi-year effort to list publicly as rising global military demand significantly boosts investor appetite for defence technology stocks.
"Innovaero is at the forefront of bringing that capability to Australia and to potential new customers across the world," said Innovaero CEO Greg Tunny.
The company stated that the capital will fund a new factory in Jandakot to lift annual manufacturing capacity from 250 units to 2,500 units, while supporting certification for its flagship drone family.
This operational expansion aims to secure international market share prior to expected saturation across key global defence sectors.
Founded two decades ago by Mike von Bertouch, the company originally developed airborne camera systems for aerial mapping businesses before pivoting its aeronautical engineering capabilities towards defence applications.
The business is currently putting its flagship product through official Australian Defence Force testing protocols, with management targeting operational service entry by 2027.