Forward Deployed raises $1 million from Innovation Victoria and Swinburne for DINGO chemical detection

Melbourne national security startup Forward Deployed has raised $1 million from Innovation Victoria and Swinburne University of Technology to develop its chemical threat detection system. The two investors contributed $500,000 each through Innovation Victoria's University Innovation Platform, Startup Daily reported.

Forward Deployed's DINGO Platform and Swinburne Ties

Forward Deployed was founded in 2023 by CEO Richard Hebden and CTO Alex Barry, Swinburne alumni who met while studying there, and chief growth officer Liam Eldon. The startup collaborates with the university on autonomous sensing and data processing using its DINGO (Deployable Infrared Gas Observer) hardware.

The funds will support development and validation of the DINGO platform towards production, as well as commercial growth. Forward Deployed already has contracts in Australia, the US and the UK.

DINGO combines chemical sensing, hardware built for field use and real-time software. The platform offers laboratory-grade sensitivity and turns complex sensing data into usable information within seconds. It is designed for use where detection is needed, including integration with autonomous systems.

Hebden said detection technology needed to keep pace with changing threats. "Chemical threats have evolved significantly, but the technology used to detect and understand them has not," he said, adding that combining advanced sensors and software could build a real-time picture of surrounding conditions, while autonomous platforms could extend detection into places people should not have to go. "Our ambition is to make better information available wherever it's needed, whatever the environment," he said.

National security is the initial focus, with potential applications in biosecurity, agriculture, construction and mining down the track. Innovation Victoria CEO Rod Bristow said the investment would help translate university-connected research into commercial products and a growing Victorian business. Swinburne vice president of innovation and enterprise Werner van der Merwe said the technology had the potential to protect people by reducing their exposure to hazardous environments.

Innovation Victoria is offering up to $150,000 to Victorian university researchers to build startups, with applications closing April 2 for the July 2027 cohort, Startup Daily reported. The $7.5 million program provides convertible notes, and fellows receive entrepreneurial development support.

Forward Deployed's Product Roadmap and Market Figures

According to akta.pro company records, Forward Deployed publicly launched and validated the DINGO platform in 2025 with US Army Futures Command Indo-Pacific (ITC-IPAC), delivering a funded contract ahead of schedule and exceeding defined requirements. The company's roadmap expands to three form factors: DINGO-Lab and DINGO-Decon (stationary, 2026), DINGO-Tactical (wearable/backpack, late 2026/2027) and DINGO-Embedded (handheld/robotic, 2027 and beyond), targeting defence, first responders, customs, agriculture and HAZMAT segments.

The same records show a planned 2027 expansion through identification as key technology for a major US Department of War Program of Record, entering Low Rate Initial Production in 2027 with Full Rate Production progressing through 2032 across hundreds of units valued in tens of millions. The Department of Defense spends $1.66 billion per year on chemical and biological defence, forecast to grow significantly as near-peer threats drive a shift from specialist CBRN units to force-wide detection capability. The CBRN defence market is growing at 6.2% CAGR, from $21.6 billion to $33.1 billion by 2033, driven by urgent replacement of legacy detection infrastructure failing in modern threat environments. The Total Addressable Market for global chemical detection across defence, national security and industrial safety stands at $28 billion, or $18 billion today, growing at 6.2% CAGR driven by near-peer threats and the NATO 5% GDP defence commitment.

Innovation Victoria's University Innovation Platform

Innovation Victoria's University Innovation Platform provided the structure for the two $500,000 contributions. The program backs university-connected research as it moves toward commercial products.