Edited announcement

Pancontinental Oil & Gas NL has successfully completed the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Bombora Natural Energy Pty Ltd.

Western Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers has paid tribute to its former chief executive John Bennison, who led the business as it transitioned from an agricultural cooperative to a listed industrial company.

Cape Lambert Resources Limited has sold its royalty on the Mayoko iron ore project for $1 million cash subject to the formality of the new owners signing off on the transaction.

Hall & Prior Health and Aged Care Group has today announced plans to proceed with a $67 million aged care facility in High Wycombe, due for completion in the second half of 2019.

Fastbrick Robotics was Techboard’s highest ranking company for December, after the recently ASX-listed robotic bricklayer won the Mitsubishi Corporation WA Innovator of the Year award, and also completed an $8 million capital raising from Hunter Hall Investment Management.

Fremantle-based renewable energy company Carnegie Wave Energy has been named Techboard’s highest trending company for 2016.

Local businessman Alan Tough has passed away at the age of 77.

Fastbrick Robotics has topped Techboard’s startup and tech company ranking this fortnight, following its win at the 2016 WA Innovator of the Year awards.

Carnegie Wave Energy has topped Techboard’s startup ranking this fortnight, following the announcement of its acquisition of fellow cleantech Energy Made Clean (ranked second) for $13 million earlier this week.

Local fintech CrowdfundUP tops this fortnight's Techboard ranking, having closed a $2.1 million capital raising led by Sydney-based Positive Investment Enterprise.

Carnegie Wave Energy has taken first place in Techboard's top trending startup rank this fortnight, after announcing a $2.5 million grant for a wave and solar power microgrid on Garden Island.

Two Western Australian businesses and a WA venue manager have won major titles at the Australian Hotels Association national awards for excellence, announced at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast last night. 

Online share trading forum HotCopper Holdings listed on the ASX this week, and topped Techboard’s ranking as a result of the news coverage.

Perth-based workplace management technology business TikForce has teamed up with one of Australia’s largest staffing solutions providers to work on joint bids, tenders and projects.

Power Ledger remains in the top spot on Techboard’s ranking table for the second fortnight running, having announced its first commercial deal for the provision of its technology platform.

Fintech and cleantech are the most trending sectors this fortnight, with six of Techboard’s top eight companies coming from these sectors.

Half of the top twelve trending companies in Techboard’s ranking this fortnight are health-techs, with Perth continuing to assert its credentials in the space.

WAIITA Incite startup of the year Family Zone is Techboard’s top trending startup for this fortnight, after launching a $4.5 million IPO and capturing significant mindshare as a result.

Safety and security companies featured heavily in Techboard’s top trending startups this past fortnight, with five out of the top ten companies representing the category.

Shark Mitigation Systems has climbed to the top of Techboard’s latest ranking of startup companies, having spent the previous three fortnights at number two.

High-society white collar criminal Oliver Peter Curtis will spend a year in jail for insider trading that netted him more than $1.4 million when he was 21 years old.

Techboard has named Velpic as its top trending company this fortnight, with the eLearning platform undertaking a capital raising and signing its first sporting and hospitality client.

Toro Energy chief executive Vanessa Guthrie has been elected the first female chair of the Minerals Council of Australia.

Vehicle protective system Rhinohide has dominated Techboard's startup ranking this fortnight following a successful pitch on Channel Ten's Shark Tank, which led to a bidding war between three of the investors.

Justin Miller's Nuheara has ranked first in this fortnight's Techboard ranking, with Storekat and Curtin University startup ePAT ranked second and third respectively. 

Sydney-based hotel group StayWell Hospitality Group has confirmed it will bring its Park Regis brand to Western Australia after signing deal with developer Dradgin to be part of the former Ace Cinemas site in Subiaco.

Moreton Resources has named Perth-based Macmahon Holdings as the preferred mining partner for its South Burnett coal project.

Offshore oil and gas services firm Aecor Group has expanded through the acquisition of industrial rope access and inspection company Vertical Services.

Freedom Wi-Fi and Triplify have each received $20,000 grants through the City of Joondalup's Innovation Fund, which was established last year to develop entrepreneurial and enterprising business activities.

Richard Jonathon Sheridan, the director of One Emperor Pty Ltd (deregistered – ASIC) trading as WOW Makeovers, has been successfully prosecuted by the Building Commissioner for registration and contractual offences he committed in relation to a $250,000 renovation of a Scarborough house between May and November 2011.

The University of Western Australia is offering a new program to encourage and foster entrepreneurship among researchers and post-graduate research students. 

Dramatic structural changes have driven strong shifts in the types of deals being made by Chinese investors in Australia.