Arlula wins major venture capital 'Croc Pitch' prize in Darwin, Australia

Arlula Wins Croc Pitch 2025, Bringing Space‑Tech Innovation to Northern Australia

Arlula has won the Croc Pitch 2025 competition at the Darwin Innovation Hub, earning up to $1 million in venture capital from Paspalis Capital. The win marks another milestone in Arlula’s mission to make satellite technology faster, smarter, and more accessible.

Arlula’s flagship platform, Geostack, transforms how satellite and drone imagery is accessed for maritime and disaster‑response operations. What once took days now happens in minutes, giving defence, emergency, and commercial decision‑makers real‑time visibility over Australia’s vast northern maritime zone.

“For Northern Australia, where five million square kilometres of ocean create a surveillance challenge the size of a continent, our technology provides coordination at scale,” said Sebastian Chaoui, Arlula’s CEO. “Planes and patrol boats can’t cover that much territory, but satellites can, if orchestrated effectively.”

With Northern Australia serving as a testbed, Arlula is collaborating with International partners to refine maritime intelligence operations. The company plans to open a Darwin office and hire local engineers to work directly with end users, expanding its capabilities and exporting the learning globally.

Minister Hon Robyn Cahill OAM congratulated the winners, noting that Croc Pitch reflects the Territory’s growing reputation for innovation: “The NT is a place where bold ideas can be tested, scaled, and launched globally. I congratulate Arlula on their success and look forward to seeing their innovation create impact from the Territory to the world.”

For Chaoui, the win connects a long journey that began when he founded Cuberider, Australia’s first mission on the International Space Station. Now, with co‑founder Arran Salerno they're focusing on the “orchestration problem” - synchronising satellites, drones, and sensors so the right data reaches the right people at the right time.

“We don’t own satellites or sell data, we coordinate them,” he explained. “Our mission is to connect people on Earth with technology in space, helping industries like mining, agriculture, and emergency services build greater resilience.”

By establishing a presence in the Northern Territory, Arlula is positioning itself at the intersection of Australia and Southeast Asia, allowing it to be closer to the region, its partners, and the challenges its technology is built to solve.