Turbocor inventor behind energy saving AC development
14th October 2025
AUSTRALIA: Ron Conry, original inventor of the ground-breaking oil-free Turbocor compressor, is behind a new company promising a new air conditioning technology, which could halve energy bills.
The company, Conry Tech, of which Ron Conry is a founder, has recently seen its total funding rise to AUD$13m (US$8.4m) following an additional AUD$3m (US$1.9m) in seed funding, ahead of a potential Series A planned for 2026.
The seed money will allow Conry Tech to build its “reinvented” BullAnt air conditioner, which, in addition to halving the energy bills in a commercial building, could eliminate a billion tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The BullAnt is described as a decentralised HVAC solution for commercial buildings, transferring heat from one part of the building to another, rather than using external energy to heat or cool.
It comprises a system of micro chillers connected to a primary water loop, serving as a heat transfer reservoir for both heating and cooling. Each micro chiller includes its own heat engine and includes one or more fan coil units that exchange heat between the micro chiller and the air in a building. In a first mode a micro chiller transfers heat from the air in the building to the water circulating within the primary water loop. In a second mode the micro chiller transfers heat from the water circulating in the primary water loop to the air in the building. A primary water loop regulation system is included to control the temperature of the water circulating in the primary water loop.
The BullAnt, a species of ant abundant throughout Eastern Australia, has been developed entirely in Australia to date, and Conry Tech will use its latest investment, led by specialist climate tech investor Audacy, to finish its development and expand its team.
“Like the iconic insect, our system is small, powerful, and distinctly Australian,” claimed Conry Tech co-founder and CEO, Sam Ringwaldt.
“We are building the BullAnt from scratch, with no off-the-shelf components, to be the most energy efficient air-conditioner on the market, and we have spent five years in R&D to get to this point.
Fellow co-founder and CTO, Ron Conry, moved his Turbocor business to North America in 1999 and has set up 30 factories worldwide in his career. Conry and Ringwaldt returned to Australia with the goal of manufacturing their BullAnt system in Australia.
“I’ve been in the air conditioning sector for 60 years, and it has barely changed,” said Conry. “With ambitious net zero targets on the horizon, we need genuine innovation to reduce soaring global HVAC emissions.”
