Startup Daily

Startup Daily has been inspiring, educating, and reporting on the Australian tech and startup community since 2012.

Alt.Leather founder Tina Funder and chief scientific officer Dr Tuan Nguyen
Funding

Tesla chair Robyn Denholm backs substitute leather startup in $1.1 million angel round

- January 29, 2024 2 MIN READ

Plant-based leather substitute startup Alt. Leather has raised $1.1 million in an angel round to replace the alternative of petroleum-based synthetic leathers. The Melbourne-based startup, founded in 2022 by Tina Funder, was backed by Startmate, The Austin Group, Robyn Denholm’s family office Wollemi Capital Group, and LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund, along with strategic angel investors. … Read more »

Kids on bike with rockets
Other

University of South Australia is offering a scaleup pathway for space startups that includes $10,000 equity-free

- January 29, 2024 2 MIN READ

The University of South Australia’s Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC) and Australian Centre for Business Growth (AuCBG) are collaborating to offer space startups a fully funded scaleup program that includes $10,000 in equity-free funding The six-month Growth Ramp scaleup program is being backed by the South Australian government and will support later-stage startups that have… Read more »

ProcurePro cofounders Nathan Dench, Jesse Dymond, Alastair Blenkin, Tim Rogers and Tom Newby
Funding

Construction software startup ProcurePro builds $6.15 million Series A for UK expansion

- January 29, 2024 2 MIN READ

Queensland construction industry procurement platform ProcurePro has raised $6.15 million as it looks to take on the UK market.  The company’s first external round was backed by AirTree and industry expert Leigh Jasper through his VC fund Saniel Ventures.\ The capital raised from ProcurePro’s first venture round will help accelerate growth in the UK as a key… Read more »

Misha Schubert,
Funding

The science and tech sectors are waiting for the government to act on Australia’s research grant mess

- January 24, 2024 2 MIN READ

Australia’s science and technology sectors have urged Federal Parliament to pass the Australian Research Council Amendment Bill – and make a key amendment that requires the research funding agency to notify successful applicants within 21 days of grant approval. In its submission to the Senate Committee on Education and Employment reviewing the Bill, Science &… Read more »

Dan Gavel
Investing

Black Sheep Capital founder Dan Gavel talks about building a diversified investment strategy in VC

- January 23, 2024 2 MIN READ

Brisbane based investor Daniel Gavel is known for his down-to-earth and innovative approach to investing through angel investing, Black Sheep Capital Fund, and the Flock Syndicate. The Black Sheep portfolio includes Airtasker, Sendle, Amber Electric and Llama Life. Gavel recently sat down with Cheryl Mack from Aussie Angels and Maxine Minter to talk about his… Read more »

Kate Pounder
People

Tech Council CEO Kate Pounder resigns

- January 22, 2024 < 1 MIN READ

The founding CEO of The Tech Council of Australia (TCA), Kate Pounder will step down from the role after three years at the end of next week. TCA chair Robyn Denholm paid tribute to Pounder for launching and cementing the lobby group as a critical industry body and raising the profile of the tech sector… Read more »

Prota Therapeutics CEO Prof Mimi Tang.
Funding

Allergies biotech startup Prota Therapeutics innoculated with $32 million in Series A1 raise

- January 17, 2024 2 MIN READ

Melbourne biotech startup Prota Therapeutics has raised US$21 million (A$32m) ahead of a Phase 3 clinical trial for its oral therapy treatment for peanut allergy. The round, a combination of equity and debt financing, was led by Singapore-based SPRIM Global Investments (SGI). Australian VC OneVentures was an early backer of the biotech and one of… Read more »

Jessy Wu
Venture Capital

Afterwork’s Jessy Wu on the importance of bravery and building a personal brand

- January 16, 2024 2 MIN READ

Jessy Wu helps lead Afterwork Ventures, a community-powered VC deploying $20 million across Australia and New Zealand. Previously, Wu was a Senior Investment Analyst at NAB Ventures. Outside of work, Wu volunteers as a Telephone Crisis Supporter for Lifeline and as an ethics teacher for Primary Ethics. A person dedicated to giving back, Wu has… Read more »

Airwallex
Fintech

Airwallex sets up for IPO by 2026

- January 15, 2024 2 MIN READ

Airwallex, the Melbourne-born fintech unicorn, is preparing to list publicly over the next two years according to one of its cofounders. The international payments business, last valued at US$5.5 billion (A$8.5bn) when it raised US$100 million in late 2022, turns 10 next year, having raised US$902 million in the seven years since it was founded… Read more »

People

Stake cofounder Matt Leibowitz resigns as CEO

- January 12, 2024 2 MIN READ

The cofounder of Stake, Matt Leibowitz, has resigned as CEO, having led the digital broker since its launch in 2017. He will move to executive director and continue to work on the platform’s product and business strategy. Leibowitz will be replaced by the company’s new chief commercial officer, Jon Howie, who joined the business in… Read more »

Godfrey Dinh, Futurerent
Funding

Rental income lending fintech Futurerent bags $50 million in debt funding for US launch

- January 11, 2024 2 MIN READ

Landlord borrowing alternative Futurerent, which lends property investors up to $100,000 of their rental income in advance, has secured $50 million in debt funding and is launching a new US division of the brand called Downpayments. The venture debt was provided by US VC Second Century Ventures and California-based lender Partners for Growth (PFG), which has… Read more »

Danny Molyneux Daniel Willis Jade Axford
Funding

The CEO of ad agency Claxon has launched a new VC and growth advisory firm, One03 Ventures

- January 9, 2024 2 MIN READ

A new venture capital and growth advisory firm to help startups move to scale-up has been launched by the chairman and CEO of advertising agency Claxon, Daniel Willis. One03 Ventures will focus on providing venture capital and/or growth advisory services to Australian businesses and brands with annual revenue between $2.5 million and $25m. Willis has… Read more »

SparkLabs
Accelerator

Applications for the SparkLabs Cultiv8 cleantech accelerator are open

- January 9, 2024 2 MIN READ

Agri-food tech accelerator, SparkLabs Cultiv8 has opened applications for its sixth agri-food tech accelerator. The first cleantech program ran last year. SparkLabs Cultiv8 partner Malcolm Nutt said that with momentum for the sector was increasing rapidly, both in Australia and globally, they plan to focus once again on cleantech agri-food companies in 2024. The program… Read more »