If you’re not a celebrity or crypto bro with money to burn on Bored Ape NFTs, or bananas taped to a wall, but would like to buy art, then an exhibition opening in Sydney this week is just for you. James Erskine founded the Liverpool Street Gallery in East Sydney more than 20 years ago,… Read more »
3D body scanning platform Bodd has raised $15 million as it looks to expand globally. The round was led by US strategic investor Blue Sky Capital, supported by Ellerston Capital. Existing investors, including chairman Tim Allison, director Peter Leonard, Swans director John Gerahty and his family office Liangrove Group, commodities trader Ken Loughnan and fashion… Read more »
Google Asia Pacific will pay $55 million in penalties for engaging in anti-competitive conduct over a deal it struck with Telstra and Optus to only pre-install Google Search on Android phones the telcos sold. The fine was ratified by the Federal Court today, following legal action from the competition watchdog the ACCC. The search giant… Read more »
As omens go, epilepsy medtech Epiminder’s ASX debut on Monday, perhaps the stock exchange’s outage to start December wasn’t the best of signs. A technical glitch meant price-sensitive announcements couldn’t be published for several hours and 50 ASX-listed companies were forced into trading halts. Epiminder’s (ASX: EPI) initial public offering (IPO) at $1.50 per share… Read more »
Startmate CEO Michael Batko has stepped as CEO after eight years of leading the startup accelerator and investor, effective immediately. Taking over is chief operating officer Phoebe Pincus, who’s been with the Blackbird-backed organisation for four years. Batko, who was also a startup founder on the side, most recently exiting his side hustle, Startup Striders, last month,… Read more »
Melbourne workplace software unicorn Culture Amp posted losses totalling A$91.5 million (US$60m) in the last two financial years, including a $37 million (US$24.4m) loss in FY 2025. That loss and the current financial position of the 16-year-old tech scaleup were revealed in filings to the corporate regulator, ASIC, on Friday. On the upside, that’s a… Read more »
Another startup looking to deal with cattle methane emissions using seaweed has raised $2.176 million in Seed funding. The round for Fremantle Seaweed, at an $11 million pre-money valuation, comes a week after seven-year-old Sea Forest (ASX:SEA) listed on the ASX. The Tasmanian startup raised $20.5 million at $2 per share for a $112m market… Read more »
Neighbourlytics, which unpacks behavioural insights on how people use their ‘hood, has been acquired by ASX-listed REA Group. The Melbourne analytics platform, founded in 2017 by Jessica Christiansen-Franks and Lucinda Hartley, it offers real-time lifestyle and mobility data, including foot traffic, visitor trends, lifestyle personas, top destinations and accessibility to paint an informed picture of… Read more »
Australia’s climate tech sector now employs more than 7,000 people across more than 730 startups and scaleups, which attracted $680 million in venture funding in 2025. The analysis of local sector and its momentum and growth feature in the 2025 Australian Climate Tech Industry Report, released today by Climate Salad founder Mick Liubinskas. “This report… Read more »
Tasmanian climate tech startup Sea Forest was embraced by investors, with its shares closing up 12.5% on debut after listing on the ASX. The seven-year-old scaleup raised $20.5 million at $2 per share for a market capitalisation of $112.1 million, and rose as high as $2.42 before closing at $2.25. Sea Forest (ASX:SEA) was founded… Read more »
Ochre Ventures, the first Australian VC solely focused on First Nations entrepreneurship, has reached a $30 million first close on the $100m target for its first fund. The VC has already made its first five investments, including veteran First Nations-owned construction and facilities management business PSG Holdings; video games maker MicroProse, which generated $5m in… Read more »
New Zealand tech veteran Blackpearl Group crossed The Ditch on Tuesday for a dual listing on the ASX. Blackpearl (NZX: BPG) (ASX:BPG) listed at A$0.95 per share having raised NZ$15.1 million las month, but ended its debut down 7.41% at A$0.875 for a market cap of A$83m. Blackpearl is built around Pearl Engine, a data… Read more »
A new government-funded body will assess the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), fulfilling a promise made by Labor prior to the last election The Australian AI Safety Institute will evaluate emerging AI capabilities, share information and support timely actions to address potential risks. Industry, innovation and science minister Tim Ayres said in a joint release… Read more »
Blackbird’s come-to-Jesus moment six months ago, when it tipped $60 million from its 2022 follow-on fund into Airwallex, is now being pitched to the VC’s investors as its rising star. Details from the annual Blackbird Ventures investor day were leaked to Capital Brief’s Bronwen Clune, and included details of Canva’s performance, with the VC flagging… Read more »
Failed logistics startup GetSwift’s cofounders, Bane Hunter and Joel Macdonald, have been banned from being company directors in Canada for life. The bans come four years after the pair moved to North America as their ASX-listed business disintegrated amid legal action and relisted in British Columbia. The BC Securities Commission (BCSC) last month placed permanent… Read more »
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