When the Victorian government announced plans to disband LaunchVic, and distribute some of its roles to other agencies, like Breakthrough Victoria, there’s a temptation to treat it as an administrative change: a reshuffle of functions, a rebadging of programs, a matter for insiders. That temptation is comforting – and profoundly wrong. I don’t want to… Read more »
The Victorian government’s plan to abolish LaunchVic has shaken beneficiaries of its Alice Anderson Fund, who fear upcoming women-led startups could lose out on important funding, significant business opportunities, and a powerful support network. In response to a major cost-cutting review of the public sector, the Allan government confirmed earlier this month that startup support… Read more »
In a week when Victoria’s startup community is reeling, it would be easy to believe the story is only about loss. The Victorian Government has confirmed it will wind down LaunchVic as an independent agency and consolidate its functions with Breakthrough Victoria and Invest Victoria, as part of a public sector overhaul. On paper, this… Read more »
The Victorian government will wind down startup support agency LaunchVic and rework technology investment fund Breakthrough Victoria as part of broader public sector reforms set to save the state $4 billion. The decision has rattled the state’s startup sector, and spells an uncertain future for state-backed accelerators, grants, and investment funds tailored to local talent.… Read more »
Two startups from LaunchVic’s recent CivVic Labs accelerator program have banked $35,000 each to develop their ideas further. The program saw WoolGrow Australia and CForge each receive $35,000 to help bring their circular agriculture solutions to market. The decision follows a pitch featuring all 10 startups, which each one receiving $15,000 in equity-free funding, in… Read more »
New York online health multinational Teladoc Health (NYSE: TDOC) has acquired Victorian healthtech startup Telecare, in the first exit for LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund. The deal closed last Friday, August 8, with the terms undisclosed, but Teladoc Health said it’s expected to be immaterial to its 2025 financial results. Telecare developed Australia’s leading virtual care… Read more »
LaunchVic has injected $3.75m into Victoria’s startup scene, seeding seven VC funds, funding four university pre-accelerators and supporting 60+ founder events. The state expects the funds to raise $275m+ for early-stage startups, as it doubles down on innovation amid a tough global capital market.
LaunchVic’s sidecar fund for women founders, the Alice Anderson fund, has completed a pre-Seed $1.1 million raise for Melbourne pet health startup Elita. The commitment brings to a close the long-running raise for Elita, which is building a stem cell bank for Australian pets. Founded by Paloma Newton and Jackson Gritching, the genetics startup, which… Read more »
The Victorian government is boosting its support for local startups with an additional $5.1 million in funding via LaunchVic. The grants include $1 million for the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship to help early-stage investors develop expertise in critical skills such as due diligence, capital raising and portfolio management. A further $4.1 million (and up to… Read more »
LaunchVic, has selected 11 new scaleups to be part of the ongoing 30X30 program, which helps fast-growing get their organisational ducks in a row on the path to unicorn status – a $1 billion+ valuation – by the end of the decade. The Victorian government’s startup body developed the fully subsidised four-month program to connect… Read more »
Victorian startup agency LaunchVic is offering grants of up to $300,000 to venture capital funds and angel groups to set up in Victoria and back local startups. To qualify, they’re either just kicking off or “new to Victoria”, which means interstate VCs looking to put boots on the ground in the southeast can apply for… Read more »
Victorian startup agency LaunchVic has added four new directors to its board as it gears up for 2025 with a revised focus. They are: Charlie Day: CEO of Monash University spinout Jupiter Ionics and former CEO of Innovation & Science Australia . Chaman Sidhu: Former Chief Legal and Company Secretary roles at Xero, Envato, and… Read more »
Crowd-sourced funding (CSF) platform Birchal’s new Birchal First Syndicate has turbocharged $1.9 million in funding for Victorian hardware technology startups in 90 days since its launch. The angel syndicate, backed by a $300,000 LaunchVic grant, combines its lead investments with retail investor support on the crowdfunding platform’s equity capital raising campaigns. While battery-powered aircraft engine… Read more »
A goal matching platform that helps you find and build your community of advisors to help you succeed in work and life has raised nearly $500,000 in an angel round from high-profile female founders and LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson fund. Matched, cofounded by Jessica Box and Susan Hion-Jarvis, was backed by Modibodi founder Kristy Chong and… Read more »
Victorian government-backed startup authority LaunchVic has two new grant rounds, worth up to $1.5 million, to support the local ecosystem through accelerator programs and investor education. Grants of up to $1.5 million are available for accelerator programs requiring ongoing funding to maintain their operations in the state, while a separate grant of up to $1… Read more »
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