Business

$9.5 million, 4 cities and 7 years later, Kiki’s London launch has generated $18,700 in revenue since July

- November 25, 2025 5 MIN READ

Four months after entering the UK market, controversial short-term subletting startup Kiki is following a familiar pattern as it finds its footing in London. Manual processes powered by Instagram, limited revenue, parties, and growing costs (including visa sponsorship for newly hired staff) are already defining Kiki’s local operations. Meanwhile, the startup is publicly projecting confidence… Read more »

Business

South Asian Australian founders are a $1.6 billion startup powerhouse

- November 24, 2025 2 MIN READ

South Asian Australian founders have raised at least $1.6 billion in investment through to 2025, in fields as varied as artificial intelligence, mental healthcare, and sustainability, according to a new report celebrating the local startup sector. The figure demonstrates the growing influence of South Asian founders, says Sandeep Varma, whose SAARI Collective published a list… Read more »

Airtasker CEO Tim Fung
ASX

ASX-listed Airtasker raises another $10 million

- November 17, 2025 2 MIN READ

Freelancer marketplace Airtasker has completed a $10 million equity capital placement led by US radio and podcast giant iHeartMedia, powering the Australian company’s overseas marketing effort. The deal will help Airtasker — the Sydney-based platform connecting customers to freelance gardeners, bartenders, accountants, and beyond — compete for publicity against global rivals like Upwork and Fiverr. The… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Expat Australian founder Ned Dwyer on how to raise in Silicon Valley – having just bagged a $20 million Series A

- November 13, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australian entrepreneur Ned Dwyer has reason to celebrate, after Great Question, the San Francisco-based startup he co-founded in 2020, raised $20 million (US$13 million) in venture capital investment. And the Series A round has also prompted Dwyer to reflect on his experiences as an expat in Silicon Valley, and what has changed since for fellow… Read more »

Funding

Cheque-in: 8 startups kick off November by raising $350 million this week

- November 9, 2025 5 MIN READ

Medical technology was a major theme in startup funding this week, with Synchron and Lumonus AI raising hundreds of millions for their forward-thinking solutions. We also counted funding deals from Australian startups that have found new ways to clean ships, improve cattle breeding, provide gifts, and support parents and carers of neurodivergent children. Keep reading… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

The 10 new features just launched by Canva

- November 1, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australian design unicorn Canva has unveiled its biggest product overhaul in its 12 years, as part of what it is calling its ‘Creative Operating System’. The blockbuster new system features Canva’s own large language model trained specifically for design, and permanently free access to the Affinity professional design tool, and new features to help you… Read more »

Funding

Cheque-in: 8 startups raised $113 million this week to end October

- October 31, 2025 5 MIN READ

There’s been a flurry of funding deals announced by Australian and Kiwi startups this week — from a Brisbane startup building superfast, hydrogen-powered planes to a Perth company transforming seaweed into a natural alternative to plastic. Keep reading to learn more about the eight Australian and New Zealand startups that collectively raised more than $113… Read more »

Funding

Cheque-in: The 2 startups that raised $8.2 million (and the expat Aussie backed by Square Peg)

- October 24, 2025 3 MIN READ

It has been relatively quiet on the startup funding front this week: we’ve counted only two local startups with fresh capital raises. But Australian talents are still shining abroad, with one founder raising tens of millions of dollars for a new tool empowering sales teams. Keep reading to learn more about 2cloudnine and SeaStock, which… Read more »

Ron Conry and Sam Ringwaldt
Business

Cheque-in: 6 startups banked $13.4 million in funding this week

- October 17, 2025 4 MIN READ

After last week’s $211 million raised across six startups – that largely to Heidi Health’s $98m Seris B as well as details of Octopus Deploy’s 2024 $45.6m round emerging, mid October seems more normal, with six Australian companies collectively raising a collective $13.4m. The biggest raise came from GXE, which secured $3.3 million in Series… Read more »

 Holly Cardew Mike Angell 
Business

4 years after a record $13m Seed raise, Blackbird-backed ‘ultimate wishlist’ shopping app Carted shuts down

- October 15, 2025 2 MIN READ

E-commerce startup Carted will close next week, four years after raising $13 million in one of Australia’s largest seed funding rounds and pledging to change how people shop online. The Carted wishlist app, which informs shoppers when coveted items go on sale, will close on Wednesday, October 22. “We’ve loved building Carted with you, but we… Read more »

Jamie Hall and Steve Hind
AI/Machine Learning

Why Lorikeet is one of Australia’s most important AI startups – and now outshining Canva

- October 13, 2025 2 MIN READ

Over the last couple of years, Canva has pushed hard into generative AI. It has become one of Australia’s best startup success stories. Yet, it’s another younger local AI player that is getting more spend from customers globally in the space.< Last week, Andreessen Horowitz’s new ‘AI Apps 50: Where Startups Spend on AI‘ list… Read more »

Octopus Deploy, Sonia and Paul Stovell.
Business

Cheque-in: 6 ANZ startups banked a whopping $211 million in funding this week

- October 10, 2025 4 MIN READ

Two Australian startups moved closer to unicorn status this week, after revealing new funding rounds that gave their valuations a healthy boost. This week’s funding round-up is led by Heidi Health’s $98 million Series B round and Octopus Deploy’s $45.6 million investment, although the latter was secured in 2024. They are joined by four other Australian and New… Read more »

Irene Tsang
Funding

Cheque-in: 8 ANZ startups banked $53.46 million in funding this week

- October 3, 2025 6 MIN READ

Startup funding activity has continued to hold steady this week, with nearly $53.5 million announced across sectors including agtech, energy, AI, health and fintech. Oh, and Limoncello. Leading the pack is Queensland-based SwarmFarm Robotics, which has banked $30 million to ramp up production of its autonomous farm robots and expand overseas. SwarmFarm Robotics: $30 million The… Read more »