Business

From Strongroom AI to losing LaunchVic: the year’s biggest business controversies

- December 24, 2025 4 MIN READ

Australia’s business pages in 2025 were on the spicier side, as controversies across retail, tech, consulting and policy certainly brought out the trust issues in the sector. Across the year, there were major data breaches, court actions over wage underpayments, startup failures, consumer safety interventions and the closure of long-running business support programs. Here’s a… Read more »

money tree
Business

StrongRoom sells for $3 million – and now the games begin

- June 13, 2025 4 MIN READ

StrongRoom AI will live on under new management with Queensland pharmacy entrepreneur Joe Zhou acquiring the Melbourne healthtech startup from the administrators in a deal finalised late on Thursday. The sale follows a last minute battle for control of the business last week when an early investor, InterValley, and one of the company’s cofounders, make… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

StrongRoom will be wound up as EVP names the startup’s early investors as defendants in expanded legal action to recover $10.4 million

- June 6, 2025 5 MIN READ

EVP has added 20 more defendants, including earlier VC investors – taking the total to 32 – in its legal action to recover $10.4 million invested in StrongRoom AI. EVP has a freezing order over the company’s assets and during a case management hearing on Wednesday added the company’s other early investors, including Artesian Ventures,… Read more »

Business

After investing $10.4 million, EVP claims StrongRoom AI’s CEO and cofounder admitted to fraud with fake revenue numbers

- April 4, 2025 5 MIN READ

The CEO and cofounder of StrongRoom AI allegedly conceded to EVP investor Misha Saul that the company’s revenue and debt figures were “wilful fraud”. Details of an extraordinary conversation and confession by CEO Max Mito were outlined in submissions in Federal Court legal action by the Sydney VC, after it successfully applied to freeze the… Read more »

Business

‘The investor’s role is to build, not to destroy’: StrongRoom AI’s Seed backer takes aim at EVP amid pending legal battle over $10.4 million

- April 1, 2025 3 MIN READ

A UK investor with close ties to one of the defendants in legal action against besieged medtech startup StrongRoom AI has come out swinging against Sydney VC EVP, which is fighting to get its $10.4 million investment back. Aaron Michelin, a director of Tyson & Blake – named after founder Chris Tornblom’s dogs – has… Read more »

Misha Saul
Business

EVP takes legal action against StrongRoom AI’s founders and administrators, freezing assets to try and get their $10.4 million back

- March 31, 2025 4 MIN READ

EVP has lodged legal action in the Federal Court of Australia in a bid to recoup the $10.44 million it invested in Melbourne startup StrongRoom AI. The Sydney venture capital firm headed to court in Brisbane on Monday afternoon to seek an urgent order freezing assets worth up to $10,440,969 million against 13 defendants, including… Read more »

Business

Just a fortnight after raising $17 million, medicines management startup Strongroom AI is in receivership

- March 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

Financiers for Melbourne startup Strongroom AI have forced the company into administration, amid concerns about the company’s accounts. The move comes after the lead investor, EVP called in police on Monday after asking for its money back following a $17 million raise in early March. The request was declined by StrongRoom. On Friday morning, new… Read more »