George Lucas, founder of ASX-listed fintech Raiz Invest, is back in startup land with a new idea, an AI Copilot for the financial adviser market, securing $2.5 million in a pre-Seed round to take it global. And after a bruising battle over his previous fintech, he’s off to the US to do it. YBL.AI uses… Read more »
Melbourne startup Phonely has been backed by Y Combinator, which tipped US$500,000(A$750,000) into artificial intelligence-based call receptionist. The legendary US accelerator has gone all-in on bringing Phonely to the world’s attention with posts that make it an instant rising star, generating a spectacular customer response that sets the nascent Aussie startup on the path to… Read more »
The Victorian government has put another $1 million on the table as part of a grants program for agtech startups. Agriculture minister Ros Spence said the AgTech Grants program, delivered by the government-backed startup agency LaunchVic, offers $50,000 to startups. The grant provides founders with dedicated mentoring from startup experts to build their businesses and seize… Read more »
ASX-listed venture capital firm Bailador Technology Investments has backed telehealth startup Updoc with a $20 million investment. Founded in 2021 by co-CEOs Dylan Coyne and Clifton Hodgkinson, Updoc (think the old Bugs Bunny line) offers online GP consultations to deal with a range of healthcare issues including advice, online prescriptions, specialist referrals, pathology referrals and… Read more »
Mystery shoppers are not a new concept, but the move to online retail has changed the rules of the game – and hidden the goal posts for retailers. So Sydney startup Humii has raised $300,000 from Melbourne early-stage VC Skalata to bring mystery shoppers back into customer experience (CX) tracking in a new and more… Read more »
Welcome to Runway, Startup Daily’s weekly round up of capital raising in the ANZ startup ecosystem. This week it’s also worth noting a VC banking big bucks with LaunchVic investing $900,000 in Paul Little’s early-stage fund Skalata to back around 30 new Victorian startups. Meanwhile, here’s who banked Bare Funerals Founded Perth, 2019 Doing Friends… Read more »
Welcome to The Ask, Our column designed for founders looking for capital. It may be venture capital, crowdfunding or another path, and is designed to flag your startup to potential investors. If you’re on the hunt for cash, we’re happy to share the news with Australia’s startup community. This is your chance to pitch directly… Read more »
A media-for-equity fund involving some of the industry’s biggest names, including News Corp, Nova and Foxtel, has backed a Sydney mircobrewery and funeral startup in an advertising deals worth around $1 million each. The Scaleup Mediafund has backed Hawke’s Brewing and Bare Funeral Group from its third fund, worth $15 million. The new fund expands… Read more »
Melbourne VC firm Skalata has a new investor in LaunchVic, which has backed the seed fund with $900,000. Skalata, chaired by former Toll boss Paul Little, has been a highly active in early capital for nascent startups, making 70 investments across two funds since its l. LaunchVic will invest directly into the fund manager overseeing… Read more »
A recycling startup dealing with problem products, such as soft plastics, coffee pods, blister packs and vapes, has raised $1.15 million from 1014 investors in a crowdfunding campaign. Five-year-old Sydney-based RecycleSmart plans to accelerate it national expansion with the funds. In the last 12 months, RecycleSmart has doubled its customer numbers, revenue and also seen… Read more »
Australian music licensing startup Melodie has banked $1 million in a bridging round ahead of plans for a major raise next year. The convertible note investment will form part of the 2025 round. Melodie previously raised $1 million at a $15 million valuation just over 12 months ago, and $600,000 in September 2021. Code Barrel founder Nick… Read more »
New Zealand fermented proteins startup Jooules has raised NZ$1 million (A$920k) from local accelerator and investor Sprout Agritech. Jooules is among eight NZ$1m investments Sprout has made, with additional funding from partners US-based Finistere Ventures, dairy firm Fonterra and venture builder OurCrowd, as well as the Callaghan Innovation’s Deep Tech Incubator program. Other recent NZ$1m… Read more »
Social impact startup Maslow has raised $409,676 in a crowd-sourced funding (CSF) campaign from 288 investors, including many other founders in the impact space. Investors included Brendan Doggert, country manager of Sharesies, Youpay founder Matt Holme, former ZeroCo CMO Glen Cassidy, Future Super cofounders Kirstin Hunter and Adam Verwey, Doone Roisin of Female Startup Club,… Read more »
Former Sydney insurtech unicorn Cover Genius has raised its third 9-figure round, this time banking US$80 million (A$120m) in a Series E. The fresh capital follows a $112 million (US$70m) Series D in late 2022 and $100 million in a series C in October 2021. The round was led by California VC Spark Capital, which… Read more »
New Zealand agritech startup Metrovate has raised NZ$1 million (A$920k) to develop its precision plant growth “biostimulant”. The investment was made by early-stage accelerator and commercialisation firm Sprout Agritech with support from its investment partners, US-based Finistere Ventures, Kiwi dairy giant Fonterra and venture builder OurCrowd, as well as the Te Pokapū Auaha Callaghan Innovation’s… Read more »
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
