Funding Archives

Digital twins startup Willow builds $58 million pre-series B backed by former Macquarie boss Nicholas Moore

Simon Thomsen - September 10, 2021 2 MIN READ

Sydney-based digital twin tech startup Willow has raised US$43 million (A$58 million) in a pre-Series B. Existing shareholders, including Willow Chairman Nicholas Moore, the former Macquarie Group CEO, and Willow director Jim Cooney, doubled down on their investment along with institutional investor Perennial Value Management. The four-year-old software venture also took on WatermanCLARK co-founder Ric Clark, the former… Read more »

Funding

Travel and GPS startup AirBolt locks in $2 million seed round

Simon Thomsen - September 10, 2021 2 MIN READ

Connected devices tracking startup AirBolt has raised $2 million in a seed round. The raise was led by 72Capital and Moat Investments, with the funds deployed to expand AirBolt’s range of connected devices and global partnerships. Airbolt’s products include a smart travel lock, the world’s first Bluetooth-enabled smart travel-sized lock and a next-generation GPS, LTE-M,… Read more »

Funding

It’s RU OK Day – and startups and VCs are leading the way in finding solutions for better mental health

Anthony Millet - September 9, 2021 3 MIN READ

Today, September 9, is RU OK Day. R U OK? inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life. You don’t need to be an expert to reach out – just a good friend and a great listener. … Read more »

Funding

New Zealand AI insights startup Yabble raises $3 million for Australian expansion

Simon Thomsen - September 8, 2021 2 MIN READ

New Zealand data insights startup Yabble has raised NZ$3 million (A$2.9m) as it looks to expand into Australia and then the US. The AI company’s second raise was led by Hillfarrance among existing investors that include Movac, New Zealand Growth Capital Partners, Enterprise Angels, and other Angel networks, and high-net-worth individuals. Co-founders Kathryn Topp and… Read more »

Funding

Hybrid work culture building startup Remote Social raises $1 million seed round

Simon Thomsen - September 7, 2021 2 MIN READ

Future of work startup Remote Social has raised a $1 million seed round. The raise was led by Black Nova VC, supported by neuroscience consultancy NeuroPower, Antler Australia – the startup emerged out of Antler Australia, and several strategic angels. Remote Social’s angel investors include Atlassian VP of engineering Zak Islam, Archangel Ventures partner Quentin Wallace,… Read more »

Data

SafetyCulture backs video analytics startup in $8 million series A

Simon Thomsen - September 6, 2021 2 MIN READ

Video analytics platform Unleash live has raised $8 million in a series A round led by tech unicorn SafetyCulture. The five-year-old tech startup’s ‘Intelligent Remote Vision’ enables companies to improve productivity and safety, as well as reducing costs by using real-time video analytics to transform visual inspections. Roger Allen’s Patagorang Investment Group was among the… Read more »

Advice

Giant Leap’s Small Steps: Elon Musk’s next frontier is your memories

Rachel Yang and Charlie MacDonald - September 2, 2021 2 MIN READ

Welcome to Giant Leap’s Small Steps, a newsletter offering global insights and news on the impact startups landscape. We’ll be sharing an edited version with Startup Daily readers every fortnight. Giant Leap is Australia’s first impact venture fund, and they use this newsletter to surface the ideas and businesses that intrigue and inspire them and… Read more »

Funding

Insurtech Open raises $31 million series B to go global

Simon Thomsen - August 31, 2021 2 MIN READ

Australian insurtech Open has raised a $31 million series B as it looks to launch in New Zealand and the UK in the 12 months. The round was led by Kiwi VC Movac and Latitude in the UK. Existing investor AirTree Ventures backed the scale-up once again, taking the total capital raised to $53 million.… Read more »

Funding

Giant Leap raises $15 million in a month to launch its 2nd impact fund

Simon Thomsen - August 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

Impact VC fund, Giant Leap has raised more than $15 million in less than four weeks for a second fund, Giant Leap II. Many of the backers in the original fund, launched in 2016, have invested in the new fund. New supporters include QBE Australia and Pexa chair Mark Joiner and Bookish co-founder Peter Haasz.… Read more »

Funding

VC OneVentures is ramping up its sustainability focus by benchmarking all its investments using ESG

Simon Thomsen - August 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

Venture capital investor OneVentures is sharpening its focus on ESG (environmental, social, governance) principles in the startups it invests in to drive change in the sector. Managing director Dr Michelle Deaker, said it’s time for Australian VC firms to align their investment strategies to responsible investment practices and recognise that where they put their moment… Read more »

Funding

Molecular data startup Nutromics raises $5.7 million for its patient monitoring technology

Simon Thomsen - August 27, 2021 2 MIN READ

A molecular medicine startup hoping to save lives through a wearable sensor its creators say is like a “lab-on-the-skin” has raised $5.7 million. Melbourne healthtech venture Nutromics was co-founded Hitesh Mehta and Peter Vranes in 2018 after developing their idea in the MedTech Actuator program. They’ve built what they call a Continuous Molecular Monitoring (CMM)… Read more »

Funding

Perth e-bike Startup Tiller Rides spins $550,000 raise in 24 hours from crowdfunding

Simon Thomsen - August 27, 2021 3 MIN READ

A Western Australian startup dubbed “the Tesla of e-bikes” has raised more than $550,000 in the first 24 hours of its crowd-sourced funding (CSF) campaign Perth-based Tiller Rides has smashed the average investment size on the CSF platform Birchal, at $7,639 per investor, around $6000 more than most raises. It also marks the 100th successful… Read more »

George Kenley, Dean Freestone, Mark Cook

Funding

Epilepsy medtech Seer raises $34 million series A backed by Cochlear

Simon Thomsen - August 27, 2021 2 MIN READ

Medical technology startup Seer has raised $34 million in a series A as it looks to expand internationally. Medtech giant Cochlear, multi-family office EWM Group, SG Hiscock and impact investor Giant Leap backed the round. Seer’s technology is focused on clinical monitoring at home, developing devices checking key physiological signals, such as brain, heart and… Read more »

Funding

Artificial intelligence provider Pi.Exchange raises $2.75 million pre-series A

Simon Thomsen - August 26, 2021 2 MIN READ

An artificial intelligence startup making AI accessible to smaller companies has raised A$2.75 million (US$2m) in a pre-series A round. Pi.Exchange describes itself as an AI-as-a-Service provider and is targeting the banking and retail to professional services sectors with its product. Investors included AI-dedicated VC Boab AI, Artesian, Nextrans and Vision Creator, alongside additional support… Read more »

Funding

Doctor training platform Oscer scores $5 million seed round

Simon Thomsen - August 24, 2021 2 MIN READ

A medtech startup that helps aspiring doctors practice their clinical reasoning skills with AI-powered virtual patients has raised a $5 million seed round. The investment in Oscer was led by Blackbird, joined by January Capital, Inventures, Archangel Ventures and angel investors Brendan Hill, and Jeff Bargman and values the business at $20 million. The University… Read more »