ACCC Social media
Social Media

Consumer watchdog launches influencer crackdown over hidden ads after social media users dob them in

- January 30, 2023 2 MIN READ

The Australia Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) is combing through social media platforms to identify influencers that don’t disclose affiliations with the product and company they’re promoting. Social media users reported more than 100 influencers to the regulator.  Most tip-offs were about beauty, lifestyle, parenting, and fashion influencers who failed to follow the advertising disclosure… Read more »

Milkrun
Funding

Milkrun, the last local grocery delivery standing, is still trying to find fresh capital after raising $75 million

- January 27, 2023 3 MIN READ

Rapid grocery delivery service Milkrun tried to raise additional cash twice in 2022, despite starting the year with $75 million from Tiger Global in a Series A last January, but couldn’t attract investors amid the financial failure of its rivals. The Australian reports that the Sydney startup touted its Series B pitch deck to potential backers… Read more »

Zepto CFO Laura Mineo
People

Former Goldman Sachs director signs on as Zepto CFO

- January 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

Former Goldman Sachs executive director Laura Mineo has joined Byron Bay-based merchant payments fintech Zepto as Chief Financial Officer. Her C-suite role follows the appointment of Julia Bearzatto as Chief Product Officer in November last year. Mineo was most recently in New York as CFO at locally-founded, US-based Rokt, Australia’s third most-valuable private tech company behind… Read more »

Andrew Barnes
Business

Queensland edtech unicorn Go1 gobbles up UK rival Anders Pink

- January 26, 2023 2 MIN READ

Brisbane workplace learning platform Go1 has acquired five-year-old rival British content curation startup Anders Pink. The deal went through late last year for an undisclosed sum amid as part of Go1’s push into the European market after also acquiring Swiss-French edtech Coorpacademy, which delivers French and German language content. It was a busy year for… Read more »

Australian Open, Rod Laver Arena
Accelerator

AO Startups serves up 5 companies for its Australian Open accelerator program

- January 25, 2023 4 MIN READ

Tennis Australia’s AO Startups program has announced five of the seven startup involved in its pioneering new accelerator program. The startups were chosen from among 165 applications to the program, which is designed to help early-stage companies pilot cutting-edge technologies at the Australian Open (AO) and tennis more broadly. Tennis Australia Head of Innovation Dr Machar Reid said… Read more »

Joel Anderson, Brad Martin and Elizabeth Kirk
Funding

Employee wellbeing startup Foremind raises $200,000 for construction industry mental health support

- January 25, 2023 2 MIN READ

Employee wellbeing startup Foremind has raised $200,000 in Seed funding from early stage investor Skalata Ventures. The cash will be used to improve access to mental health support in the construction and building sector.  Cofounder and engineer Joel Anderson was inspired to build Foremind after a poor experience using an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Around… Read more »

Richard White
ASX

Logistics giant Wisetech Global just gobbled up another tech startup for $327 million

- January 25, 2023 2 MIN READ

ASX-listed shipping platform WiseTech Global has acquired yet another tech company, snapping up the US logistics management software startup Envase for US$230 million (A$327m). Founded in 2020, Envase Technologies supplies transport management system software for intermodal trucking and landside logistics in North America. The acquisition deal is with private investment firm Firmament, and several other… Read more »

Brosa cofounders Richard Li and Ivan Lim.
Business

Furniture startup Brosa to fold leaving customers $5 million out of pocket

- January 24, 2023 3 MIN READ

Venture capital investors aren’t the only ones burnt by the collapse of upmarket furniture retailer Brosa, with customers left around $5 million out of pocket on products they paid for but didn’t get, a report on the startup’s finances by administrators, KordaMentha, reveals. Brosa was placed in Voluntary Administration on December 14 with assets of… Read more »

Mike Cannon-Brookes
Business

Mike Cannon-Brookes lends Sun Cable $65 million to keep the show on the road as its administrators look for a buyer

- January 24, 2023 2 MIN READ

Atlassian cofounder and billionaire investor Mike Cannon-Brookes has lent Sun Cable, the startup behind a $30 billion project to send solar power to Singapore, $65 million to keep operating as the company’s voluntary administrators look to sell the business. Cannon-Brookes is making the no interest loan through his family venture capital firm, Grok Ventures after… Read more »

Ferronova CEO Stewart Bartlett
Funding

South Australian biotech startup Ferronova banks $11 million to tackle cancer treatment

- January 23, 2023 2 MIN READ

Adelaide biotech company Ferronova has raised $8 million from investors topped up with a $3 million research grant from the federal government for its nanoparticle platform to help surgeons to locate and remove malignant cells in stomach and brain cancers. Irish healthtech venture Renew Pharmaceuticals led the raise, supported by existing backers Uniseed and Artesian… Read more »

Cows
Funding

Bill Gates, Twiggy Forrest back livestock emissions reduction startup Rumin8 in $17 million Seed top up

- January 23, 2023 2 MIN READ

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has made his first investment in an Australian startup, backing Perth-based climate tech venture Rumin8 in a US$12 million (A$17m) second phase of its Seed round. The raise was led by the Gates-founded VC firm Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), with participation from fellow billionaires Andrew and Nicola Forrest via their agri-food… Read more »