AfterWork Ventures OG partner Jessy Wu has left VC for a new career as founder of her own media and communications agency. Encour. The outspoken investor, who’s dealt with hundreds of founders as the $20 million early-stage VC fund went on to back 30 companies, joined AfterWork in 2021 when it launched. “Joining the firm… Read more »
Shant Kradjian, the owner of consumer electronics retailer digiDirect, has acquired the assets of failed ASX-listed Booktopia in a deal that will bring the online bookseller back online and out of administration. The sale price, which has not been disclosed, will not see a return to shareholders. Booktopia racked up debts of around $60 million,… Read more »
The acquisition hunger of cashed-up Australian tech companies has continued with link-in-bio platform Linktree scooping up social media scheduling platform Plann for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2016 by former ad exec Christy Laurence, Plann was named Startup Daily’s Startup of the Year. She left her corporate job after suffering a brain injury. Initially told… Read more »
Note: This article contains images generated by artificial intelligence. Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has released Grok-2, the latest version of its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot, which can now generate images with what appears to be very few guardrails to prevent potential abuse. Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini, which are only available to subscribers of Musk’s social… Read more »
A New Zealand startup revolutionising the way the bicycle parts are bought and sold globally has raised NZ$2 Million in a Seed round. Rotorua-based Bike Matrix offers a B2B compatibility solution that allows users to “select a bike and see what fits.” The startup declined to name its investors saying they came from inside the… Read more »
A cleantech startup hoping to replacing the amount of diesel fuel in heavy-duty vehicles and machinery by up to 90% has been backed early-stage VC firm Investible. The level of pre-Seed funding for DeCarice from Investible’s Climate Tech Fund was not disclosed. DeCarice was founded in 2023 by engine industry veteran Goran Bozic, and Professor… Read more »
New Zealand meal planning and grocery shopping app MenuAid has rebranded to Appetise after raising NZ$4 million (A$3.6m) in a pre-Series A. The raise was backed by Kiwi VC Icehouse Ventures and OIF in Australia. As part of the rebrand, Appetise’s consumer app is moving to a free model, cutting its $4 weekly subscription, while… Read more »
Brisbane biotech Gelomics will represent Australia in KPMG’s Global Tech Innovator challenge after winning the local pitch competition. The startup, which grows human tissue in a petri dish for drug testing as an alternative to animal testing in pharmaceutical drug development, was selected from among five high-powered finalists chosen from 155 entries. The annual KPMG… Read more »
Biomedical technology incubator Proto Axiom has raised $20 million in the first close of a planned $30m Series B. The company did not name its latest backers, who join the likes of Catalio, Parkview International, Churchill Asset Management and HOF Capital, who invested in a $15m Series A in September 2022.’ Proto Axiom set out… Read more »
The federal government has unveiled a new science statement and accompanying priorities that include a focus on harnessing artificial intelligence for good and preparing for its impact. Minister for Industry Ed Husic released new versions of Australia’s National Science and Research Priorities, which will guide the nation’s public and private research focus and investment over… Read more »
A Sydney biotechnology startup tackling behavioural and psychological symptoms in illnesses such as dementia and substance abuse has raised $14.5m in a Series B. The raise for Kinoxis Therapeutics, cofounded by researchers from the chemistry and psychology faculties at Sydney University, was backed by pioneering venture fund Uniseed, UniSuper, the university, Stoic VC, and US-based Avicella… Read more »
A startup turning looking good into a membership has raised A$1.25 million in a push to rethink how we use beauty treatment services. The round for aglow was led by Kiwi VC Icehouse Ventures via Brand Fund, a joint venture with NZ brand development firm Previously Unavailable, with support from Ryan Baker, founder of beauty-tech… Read more »
The minister for government services, Bill Shorten, will unveil a new initiative that would allow people to have more control over the personal information they share. The scheme, called the Trust Exchange (TEx), would allow people to verify their identities and credentials based on official information already held by the federal government. The plan is… Read more »
Funding from the federal government’s new $392 million Industry Growth Program (IGP) has begun to flow, with $7.4 million in grants awarded to give startups spanning biotech, robotics, renewable energy, cybersecurity and medtech. IGP was announced in the 2023 federal budget, replacing the former Entrepreneurs Program, which had the same level of funding, but was… Read more »
A Sydney software platform managing memberships for the world’s leader fitness brands has raised $17.3 million in a Series A from OIF Ventures and Bailador. Hapana’s platform, a white label CRM solution for membership payments, retention and loyalty, is used by fitness brands such as BFT, KX Pilates, UFC Gym and F45 across 17 countries.… Read more »
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