The Commonwealth Bank is embracing cryptocurrencies, and will allow CommBank app customers to buy, sell and hold crypto assets. In the a game-changing move for the sector by the country’s biggest bank will see it partnered with crypto exchange Gemini – founded by the Winklevoss twins of Facebook fame – and blockchain analysis firm, Chainalysis.… Read more »
New Zealand markets investment platform Sharesies has raised NZ$50 million (A$48m) in a series C that values the business at NZ$500 million (A$480m). The round was led by existing investor Amplo. The US VC firm contributed around half the raise to take a 7.5% slice of the company. New Zealand VC Icehouse Ventures also backed… Read more »
We often hear witty comparisons being made between startups and babies. A recent, timely paper titled ‘Exit to community’ does the same. A startup is your (brain) child, a long-term commitment that needs constant love and attention. You’re going to experience significant growing pains and that ‘baby’ will cry at any hour of the day… Read more »
Climate-focused fintech Bloom Impact Investing has raised $675,000 in a pre-seed round ahead of the launch of its impact investing app. The round was led by climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network, EnergyLab with Envato co-founders Cyan and Collis Ta’eed also among the angel investors with ACAC Innovation, Palm Beach Ventures, and NOAB Ventures.… Read more »
New Zealand G venture capital firm Global From Day 1 (GD1) has raised NZ$130 million (A$124m) for its Fund 3, more than double its original first close target The Auckland-based VC is now pushing on to a cap of $160 million to back local startups with global ambitions as one of the country’s leading investors.… Read more »
The world’s biggest investor, New York firm Blackrock, is selling down ASX-listed fintech Afterpay as the company’s share price continues to head south. Afterpay (ASX: APT) lodged yet another ceasing to be a substantial shareholder notice for Blackrock today, after nearly five months of the investment firm dipping in and out of having 5% stake… Read more »
Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, recently announced his company had bought US$1.5 billion (almost A$2 billion) of Bitcoin. The announcement led to a flurry of enthusiasm and a quick surge in price for the controversial cryptocurrency. This price bump has been good news for Musk in the short term. At one point, Tesla’s… Read more »
Melbourne-based NextGen Funds Management has launched the country’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fund. The fund, for sophisticated investors, will invest in a mixture of debt and equity in ventures ranging from startup to pre-IPO. NextGen Funds Management Head of Distribution Samuel Mullavey said the fund will take a sector-neutral approach in areas are where AI… Read more »
FY20 startup funding nearly $7 billion Private investment almost doubled to $4.48bn Blackbird led Australian VC investors with 14 deals worth $490m More than 700 Australian startups have received nearly 900 rounds of funding from around 400 investors during the 2020 financial year according to the latest annual funding report by data analysis company Techboard.… Read more »
Impact Investment Group (IIG) is on the hunt for $70 million from wholesale investors for a new fund targeting sustainable and socially conscious startup investments. IIG CEO and co-fund manager Daniel Madhavan said the Impact Alternatives Fund will be a mix of investments, including renewable energy infrastructure such as solar farms, impact private equity, venture… Read more »
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia’s startup sector has an “exponential benefit” and “spillover effect” for the economy that other industries can’t match, and governments need to do more to support startups. Speaking to the Startup Daily show on ausbiz, the tech entrepreneur turned politician and now tech investor and Kasada board member said industry… Read more »
Startup investment in Australia hit new highs in the first six months of 2020, according to KPMG’s Venture Pulse report, but what does the reality of the raw numbers look like on the ground? KPMG’s Venture Pulse report found a jump of nearly 50% in venture capital investment compared to 12 months ago, reaching US$944.7 million… Read more »
The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) is using venture capital firms Square Peg Capital and Zetta Venture Partners to invest in startups, putting US$10 million (A$14m) each into the latest funds from the two VCs. Zetta is a US-based fund investing in artificial intelligence. In an update on the bank’s innovation program this week, CBA CEO Matt… Read more »
Sydney Angels, the 100-plus member investment group backing early stage startups, has sent a strong signal to founders with good ideas, announcing $2.4 million in total investment across three tech startups. The three ventures are: Trendspek, a Sydney software ventures that converts drone footage of critical infrastructure that’s difficult to inspect for maintenance, such as… Read more »
If we want the best bang for our economic stimulus buck, we need young workers in startups As we crawl towards our new definition of ‘normal’, one thing that’s become clear is that ‘recovery’ from COVID-19 isn’t a single goal; it’s a thousand small wins we will need to reach at different speeds. Despite the… Read more »
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Smart hotels get even smarter: 72 Byte to launch in Australia with AI expert backing 
Tassie carbon accounting startup banks $5.3 million Seed round 
Eucalyptus head of growth Matt Rossi departs to launch his own marketing startup, Oodle 
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