Simon Thomsen

Simon has been editor of Startup Daily since 2019.

He hosted the Startup Daily show on streaming service ausbiz.com.au from 2020 to 2023.

He was previously associate editor of Business Insider Australia, a national restaurant critic, editor of The Good Food Guide, and newspaper proprietor during a 30-year career in journalism and publishing.

He's also an investor in early stage startups.

Simon chaired the environment committee of industry lobby group Australian Business Ltd's (now NSW Business Chamber) during the Kyoto agreement era, debating cow farts with mining execs.

Canva
Advice

Ignition Lane’s Weekly Wrap: Australia’s massive funding month, Zoom & Five9 break up, Stripe turns 10

- October 4, 2021 5 MIN READ

Welcome to Ignition Lane’s Weekly Wrap, where they cut through the noise to bring you their favourite insights from the technology and startup world. Ignition Lane works with ambitious business leaders to apply the Startup Mindset to their technology, product and commercialisation problems.  This wrap goes out free to subscribers every Saturday. Don’t forget you can catch Gavin Appel discussing… Read more »

Vicki Lyon
People

Sophisticated Cocktail Co, the startup that keeps the drinks flowing in top shelf goon bags, turns one

- October 1, 2021 3 MIN READ

On this day 12 months ago, having survived Sydney’s initial lockdowns, cocktail lover Vicki Lyon launched her startup dream in a glass, except it came in her own upmarket version of the “goon bag”.  Her idea, Sophisticated Cocktail Co, produces a range of ready-to-drink cocktails, which has expanded in the past year to include a… Read more »

Funding

Psychedelic biotech startup Psylo raises $1.1m to treat mental health issues with the key ingredient in magic mushrooms

- October 1, 2021 2 MIN READ

Psylo, a preclinical biotech firm, has raised $1.1 million as part of an ambitious plan to treat mental illness with naturally occurring psychedelic drugs. The Sydney-based startup, part of Startmate‘s current W21 cohort, has been backed in a round led led by Chris Hitchen’s global micro-VC fund Possible Ventures. The venture’s prominent angel investors also include Airtree’s… Read more »

Karen Nelson-Field
Funding

‘Attention economy’ advertising startup Amplified Intelligence banks $3 million post-seed round

- October 1, 2021 2 MIN READ

Attention measurement advertising platform Amplified Intelligence has raised $3 million in a post-seed funding round. The raise was led by Steve Baxter’s investment syndicate venture capital fund TEN13. Amplified Intelligence will use to accelerate company’s product roadmap and expand global commercial team, including its first hires in the US and UK. It’s the startup’s first… Read more »

Fintech

FinTech Australia launches regulatory map for global fintech companies looking to expand Down Under

- September 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

FinTech Australia has released a new tool for early-stage and global fintechs expanding into Australia that offers clear guidance on the country’s financial services licensing laws. Created in partnership with law firm K&L Gates and Austrade, the regulatory map is a global first and aims to greatly ease overseas companies’ expansions into Australia and assist… Read more »

Shadi Haddad
Funding

Fintech Till Payments raises $110 million series C

- September 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

Sydney payments fintech Till Payments has raised $110 million in a  Series C. The round was backed by local and US investors, including Avenir Growth, Woodson Capital and Akuna Capital. Long-term backer Regal Funds Management once again supported the raise, along with several Till customers. The  series C follows raises in 2019 and 2020, taking total funding to $145 million.… Read more »

Tom Kline
Funding

VC firm Investible launches $100 million climate tech fund

- September 30, 2021 3 MIN READ

Sydney seed investment firm Investible is on the hunt for $100 million to launch a climate tech venture capital fund. The fund will invest in early-stage climate-focussed technology businesses, with 50% capacity to participate in follow-on rounds. It will predominantly focus on Australian businesses, but has up to 30% earmarked for international ventures. Investible CEO… Read more »

Funding

Meet Black Nova, the new Sydney VC fund that’s backed 23 startups in stealth mode and already had an exit

- September 29, 2021 2 MIN READ

Sydney venture capital fund Black Nova has emerged from the shadows to launch officially this week with $10 million in its kitty and 23 companies already in its portfolio. The VC was co-founded by Matt Browne and Darcy Naunton following their successful exit from workplace health, and safety software platform Donesafe in 2020. Black Nova‘s fund… Read more »

unicorn dog
Startup Daily TV

Startup Daily TV: All about NFT Fest, the new, free, day-long deep dive into non-fungible tokens this Thursday

- September 29, 2021 2 MIN READ

A world-first Australian event delving into the emerging space of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is being held online this Thursday, September 30. NFT Fest features more than 45 speakers from across Australia and the world with a range of panel discussions and debates about developing and delivering NFT technology solutions and the potential for startups, marketplaces… Read more »