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.

Leigh Travers
People

DigitalX boss Leigh Travers is leaving the ASX-listed blockchain company to become CEO of Binance Australia

- August 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

Digital currency exchange Binance Australia has appointed Leigh Travers, the former CEO of ASX-listed blockchain company DigitalX, as its new Executive Officer. Travers spent seven years at DigitalX. He previously created a tech and investment professionals startup hub in WA and has served on the board blockchain industry body, Blockchain Australia. Travers has provided technical,… Read more »

Peter Vranes, Hitesh Mehta
Funding

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

- 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 »

Tiller Rides, Julian Ilich
Funding

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

- 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

- 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 »

Quan Pham
Funding

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

- 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 »

Quantum Brilliance co-founders
Other tech

A quantum startup using synthetic diamonds to accelerate computing has raised $13 million in seed funding

- August 26, 2021 2 MIN READ

Canberra-based computing science startup Quantum Brilliance has raised US$10 million (A$13m) in seed funding. The investment into the Australian-German full-stack quantum accelerator startup, which emerged from The ANU’s research group in diamond quantum science in 2019, was co-led by the QxBranch founders’ and the CSIRO’s VC fund, Main Sequence, with other backers including CP Ventures, Investible,… Read more »

Douugh
ASX

Fintech Douugh launches US wealth management advice service

- August 25, 2021 2 MIN READ

Australian fintech Douugh (ASX:DOU) has continued its US expansion plans launching  a Douugh Wealth, an integrated robo-advisory investment service, as part of its app Founder and CEO Andy Taylor said the launch of Douugh Wealth “a critical milestone on our journey to becoming a truly global ‘responsible’ financial super app” to help users manage their… Read more »

New Zealand, Hobbit
ASX

New Zealand daily deals site GrabOne has been sold to the company behind Click Frenzy for NZ$17.5 million

- August 24, 2021 2 MIN READ

One of New Zealand’s largest ecommerce and daily deals websites, GrabOne, is being sold to Global Marketplace, the Australian company behind Click Frenzy, for NZ$17.5 million (A$16.8m). Melbourne-based Global Marketplace (GMP) also owns Click Central and e-commerce analytics firm Power Retail and is reportedly gearing up for an IPO in 2022. The company is majority… Read more »

Waleed Mussa, Thomas Kelly & Yu Liu.
Funding

Doctor training platform Oscer scores $5 million seed round

- 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 »

Carbonix Domani Drone
Funding

Drone venture Carbonix lands $6.3 million seed round

- August 23, 2021 2 MIN READ

Carbonix, the Sydney startup that pivoted from high-speed sailing to drones, has raised $6.3 million in a late seed round ahead of US ambitions. The round was led by ASX-listed defence aerospace manufacturer Quickstep (ASX: QHL), and comes as the venture lands a major deal with electricity supplier Ausgrid to use Carbonix drones to monitor… Read more »