A virtual reality startup which has developed the medical version of a flight simulator for doctors has raised $7 million in a round described as a pre-series A. The round for Vantari VR was led by Co:Act Capital with support from Acova Capital, Significant Early Venture Capital and Sirius Capital, as well as several investors… Read more »
Today marks a decade since of of the 20th Century’s greatest figures left us. Nelson Mandela died, aged 95, on December 5, 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Born into the Thembu royal family in 1918, as Rolihlahla Mandela, he lost his father aged 12, and was given the name Nelson by a primary school teacher.… Read more »
Jessy Wu, one of the most articulate, insightful and outspoken people in Australian venture capital, has been appointed partner at AfterWork Ventures. She was the first hire at the three-year-old VC, joining in 2021 as an Investment Manager and Head of Community. Founding partners Alex Khor and Adrian Petersen praised Wu as an irreplaceable team… Read more »
It seems all is not rainbows and unicorns in Australian venture capital. A bit of the green-eyed monster is emerging against market leader Blackbird Ventures, according to today’s AFR. The business paper has been talking to “industry sources”, anonymous founders and VC figures who won’t go on the record because they “need to eat”, painting… Read more »
An artificial intelligence-powered startup that helps business leaders turn their ideas into content has launched with users able to test the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of TalkingBrands.ai for free. Cofounder Tom Finnigan, who previously managed PR at AusCyber and Stone & Chalk, developed TalkingBrands.ai to take away the fear people have when it comes to… Read more »
Chris Vein, the self-confessed American “Australophile” and former White House, and World Bank executive who became CEO of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) following its most turbulent period, is stepping down after 18 months in the role. ACS announced it “regrets” that Vein will retire at the end of the year for personal/health reasons. “As… Read more »
Founder Edwina Sharrock says the decision to exit from her 8-year-old edtech startup Birth Beat is like selling a child. The childbirth education platform has been acquired by Device Technologies for an undisclosed sum. Birth Beat offers comprehensive, interactive digital childbirth education, as well as baby and child first aid courses, that have helped more… Read more »
Six months after trumpeting $19.8 million for an “Australian Centre for Quantum Growth” the Albanese government and science and innovation minister Ed Husic have slapped $18.5 million on the table hoping someone will take up the reins to make it happen. The $18.5 million in funding is to establish the Australian Centre for Quantum Growth… Read more »
A defence tech startup that helps drones and airborne surveillance craft “see” better has raised $4.45 million in a Seed round. The investment in Arkeus was led by CSIRO deep tech VC Main Sequence, with participation from Steve Baxter’s new defence-focus fund, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, and Salus Ventures. The capital is allocated towards scaling… Read more »
If you believe that bad things come in threes, then it was a big week for geopolitics, music and investing. A prominent trio paid the ferryman within days: Henry Kissinger, the controversial former US Secretary of State and security adviser to presidents Nixon and Ford, died aged 100; Shane MacGowan, the charismatic Irish poet and… Read more »
Legal industry collaboration platform Nexl has raised $6.6 million in a Series A as it looks to modernise business law. The round was co-led by Shearwater Capital and existing backer EVP. The business has now raised $10 million in 2023. Philipp Thurner, the former head of innovation at top tier law firm Gilbert and Tobin,… Read more »
Women-founded and focused superannuation fintech Verve Super has been acquired by the parent company of Simon Sheikh’s Future Super, just five months after raising $3 million in a pre-Series A. Verve cofounder and CEO Christina Hobbs announced news of the deal on Wednesday saying it gives the five-year-old startup the ability to leverage Future Group’s… Read more »
New Zealand’s most active venture capital firm Icehouse Ventures, says it has “VCed itself” after raising NZ$10 million (A$9.3m) in equity capital. The raise was supported by business leaders and family offices across Aotearoa, as well as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, and the US. Icehouse’s backers are a who’s who… Read more »
New Zealand funds management software startup Caruso has raised A$3 million in Seed funding as it looks to cross the ditch as establish an Australian office. The round was led by Kiwi VC Icehouse Ventures, with support from GD1, Chris Heaslip, founder of Pushpay, and the Rae family of Gull Oil. Caruso plans to add… Read more »
Artificial intelligence loans assessments platform Rich Data Co has raised $28 million (US$17.5m) in a Series B as it looks to ramp up its North America expansion The round was led by Westpac and Nasdaq-listed cloud banking firm nCino, supported by existing backer BMYG and a new investor, Singapore-based Octava Fund. The funds will be used… Read more »
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