Leonardo.AI
Funding

Blackbird backs generative AI startup Leonardo.Ai in $47 million raise

- December 7, 2023 2 MIN READ

A generative AI content production platform that has created more than 700 million images, and trained more than 470,000 custom generative AI models, since launching a year ago has raised $47 million, The next level version of OpenAi’s DALL-E, Leonardo.Ai was backed by Blackbird, Side Stage Ventures, Smash Capital, TIRTA Ventures, Gaorong Capital and Samsung… Read more »

Arkeus
Funding

Main Sequence, Steve Baxter back defence surveillance startup in $4.45m Seed round

- December 4, 2023 2 MIN READ

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 »

Birchal directors Kellie Morton, Matt Vitale Kate O’Keeffe and Adam Vise
Funding

Crowdfunding platform Birchal launches its own raise, seeking $3 million

- November 29, 2023 2 MIN READ

Crowd-sourced funding (CSF) fintech Birchal is hoping to raise $3 million in a second campaign on its own platform.  The capital raising platform, which has been popular with brewers, medicinal cannabis ventures and impact cleaning products startup Zero Co launched in 2018 when crowd-funding was legalised, has facilitated more than 100 capital raises worth $190… Read more »

Funding

Virtual reality proptech EnvisionVR raises $2.58 million

- November 29, 2023 2 MIN READ

Virtual reality property walkthrough startup EnvisionVR has raised $2.585 million in a round backed by industry leaders. EnvisionVR, founded in 2019, is a mobile platform that uses virtual and augmented reality experiences for the off-the-plan property developments. In the last 18 months, more than $500 million worth of property has been showcased and sold by… Read more »

Nuggets Academy Ross Lin and joyce Ong.
Funding

Anti-PowerPoint financial training startup Nuggets Academy raises $700,000

- November 28, 2023 2 MIN READ

Financial industry professional development platform Nuggets Academy has raised $700,000 in a round led by Antler Australia. The edtech, which deals with the mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training people are required to undertake annually, emerged out of the Antler program last year with its initial pre-seed funding from the accelerator and VC. Also backing… Read more »

Funding

Blackbird doubles down on Kiwi healthtech Carepatron in $6 million Seed round

- November 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

New Zealand healthtech startup Carepatron has raised A$6 million in a Seed round co-led by existing backer Blackbird Ventures and US-based TQ Ventures: Carepatron, launched in late 2021 by David Pene and Jamie Frew. It practice management software helps healthcare practitioners deal with administration, cutting the time spent dealing with it by around 8 hours… Read more »

Alan Watters
Funding

HSBC launches venture debt offer for Australian scaleups

- November 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

HSBC Australia has added to the growing options for Australian companies seeking capital launching a venture debt product late stage venture capital-backed scaleups. It’s the first time a major bank has offered venture debt locally, with the option only appearing in recent years for early stage startups via the likes of OneVentures, Lighter Capital, San… Read more »

Soho Jonathan Lui
Funding

Airtasker cofounder Jonathan Lui’s proptech app, Soho, banks $750,000 to hit $20 million valuation

- November 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

Property buying discovery app Soho.com.au has raised $750,000 from Singapore proptechVC Feedback Ventures in a deal that values the startup at more than $20 million. Launched in 2018 by Airtasker cofounder Jonathan Lui, and described as “Tinder for real estate”, Soho uses artificial intelligence to personalise real estate searches, creating an instant list of properties… Read more »

Elliephant
Funding

Corporate gifting startup Elliephant presented with $560,000 pre-Seed round

- November 23, 2023 2 MIN READ

Gifting platform Elliephant has raised $560,000 in pre-Seed funding with LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund supporting the round. Cofounders Sheree Andersen and Johnny Reid launched Elliephant a year ago, inspired by their own frustration with how companies tackle gifting for clients and staff, setting out to create a new way to approach sales and marketing engagement,… Read more »

Luke Terry
Funding

Brisbane impact incubator White Box Enterprises raises $12 million to launch social enterprises

- November 22, 2023 3 MIN READ

Social enterprise incubator White Box Enterprises has secured $12 million from impact investors and philanthropists to develop startups helping disadvantaged people in regional communities. The raise has been a two-year labour of love for White Box CEO, Luke Terry, who set a $13 million goal. Most of the capital, 75%, came from 13 impact investors,… Read more »