VC Archives

VC survey finds nearly every startup founder thinks the current funding climate is having an impact on their plans

Simon Thomsen - November 24, 2022 2 MIN READ

Australian startup founders remain upbeat about the future, despite challenging conditions, according to a new survey from law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), but an overwhelming 97% say the current fundraising environment is impacting their business strategy. Despite startup failures, withdrawals from the Australian market by some global companies and down rounds in capital raises,… Read more »

Venture Capital

Airtree joins leading VCs Square Peg and Blackbird in cutting Canva’s valuation by a third

Simon Thomsen - August 8, 2022 2 MIN READ

Airtree has followed in the footsteps of major VCs Square Peg Capital and Blackbird Ventures, cutting the valuation of its holding in tech giant Canva by 36%. The decision drags down the value of its early funds by Sydney investor by 18%. Blackbird and Square Peg had already reduced the value of their stakes in… Read more »

Advice

Australian VC investment as well as M&A deals, are on a tear

Simon Thomsen - September 24, 2021 2 MIN READ

Merger and acquisition deals, along with venture capital investment, have come storming back in 2021 according to a new report from accounting and advisory firm William Buck. The firm’s 2021 M&A and VC Report reveals that M&A deals have jumped in both number and size in the first half of the year to sit 2.5… Read more »

Funding

Who Gives a Crap boss Simon Griffiths is among a group of founders backing a ‘next generation’ VC fund

Simon Thomsen - August 16, 2021 2 MIN READ

Who Gives a Crap CEO Simon Griffiths is among a group of startup founders backing a $10 million for a new “community-powered” venture capital fund that has scooped up the cash together in just four months. AfterWork Ventures will invest in Australian and New Zealand technology startups at the pre-seed and seed stage and is… Read more »

The Fund, Elicia McDonald, Adrian Petersen, Georgia Vidler, Ed Taylor, Todd Deacon

Funding

Australian founders are backing a local chapter of US angel VC The Fund as it launches locally

Simon Thomsen - June 17, 2021 3 MIN READ

US-based angel VC The Fund is launching in Australia + NZ Local founders are joining forces to invest in next gen ANZ startups Investors come from Canva, CultureAmp, Adore Beauty, Linktree, Safety Culture + more The Fund aims to back 50% female founders Founders and others from Australia’s most successful startups, including Canva, Culture… Read more »

Funding

How VCs make sense of the hype in technology startups

Benjamin Chong - December 8, 2020 4 MIN READ

Nothing excites investors and markets more than an emerging technology predicted to transform the way we live and work. Cloud accounting, NFC payments, mobile phones and social networking have all been this transformational force. Others have been hailed as the next big thing, to then plateau abruptly, or even fade into obscurity. Amazon’s Kindle is… Read more »

Topics

Telstra’s investment boss is worried startup funding valuations are the top of the market as VC competition pushes them too high

Simon Thomsen - July 29, 2019 < 1 MIN READ

Record amounts of capital are flowing into the Australian startup sector, but competition between venture capital (VC) firms keen to back a winner are pushing valuations beyond potential returns at an exit, the boss of Telstra Ventures believes. Matthew Koertge, co-managing director of the $735 million fund, told the AFR Telstra Ventures had walked away… Read more »

Topics

5 tips for start-ups pitching for VC funding

Subhaga Amarasekara - April 5, 2019 2 MIN READ

Subhaga Amarasekara CEO and Co-Founder of FLAYR shares her top tips for attracting venture capital.

Topics

Investec raises $45 million to reach first close of Emerging Companies Fund 1

Gina Baldassarre - February 6, 2019 2 MIN READ

After announcing its launch last November, investment bank Investec has raised $45 million to reach the first close of its Emerging Companies Fund 1.

Advice

Where could the Australian venture capital industry be in 5 years?

Daniel Petre - January 21, 2019 5 MIN READ

More money in venture capital means more companies can be funded in the Australian ecosystem, argues AirTree Ventures’ Daniel Petre.

Topics

HubSpot launches US$30 million HubSpot Ventures fund to invest in SaaS startups

Gina Baldassarre - December 12, 2018 2 MIN READ

HubSpot is the latest company to move into the corporate venture capital space, building on its handful of investments with the launch of a dedicated US$30 million ($41.5 million) fund.

Advice

Government and business must overcome short-term thinking if Australia is to prosper: Hostplus CIO Sam Sicilia

Gina Baldassarre - September 14, 2018 4 MIN READ

Having invested $900 million into venture capital so far, Hostplus CIO Sam Sicilia believes the fund is helping to build a prosperous future for Australia.

Topics

Qualgro reaches first close of US$100 million fund to invest across Southeast Asia and Australia

Gina Baldassarre - August 21, 2018 2 MIN READ

Singapore-based venture capital firm Qualgro has announced it has completed the first close of its second fund, with US$60 million of the US$100 million ($137 million) target committed.

Topics

Westpac-backed Reinventure raises third $50 million fund to widen focus to Asia-Pacific

Gina Baldassarre - May 16, 2018 2 MIN READ

VC firm Reinventure Group has closed its third $50 million fund, with Westpac once more backing the firm as it looks to expand its focus to Asia-Pacific.

Topics

BlueChilli partners with US$125 million Singapore VC firm Hatcher+ to invest in 240 startups

Gina Baldassarre - March 20, 2018 2 MIN READ

Australia’s BlueChilli has partnered with Singapore-founded venture capital firm Hatcher+ in a deal that will see US$125 million ($162 million) invested in up to 240 startups identified by BlueChilli over the next three years.

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