Investible CEO Rod Bristow
People

Former Investible boss Rod Bristow signs on as Breakthrough Victoria’s new CEO

- February 11, 2025 2 MIN READ

The Victorian government’s $2 billion investment fund, Breakthrough Victoria has appointed Rod Bristow as its new chief executive officer. Bristow previously spent four years as CEO of early stage and climate-tech VC Investible, building out its Asian presence, and as well as raising a $32 million climate tech fund a $51.6m 2nd early-stage fund, and a new… Read more »

Other tech

Steve Baxter’s new defence-focused VC fund locks and loads $10 million in first close on $60m target

- February 6, 2025 2 MIN READ

Brisbane-based specialist defence technology venture capital firm, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, has secured more than $10 million in commitments, to call first close on the fund. The figure takes the fund to its final condition for ESVCLP (Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships) status, with its first capital call underway this week.   Founder and… Read more »

Dr Kate Cornick
Business

LaunchVic is offering a $300,000 sweetener to VCs keen to set up shop in the state to back local startups

- January 30, 2025 2 MIN READ

Victorian startup agency LaunchVic is offering grants of up to $300,000 to venture capital funds and angel groups to set up in Victoria and back local startups. To qualify, they’re either just kicking off or “new to Victoria”, which means interstate VCs looking to put boots on the ground in the southeast can apply for… Read more »

Black Swan, Perth
AI/Machine Learning

DeepSeek appears to have rewritten the rules on AI’s cost, making US investors rethink their support for US tech

- January 28, 2025 3 MIN READ

Almost A$1 trillion (US$600 billion) was wiped off the value of artificial intelligence microchip maker Nvidia overnight on Monday, when a little-known Chinese startup, DeepSeek, threatened to upend the US tech market. While Nvidia suffered the biggest one-day loss in sharemarket history, other tech giants – Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon, who are investing heavily in… Read more »

Catalan tower
Advice

CapXcentric founder Warwick Donaldson on slowing down, staying small and when to avoid VC funding

- January 20, 2025 5 MIN READ

In April 2024, I started my eighth business, CapXcentric, a pre-seed to Series A capital raising coaching business. And I made a deliberate decision: I’m not scaling it.  I know, it sounds ironic. CapXcentric exists to guide founders through the capital raise process, often for high-growth, hyper-scale startups. But despite working in a space that’s… Read more »

Australian Open, Rod Laver Arena
Topic

Tennis Australia’s VC fund aces first close with nearly $50 million from blue chip investors

- January 13, 2025 2 MIN READ

A who’s who of Australian investors have backed a new sports VC fund by Tennis Australia’s AO Ventures, committing around $49 million to its first close. They include Mark Nelson from Caledonia, Tanarra’s John Wylie, Melbourne-based businessman Mark Healey, Ashok Jacob from Ellerston Capital and Robyn and Victoria Denholm’s family office, Wollemi Capital Group. International… Read more »

Accelerator

The world’s first Drought Venture Studio is on the hunt for agtech ideas to future proof farmers

- December 20, 2024 2 MIN READ

Startup builder Beanstalk Ventures recently harvested the first crop of agtech startups from its latest program, the Drought Venture Studio, a 12-week program backed by the federal government’s Future Drought Fund. Eight startups and their leaders were selected for the recent Innovation Showcase, whittled down from 24 chosen for the inaugural program from among 200… Read more »

Prof Shawn Kook and Goran Bozic
Climate Tech

Investible teams up with UNSW to back climate tech uni spin-offs

- December 4, 2024 2 MIN READ

Sydney early-stage VC Investible will partner with UNSW’s Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) program in a co-investment partnership to back climate tech startups emerging from the university. The Technology Commercialisation Venture Scheme will target Seed and Series A investments into UNSW climate-tech spin-offs and companies supported through TRaCE. The first-of-its-kind for an Australian… Read more »

People

Former science and innovation minister Arthur Sinodinos joins deep tech VC Salus Ventures

- December 4, 2024 2 MIN READ

Former spy boss Paul Symon, Australian Missile Corp CEO Rear Admiral Lee Goddard and former Senator Arthur Sinodinos have signed on with VC fund Salus Ventures as strategic advisors as the firm sharpens its focus on defence and national security. The Sydney-based $40 million fund, launched in 2023 and led by former Salesforce Ventures Australia… Read more »

Farm drone monitoring apple crop
Venture Capital

Hort Innovation and VC Artesian will plough $60 million into startups with a new agtech fund

- November 25, 2024 2 MIN READ

Not-for-profit research and development company Hort Innovation is teaming up with venture capital firm Artesian for a new $60 million VC fund to back early-stage startups tackling challenges for fruit, vegetable and nut farmers. Hort will chip in around $24 million to the Hort Innovation Venture Fund, leveraged by co-investments sourced by Artesian, for a… Read more »

Ben Gust and Kristin Vaughan
Climate Tech

Queensland Investment Corporation tips $10 million into climate tech VC Virescent Ventures

- November 19, 2024 2 MIN READ

A recent change of government in the Sunshine State has not slowed the Queensland Investment Corporation’s (QIC) enthusiasm for backing venture capital firms eager to invest in local startups. QIC joined Westpac and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) as a cornerstone investor in Virescent’s new $200 million climate tech fund (Fund II), reportedly tipping… Read more »