Venture capital investor OneVentures is sharpening its focus on ESG (environmental, social, governance) principles in the startups it invests in to drive change in the sector. Managing director Dr Michelle Deaker, said it’s time for Australian VC firms to align their investment strategies to responsible investment practices and recognise that where they put their moment… Read more »
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 »
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 »
Welcome to Giant Leap’s Small Steps, a newsletter offering global insights and news on the impact startup landscape. We’ll be sharing an edited version with Startup Daily readers every fortnight. Giant Leap is Australia’s first impact venture fund, and they use this newsletter to surface the ideas and businesses that intrigue and inspire them and… Read more »
New Zealand G venture capital firm Global From Day 1 (GD1) has raised NZ$130 million (A$124m) for its Fund 3, more than double its original first close target The Auckland-based VC is now pushing on to a cap of $160 million to back local startups with global ambitions as one of the country’s leading investors.… Read more »
Andrew Bassat’s Seek Investments has led a $40 million series A for online disability services platform, Hireup. Hireup helps people with disabilities find, hire and manage their own support workers. The strategic backing by Seek Investments for a minority stake, along with support from existing shareholders, will help the six-year-old business scale nationally. The Myer… Read more »
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released this week was described as a “code red for humanity”. We’ve been collectively called upon to drastically reduce emissions in order to stabilise rising temperatures that are already beginning to cause natural events of biblical proportions. Meaningful emissions cuts won’t happen unless we come up with strategies… Read more »
You’re a product visionary. You’ve incorporated customer feedback into your business. Your revenue model is scalable. Your brand is on point and cutting through. Your prototypes and proof of concepts are gaining customer traction. Your metrics are pointing in the right direction. Now all you need is funding to support your go-to-market. While we’ve previously… Read more »
AirTree founding partner Craig Blair says the Sydney VC firm is investing in the fund’s next generation with the promotion principals Elicia McDonald and Jackie Vullinghs to partners. The duo will continue to lead early-stage investments, with the VC having a record six months, tipping $103 million into local startup in the first half of 2021.… Read more »
Plant-based protein startup v2food has raised A$72 million in series B-plus with Europe’s largest impact investment fund, Astanor Ventures leading the round. The latest capital injection is to ramp up expansion into China and Europe and scaling its manufacturing. The plant protein joint venture between Hungry Jacks billionaire Jack Cowin and the CSIRO, previously raised… Read more »
Welcome to Giant Leap’s Small Steps, a newsletter offering global insights and news on the impact startups landscape. We’ll be sharing an edited version with Startup Daily readers every fortnight. Giant Leap is Australia’s first impact venture fund, and they use this newsletter to surface the ideas and businesses that intrigue and inspire them and… Read more »
If there is anything that really grinds my gears, it’s the continued lack of understanding exhibited by so many governments, businesses and VCs when it comes to female founders need, and their abilities. The recent blunder regarding the Boosting Female Founder initiative is the most recent case in point: after a wide scale email send… Read more »
Partners and principals at leading Australian venture capital firms, including Square Peg Capital, Main Sequence Ventures, Giant Leap, Jelix Ventures, and Flying Fox Ventures have signed an open letter to the editor the AFR about what the investment community sees as “an ongoing smear campaign” against colleague Dr Elaine Stead. The letter follows a high… Read more »
The co-founders of fintech unicorn Airwallex, are launching an early-stage venture capital fund to invest invest in tech startups supporting the payments platform. The fund, named Capital 49, plans to raise US$200 million (A$270m) through the Airwallex founders and other investors. Capital 49 has completed investments in two fintech firms. The VC is planning to… Read more »
Venture capital firm King River Capital says it has completed the first close of its second fund (KRC Fund 2) with US$95 million (A$128m) committed. The VC says backers in its second fund include tech entrepreneurs and execs from leading local tech companies such as Xero and AfterPay, as well as family offices such as… Read more »
Australia suddenly leads the world with new loot box and gambling laws. Here’s what that means 
New research concludes you can change your personality with tweaks to what you think and do 
Brisbane’s Felons Brewing Co is hitting Sydney 
Event management platform Attekus ends 7-year bootstrapping run with $5 million raise 
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