Business channel ausbiz launches ‘intel’ service for investors in equity deal with shares platform Marketech

Sydney business journalism disruptor ausbiz has forged a strategic equity partnership with Western Australian tech veteran Marketech.

The partnership, structured as an ‘equity for content and promotion’ deal, is similar to the equity agreements struck by ASX-listed Airtasker with Channel Four in the UK, and other media companies.

Perth-based Marketech is the 20-year-old tech innovator behind the leading ‘Focus’ platform for share investors.

Ausbiz will provide access to its new proprietary technology solution, ‘ausbiz intel’, for a daily live-stream, and separate CEO interviews, embedded into Marketech’s Focus platform, as well as promoting the Focus platform to its viewers. 

Marketech CEO and founder Travis Clark said Focus platform subscribers will gain access to around 40 short, sharp video snippets daily, featuring analysts, commentators and other experts to bring a ‘human’ perspective on specific stocks, with mobile notifications linked to the companies mentioned in each video, then stored within the company’s ASX market data for future reference.

‘ausbiz intel’ can snip clips where an analyst makes a recommendation on a stock from their live-stream, and then message a Focus user that an analyst recommends a buy on a stock they’re interested in, having it read for the user to watch.

“Robo-advice and AI have their place, but seem unlikely to replace the need for human analysis and opinion in relation to direct shares,” Clark said.

“However, by integrating ausbiz TV’s human expert-driven ‘intel’ into the market data and trading platform itself, we are redefining the efficient transmission of data from its source to an investor, combining extensive market data, news, research, conferences, AI analysis and human opinion all in one platform.”

ausbiz joins Marketech’s cap table alongside mining entrepreneur Peter Cook, SG Hiscock, Merchant Funds, Mike Jefferies (ex-GPG, Afterpay, TouchPay Ventures), Richard Farleigh (investing author, UK Dragons’ Den), and Marcus Padley’s Marcus Today.

Marketech is also planning an IPO in 2025.

Ausbiz founder and managing director Kylie Merritt said ASX studies found that 70% of Australian investors trade their shares via an online broker.

“Those platforms are the second-most preferred source of information to help make investment decisions. Our product simply puts the most relevant video content in front of investors where and when they need it most,” she said.

“We know that context is everything, and the most relevant place to consume this video content is within a trading environment like an online broking platform. It’s good for the user, it’s even more valuable for the platform, as we KNOW it increases a client’s propensity to trade.”

The deal comes as ausbiz looks to raise $750,000 via crowdfunding for the recently launched ausbiz LABS, which is using AI to analyse, edit and deliver video content to the broking and wealth platforms where more than 5 million Australians place trades.

The offer is open to wholesale/sophisticated investors with a minimum investment of $2500.

Details are available here