Australia's startup ecosystem is one you should not undermine. According to Startup Genome, Oceania, comprising Australia and New Zealand, has grown 50% in over $50 million exits between 2020 and 2021. By 2022, they have created five new unicorns, including FinTech Airwallex, culture analytics platform Culture Amp, and enterprise compliance platform SafetyCulture. In addition, the Australian tech startup sector has the potential to contribute $109 billion to the economy, approximately 4% of the country's GDP.
With a bustling startup ecosystem and strong impact, more investment opportunities and support networks arise within the region - making Australia an attractive place for startups and investors alike. Keep reading to find the full list of VCs and Angel Investors in Australia!
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Why Should You Raise Funds in Australia?
Years ago, Australia's venture capital networks are still slowly growing, but the same cannot be said today. From 2020 to 2021, Startup Genome found that early-stage funding in the region has increased by 80%. In 2021 alone, Australia's venture capital firms have invested in a total of over $8.2 billion, a growth of over 10 times compared to 2016. As such, there has been an exponential rise in the number of startups being launched, made possible by the growing number of VC firms and subsequent investments. As such, the potential of securing funds have increased significantly for budding entrepreneurs.
Aside from VCs, a healthy network of incubators and accelerators has also formed in Australia. All throughout the continent, we have found and listed over 80 startup accelerators and incubators for startups in various stages and sectors. These incubators and accelerators work closely with VCs to find high-potential ventures. So, you have the opportunity to hone your skills and grow your startups, as well as to get your capital through plenty of support networks and infrastructure in place.
Finally, there is an important but not explicitly related reason you might want to consider. That is, Australia is comprised of a dynamic and educated workforce hailing from the numerous world-class universities in Australia. As such, you'll undoubtedly find great talent to build a strong team with - something that a VC firm pays particular attention to in startups.
Equipped with strong conviction and vision, the startup's way towards growth may not be the safest bet taken by traditional funds, but only by Angel investors and VC funds with the risk appetite to boot. With Australia's ecosystem moving up the global rankings and a $67 billion Ecosystem Value, it has become all the more enticing to take your chances. To help you find the right investment partner for your startup, we have prepared a list of the actively investing firms within the region. But before we delve in further, we'll shortly discuss some definitions.
Angel Investors: They are high net-worth individuals who invest their personal funds into startup ventures. They may act individually or behave as a syndicate that pools funds together and makes collective investment decisions. Typically, they would invest in early-stage companies, taking on relatively high risk and placing bigger bets on a startup idea. Mostly, angel investors would like to act as passive investors and not get involved in the company's operations, but this might not always be the case for every Angel.
Venture Capitalists: They are a team comprised of seasoned individuals employed by a risk company to invest on behalf of other individuals. They invest throughout various stages of companies - some early at pre-seed and seed stage, others at a much later stage at Series B to C. They have much more extensive criteria in screening ventures, looking for startups with proven high-growth potential. They would usually invest a larger amount of money and will take a higher equity stake in the exchange. Most of the time, they would require the position as. a Board member having a level of operational control within the company.
Below, in no particular order, is our complete rundown of both these types of investment entities in the region.
Venture Capitalist Funds in Australia
The venture capitalist funds below are actively looking for investments in promising companies throughout various stages and sectors. The stages stated do not limit the possibility of getting funding if your company is at any stage other than what is listed. All quoted investment ranges are in Australian Dollars unless otherwise stated.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $3,000,000 - $26,000,000
Focus: Technology
For the bold and visionary tech leaders, Right Click Capital is the partner you're looking for to help you lay the foundations for your startup's growth. Supporting you as a future role model, they will help you with the planning, strategy, finding co-founders, capital raising, developing sales and marketing plans, hiring talents, and even connecting to customers, suppliers, and partners. As the Australasian member of the Draper Venture Network, they have an extensive global network and are closely connected to the tech startup ecosystem. Some startups that have benefitted from their networks are Badook, Beam, and Cydarm.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $600,000 - $11,000,000
Focus: Technology, 3D Printing, Advanced Materials, Advanced Sensor Platforms, AR, VR, MR Drones & Autonomous Vehicles, Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology Blockchain, New Computational Technologies, IOT, Energy Capture, Storage & Transmission, GeoEngineering, Neurotechnology, Robotics, Space Technologies
CP Ventures is a boutique VC fund that is seeking for highly scalable, breakthrough technology to further the 4th industrial revolution. Their small and focused VC fund invests effectively for companies at the pre-Seed & Seed stage, where high IRRs can be achieved.
Run by Chris Sang and Emlyn Scott, they are experienced and successful founders who have over 100 personal angel and fund investments globally. If they like you, they can even make a decision and be willing to issue a term sheet within 24 hours of meeting a startup. They are also active investors, helping you find co-investors, providing complete HR functions, tech and scaling help, active Limited Partners, US angel and VC networks, Angelist syndication, client introductions, and cross-pollination of client lists and products. Some of their lead investments are LeadStory, SkyLark Labs, aKin, and Segna.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $500,000 - $750,000
Focus: B2B SaaS, Marketplaces, Technology
Macdoch Ventures is a simple VC - they just love to hear about you and your product obsessions. As they said, even if you come to them after you’ve built (even a scrappy) the first version of your product, you're going to have a great meeting. They don't need to sit on your board, in fact, they'd rather engage informally with regular catch-up calls and WhatsApp. They aim to be your earliest partner, supporting you by your side as you plan your global launch. Though they are not lead investors, they do play an active role to help you bring onboard other co-investors.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $100,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
AfterWork Ventures is the VC for those founders who are looking to turn your "after work" projects into your life's work. Dedicated to doing things differently, they seek for 6 specific characteristics that, according to them, are common across all companies on a trajectory from anomaly to icon - they are:
You are seeking to put a dent in the universe (i.e. you have clear ambition).
You have an outsized spike in one area and are rallying a formidable team with complementary skills (i.e. you and your team are good at various areas that make an awesome team).
You are building a product for the ages (i.e. you put much thought into the products).
Your customers’ friends are sick of hearing about you (i.e. customers love your products and rave about you).
You’ve created a machine generating its own momentum (i.e. you have proof of growing significant demand and returns).
You’re making it work on the smell of an oily rag (i.e. you're cost efficient).
If this sounds like you, congratulations! You have a big chance of getting funded by AfterWork Ventures and most importantly, be on a trajectory to success!
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $750,000 - $5,000,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Dubbing themselves as #1 at round 1, Archangel Ventures differentiates itself as the VC that supports founders and their companies in the formative first years. As former founders themselves, they understand the challenges in the founder's journey and are dedicated to providing business guidance and advice to help you transition from founder to CEO. They will assist you in sourcing the very best early-stage deals, introducing you to industry insiders for specialized knowledge and advice, connecting you to later-stage VCs in Australia and abroad, and preparing you for future fundraises. They are the first believers in companies such as Fresh Equities, Bare, Atelier, and Pearler.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: US$30,000 - US$250,000
Focus: Construction, Smart Manufacturing, Sustainability, Healthcare, Space, Financial Services, Logistics/Transport
Metagrove Ventures invest in founders that are disrupting the future of the industry, which is run through a five-point mandate:
Disruption and Innovation: they seek companies addressing inefficiencies across industries with the potential to create inflection points in the market and introduce a new way for society.
Technology Leverage: they seek companies rooted in technology-enables, such as blockchain, automation, 5G, AR/VR, machine learning, exabyte storage, robotics, IoT, accelerated computing, and more.
Founders: they want founders who are domain experts in their fields.
Global Vision: they seek founders with a global vision, starting off with ANZ and the USA, but eventually expanding out to Southeast Asia.
Early-Stage Backing: they are your first believers, providing you with the seed you need to get started.
If you tick the boxes above, then you're on a good path to getting funded by Metagrove Ventures. Always remember though that you as founders choose them, and not the other way around - they will only participate if they can value-add to help you grow and flourish.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $250,000 - $1,000,000
Focus: B2B Saas, B2B Technology, ClimateTech
Investible is a founder-focused VC looking to support visionaries dedicated to creating a better tomorrow at their earliest stage. They are all about synergizing passionate people with audacious ideas - making sure that they work out together to create a future-advancing technology. With deep networks at a local and global level, they will assist in activating your network effects; providing founders with the financial, intellectual, and human capital you need to scale. Some of their portfolio companies include Booksy, Carbon Click, EdenFarm, and Truescope.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $50,000,000
Focus: Software, Financial Services, FinTech, Marketplace, Finance
Starting themselves as a hands-on, proactive, and thematic venture capital investor - Carthona Capital is the VC fund to go if you need some extra support outside of just capital. Founded in 2014, they have since deployed their third fund with approximately $400 million in funds under management from a mix of Institutional (Superannuation), Family Office, and High Net-worth investors. They like to invest at the early stages, but will also follow on strongly and continue to deploy larger funds for the business as it matures. Some of their notable investments are Credible, Life360, OneAffiniti, and Ousted - who have either been acquired or listed on the stock exchange.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $100,000 - $1,000,000
Focus: B2B Technology, B2B SaaS
Black Nova VC is dedicated to championing the next generation of B2B technology startups. If you fit into this category, you're in luck because they are willing to invest in pre-revenue businesses and are excited for the opportunity to write the first check for ambitious founders. Some criteria that you might want to fulfill beforehand are: have a team with domain expertise, leadership charisma, and ability to sell, target a big market with moderate barriers to entry and regulation, and have a product roadmap with a unique well-thought-out business that solves pain points, have proprietary intellectual property, and finally, have reliable and trustworthy technology. Some of their many portfolio companies are saasguru, Operata, Pathzero, and Functionly.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $600,000 - $50,000,000
Focus: Technology
With the goal to accelerate the transition of innovative ideas from concept to world-leading companies, Black Sheep Capital is willing to provide support from day one to day done. They invest in technology companies at the earliest stage, particularly for exceptional founders with deep domain expertise, and they will commit the time, energy, and knowledge to add value at all stages of growth. Some of their notable investments are Bluechilli, Spaceconnect, and Valiant.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $500,000 - $4,000,000
Focus: FinTech, eCommerce, Sustainability Tech, Software
Founded in 2009 by two young entrepreneurs, Eric Chan and Calvin Ng, Aura started from a hot desk in Bondi Junction as a corporate advisory for young startups, to now a venture capitalist managing $160million in funds under management. They are one of the most active Australian VCs, with 21 startups across Australia and Southeast Asia region. They look for category-defining technologies - those that can be an answer to the structural shifts that are unfolding into the future. They have invested in Catapult and Tradegecko, which have IPO and exited respectively, and recently invested in Layer.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $200,000 - $20,000,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Sapien, a Latin word meaning "one who knows", is the basis of Sapien Ventures' philosophy of investing in companies that solve humanity's biggest problems and founders "who knows" how to build the solutions. From strategic advice to creative ideas, Sapien Ventures is dedicated to the mission of assisting entrepreneurs in building lasting companies. As with financial resources, they provide plenty of guidance on other areas such as essential startup documents, entrepreneurship, and funding - all available for any company to access in their resources tab. Placing an emphasis on people and values, they are on the company-building business; leveraging relationships to build teams, attract partners and customers and then–together–build billion-dollar businesses. Their portfolio companies are Airtasker, Hashching, Linqto, Civic Ledger, and Livepreso, among many others.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $300,000 - $10,000,000
Focus: FinTech, Creator Tools, API Infrastructure
TEN13 is a VC unlike any other; they act as a platform for founders to find investors and for angels and early managers to invest in companies. You just pitch to them as any other VCs, and if they like you, they will harness the value of their network of 300+ established investors to support you. With a specialized venture team, you don't need to manage the investors' yourselves, they'll keep your investors informed of your progress. Their primary focus is on Seed companies when a company has demonstrable early traction, within a global market, and a wildly ambitious team, but they've also invested as early as the pitch deck stage - so long as you can convince them of your vision. Some of their portfolio companies are Preezie, Alts, After, Payhippo, Mr Yum, and many more.
Type: VC
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $3,000,000 - $32,000,000
Focus: Technology, AgriFood, Climate Tech, Clean Energy, Health/MedTech, EduTech Female Leaders
Artesian Venture Partners is a global alternative investment management firm that specializes in public and private debt, venture capital, and impact investment strategies. Their VC arm invests in technology startups solving the world's critical problems. With a portfolio of over 625 companies, they have an unparalleled network throughout diverse sectors. Sector specialization is the key to their investment strategy - operating as a multi-strategy manager with Portfolio Managers responsible for specific verticals, sectors, and themes. They also have a $100million VC fund specifically for Female Leaders at Series A & B, providing a great opportunity for any female-led businesses out there to secure funding.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed
Investment Value: $250,000 - $5,000,000
Focus: Technology
If you want to make waves, Tidal Ventures is the place to be. With the mission to help founders build momentum as bold and courageous product-led companies, Tidal Ventures will be by your side to solve the challenges in company-building. As operators and technologists at heart, they will advise you on strategy, product, resourcing, hiring, and more. Founders can also leverage #ten, Tidal's Expert Network of technology leaders, founders, and executives, who will share with you their years of learned operational and business expertise. They are looking for companies who fit this profile: markets with tailwinds, game-changing products, founders that hustle, compelling business model, seed phase ready, and global appeal.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed
Investment Value: $2,000,000 - $32,000,000
Focus: Infrastructure, DeFi, GameFi / Meta, Dapp, Data Privacy, Digital ID, Custody, Security / DAO
Specializing in digital assets, Kosmos VC invests in blockchain infrastructure and the top DeFi and GameFi applications built atop it. Their focused and strong portfolio represents their extensive experience in the market, having accumulated invaluable knowledge to get your companies to the top. With synergies across their portfolio, they enable collaborations and partnerships between teams. They'll also make sure you get the technical support you need - acting as a validator during testnet and mainnet phases, as well as connecting you to code auditors, white hat hackers, and academic researchers at partner universities. Amongst many of their portfolio companies are Binance Coin, Celestia, Spacemesh, and Zilliqa.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $23,000,000
Focus: Technology
Seeding innovative technologies, Uniseed Ventures provides seed funding for researchers from partner research organizations at the Universities of Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney & New South Wales, and the CSIRO to turn their ideas into real businesses. As part of their ventures, you'll benefit from capital investments as well as commercialization support and network access. They'll provide you with expert guidance to build your strategy, manage your intellectual property, identify commercial partners, and advance your progress through collaboration and mentoring. Their established network of advisors are experts in various technology domains, so you'll get specialized support for your tech startup needs. To date, they have 11 successful exits, some of which are Spinifex, Fibrotech therapeutics, and Hatchtech.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: US$100,000 - US$35,000,000
Focus: Technology, FinTech, Consumer, Internet, SaaS, EduTech, HealthTech
On a mission to empower exceptional founders and founded on the belief that technology would transform every industry in the world, Square Peg invests in emerging technology companies across the internet economy. They focus on building relationships, providing strategic insights, and supporting ambitious founders through talent-scouting, team-building, and capital-raising. Today, they manage US$3 billion in assets across its venture capital and invested in over 50 companies including Fiverr, Canva, Rokt, FinAccel, Tomorrow, and Airwallex.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: up to $500,000
Focus: Technology
Founded by seasoned veterans who have built and grown several successful technology companies, 808 Ventures have been an active investor in early-stage technology companies since 2016. With a shared ethos of value-add, they offer founders support with their extensive experience for companies to fulfill their goals. They also co-invest with other leading funds and family offices across a global network. To qualify, companies have to demonstrate technical and commercial validation, have a reduced risk of failure and have the best prospects for high growth with proof of first revenue. Some of their portfolio companies are Byte, Rentberry, Wellteq, Hypoint, and many more.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $2,000,000 - $17,000,000
Focus: AgriFood Tech
Tenacious Ventures is one of the few VCs specifically investing in AgriFood Tech and particularly, food system change agents at the intersection of digitally native agriculture and climate solutions. They invest in companies operating up and down the food and agriculture value chain, helping transform them toward a carbon-neutral and climate change resilient future. Their two investment criteria are:
You are developing and commercializing innovations that will apply in and scale to major agricultural systems globally
Your innovations can deliver meaningful climate impact
If that sounds like you, you'll benefit from being part of Venture Partners portfolio along with companies such as Regrow, Cecil, Jupiter Ionics, and many more.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $200,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Galileo Ventures is the VC for first-time founders in their first rounds. They offer robust hands-on support for their portfolio companies, including a lifetime membership and on-demand support, dedicated coaches, founder-only events, and follow-on fundraising support and introductions to the top local and global VCs. They'll make sure that you build sales and cutting-edge products, get to market, and scale effectively. What's great is unlike most VCs, they don't require introductions or have cut-off dates, they'd be happy to see your pitch deck and provide personalized feedback to everyone that applies. Some of their portfolio companies are Ally Assist, Envited, Lemonade, Sizle, and more.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $700,000 - $15,000,000
Focus: Technology
With the goal of bringing innovation to more traditional industries, BridgeLane established its venture capital arm in 2010. Investing in technologies, their approach combines the security of investing in traditional categories with the high growth potential of more innovative business models. As part-investors and entrepreneurs, they take part in doing their own research and development activities to identify new areas for innovation and even incubate new firms in-house. Aside from BridgeLane, they also launched the Tank Stream Ventures to kick-start the technology startup sector in Australia, which has been fully deployed. Among the combined portfolio companies are Airtasker, amaysim, and BrickX which have gone through IPO.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $4,000,000
Focus: Technology
Founded in 2021, Flying Fox Ventures is one of the younger VC firms on this list. However, they have been active in their investments with 49 investments and 38 portfolios to date. They invest in early-stage companies across Australia and New Zealand, and they seek founders with a deep understanding of the challenges around them and who have the expertise and innovative solutions for them. Some of their portfolio companies are GoTerra, InsighTech, Mr Yum, Operata, and more.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: Up to $2,500,000
Focus: Software, Healthcare, Robotics & Automation, Decentralisation, and Web3
Folklore Ventures is the VC that wants to be your long-term partner from the first cheque to forever. Putting in investments from the pre-revenue, they believe in the power of founder's vision and the potential of teams. They look for qualities such as:
Founders who are rational, authentic, and have intellectual humility - those that are open to sharing their challenges.
Founders who have a long-term ambition and view of the future.
Founders who see difficulty as an opportunity.
Founders who are pragmatic and quick adapters.
Founders who love learning and improving from their setbacks, and motivate their teams to do so.
If you feel like you fit the bill as a founder, then you've got what it takes to convince them to invest in your startup!
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $9,000,000
Focus: Deep Technology
Looking for the next Atlassian, Jelix Ventures invests in deep tech companies. Specifically, they are looking for startups that have:
An extraordinary team: those with a strong track record of performance, intellectual and a strong desire to learn, product expertise and deep customer understanding, strong interpersonal skills, and a founder who has significantly invested and is working full-time.
Evidence of product-market fit: have market traction metrics or at least an MVP.
Clear scalability and path to revenue growth.
Competitive edge and innovative technologies.
Exit options.
Terms for growth: fair investor protections, fair valuation, and strong founder incentives.
Purpose: making the world better in some way.
If you tick these boxes, then you'd probably have a good chance of getting that funding you need, either from Jelix or other VCs. If you feel like you're not there yet, you can check out some of the resources they've listed to help prepare your startup for pitching.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $9,000,000 - $60,000,000
Focus: Technology
For those who dare to dream and dare to disrupt, Morpheus Ventures is ready to back you up on your path to hyper-growth. What makes them stand out from other VCs is the suit of support they provide - they have a team with extensive operating expertise and deep industry connections, expertise in developing and implementing IP strategies and protection, experience, and capital to guide companies through hostile situations, and problem-solving skills for complex situations and crisis management. They'll act like that friend you can call at midnight when you need real help - they'll advise you on everything from C-suite recruitment to operational support to introducing prospective customers. They'll help you clear your roadblocks on your path from Series A to Unicorn. Their portfolio companies include Rigetti, Bridg, Vicarious, and RuggedRobotics, among many others.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $32,000,000
Focus: Technology, FinTech, Data, Cybersecurity, Augmented Reality, HR / Workplace Platforms, Logistics
Rampersand is an active Australian VC that invests in smart technology companies at their early stages. They are not sector-specific and have invested in both B2B and B2C enterprises, but they largely involve the focus areas listed above. Their dream pitch is simple; they want to know about you and your team, the problem you're solving and why, your unique solution, your progress to date, and your vision and plans for the future. To help you with that, they organize an event called the Giant Warm Intro, whereby founders can meet with active VCs in 1-on-1 sessions to ask for advice, test their pitch, create connections, and find out about the fundraising process. Part of their portfolio family is Sendle, PredictHQ, Skedulo, and Expert360.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $250,0000 to $50,000,000
Focus: Enterprise, Deep Tech, Healthcare, Hardware, Education, Consumer
BlackBird Ventures is a VC that will back you up with 1:1 support for everything you need - from money to hiring, leadership, product, and customers. They're serious about helping founders become great CEOs; running programs such as Founder Academy to hone your knowledge and connections. They also share a community with 100+ companies under their portfolio, sharing advice, learnings, and resources. They will also introduce you to vetted talent through their platform and fellowship programs - so you'll get the best people for your team. In 2021, they invested 67% of their funds in pre-revenue companies. Some notable companies included in their portfolio include Canva and Zoox.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $200,000 to $50,000,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Another Canva believer, AirTree Ventures is another VC that will give you access to the people, connections, experts, and resources you need. They'll help you recruit key roles, introduce you to a community, connect you to tech leaders, and provide you a playbook of tactics to guide and smoothen your startup journey. Dubbing themselves as an Open Source VC, you can also find resources such as startup documents and legal templates, lists and databases, guides and how-tos, and industry trends and analysis on their website. Other notable companies they have invested in are Linktree, Eucalyptus, and Regrow.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $6,000,000 - $30,000,000
Focus: Healthcare, Drugs/Vaccines, Medical Devices, Platform/Diagnostics
Brandon Capital is a VC specifically focusing on the life science industry. With 30+ active portfolio companies and 20+ investors and venture partners spanning Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Brandon Capital has unparalleled expertise and a network of professionals with technical, business, and operational experience. They have invested from early-stage to expansion capital, from proof-of-concept through to commercialization, carrying medical research breakthroughs into medical therapies that improve patients' lives. Some of their portfolio companies are Vaxxas, TAMORx, Currus Biologics, among many others.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $5,000,000 - $56,000,000
Focus: Technology, Energy, Resources
Southern Cross Ventures invest in early to growth stage technology companies, as well as the energy and resources industry. Through a partnership with SB China Capital (SBCVC), venture capital and private equity firm that manages both USD and RMB funds, they have a presence in the United States, Australia and Asia. As such, they are well-positioned in helping entrepreneurs expand globally. They also assist entrepreneurs by connecting them with the right people, providing guidance based on past experiences, and acting as a trusted partner to build successful companies together. They seek entrepreneurs who are clear on their purpose and vision of the company, targeting large and growing markets, with differentiated and defensible technology-based solutions. Their portfolio companies include Brisbane Materials, Hydrexia, Mojo, Sunverse Energies, and more.
Type: VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $100,000 - $6,000,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Significant Capital Ventures invests in researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators with the intellectual capital to take their ideas and concepts into the world. They have a unique 4-way all-encompassing ecosystem; with university investors, expert advisors, specialist venture partners, and innovation networks that provide them with access to applied technology investments are the earliest point. They invest in technologies that have a high impact to global niche markets in a social, environmental, and economic way - directed under the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. As a sector agnostic fund, they leverage deep industry networks with expert panels from diverse backgrounds to provide you with the time and know-how required to bring your technological innovations to market.
Type: VC
Stage: Series A
Investment Value: Up to $1,000,000
Focus: FinTech
Aiming to be leading innovators in Financial Technology, Seed Space Venture Capital is an Australian and Swiss-based VC firm that backs early-stage financial innovations to commercialization. Whether it's driven by customer demand for new or more customer-friendly services, to new technologies creating more efficiencies in the traditional financial services, Seed Space VC will support and nurture portfolio companies to help them grow into future financial service powerhouses. Some of their portfolio companies are Beforepay, Splitit, DiviPay, Deltapeer, and Antler.
Type: VC
Stage: Series A
Investment Value: $3,000,000 - $65,000,000
Focus: Financial Services
Another VC for the Financial Services sector, Apex Capital has extensive experience in investing, establishing, and growing exceptional companies. Having positioned themselves as entrepreneurs and investors in the financial services industry, they have the insight, capital, know-how, and network to support you and your management team. They look for founders with the vision and technology to revolutionize the financial services landscape, and where a core team is in place, with products or services launched and some evidence of customer traction. Portfolio companies they are experienced in are Betashares Capital, Pengana Capital, Zeller, and Consumer Physics, among others.
Type: VC
Stage: Series A
Investment Value: $2,000,000 - $14,000,000
Focus: Technology
As with their name, Full Circle Venture Capital aims to build value-added partnerships between investors and founders; helping realize value at both the limited partner and portfolio level, forming a full circle. They are an entrepreneur-led VC, focusing on Series A technology startups, particularly software companies with revenue and strong growth that are aiming to expand their business. Some of their portfolios are Valiant, Sendle, and Go1.
Type: VC
Stage: Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $4,000,000 - $200,000,000
Focus: Technology
Headquartered in Sydney, King River Capital is a VC that invests in high-growth technology companies solving critical problems in large markets. They invest in both equity and digital assets with compelling Web2 and Web 3 opportunities, serving the enterprise industrial, and consumer sectors, With offices in San Fransisco, Denver, and New York, they have a proprietary network of experts, operators, executives, and potential customers around the globe. Their current investments include Consensys, Discord, Zenledger, Lark, and more.
Type: VC
Stage: Series B
Investment Value: $5,000,000 - $20,000,000
Focus: Technology, eCommerce, Subscription-based Internet Business, Online Marketplace, SaaS, Data, EduTech, Telecommunication
Bailador invests in growth-stage businesses within the information technology sector. In particular, they seek companies that are in operation for 2-6 years, are run by the founders, have a proven business model, are able to generate repeat and international revenue, have a huge market opportunity, and require the capital to grasp that opportunity. As a specialist investor in this sector, their investment team consists of over 50 years of combined wide-ranging experience, local and international networks, and capabilities. They will actively support their portfolio companies in subsequent rounds of funding and assist in the preparation and management of fundraising, M&A activity, and pre-IPO processes. However, they will only invest with Board representation by a member of their investment team.
Type: VC
Stage: Series B
Investment Value: $10,000,000 - $20,000,000
Focus: Technology, Healthcare
"Talent. Ideas. Drive. You’ve got to have all three." - that's what OneVentures is looking for. As one of Australia's leading VC firms, they have over $500 million in funds under management. They invest in transformative companies within technology and healthcare shaping the future in two different ways: Venture Capital (equity), and Venture Credit / Venture Debt (loans). Currently, they have two active funds: OneVentures Healthcare Fund III ($170M) investing $10-20M in Australian domiciled companies with therapeutics, devices, and diagnostics at or near clinical development, and the 1V Growth Fund V (up to $150M) focused on technology, tech-enabled and healthcare growth stage companies, investing up to $20M+ per company. Some portfolio companies from their rounds of funds are Flippa, Shippit, Blade Therapeutics, OVO, and more.
Type: Corporate VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $15,000,000 - $105,000,000
Focus: Cloud, Developer
Atlassian Ventures is the VC arm of Atlassian, a leading Australian company developing software products. They invest in the future of Cloud, particularly seeking companies in 3 focus areas: collaboration apps, solution partners, and best-of-breed apps. What you'll get out of being part of their portfolio is access to mentors and leaders from their ecosystem, product, and business team, as well as global exposure through events like Atlassian Team and Atlassian Community. Their portfolio companies include Slack and Zoom.
Type: Corporate VC
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Investment Value: $2,000,000 - $59,000,000
Focus: Modularisation, Data Payments, Lending/Funds, Bitcoin/trust, Security, AI, Identity, Middleware, RegTech, Embedded Financial Services, HR, Food, Property, Healthcare
Claiming themselves as the pioneer of founder-first corporate VC, they aim to reinvent the financial services industry and adjacent areas alongside Westpac Banking Corporation as a primary LP. They add value to their ventures through their operational experience and networks, creating synergies between the ventures and Westpac, benefitting from complementary skillsets. Their primary focus is on Financial Technologies, but they do consider adjacent themes as listed above. Keep in mind that whilst they do review cold pitches periodically, they favor warm introductions made through existing portfolio ventures, the Stone & Chalk community and their broader investor network.
Type: Corporate VC
Stage: Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $50,000,000 - $100,000,000
Focus: Cloud, Consumer, Data, Media & Mobile, Network Security
As part of Telstra Corporation, the largest Australian telecommunications company operating telecommunications networks and markets voice, mobile and internet access, Telstra Ventures are a data-backed VC that invests in future technologies. They offer synergy revenues to its portfolio companies, having invested $565 million in 80+ companies and generated $400 million in revenue for its portfolio companies. They will help you strategize for growth and facilitate an introduction to fast-track your reach to a global scale. Some of their portfolio companies are Bigcommerce, Cape, Corvus, GitLab, and many others.
Type: Corporate VC
Stage: Series A, Series B
Investment Value: $1,000,000 - $30,000,000
Focus: AgTech, Asset & Wealth Management, FinTech, InsurTech, Payments & Commerce, PropTech, RegTech, Alternative Lending / Credit, Blockchain Technology, Core Banking Technology, Cybersecurity, Data & AI/ML, Digital, Enterprise SaaS
NAB Ventures is the venture capital arm of National Australia Bank, one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia. They invest in technology companies across diverse verticals as listed above. In particular, they have four investment themes:
Connected Business: Technologies that help small and medium business customers manage all of their financial needs.
Homeownership: Technologies that support retail customers through the full home ownership journey.
Cashless world: Technologies to enhance credit and debit card offerings, and support customers in fully embracing and benefiting from new innovations.
Empowered investment: Technologies that help customers build, monitor, and manage wealth.
Amongst many of their portfolio companies are Athena, Basiq, Amitree, and Datamesh.
Angel Investors in Australia
The Angel investors listed below are part of an Angel community located throughout Australia. They may act as an individual or as a syndicate to fund projects of their preference, so these networks are the best opportunity for you to find a potential Angel with an aligned vision and interests.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed
Investment Value: $100,000 - $1,000,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic, Female Founders
Scale Investors is Australia's first and only Angel syndicate committed to investing in female founders and female-led startups. They invest in early-stage startups and will work closely with founders to provide networks, education, and encouragement throughout the investment process. To date, they have gathered over 40 portfolio companies with over 300 angels and 1,500 founders engaged; some of which are Airrobe, Baymatob, Mass Dynamics, Cognition Therapeutics, CloudPeeps, and Trademark Vision. If you're not ready for investment, you can also benefit from accessing their EducatEd platform - an education platform with tailor-made courses by industry experts, experienced founders, and sophisticated investors where you can learn about capital raising and Angel investment.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $50,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Established in 2014, Geelong Angels is an angel group consisting of 12 Angels (and growing) with prior experience as entrepreneurs and/or Angel investors with the passion to boot. They actively invest in early and growth-stage Australian companies, but with a larger composition in Seed companies. They review and evaluate deals together, but decisions to invest is made individually. What they assess in entrepreneurs are:
Problem Statement (20%): Clear about the problem and why.
Solution and competitive advantage (15%): Solutions with distinguished features including intellectual property protection, exclusive licenses, exclusive marketing and distribution relationships, strong brands, scarce human resources (i.e. knowledge and skills), and access to scarce raw materials.
Team (10%): The track record of leadership and performance – either in the company’s specific industry or in prior ventures, as well as commitment and passion.
The business model for growth (20%): Have a plan to generate significant profits beyond the initial product idea.
Financials (15%): Past and projected financial numbers.
Traction (10%): Accomplishments throughout the business.
Exit Strategy (10%): ROI of at least ten times their initial investment in around five years.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $10,000 - $500,000
Focus: Technology, Deep Technology
Melbourne Angels are one of the most active startup investors in Victoria, winning awards such as the Most Active Angel Group Award and Best Angel Exit Award. Investing since 2007, they have a portfolio of over 120 companies and over 200 rounds of investment totaling more than $35 million invested by their members in 700+ individual investments. Since they are a member-led, non-profit association, you will be engaging directly with experienced business people and investors.
They expect capital returns from the sale of the company in 5-6 years, and throughout they want to be active shareholders as part of your Board. Some of their investment criteria to note are having a business strategy with a credible plan to acquire a significant market share and grow revenue to $20m+ within 3-5 years, having an exit strategy preferably with an all cash trade sale that delivers at least a 10x ROI within 5-8 years, and has a technology-enabled solution with intellectual property. Granted, the best way in is through a member recommendation to their Screening team.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $200,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Sydney Angels is an Angel group with 100 active members and 77 investees funding high-growth, early-stage companies. They seek businesses targeting growth markets with limited competition or markets that are susceptible to disruption, that possess strong intellectual property, with a team that has the experience, energy, and connections to execute plans, and finally, with a 10x ROI potential through an exit. In exchange, portfolio companies benefit from growth capital for the first two years, which may include follow-on funding, decision support by experienced Angels, and connections and networks from Angels in Australia and abroad. They have regular application cycles throughout 2022 that you can check on their website.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $100,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
As one of the most active investor groups in Australia, Perth Angels invests in early-stage high-growth SME businesses across a variety of sectors. To date, they have held 45 pitch nights, with over $3 million invested in over 20 founders. Their investments are actively syndicated with other Angel groups across Australia, particularly having direct links with South West Angels. Some of their portfolio companies include Precision Autonomy, Fleetsu, OneVR, Vital Trace, and more.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $100,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
South West Angels is a network of Angels actively investing in local ventures as well as providing mentorship for emerging businesses. Their platform is suitable for founders, entrepreneurs, and startups looking to get funding where they can present their business ideas to members. In exchange for equity, Angels are willing to spend the time and money on your business and contribute sector knowledge, networks, and connections as a mentor.
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $120,000 - $680,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Southern Angels is a group of experienced executives, investors, ex-founders, and entrepreneurs investing in companies throughout South Australia. Whilst they are sector agnostic, a large concentration of their members have experience in BioTech, MedTech, software, B2B, engineering, and allied health. To note, some of the characteristics they are looking for are:
Strong founding team
Product maturity: pre-revenue is accepted as long as you have an established team
The pre-money valuation of $1 million to $6 million
Investment ready and have worked on investment terms
Technology answers a problem in the market
Have high growth value with an expected ROI of 10x in 5-8 years
Have IP protection strategy and economic moat
Any other unfair winning advantage you might have
Type: Angel Group
Stage: Seed, Series A
Investment Value: $50,000 - $500,000
Focus: Sector Agnostic
If your company is located in Brisbane, Queensland, you should definitely get in touch with Brisbane Angels. They provide seed funding to emerging startups within various sectors, often bridging the gap between proof of concept to a larger VC round. You can submit your business plan on their website - so no warm introductions are needed. Some criteria to note are that you should be located within driving range (150 km), address a significant business need, enable >10x ROI in 4-8 years, have a compelling technology or business model, have a qualified and coachable management team, and have the reasonable exit plan in 4-8 years.
Type: Angel Platform
Stage: Stage Agnostic
Investment Value: -
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Australian Investment Network is a platform where founders can meet, connect, and match with Angels to get funding for their ventures. Entrepreneurs can simply create and publish a pitch to be listed on the site for prospective investors to browse and evaluate. You can even have your pitch emailed to investors and send personalized messages to increase your chances of securing capital. If they like your pitch, you'll receive access to their contact details so you can communicate directly to close a deal. Then, you can accept the funds from investors at any time, as investors transfer to you directly without any commission fee from Australian Investment Network. With 306,662 angel investors worldwide (and growing), you're bound to find someone who has the same passion and vision as you and has the capital to back your ventures up. They've had success stories from companies such as Oodee, Spark EV Technology, Fourth Wall, Wellnesta, and many more.
Closing Thoughts on VCs and Angel Investors in Australia
With the wealth of options available, simply picking an Australian VC or Angel investor to pitch to may seem challenging. So, here's our simple advice - spare some time and have a thorough look through the firms listed here and read about their terms, what they're looking for, their processes, their portfolios, and their expertise.
It will give you a clearer idea of whether you'll have higher chances of getting funded, see if you'll need to make some connections for warm introductions, and avoid wasting time pitching to investors who don't share the same outlook as you. The information listed in this article is a short introduction to get you started, but as you do more research, you'll be able to narrow down the list into parties you might want to get involved in, and those who are keen to meet you. It'll be worthwhile when you find someone who believes in you and is willing to fund your startup. Who knows, you might become the next Canva - or an even bigger startup hailing from Australia!
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