Carthona Capital

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #179, 26th September 2026

Weekly roundup recording a dozen raises and acquisitions, Firmus's scheduled float, a new $50m venture fund, a founder share sale, grant winners, an accelerator intake, and an AI agent's government breach.

Also Dynamic Business·AFR Technology·AFR Technology·DealStreetAsia·This Week in Australian Startups·iTnews·Dealroom·ABC News Technology

InDebted appoints Gillian Findlay, one of Australia’s most accomplished tech operators, to its board

Collections platform InDebted adds Gillian Findlay, ex-COO of SafetyCulture and Immutable, as a non-executive director, joining founder Josh Foreman, Reinventure's Danny Gilligan and Carthona Capital's Dean Dorrell on the board.

Sydney mortgage fintech LendUs banks $5 million Seed round

LendUs, a Sydney-based mortgage technology startup, has secured $5 million in seed capital with Carthona Capital leading, after nearly twice that was pledged before capping. Its platform lets brands offer home loans.

Also Startup Daily

Six months in Austin: BuildPass says the US is already 20% of revenue

BuildPass, a Melbourne construction software maker, says its American business now exceeds a fifth of revenue half a year after opening in Austin, with growth credit from Mighty Partners funding the expansion.

The FinTech Report Podcast: Episode 64: Josh Foreman, Founder & CEO, Indebted

Podcast episode in which InDebted's founder discusses scaling the debt-collection business, its earliest backers, and Airtree joining the company's most recent Series C round.

Seven Aussie startups that raised $495.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of seven Australian startup raises, led by Airwallex's Series F, plus EatClub, Kite Magnetics, Termina, Preve, Foremind and Liveheats.

Also Startup Daily

In-store ads streaming martech lands $40 million Series B

In-store audio advertising firm Qsic, founded in Melbourne and now Dallas-based, has secured US$25 million in a Hedosophia-led Series B, after a $4 million Carthona Capital-led Series A in 2021.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $80 million this week

Weekly funding roundup covering eight local companies that together banked $80m, topped by twin $17m Series Bs at Safewill and Fresho, plus Celosia's $16.75m Series A and five smaller rounds.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·LaunchVic

Four ANZ startups that raised $26.9 million this week

Weekly roundup of four ANZ raises: Conflux Technology's $11 million Series B, BuildPass's $7.5 million seed, Projectworks's US$5 million Series A alongside a CEO change, and DNAiTECH's NZ$1 million round.

Also Startup Daily

Six Aussie startups that raised $87.7 million this week

Roundup of six Australian funding rounds this week: InDebted, Evolt, Restoke.ai, Mary Technology, Matilda and Demtech.ai, with investors, amounts, InDebted's valuation and a secondary component for early backers and staff.

Also Australian FinTech·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Australian FinTech·Fintech News Australia·Business News Australia

Four Aussie startups that raised $28 million this week

Weekly roundup of four Australian startup raises: Kismet's $20m seed extension, Primary's $3.5m seed round, Willed's $3m from Seven West Media, and East Forged's $1.5m from a Vietnamese agribusiness's venture arm.

Sydney fintech Primary raises $3.5m seed round

Sydney cash-management startup Primary has completed a $3.5m seed round backed by Carthona Capital and five other funds, with Carthona partner Damian Fox set to join its board.

Also SmartCompany

Seven Aussie startups that raised $93.6 million this week

Seven Australian startups together banked over $90 million in the past seven days across venue software, hydrogen aviation, social media, craft brewing, plastics alternatives, aged-care robotics and accountant training.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

Meet Ajust, the Sydney startup that loves customer complaints and wants more of them

Profile of Ajust, whose platform uses AI to route consumer complaints to businesses; its solo founder secured pre-seed backing from Carthona Capital and joined AWS's generative AI accelerator program.

Driva partners with Carsales to enable seamless digital finance experience

Fintech Driva launches a multi-year partnership letting carsales shoppers see personalised finance options on private vehicle listings; the article also recalls Carthona Capital's earlier backing of the startup.

Tech founders pile in as VC fund raises $55m in a week

OIF Ventures has gathered $55 million toward a new Opportunity Fund with a $75 million goal, backed by several tech founders, and has put $4 million into Advanced Navigation's $108 million round.

Also SmartCompany·TechCrunch Australia

Four Australian startups that landed $69.5 million in funding this week

Weekly roundup reporting four Australian startups together raising $69.5 million: Eucalyptus $50 million, MadeComfy $10 million, Safewill $5.5 million Series A, and rebranded InvestorHub $4 million.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·vrinsider.com

Digital estate planning platform Safewill lands $5.5 million in 2nd Series A two years on

Estate planning startup Safewill has landed a second Series A of $5.5 million, led by Carthona Capital with Reinventure and Flying Fox Ventures, to grow the platform and expand overseas.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Life360 location-sharing app is changing the way we communicate

Profile of location-sharing app Life360 covering its origins, early backing by Carthona Capital's James Synge, a Google grant, its ASX listing, and its acquisitions of Tile and Jiobit.

Christmas comes early for 14 Aussie startups that raised $260 million this week

Weekly roundup covering 14 startup raises totalling over $260 million, headlined by Synchron's $110 million round, plus Roller's shareholder liquidity payout, Partly's record New Zealand Series A, and several government grants.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)·Startup News (WA)

Emissions startup Pathzero refills Series A, 14 months on, with another $8.6 million

Pathzero has topped up its Series A with $8.6 million led again by Carthona Capital, lifting that round to $15.6 million. The piece also recalls earlier raises and notes funding by Arvani and Greener.

Also SmartCompany

Sydney-based Pathzero helps investors track their portfolios’ carbon emissions

Sydney carbon-accounting startup Pathzero raised an AUD 8.6 million Series A+ extension led by Carthona Capital, with Clyde Bank Holdings and Antler participating, to help financial institutions track financed emissions.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Techboard

Nine Aussie startups that raised more than $104 million this week

Weekly roundup reporting nine Australian startups that together secured roughly $104 million across sports tech, semiconductors, regtech, legal automation, SaaS, edtech, agtech and biotech, with Vald's $36 million the largest.

Also Techboard

US, UK legal giants embrace Aussie automation start-up

Legal automation firm Josef banks $5.2 million in a round OIF Ventures led, with Carthona, Flying Fox, Jelix and Saniel participating, adding US and UK law firms as clients.

Also SmartCompany

Fintech Paytron scores $250,000 from CBA's x15ventures

Paytron won x15ventures' Xccelerate 2022, receiving a $250,000 SAFE note plus access to CBA's ecosystem. The piece recalls its earlier $4.35 million seed round backed by Carthona Capital and Picus Capital.

Also Australian FinTech·SmartCompany

FUNDED August 2022

Techboard's monthly roundup tallies August 2022 private funding at $207m across 22 deals, listing the month's raises, BlackRock's acquisition of Akaysha Energy, One Click Life's reverse takeover listing, and several fund closes.

Also Startup Daily

Proptech CIM raises $10 million Series A

Proptech CIM has raised a $10 million Series A led by Five V Capital, with Carthona Capital and property executives participating, valuing it above $100 million to fund expansion into Asia and North America.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Techboard·Techboard

CTV Funding News - July 2022

Cut Through Venture's August update rounds up July 2022 Australian startup funding, listing raises from Mx51 to WeMoney, Startmate's newest cohort of twelve, and the beta launch of its investor search tool.

Also Techboard

Fintech Indebted sacks 40 staff amid $22.5 million raise

Debt collection startup Indebted raised $22.5 million led by Perennial, doubling its valuation, while cutting 40 jobs; the article also recalls earlier raises and an acquisition.

InDebted raises $22.5 million and cuts 40 staff, CEO says no more ‘growth at all costs’

Payments fintech InDebted has closed a $22.5 million round doubling its valuation to $200 million, led by Perennial Value Management, while restructuring with a 17% workforce cut of 40 staff.

Also Startup Daily·Cut Through Venture·SmartCompany

FUNDED APRIL 2022

Techboard's monthly roundup cataloguing April 2022 Australian startup funding: megadeals, seed rounds, grants and crowdfunding, nine acquisitions, several ASX listings, and venture firms' fund news.

Why We Invested In Layer

Aura Ventures sets out why it backed Layer's seed round with several co-investors, covering the gaming IP licensing opportunity and the founders' relevant experience.

Also Aura Group portfolio·Startup Daily

Fintech Reach Alternative Investments banks $2.2 million Seed round

Reach Alternative Investments, a Sydney platform opening private equity funds to wealthy individuals, raised an oversubscribed seed round led by Carthona Capital, reaching an $11.2 million post-money valuation eight months after leaving Antler.

Also Techboard

FUNDED MARCH 2022

Techboard's March 2022 roundup of Australian funding: megadeals by Immutable, Saluda Medical, Linktree and Zeller, many smaller raises, acquisitions, an IPO, several fund closes, and companies still seeking capital.

Also Australian FinTech

Cascade raises $40 million to disrupt the consultancy industry

Cascade has landed a $40 million Series A led by Telescope Partners, with Five V and Carthona joining; proceeds follow a $5 million seed and target product and global growth.

Sydney startup Cascade raises $40 million Series A to rethink business strategy

Cascade, a Sydney strategy-execution software company, has closed a $40 million Series A led by Telescope Partners with Five V and Carthona Capital, to fund product development and expansion into North America and Europe.

Also SmartCompany·Techboard

Car finance platform Driva doubles down with $6m growth round

Australian car-finance fintech Driva has raised A$6 million from existing investors led by Carthona Capital, with Invictus and seed angels also participating, to double staff and fund brand and product expansion.

Fintech Driva lands $6 million raise to become famous for car financing

Driva has raised $6 million in a round led by Carthona Capital, with follow-on backers and angels joining, to double headcount, build its brand, and expand into trade-ins and vehicle listings.

Also Australian FinTech

LaunchVic chooses a new Fund-of-Funds firm to raise $60 million for the Victorian Startup Capital Fund

Victoria's startup agency has picked a new fund-of-funds firm started by two ex-Hostplus investors to build a state-backed vehicle, with the government cornerstone committed and a matching private raise still to come.

Rokt raises $458 million, as Aussie startups continue to cash in

Rokt's Series E tops a week of Australian raises including Dovetail, Inventia, DiviPay, Atomi, 6clicks, Replica Studios and ProForm Foods, with SimPro's recent raise noted.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily