Giant Leap

Women’s health data startup Ovum lands $4 million Seed round

Melbourne women's health app Ovum raised $4m Seed funding led by Admiralty Capital Group to expand AI-driven health data tools, valuing it at $18 million.

Creditors vote to put food waste startup Goterra in liquidation

Creditors have voted to wind up Canberra insect-protein startup Goterra after sale and recapitalisation efforts failed, with administrators reporting mounting losses and recoveries likely confined to their fees.

Meet the 19 ventures sharing $400,000 to connect women, investors and opportunity

NSW Government grants worth $400,000 across 19 recipients include EnergyLab, Barayamal, Go Remote, Western Sydney Women and Scale Investors, funding events and initiatives aimed at closing the gender funding gap.

Ovum raises AUD 4M seed to scale its women's health AI

Australian women's health AI startup Ovum AI has raised a 4 million dollar seed round led by Admiralty Capital Group, following an earlier pre-seed, with several impact and government backers participating.

Also Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Women's Agenda·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Seven ANZ startups that raised $71.8 million this week

Weekly roundup covering seven raises across the Tasman: Phonely's Series A, Pay.com.au's private placement, and rounds for Atomic Tessellator, Caruso, Deteqt, Clean Slate Clinic and Earthletica, worth roughly $72 million combined.

Also crane.vc

Detox social enterprise Clean Slate Clinic scores $2.8 million ahead of Series A

Clean Slate Clinic, which helps people detox from alcohol at home, has secured a $2.8 million convertible note and $1.5 million debt facility from Giant Leap, Scale Investors and Australian Medical Angels.

Also SmartCompany

Construction tech startup builds $3 million pre-Series A after rebrand

Melbourne construction software firm SPEC Toolbox, once CLT Toolbox, has banked a fresh $3 million round with Black Nova and Investible co-leading, its third raise after earlier seed and bridge funding.

Also SmartCompany

Sendle is dead, killed by a US merger partner who misled the Aussie startup's key investor, Federation

Federation says ACI Logistix hid its finances before merging with Sendle and FirstMile into Fast Group, now winding down, killing the courier; the article also recalls past Sendle and Strongroom raises.

Sendle to close after parent company directors vote on shutdown

Directors at Sendle's parent FAST Group voted to shut the delivery business after it could not raise the money needed to survive; Federation had propped it up while rivals Aramex and Interparcel courted customers.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Sendle suddenly shutters deliveries amid financial concerns after merger investor freezes funding

Alternative parcel delivery firm Sendle stopped taking bookings five months after merging into US parent Fast Group, whose financial troubles led investor Federation Asset Management to suspend fund withdrawals and inject emergency capital.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Perx Health announces dual strategic transactions: Perx Australia to merge with Navigator Group; Clutch to Acquire Perx USA

Digital health firm Perx Health splits in two: Clutch has bought its US business and its Australian arm will combine with Navigator Group, with founders moving to roles at the buyers.

Also Dealroom

‘Devastating decision’: women founders backed by LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund on the merger and uncertainty

Founders backed by LaunchVic's Alice Anderson Fund fear the fund may not survive the Victorian government's confirmed merger of LaunchVic with Breakthrough Victoria; the piece recalls raises by Elita, MoreGoodDays and TalkiPlay.

Also Startup Daily

2025 in review: Purpose and partnerships

Alberts' year-in-review post recounts its 140th anniversary, board and staff appointments, follow-on venture investments in three portfolio companies, music education advocacy, a philanthropy strategy review, and reconciliation and gender-lens finance commitments.

Also SmartCompany·Dealroom

“Devastating decision”: Founders backed by Alice Anderson Fund criticise LaunchVic’s closure

Victorian women-led startup founders warn a government restructure merging LaunchVic with Breakthrough Victoria could end the Alice Anderson Fund's backing, recalling raises by Elita, MoreGoodDays and TalkiPlay.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 17 ANZ startups – plus Brooki and The Memo – raised $59.61 million this week

A weekly roundup of funding deals by Australian and New Zealand startups, spanning baked goods, retail, health AI, beverages, edtech, solar, legal tech, and Western Australian medical research grants.

Edrolo cofounder's AI teacher burnout startup chalks up $1.85 million Seed round

Melbourne education AI startup Teacher's Buddy has secured seed backing, with Giant Leap leading, to grow its teacher productivity platform across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Also Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 8 ANZ startups banked $53.46 million in funding this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian and New Zealand funding rounds totalling about $53.5 million, led by SwarmFarm Robotics' $30 million Series B for its farm robots.

Eight ANZ startups that raised $53.56 million this week

Funding roundup: eight trans-Tasman startups together secured $53.56 million, topped by SwarmFarm Robotics' Series B, with Amber, Javln, Enhance Labs, Indi, Wych, Lift Women and Ambra Spirits also raising capital.

AI co-pilot Indi, which helps carers manage kids with complex needs, raises $1.46 million

An AI app built to help carers of children with high-support needs has banked $1.46 million in a Giant Leap-led round with Antler's backing, funding hires and clinic partnerships.

Also SmartCompany

Equity Clear is building national standard for investment diversity reporting

Equity Clear, an initiative of Scale Investors, Giant Leap and Alberts, wins Investment NSW sponsorship and UNSW academic partnership to build a national investor-diversity reporting standard, led by Noga Edelstein.

Ovum's AI health journal enters hospital-run clinical trials to help lift preventive care for women

Femtech startup Ovum has started clinical trials of its AI women's health journal at two Sydney hospitals, with $40,000 in fresh backing from Soul Pattinson following a $1.7 million pre-seed 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

Mental health platform Foremind closes $1.5 million round, eyes off UK and NZ expansion

Canberra workplace wellbeing startup Foremind has secured $1.5 million with Giant Leap leading and Skalata plus the Snow Foundation taking part, money earmarked for product growth before a push into Britain and New Zealand.

Also SmartCompany

Seer Medical saved by $40 million rescue deal from global investors, Breakthrough Victoria

Administrators confirmed a $40 million deal in which Cadwell Industries, TrialCap and Breakthrough Victoria take equity, rescuing Seer Medical from administration; the article also recalls its funding history and 2024 product recall.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Women’s health app raises $1.7 million to ramp up AI focus

Ovum, an app for tracking menstrual and women's health, has secured $1.7m to launch its AI assistant, in a round led by Giant Leap with Antler, Wollemi Capital and other backers.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Women's Agenda·Women's Agenda·Dealroom·Forbes Australia·Women's Agenda

Work skills edtech HEX acquires Sydney tech training startup EntryLevel

Education startup HEX has bought Sydney-based learning platform EntryLevel for an undisclosed amount, while securing another year of Atlassian Foundation backing and partnering with Toyota's trust on a STEM program for regional students.

Breakthrough Victoria-backed epilepsy medtech Seer Medical placed in voluntary administration

Victorian epilepsy device maker Seer Medical has entered voluntary administration, with Pitcher Partners appointed amid a product recall and a cofounder's legal dispute; backers included Breakthrough Victoria and Cochlear.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

2024: A year of change and positive impact

Alberts' annual review records its venture arm closing its portfolio at 22 companies, topping up six holdings, co-launching a gender-equity drive, and navigating board changes after Sam Mostyn became Governor-General.

Also Startup Daily

Drone delivery startup Swoop Aero stalls, lands in administration

Drone delivery company Swoop Aero has entered voluntary administration after its cofounder blamed investor pressure; administrators now seek a buyer or recapitalisation. The piece recalls its 2021 Series B and 2018 Startmate stint.

Also Startup Daily

Agtech DAS and Hex founder Jeanette Cheah honoured in the Victorian governor's startup awards

Victorian Governor's awards name DAS top startup and Acusensus top scaleup; HEX's Jeanette Cheah is Ecosystem Hero, with Tractor's Jodie Imam and Giant Leap's Rachel Yang sharing Investor of the Year.

Also LaunchVic

Runway May 24: The 7 startups revealing venture raises this week

Weekly roundup covering seven ANZ startup raises — Bare Funerals, Humii, WeMoney, CLT Toolbox, Clean Slate Clinic, SpatialGPT and Great Wrap — plus LaunchVic's $900,000 into Paul Little's Skalata fund.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Seven Aussie startups that raised $17.7 million this week

Weekly roundup listing seven Australian startups and their raises, totalling $17.7 million across AI, packaging materials, fintech, digital health, music licensing, construction software and swimwear.

Also Startup Daily

Great Wrap raises $5 million to scale compostable pallet wrap with Opal ANZ

Compostable packaging maker Great Wrap raised $5 million backing its distribution partnership with Opal ANZ; new backers include Aryna Sabalenka and RCV Partners, with follow-ons; its $24 million Series A is recalled.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

CLT Toolbox raises $1 million to branch out global timber software

Timber design software firm CLT Toolbox has secured bridge funding to expand into Europe and the US, less than a year after its seed round, backed by Giant Leap, Archangel Ventures and others.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Nine ANZ startups that raised $60.3 million this week

Roundup of the week's funding news: nine companies across Australia and New Zealand secured investment spanning clean energy, construction logistics, legal tech, coaching, research tools, creator media, medtech and marketing software.

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

Coviu cofounder Silvia Pfeiffer steps down as CEO and away from her telehealth startup

Coviu's cofounder Dr Silvia Pfeiffer has stepped away from the chief executive role at the telehealth business, keeping a board seat; the article also recalls its early venture raises.

5 tech leaders on the best thing that happened in 2023, the year ahead – and what they want to change in 2024

Five tech and venture figures look back on 2023 and ahead to 2024, mentioning Giant Leap's fund close, Everlab's pre-seed raise, AI regulation, cybersecurity, and defence export controls.

Alberts Impact Ventures: 2023 in review

Investor's own year in review: five new portfolio companies, a follow-on into ULUU, the Verve Super exit, the Equity Clear gender-reporting initiative, a first founders' retreat, and a sweep of awards for portfolio companies.

Also OIF Ventures portfolio·Alberts Impact Ventures portfolio·Alberts Impact Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Women's Agenda·Crunchbase News

The 3 Australian companies on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list

Three Australian companies — Fleet Space Technologies, MoreGoodDays and Syneta — feature on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list; the piece profiles each business, its backers and recent raises.

FUNDED May 2023

Techboard's May 2023 roundup of Australian startup funding: 42 private raises topped by Fleet Space's $50m round, two $40m acquisitions, multiple grants, accelerator intakes, and fund news including GiantLeap's $50m fund raise.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily