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.
CEO, AXA Asia · angel in 1 deal
| Role | Organisation | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| CEO | AXA Asia | Startup Daily |
| Chair (former) | AXA Asia | SmartCompany (3 Oct 2025), Startup Daily, SmartCompany (1 Oct 2025) |
Every published round Gordon Watson took part in, and every parcel of existing shares it bought off another holder. Deals we hold but haven't published yet are not counted.
| Company | Stage | Announced | Amount | Role | Alongside | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIFTWOMEN | Unnamed stage | 30 Sep 2025 | $1.3m | Participant | SmartCompany (3 Oct 2025), Startup Daily, SmartCompany (1 Oct 2025) |
Companies Gordon Watson has backed in a published round, and companies whose existing shares it bought off another holder.
| Company | What it does | First invested | Rounds | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIFTWOMEN | Rewards-based crowdfunding platform supporting women-led campaigns | 30 Sep 2025 | 1 | 0 |
Fund closes reported for Gordon Watson, as distinct from the investments it has made.
Companies Gordon Watson has backed that another company then bought. An exit for the holding, not a deal Gordon Watson did.
Stories naming Gordon Watson. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
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.
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.
Lift Women, an Australian crowdfunding platform for women founders, has secured $1.3 million in a Braxton Capital Ventures-led round to expand into Asia and grow its team and technology.
LaunchVic's Alice Anderson Fund and AXA Asia chief Gordon Watson have invested an undisclosed amount in Lift Women, an Australian crowdfunding platform helping female founders raise capital.