UNSW Founders to fund 18 startups with $200,000 each
UNSW Founders partnered with Luminary Partners to invest $200,000 each in 18 early-stage deeptech startups across its 2025 accelerator cohorts, extending prior backing arrangements.
Company
Darlington, NSW
Every investor coverage indicates participated in a round Happenco raised.
Companies Happenco acquired or merged with, per published coverage. Buying a company is not investing in one: nothing here counts in the deals column.
| Name | Role | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Gideon Gut-Silverman | Executive Director (former) | Forbes Australia, Startup Daily |
| Ben Cheyne | Managing Director | Forbes Australia |
Stories naming Happenco. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
UNSW Founders partnered with Luminary Partners to invest $200,000 each in 18 early-stage deeptech startups across its 2025 accelerator cohorts, extending prior backing arrangements.
Boutique venture capital and advisory shop Happenco has completed its debut fund at $12 million, most of which is already invested across a portfolio of early-stage companies.
Alex Waislitz's Thorney vehicle steered an $11 million round into Awayco, which also bought Sydney point-of-sale firm Barcode Solutions; its chief Shanti Kumar now heads POSConnex, while founder Gideon Gut-Silverman keeps directing growth.
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