IAG

AUDC Continues Leadership Expansion for Stablecoin Growth

AUDC, issuer of the AUDD stablecoin, has hired Andrew Kitchen as CFO and José Barroso as growth general manager, deepening its executive bench amid rising demand and its recent New Zealand token launch.

AUDC continues leadership team expansion to support rapid growth and regional stablecoin rollout

Stablecoin issuer AUDC hires Andrew Kitchen as CFO and José Barroso as growth chief, extending an executive build-out to support rising demand for its digital-money and settlement services across Australia and New Zealand.

Sonder raises $40m from Blackbird Ventures, Seek, Hostplus

Sonder, a workplace health and wellbeing provider, closed a 40 million dollar round with Blackbird and Seek leading, Hostplus newly investing, and funds aimed at growth across Australia, New Zealand, Britain and AI features.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

DAS: The startup mapping farms from space

A LaunchVic profile of DAS, a Victorian venture using satellites to chart rural land for lenders, insurers and the ABS; Sarah Gorman recalls its Startmate cohort and praises Victoria's startup ecosystem.

2023 reflections, 2024 predictions with Code Like A Girl’s Ally Watson

Interview with Code Like A Girl founder Ally Watson on 2023's challenges — a federal grant, loyal partners, burnout — and 2024 plans for a new business-to-business product.

Cochlear chair Alison Deans joins CSIRO VC Main Sequence as venture partner

Main Sequence, CSIRO's deep tech venture fund, adds Cochlear chair Alison Deans as a venture partner, extending her investment committee service since 2017; its third fund brought in $450 million in July.

Insurer IAG acquires Carrie Kwan's women in business networking platform Mums & Co

IAG, via its NRMA Insurance brand, has bought Carrie Kwan's women-in-business platform Mums & Co at an undisclosed price; Kwan's team keeps running the brand, alongside a new microbusiness report.

Home IoT safety startup Sensor Global lands $2.65 million Seed round

IoT home-safety maker Sensor Global has banked a $2.65m seed round from property-focused backers including Second Century Ventures, which rated it the pick of its 2023 Australian accelerator intake.

Six Aussie startups that raised over $19 million this week

A weekly roundup reporting six Australian startups that raised a combined $19 million, including Quasar, Nexl, MoreGoodDays, DAS and Our Cow, plus Our Cow's earlier acquisition of delivery startup Voly.

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Aussie agri-fintech DAS set for global expansion after TELUS joins $3 million raise

Australian agtech firm DAS has raised $3 million with TELUS Ventures investing, supporting expansion into Canada and North America. Existing backers include CSIRO, IAG and Startmate; DAS is a Winter 2020 Startmate alumnus.

Businesses, councils will launch 1000 new fleet EVs in 2023 through NSW government's $105 million grant scheme

NSW announced the second-round recipients of its electric fleet grant program, including Splend, IAG, Origin Energy and Sixt, and invited businesses to apply for a third round.

Infrastructure monitoring startup Trendspek banks $6.3 million in Series A

Sydney digital-twin software firm Trendspek raised a $6.3 million Series A led by Taronga Ventures with IAG's Firemark Ventures, after a 2020 seed round led by Sydney Angels.

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Loopit appoints Nima Idel as Head of Product Growth to support business expansion

Car subscription software firm Loopit hires Nima Idel to lead product growth, shortly after completing its first external capital raise of $3.6 million as it plans further expansion.

Online lending marketplace Swoop raises US$9.4 million to help more SMEs secure funding

SME funding platform Swoop has raised a Series A round to grow its Australian and global operations, expand its team, and build out its advisor product for accountants.

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Super-fast unicorn, VC funding boom, put another founder on a Barbie

Ignition Lane's weekly roundup: Zip's deal for Sezzle, Zeller's unicorn raise, several Australian funding rounds, Startmate backing Provvy, a space manufacturing grant, NZVC's first close, and tech's response to Russia.

Insurer VC Firemark Ventures launches $75 million second fund

IAG's venture arm Firemark Ventures has committed a $75 million second fund, already deployed into Texas 3D imaging startup Plnar; earlier backing included UpGuard, Myriota, Hyper Anna, Airtasker and Life360.

Also Startup Daily

Seven West Media joins IAG in $28.9 million raise for vehicle subscription startup Carbar

Melbourne car subscription startup Carbar has raised $28.9 million led by insurer IAG and Seven West Media, following a 2019 raise, to fund marketing, partnerships, technology and growth of its electric vehicle fleet.

Also Startup Daily·LaunchVic

The company behind the Qantas app banks $3 million in an acquisitive mood

Sydney product consulting firm Terem Technologies raised $3 million led by Parc Capital, planning acquisitions to challenge big-four consultancies, with clients including Qantas, IAG, ATO and MYOB.