Angel investor · CEO, MadPaws
Every published round Justus Hammer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainfish | Unnamed stage | 6 May 2024 | $3.8m | Participant | SmartCompany (10 Jul 2025), Startup Daily (9 Jul 2025), SmartCompany (18 Dec 2024), SmartCompany (28 Jun 2024), SmartCompany (10 May 2024), Forbes Australia, Startup Daily (6 May 2024), SmartCompany (6 May 2024) | |
| Upstreet | Seed | 22 Mar 2022 | $3m | Participant | Startup Daily (12 Sep 2023), Techboard, Australian FinTech, Startup Daily (22 Mar 2022) | |
| Book An Artist | Unnamed stage | 10 Mar 2022 | $1m | Participant | SmartCompany, Startup Daily | |
| Hudled | Seed | 1Q 2021 | $640k | Participant | SmartCompany, Cut Through Venture |
Companies Justus Hammer has backed in a published round, and companies whose existing shares it bought off another holder.
| Company | What it does | First invested | Rounds | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book An Artist | 10 Mar 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| Brainfish | AI customer experience platform | 6 May 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Hudled | 1Q 2021, Seed | 1 | 0 | |
| Upstreet | 22 Mar 2022, Seed | 1 | 0 |
Fund closes reported for Justus Hammer, as distinct from the investments it has made.
Companies Justus Hammer has backed that another company then bought. An exit for the holding, not a deal Justus Hammer did.
| Role | Organisation | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| CEO (former) · Founder | Mad Paws | SmartCompany (23 Jul 2025), SmartCompany (8 Apr 2025), SmartCompany (6 May 2024) |
| CEO (former) | MadPaws | SmartCompany (28 Jun 2024), SmartCompany (10 May 2024), Forbes Australia, Startup Daily (6 May 2024), Startup Daily (12 Sep 2023), SmartCompany (13 Apr 2022), Australian FinTech, Startup Daily (22 Mar 2022) |
| Advisor (former) | Airtasker | SmartCompany |
Stories naming Justus Hammer. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Pet-sitting marketplace Mad Paws has recommended a proposed $62 million takeover by US company Rover, with its Pet Chemist arm earmarked for VetPartners, while earlier raises are recalled.
Wescover, an American marketplace for custom-made creations, has been bought by Melbourne-headquartered Book An Artist, which plans to merge the platforms; the piece also recalls Book An Artist's 2022 raise.
Weekly roundup of nine Australian startups that together raised over $233 million, led by Hysata's $172 million Series B, with rounds also for V2 Digital, AgriWebb, Disco, Genero, Brainfish, Kite Therapy, Nucanon and Maslow.
Sydney AI customer-support startup Brainfish has raised $3.85 million in a round led by Peak XV Partners' Surge, with Macdoch Ventures, Black Sheep Capital and angels taking part, bringing its total capital to $5 million.
Also Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany
Sydney app Upstreet, which gave shoppers fractional shares for their spending, is closing; the founders gave no reason, 18 months after a Wattle Hill-led seed round and a lifetime raise near $5 million.
Also Startup Daily
Upstreet, which gives shoppers fractional share rewards, has raised a $3 million seed-plus round led by Wattle Hill Capital, with funds earmarked for retail partnerships and platform upgrades.