Startup · $20.1m raised
Byron Bay, NSW
Every investor coverage indicates participated in a round Koala raised.
| Investor | Rounds | Invested |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Smith | Seed | $100,000 |
The transaction that ended Koala's run as a startup, per published coverage. It closes the funding history too, where it is the ladder's last rung.
| Bought by | Kind | Announced | Price | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | IPO | 2026 | $68m | AFR Technology, Startup Daily (31 Mar 2026), SmartCompany, Startup Daily (30 Mar 2026), Startup Daily (27 Mar 2026), Startup Daily (26 Mar 2026), Startup Daily (21 Mar 2026) |
Companies Koala acquired or merged with, per published coverage. Buying a company is not investing in one: nothing here counts in the deals column.
Stories naming Koala. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Fishburners, the Sydney not-for-profit co-working community, has gone into voluntary administration over a long-running rent debt to the NSW government. KPMG administrators will keep it trading while pursuing a sale and recapitalisation.
Furniture brand Koala has secured $20 million ahead of its ASX debut at a $305 million valuation, while early backers including cofounder Mitch Taylor sold down some of their stakes.
Koala heads to the Australian bourse with a float mixing fresh equity and shareholder sell-downs, while a Test cricketer's decade-old six-figure backing of the furniture startup draws the spotlight.
Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·AFR Technology
Partners for Growth's PFG Income Fund has held a first close on private credit for later-stage technology borrowers, with commitments exceeding A$250 million, deploying structured growth debt in Australia and globally.
Also Australian FinTech
Tim Doyle, cofounder of health startup Eucalyptus, tells a Blackbird Sunrise audience that solving his warehouse of returned sex toys is the route to a job, and offers blunt views on local venture capital.
Cleaning products maker Zero Co, backed by Square Peg and crowdfunded via Birchal, is closing down solvent and will hand leftover funds to shareholders after failing to find a workable path forward.
Also SmartCompany·Dealroom·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily
Lendi Group has appointed four senior leaders across content, marketing, creative and PR, rounding out its growth leadership as the Aussie Home Loans owner also flags further roles.
Blackbird interviews Eucalyptus co-founder Tim Doyle about the telehealth firm's evolving mission, patient safety practices, regulatory advocacy, and lessons from his earlier career, including his time at Koala.
Maker of whisky and gin tasting boxes plans an equity crowdfunding campaign on Birchal to fund Southeast Asian expansion, having earlier taken capital from Koala's co-founders; no money has been raised yet.
Opinion analysis arguing Woolworths' Metro60 one-hour grocery service threatens venture-backed rapid delivery startups, citing SEND's shutdown, VOLY's staff cuts and Milkrun's funding reliance as evidence the 15-minute model is unsustainable in Australia.
Also Startup Daily
Grocery delivery app SEND has entered voluntary administration with Worrells appointed; the article recalls its 2021 raise backed by Cherry Ventures and FJ Lab.
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Square Peg announces a $6 million Series A investment in Zero Co, a refillable home and personal care startup that this week set an Australian crowdfunding record, raising $5 million from 3,082 retail investors.
OIF republishes AFR coverage of adtech startup Linkby raising $5 million in a seed round the fund led, profiling founder Chris Wirasinha, his Pedestrian TV sale, and Linkby's publisher advertising model.
Also OIF Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily
Milkrun, Dany Milham's four-month-old rapid grocery delivery startup, has raised a $75 million Series A led by Tiger Global, with Airtree, Skip and Grok also investing; it had earlier raised A$11 million in mid-2021.