Luxury Escapes

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #179, 26th September 2026

Weekly roundup recording a dozen raises and acquisitions, Firmus's scheduled float, a new $50m venture fund, a founder share sale, grant winners, an accelerator intake, and an AI agent's government breach.

Also Dynamic Business·DealStreetAsia·This Week in Australian Startups·Dealroom·ABC News Technology

Ellerston Capital buys stake in Luxury Escapes at $525M valuation

Dealroom reports Sydney investment house Ellerston Capital plans to buy at least a 12% stake in travel platform Luxury Escapes at a $525 million valuation, with board representation and an expected two-to-three-year exit.

E-commerce legends praise Click Frenzy founder after business liquidation

Grant Arnott's Click Frenzy and Power Retail have entered liquidation and receivership, drawing warm public messages from e-commerce peers; Tanarra Capital, which invested in 2016, no longer holds a stake.

Also Startup Daily

Pay.com.au hits $633 million valuation after $25 million raise

Melbourne fintech pay.com.au has banked $25 million for a US push, Morgans Corporate leading, with Wilson Asset Management, Thorney Group and Ophir participating, at a pre-money valuation of $633 million.

Smart50 success Pay.com.au raises $25 million, valuation soars to $633 million

Payment rewards platform Pay.com.au has raised $25 million led by Morgans Corporate, with $28 million of existing shares also sold, valuing the company at $633 million as it pushes into America.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Dealroom·Fintech News Australia

Gabby and Hezi Leibovich-backed Fingertip acquired by rival Linktree – and will close

Linktree has bought Melbourne rival Fingertip and will shut it down in 2026, with its cofounders joining; the piece also recaps Linktree's earlier acquisitions and the Leibovich brothers' failed ventures.

Also Dealroom·Forbes Australia

From 0 to 4.5 billion: how the Startmate pay-it-forward mentorship model built a startup powerhouse

Startmate reflects on a decade of backing founders, profiling breakout alumni across its cohorts and describing how its mentors reinvest in newer startups, alongside its fund model and returns.

Meet the Aussies on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list

Catch: A business timeline, in their words

Retrospective timeline of Catch's journey from its 2006 launch through Tiger Global's investment, the Menulog and Luxury Escapes deals and Wesfarmers' $230 million acquisition, to Wesfarmers' announced wind-down.

Also Startup Daily

Rampersand, Startmate score exit as US media co snaps up marketing startup Brandcrush

Criteo has bought marketing platform Brandcrush, handing its backers, including Rampersand and Startmate, an exit; the piece recalls the company's 2019 raise and Startmate accelerator background.

Bookwell to be acquired by global rival Fresha

Australian beauty booking marketplace Bookwell is being acquired by London-based rival Fresha, with Bookwell's high-profile investors receiving Fresha shares. The piece also recalls the founders' earlier EatNow merger and Fresha's Series C extension.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Hybrid office booking platform Officely bags $2.8 million seed round

Desk booking startup Officely has raised a seed round led by TEN13 with angel backers to grow its team and product. Its founders previously ran HotelFlex, a Y Combinator-backed hotel booking venture sidelined by Covid.