NAB

Hello Clever appoints payments veteran Mark Tibbles as advisor

Hello Clever has brought in Mark Tibbles, a payments industry veteran with a career across major banks and payment firms, to advise the company as it grows.

Sia significantly expands Australian footprint with Seven Consulting deal

Global consultancy Sia has acquired Seven Consulting, an Australian business transformation firm, roughly quadrupling Sia's local headcount and adding major banking, government and retail clients.

Sia's Australian Gambit: Snags Seven Consulting in Push for AI Dominance

French consulting group Sia has bought Australian business transformation firm Seven Consulting, adding roughly 130 consultants and East Coast offices. The deal follows Sia's earlier acquisitions and Blackstone's minority investment earmarked for expansion.

Also consultancy.com.au

Sia accelerates its expansion in Australia with the acquisition of Seven Consulting

Consulting group Sia has bought Seven Consulting, an Australian transformation consultancy, adding Sydney and Melbourne offices, a Perth presence and major clients across banking, government and retail.

Also Dealroom·Dealroom·sevenconsulting.com·briefglance.com·melbourne-insider.au·cfotech.com.au·consultancy.com.au

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #161, 17th May 2026

Weekly roundup: two acquisitions — Humankind buys management trainer The Mintable, NAB buys payments firm Banked — alongside a large government innovation spend, investor tax changes and a new AI accelerator.

Banjo Loans appoints highly respected finance executive Simon Beckett as its new Chairman

Business lender Banjo Loans has named Simon Beckett, a seasoned finance executive, to chair its board, succeeding long-serving Rick Sawers as it pursues expansion beyond its startup roots.

Ex-Atlassians score an exit for their AI data security startup after just two years

RecordPoint has bought Redactive AI, a Melbourne data security startup founded by former Atlassian staff, for an undisclosed sum two years after its founding; Felicis and Blackbird co-led its 2024 seed round.

NAB announces Executive changes

NAB announced executive team changes: Shane Conway promoted to lead Transformation, Sharon Cook retiring at year end, Les Matheson taking over Customer & Corporate Services, and Jon Benson appointed Group General Counsel.

1835i: ANZ kills its venture arm amid major restructure

ANZ is winding up its venture arm 1835i and has shut Cashrewards after selling its Airwallex stake; the piece also recalls Airwallex's later raises and CBA's Klarna investment, stake sale and New York listing.

ANZ bank has killed off its venture arm, 1835i

ANZ is winding up 1835i, its externally managed venture arm, weeks after selling its Airwallex stake; the piece recalls Cashrewards' takeover and closure, Airwallex raises, and CBA's Klarna windfall.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

RecordPoint launches a free tool for founders to triage data for AI use and track access

Australian data governance company RecordPoint has launched RexCommand, a free platform helping startups detect unauthorised AI tool use and enforce AI policies, with CEO Anthony Woodward warning about shadow AI risks for businesses.

WiseTech Global has a new, cheaper, CEO who's a long-time supporter of founder Richard White

Logistics software firm WiseTech Global has appointed Zubin Appoo CEO, succeeding interim chief Andrew Cartledge, who retires at year's end. Appoo previously served under founder Richard White and receives a smaller pay package.

Macquarie Uni fintech takes on Australia's ETF players in US markets

ETF Shares, a Macquarie University incubator fintech with ETFS Capital backing, launches three US-focused ETFs for Australian investors via Cboe Australia, led by David Tuckwell (CIO) and Cliff Man (CEO).

Rich Data Co becomes RDC.AI, marking a new era in business and commercial credit decisioning

Credit-decisioning firm Rich Data Co has rebranded as RDC.AI. The Australian company highlights North American expansion, bank partnerships, and its Westpac- and nCino-backed $34m Series B among recent milestones.

Three Aussie startups that raised $11.4 million this week

Weekly roundup tallying three Australian raises: legal tech firm Plexus ($6m), cattle-probiotics startup Bovotica ($3.4m seed), and beauty group York St Brands ($2m Series C plus a $4m NAB credit line).

After Tbh Skincare and Boost Lab merger, York St Brands raises $2 million to launch Bouf

York Street Brands raised $2 million from iPartners and took a $4 million NAB trade facility to launch its third brand Bouf, having formed through the 2023 merger of tbh Skincare and Boost Lab.

Also SmartCompany

Lender Lighter Capital has another $30 million for startups thanks to the Victorian government

Lighter Capital, a revenue-based lender, has added another $30 million to lend to Australian startups, extending the facility the Victorian government and iPartners first backed.

'I'm really uncomfortable with certainty': Meet Michelle Gilmore

Blackbird's blog interviews Juno founder Michelle Gilmore about her AI conversation product, its early adopters, and the $2.8 million raised to scale it.

‘I’m really uncomfortable with certainty’: Meet Michelle Gilmore, the founder behind Blackbird’s latest AI bet Juno

Interview with Juno founder Michelle Gilmore on her AI listening engine, fifth venture and first external funding — $2.8 million with Blackbird's Nick Crocker leading — plus early customers.

UK fintech Banked acquires Australian fintech startup Waave

British Pay by Bank firm Banked has bought Australian payments startup Waave, deepening its Australian market push and gaining Waave's merchant pipeline, led by Chemist Warehouse, which plans a launch in early 2025.

Also Fintech News Australia

Constantinople co-founder Di Challenor on the power of grit and how she pulled off the largest seed round raise in Australia

Interview with Constantinople co-founder Di Challenor on her banking career and the record $32 million seed round she and Mac Duncan raised from Square Peg, Airtree and Great Southern Bank.

The opportunity for workplaces to better support carers

Panel hosted with Carers Australia explores workplace support for caregivers, featuring Like Family co-founder Jenna Leo, plus executives from Parents at Work, Carers Australia and NAB sharing their caring experiences.

Investment Notes: Aera

Jelix's note sets out its reasons for backing Aera, a fintech helping first-home buyers save deposits, and profiles the founding team; the round was led by Icehouse Ventures with Jelix participating.

CBA-backed Aussie payments startup Karta bags Visa deal

Karta, an Australian gift-card platform, has struck a US deal with Visa, having earlier raised a pre-seed round above $21 million, most of it from Commonwealth Bank.

Scalare Invests in Brauz

Scalare Partners announces its investment in Brauz, an omnichannel retail platform, and that chief executive Carolyn Breeze will take a non-executive board seat at Brauz.

UK fintech Anna.Money expands into Australia with acquisition of Cape

Anna.Money, a UK business banking and tax app, has bought Sydney spend-management startup Cape, its first acquisition, with Cape's founder Ryan Edwards-Pritchard to head its Australian operations.

Small business lender Avenue is off its banking P plates

Avenue Bank, a Sydney lender to small businesses, has obtained a full banking licence from APRA, 18 months behind schedule; the article recalls its $37m Series B, Liberty's backing, and neobank failures and sales.

Fintech Upworth banks $1 million in first raise

Sydney fintech Upworth has raised $1m from angels in its debut external round, launching a free dashboard that tracks savings, crypto, mortgages, super and flyer points, with refinancing tools built on open banking.

Also SmartCompany·Australian FinTech

Would you borrow $120,000 to pay private school fees?

NAB's annual report reveals its venture arm put further money into Edstart, the lender helping Australian families spread private school fee payments over time.

Mortgage fintech raises $2.55 million Series D

Melbourne home-loan platform Finspo has secured a $2.55 million Series D to advance automation of mortgage broking, with backers undisclosed; the piece also recalls earlier raises and its purchase of rival Credo.

The Ignition Lane Wrap: Life in the fast lane. And calling road service

Ignition Lane's weekly wrap: Tiger Global's losses and past Australian bets, MilkRun and TradeSquare closures, Cyara's Spearline acquisition, a Co Ventures pre-seed fund, Square Peg's partner promotion and LaunchVic's 30×30 picks.

Open banking payments fintech Waave lands $4.7 million Seed round

Payments startup Waave has raised a $4.7 million seed round from individual backers including Jack Gance, who also joins as advisor, ahead of an enterprise rollout of its Pay by Bank product.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Payments fintech DataMesh bags $30 million Series A

Sydney payments firm DataMesh Group has banked $30 million in Series A capital, with NAB Ventures at the helm and five newcomers joining; a $12 million pre-Series A from 2021 is also recalled.

Also Australian FinTech

Fintech Thriday lands $6 million pre-Series A led by NAB Ventures

SME financial admin platform Thriday has raised a $6 million pre-Series A led by NAB Ventures, with existing backer Lempriere Capital also taking part, after a $3 million crowdfunding raise in 2021.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Non-bank lender Bridgit appoints Stephen Doyle as Head of Distribution

Bridgit, a non-bank bridging loan provider, has hired Stephen Doyle as Head of Distribution, drawing on his aggregator and broker-channel background at Loan Market Group, NAB and AFG.

Neobank Volt is shutting down after failing to find fresh capital

Startup Daily reports neobank Volt is winding up, returning deposits and selling its mortgage book after a failed capital raise, recapping earlier raises by Judo Bank and Alex plus past neobank failures and acquisitions.

Also Startup Daily

Volt urges customers to empty their deposit accounts as the neobank pioneer exits the banking sector

Volt, Australia's first licensed neobank, is closing its deposit-taking business and handing back its banking licence after global capital raising failed, telling customers to move funds; the article recalls Xinja, 86 400 and Judo outcomes.

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

Joust appoints Fintech and Banking experience to Board

Online home loans marketplace Joust adds Virginia Marshall and Stuart Stoyan as non-executive directors, drawing on their banking and fintech backgrounds at Westpac, SocietyOne, MoneyPlace and Fintech Australia.

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.

Lendtech innovator Grapple raises $6.5m to offer enterprises 'lending as a service' as it scales for growth

Australian invoice-financing technology company Grapple has raised 6.5 million dollars from local and overseas backers and hired two senior executives as it expands its platform and lending capacity for small businesses.