Partner, Blackbird Ventures
Stories naming Samantha Wong. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Sydney fintech OpenDebt, which applies AI agents to debt recovery, has secured $2 million in pre-seed backing from Blackbird and Antler to grow its team and explore US partnerships.
Also Australian FinTech·Business News Australia·This Week in Australian Startups·Dynamic Business
Blackbird announces its new early-stage and growth funds have brought in A$1.05 billion, reflecting on early cheques, portfolio outcomes like Eucalyptus's sale, and new international backers.
Also Dealroom·Dealroom·AFR Technology·Startup Daily·Business News Australia·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia
AI startup Marloo, built for financial advisers, raised a Seed round led by Blackbird Ventures, bringing total funding to over $18m in under a year.
Financial-advice AI startup Marloo has closed a US$10 million seed round led by returning backer Blackbird Ventures, lifting its total funding beyond A$18 million.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·marloo.com·marloo.com·Fintech News Australia·Business News Australia·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany
Blackbird's investment note explains why it backed Halter's US$220 million Series E at a US$2 billion valuation, recounting the farm-collar company's growth since the firm led its Series B in 2021.
Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·BusinessDesk NZ
Blackbird's annual letter recaps its 2025 deployment, cash returns, community programs and foundation grants, and introduces Jessica Tulp as the newest addition to its investing team.
Blackbird partners reflect on their early pre-seed backing of AI entertainment studio Wonder Studios, covering its client projects, original shows and StoryEngine tooling since that first investment.
Blackbird partners recount backing Marloo's founders before they had settled on an idea, having led its 2024 pre-seed and now announcing its seed round.
Also marloo.com·marloo.com·Fintech News Australia·Business News Australia·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany
Blackbird's investment note announces it joined Halter's US$100 million Series D, a round Bond led with NewView also coming aboard, praising Halter's growth and market position across three countries.
Blackbird partner Samantha Wong reflects on a decade of the firm's Sunrise conference and Australia's startup ecosystem, recalling Atlassian's Nasdaq listing and Aconex's float and sale to Oracle.
Also OIF Ventures portfolio·OIF Ventures portfolio·thelawyermag.com·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·LaunchVic·LaunchVic
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.
Blackbird's New Zealand chief Samantha Wong is heading home to Australia, with partner Phoebe Harrop taking over the Kiwi business in May, backed by the existing team plus a new associate.
Blackbird partner Samantha Wong is handing leadership of the firm's New Zealand arm to Phoebe Harrop and reflects on building Blackbird Aotearoa, its fundraising, portfolio and lessons from Kiwi founders.
Subletting app Kiki relaunches its original service months after a controversial switch to a members-only women's club in New York, with its main backer Blackbird publicly endorsing the move.
Kiki co-founder Toby Thomas-Smith apologised for the startup's girls-only club announcement in New York, while Blackbird general partner Samantha Wong defended the firm's earlier investment and addressed venture capital's gender imbalance.
Blackbird partner Samantha Wong responds to recent press about Kiki, explaining why the firm backed the subletting marketplace, how it supports founders through pivots, and its work on funding gender diversity.
Blackbird partners explain why the fund led a seed round in Kiki, a subletting marketplace born in New Zealand, profitable during its Sydney phase, now launching in New York.
Weekly roundup covering 14 startup raises totalling over $260 million, headlined by Synchron's $110 million round, plus Roller's shareholder liquidity payout, Partly's record New Zealand Series A, and several government grants.
Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)·Startup News (WA)
Australian cultured meat company Vow has raised a Series A led by Blackbird and Prosperity7 Ventures, funding a second factory and the Singapore launch of Morsel, its fine-dining brand.
Also Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Techboard·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Women's Agenda