Ledger. Australian venture funding, tracked

Company

Serenade

Platform helping musicians create and sell digital merchandise and custom performances

Coverage

Stories naming Serenade. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

Unnamed stage $2.4m

Now Vinyl is taking Time Out

Josh Simons-led Vinyl Group raised $2.4 million and is adding Time Out Australia and Pedestrian Group to its media portfolio for little outlay, alongside earlier buys of Concrete Playground and Val Morgan Digital.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

4 deals

Nine walks away from its $49 million digital media investment, Pedestrian, handing it to Richard White’s Vinyl

Vinyl Group is buying Nine's youth publisher Pedestrian Group for nominal consideration, ending Nine's costly ownership. The piece also recalls Nine's stake purchases, Linkby's Series B, and Vinyl's acquisitions and shutdowns.

Also Startup Daily·This Week in Australian Startups·Capital Brief

Venture debt ≤$10m

Richard White-backed Vinyl buys rival BuzzFeed and PopSugar publisher Val Morgan Digital from Hoyts

Vinyl Group is buying Val Morgan Digital, publisher of BuzzFeed and PopSugar, from Hoyts for $10.5 million, with funding via a shareholder facility and Hoyts CEO Damian Keogh joining the Vinyl board.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Mumbrella

Unnamed stage $11m

Brag Media cofounder sues Richard White-backed Vinyl for $2 million over acquisition deal

Brag Media cofounder Luke Girgis is suing Vinyl Group for performance payments from their 2023 sale; the piece also recalls Vinyl's other acquisitions and Richard White's $11 million investment.

19 deals

Blast OIF | 24 things from 2024

OIF Ventures' 2024 review: two portfolio companies acquired, a talent-leadership hire, its fourth fund deploying, new investments in eight named startups and nine follow-on rounds.

Also Forbes Australia·techtaffy.com

Exit / M&A

Richard White-backed Vinyl Group's latest media play is acquiring Concrete Playground for $5 million

Music and media company Vinyl Group has agreed to buy the city guides brand Concrete Playground for $5 million in cash and shares, with completion expected by late February 2025.

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

Fund close $10m

AfterWork Ventures co-founders named in Forbes 30 under 30

The co-founders of Sydney venture firm AfterWork Ventures have been recognised on the Forbes Asia young leaders list, alongside other regional founders and investors; the firm earlier reached a $10 million first close on its fund.

Something wrong? Tell us