Funding announcement
Seven ANZ startups that raised $111.5 million this week
Roundup of seven raises across the Tasman spanning fintech, marine tech, agtech, defence and AI, plus a first close for an ACT venture fund.
Startup · $7.2m raised · AI
Sophiie AI
AI-powered client management system for service-based businesses
Gold Coast, QLD
Funding history
-
Seed : $5,000,000Reported valuation $30,000,000 post-money per the original report, not confirmed by the company.
-
undisclosed : $2,200,000
Investors
Every investor coverage indicates participated in a round Sophiie AI raised.
| Investor | Rounds | Invested |
|---|---|---|
| Admiralty Capital Group | Seed | - |
| Antler Australia | Seed | - |
| Archangel Ventures | Seed | - |
| Aussie Angels | Seed | - |
| Gandel Invest | Seed | - |
What Sophiie AI bought
Companies Sophiie AI acquired or merged with, per published coverage. Buying a company is not investing in one: nothing here counts in the deals column.
People
| Name | Role | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Luke Kelleher | Founder | Startup Daily, Business News Australia, Antler Australia |
| Juan Castro | Founder | Startup Daily, Business News Australia |
| Jacob Banks | CEO · Founder | Startup Daily, Business News Australia, Dealroom, Antler Australia |
Coverage
Stories naming Sophiie AI. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Funding announcement
This Week in Australian Startups #174, 16th August 2026
Australian startups raised funds including Alloy Robotics, Farmbot and Atmo Biosciences. Firmus Technologies acquired Benmax while Tabcorp bought BetMakers. SafetyCulture rebranded to Mitti.
Seed
$5m
Sophiie AI raises A$5M seed to build an AI operating system for tradies
Australian trades-software startup Sophiie AI has secured A$5 million in seed capital, valuing it at A$30 million, with five backers on board as it relaunches its platform and eyes US expansion later in 2026.
undisclosed
$2.2m
Sophiie AI
Profile of Sophiie AI, an AI platform handling calls and admin for service businesses, noting its Australian growth, US launch, Embark program participation, and $2.2 million raised from local backers.