CEO · Founder, Phonely

Will Bodewes

Roles

Role	Organisation	Sources
CEO · Founder	Phonely	SmartCompany (11 Jun 2026), Startup Daily (16 Apr 2026), SmartCompany (28 Jun 2024), Startup Daily (2 Jun 2024), SmartCompany (31 May 2024), SmartCompany (31 May 2024)

Coverage

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

11 deals

Seven ANZ startups that raised $71.8 million this week

Weekly roundup covering seven raises across the Tasman: Phonely's Series A, Pay.com.au's private placement, and rounds for Atomic Tessellator, Caruso, Deteqt, Clean Slate Clinic and Earthletica, worth roughly $72 million combined.

Also crane.vc

2 deals

Y Combinator-backed AI call receptionist raises $22 million Series A

Phonely, a University of Melbourne spin-out now in San Francisco, has raised a US$16 million Series A with Base10 Partners leading and Y Combinator plus three customers joining.

Startup Daily 16 Apr 2026 Phonely University of Melbourne Base10 Partners Engage CX Etech Global Services TSA Group Y Combinator Nisal Ranasinghe Will Bodewes Xander van der Westhuizen

Also SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture

3 deals

Three Aussie startups that raised $21.1 million this week

Roundup of three Australian raises: telehealth player Updoc landed $20m from listed investor Bailador, AI receptionist builder Phonely joined Y Combinator's Summer 2024 batch with US$500k, and Citizen Wolf crowdfunded over $380,000 via Birchal.

SmartCompany 31 May 2024 Citizen Wolf Phonely UpDoc Deloitte Startup Victoria University of Melbourne Bailador Technology Investments Birchal Y Combinator Clifton Hodgkinson Dylan Coyne Nisal Ranasinghe Will Bodewes Zoltan Csaki

Also Startup Daily

Accelerator US$500k

Neural Notes: Phonely's US$500,000 boost sets the tone for AI receptionists

Phonely, a Melbourne maker of AI receptionists, has secured US$500,000 from Y Combinator to fund team growth and new languages; shorter items note an AI board advisor, a government AI program, and OpenAI news.

SmartCompany 31 May 2024 Phonely AWS OpenAI OpenAI startup fund PwC Real Estate Institute of NSW Sapia.ai Y Combinator Helen Toner Nisal Ranasinghe Sam Altman Will Bodewes

Also SmartCompany

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