Airwallex-backed start-up raises nearly $50m in seed round
Metal, co-founded by Loong Wang and Catherine Porter, completed a roughly $50 million seed round with Airwallex and its venture arm Capital 49 as joint leads, per new filings.
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Metal, co-founded by Loong Wang and Catherine Porter, completed a roughly $50 million seed round with Airwallex and its venture arm Capital 49 as joint leads, per new filings.
Street Talk reports Big Picture Medical is seeking $10 million from strategic investors in the United States, valuing the healthcare AI startup at about $100 million.
AI medical scribe firm Heidi Health, backed by Blackbird Ventures, is adding autonomous assistants that handle administrative work for doctors, demoing them at a customer event as it challenges entrenched healthcare software vendors.
Queensland battery firm RedEarth Energy Storage has entered voluntary administration, leaving backers including Perennial Partners and Thorney Technologies facing losses after once being valued at $100 million.
Morgan Stanley research values AI chip rental firm Firmus at up to $128 billion ahead of its planned IPO next month; four banks will manage the float.
Significant Ventures is raising a fourth fund targeting $50 million, with $18 million committed so far from the Snow and Hindmarsh families and CDC founder Greg Boorer.
Data centre developer Firmus holds a five-year chip agreement with Nvidia and intends an ASX listing in late October; the float and its expansion remain intentions rather than done deals.
Column previewing Firmus's planned late-October ASX debut, arguing the neocloud faces two risks: the technology failing, or succeeding too dramatically.
Lunch interview with Eucalyptus's growth manager Jae Lubberink, recalling the telehealth firm's $1.6 billion sale to Hims and Hers and founder Tim Doyle's jump up the Young Rich List.
Swipejobs, an AI jobs platform preparing to list, will meet investors via UBS, Bank of America and Barrenjoey after buying Bridget Loudon's Expert360 for $16 million; Firmus Technologies is likewise courting fund managers.
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Unlisted for two-and-a-half years, gold producer Wiluna Mining is preparing a targeted IPO to return to the sharemarket, with brokers seeking bids and a roadshow planned from late September.
Partners Group, Guardian Childcare's Swiss owner, has spurned approaches from buyout firms Allegro Funds and BGH Capital and is negotiating with Quadrant Private Equity, which runs Affinity Education, about combining the childcare businesses.
Street Talk reports Melbourne-based medical company Akeeko Medical is out raising capital for a kidney stone treatment, with stockbroker Hugh Robertson leading the effort and putting in personal money.
Neocloud Firmus Technologies is pitching its planned $7 billion IPO to local fund managers, with co-chief executive Tim Rosenfield presenting in Melbourne alongside Daniel Kearney and former Xero finance head Kirsty Godfrey-Billy.
Street Talk: Calvary Health Care's consortium has agreed to acquire 25 Healthscope hospitals; lenders reportedly recoup about $400 million, with the assets valued near $600 million.
Also Dealroom
Street Talk reports Firmus Technologies, which rents Nvidia chips, is courting Asian fund managers ahead of a possible sharemarket float of up to $7 billion, with terms to follow for domestic investors.
Future Secure AI's pre-listing round, led by Robin Khuda, Square Peg, Yarra Capital, Firetrail and Macquarie Asset Management, is nearing completion, with notes converting at a US$1.3 billion ceiling before an ASX float.
Element Fleet Management, the sole bidder yet to lodge a revised offer, has quit the race to buy Australian car-leasing firm FleetPartners.
Shareholder acceptances are building for Crimson Education's hostile tilt at ASX-listed tutoring firm Kip McGrath, a bid that wobbled when ally Regal Partners sold out; the suitor may lift its offer to 74 cents.
Street Talk reports BCAL Diagnostics' takeover plan for Genetic Signatures collapsed once the target's talks with Sonic-backed Microba surfaced, with a three-company combination now under discussion.
Ellerston has agreed to sell Queensland electrical equipment maker NOJA Power to Goldman Sachs Alternatives, signing a deal that values the company at more than $1 billion for a controlling stake.
Recruitment firm Expert360 sold to Swipejobs for $16 million, three years after a planned $165 million acquisition by Heidrick & Struggles collapsed, with some investors blaming Airtree Ventures for the deal's failure.
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Firmus will supply computing capacity to OpenAI from two planned Malaysian data centres, but sceptical investors say the deal is too small ahead of a potential float valuing the start-up at $15.5 billion.
Street Talk column reports AI cloud firm Firmus Technologies will soon market a planned ASX float to investors, with a debut tipped imminently, after a Malaysian win involving OpenAI.
OPTrust has tasked Lazard Australia with auctioning Flow Power, the Melbourne-founded green energy retailer it has majority-owned for eight years, with first bids due within a month.
Street Talk reports EQT Partners has bid for Parratech, the Sydney brothers Jason and Stephen Fooks' data centre enclosure business, in a deal valuing it above $1 billion; other suitors remain.
Continental's board meets to choose a buyer for its Australian tyre and auto chain mycar, with Allegro Funds favoured; the German giant paid $350 million for the business eight years ago.
Bain Capital, advised by Lazard banker Campbell Ray, is readying a bid for clinical trials provider Nucleus Network, which current owner Blackstone has listed for sale at a hoped $1 billion.
Ritchie Bros has been knocked out of the Pickles sale, leaving buyout houses such as EQT, Warburg Pincus and Pacific Equity Partners to work through the data room ahead of first bids.
Private equity firm CVC is taking a majority holding in Ambrose Construct Group, an insurance repair business founded in Queensland, through its sixth Asia Fund; the deal values the company near $700 million.
Street Talk reports ASX-listed truck parts distributor MaxiPARTS has received a takeover approach from private equity firm Ares, which has appointed Macquarie Capital to advise on the potential deal.
Bridget Loudon-Harris's recruitment platform Expert360 has been acquired by Swipejobs in a $16 million deal that wipes out its investors; the buyer is eyeing an ASX float.
Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·AFR Technology·AFR Technology
AFR Street Talk reports Eucalyptus co-founder Charlie Gearside and Chris Cuffe's Partners Horizon Fund have joined Sydney investment app Pearler's $16 million Series A.
Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Australian FinTech·fundedstartupsdaily.com
Energy AI startup Gridsight, co-founded by NSW childhood friends, has raised a $36 million round led by New York's Insight Partners as it expands into the US; Endeavour Energy is among its customers.
Airtree's investors approved prolonging its debut fund to July 2028, safeguarding foundation stakes such as Canva and defusing a limited-partner revolt over the firm's withheld distributions.
AFR's Street Talk column reports ASX-listed additive manufacturing company Titomic is out seeking fresh equity, noting the manufacturer's $273 million market capitalisation.
Canyon Resources shareholders question whether majority owner and bidder A2MP is connected to second-largest holder World Metal Alloys, which likely blocked a March capital raising.
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Airtree is in a dispute with longtime backers over poor proceeds from its Canva stake and could not rally enough support to prolong its debut fund.
MUFG's pensions arm has struck a binding agreement to acquire Grow Inc, a Sydney-founded superannuation administration startup whose shareholders — among them HESTA, Five V Capital and AirTree Ventures — must still approve the deal.
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Blackbird is weighing an early sale of its Canva stake through continuation funds, while Airtree's longtime backers are pushing it to return profits; no deal has been done.
Street Talk reports Barrenjoey has launched a block trade letting two Koala backers sell their stakes, five months after the furniture company's market debut.
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DigitalBridge has reportedly been chosen as the leading bidder for Ausgrid's Plus Es, the largest holder of utility smart meters, in what would be the New York-listed investor's first major Australian deal.
Street Talk reports L Catterton is in exclusive due diligence to buy Byron Bay dog food brand Eureka Pet Co, which earlier this year brought in Miras Capital to seek a capital partner.
Administrators from KordaMentha now control childcare operator Edge Early Learning after a failed rescue, despite April cash support from its biggest shareholder, HEAL Partners.
Frasers Group, owned by British billionaire Mike Ashley, has demanded the resignation of Accent Group's chairman Lawrence Myers, intensifying its attack on the sports retail owner's board during its takeover bid.
AFR's Street Talk column reports childcare operator Edge Early Learning is heading toward administration despite an April funding injection from its biggest backer, HEAL Partners.
Street Talk reports Sydney adviser Miras Capital is seeking a new part-owner for pet food business Eureka Pet Co, sounding out private equity and strategic buyers at up to $40 million.
Melbourne investment firm Salter Brothers has joined a fresh capital raise for share-trading platform Superhero, which the report says is heading toward a $186 million valuation.
Morgan Stanley and Schroders have committed money to Blackbird Ventures' new $1b fund; the piece also recalls Airtree's $650m fifth fund drawing US institutional backing last year.
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Street Talk reports buyout firm Pemba Capital Partners has struck a deal for a controlling interest in Melbourne-based advice firm Hewison Private Wealth, which oversees $3 billion for clients.
Street Talk reports Thoma Bravo has emerged as frontrunner to buy into Tanda, valuing the HR and payroll software firm near $800 million after a contested auction run by Barrenjoey; signing is expected soon.
An AFR managed-funds topic page: a star small-caps deputy goes solo with a new Sydney firm, Gigacomm buys rival DGtek, Google plans a multibillion-dollar domestic bond, plus fund manager and market stories.
Alliance Aviation Services, an airline services company backed by Qantas, is preparing to approach shareholders for fresh equity to repair a stretched balance sheet through a rescue recapitalisation.
SCX.ai's shares fell up to 30 per cent in their first ASX days after the cloud computing firm raised $40 million, with Ellerston Capital, Frazis Capital Partners and Wilson Asset Management anchoring the offer.
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Insurance broker Steadfast Group is headed for delisting after an unnamed three-party consortium confirmed a $7.7 billion takeover offer following a due-diligence period, Street Talk reports.
Canva co-founder Cliff Obrecht says its AI engineers now work side by side in a shed at the Surry Hills campus, tackling problems behind delayed AI products, speaking alongside Stripe's John Collison.
Smartgroup has pulled out of the sale contest for ASX-listed fleet leaser FleetPartners, leaving Orix, SG Fleet and Element Fleet Management as the remaining suitors, per Street Talk.
AFR Street Talk roundup: Brookfield bids for Reliance Worldwide, EQT takes a Melbourne Storm stake, Kushner and Iger buy the Lakers, Colter Bay lends to Vertical Aviation, plus partner hires.
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Deals recorded from AFR Technology's coverage. A round is listed once, however many of their articles mention it.
Companies named in AFR Technology's articles, most-covered first.
| Company | What it does | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Firmus Technologies | GPU-powered AI cloud and scalable compute infrastructure | 8 |
| Canva | Online design and visual communication platform | 5 |
| Barrenjoey Capital Partners | Financial advisory firm that acted as strategic advisor on the deal | 4 |
| Expert360 | 3 | |
| JP Morgan | 3 | |
| Morgans | 3 | |
| Swipejobs | AI-based recruitment firm targeting an imminent ASX listing | 3 |
| Allegro Funds | Sydney buyout fund | 2 |
| Bank of America | 2 | |
| Barrenjoey | 2 | |
| Edge Early Learning | 2 | |
| EQT | Melbourne-based financial services group | 2 |
| Eucalyptus | 2 | |
| Eureka Pet Co | 2 | |
| Five V Capital | 2 | |
| FleetPartners | vehicle leasing rival | 2 |
| Grow Inc | 2 | |
| HEAL Partners | Private equity growth fund for health and education | 2 |
| Lazard | 2 | |
| Lyka | Subscription fresh dog food maker selling direct to consumers | 2 |
| Macquarie Capital | 2 | |
| Meta | 2 | |
| Miras Capital | 2 | |
| MUFG | 2 | |
| mycar | automotive repair chain | 2 |
| OpenAI | AI company | 2 |
| Pacific Equity Partners | 2 | |
| Partners Group | 2 | |
| Quadrant Private Equity | 2 | |
| Sonic Healthcare | Has distribution relationships with Microba | 2 |
| UBS | 2 | |
| 4DMedical | ASX-listed medical imaging company | 1 |
| A&O Shearman | 1 | |
| Accent Group | Australian retail group operating Stylerunner and Jo Mercer | 1 |
| AirTrunk | Data centre operator, subject of a major acquisition in Australia | 1 |
| Akeeko Medical | 1 | |
| Allens | 1 | |
| Alliance Aviation Services | 1 | |
| Alphabet | owner of the world’s dominant search engine and AI platform Gemini | 1 |
| Amazon | Global e-commerce and technology company | 1 |
| Ares | Private equity firm | 1 |
| Argonaut Securities Pty Limited | Lead Manager | 1 |
| Ashurst | 1 | |
| ASX | Australian Securities Exchange | 1 |
| Ausbil | $22 billion money manager | 1 |
| Ausgrid | Australian utility partner of Neara | 1 |
| B&T Advisory | 1 | |
| Bain Capital | 1 | |
| Bathla | ailing property developer | 1 |
| BCAL | 1 | |
| Berkshire Global Advisers | 1 | |
| BGH Capital | 1 | |
| Big Picture Medical | 1 | |
| Blackstone | Investment firm where Kelly Vohs is an alum | 1 |
| Brookfield Capital Partners | 1 | |
| Calvary Health Care | 1 | |
| CDC Centre | 1 | |
| Centuria | 1 | |
| Cerberus | 1 | |
| Citi | 1 | |
| Citibank | Bank where Battersby ran a graduate program | 1 |
| Cleanaway | garbage collector | 1 |
| Coles | Australian retailer using Zitcha's platform | 1 |
| Colonial First State | Investment firm where UpGuard founders previously worked as engineers | 1 |
| Commonwealth Bank | Australian bank | 1 |
| Continental AG | 1 | |
| Crimson Education | Global education advisory business spanning university admissions consulting, tutoring an… | 1 |
| CSL | Biotechnology company partnering on the Jumar Bioincubator grant | 1 |
| CVC Capital Partners | Private equity giant | 1 |
| DGtek | Skip-backed internet provider | 1 |
| DigitalBridge | 1 | |
| Disney | 1 | |
| Drifter | owner of boutique hostels and hotels | 1 |
| Droneshield | Counter-drone technology company | 1 |
| Element Fleet | Canadian fleet management company | 1 |
| Element Fleet Management | 1 | |
| Endeavour Energy | Australian utility partner of Neara | 1 |
| EQT Partners | Swedish private equity giant | 1 |
| Essential Energy | Australian utility partner of Neara | 1 |
| Everlight Radiology | 1 | |
| Fitzpatricks Advice Partners | 41-year-old business | 1 |
| Flow Power | Melbourne-born electricity retailer supplying green energy to business clients, active in… | 1 |
| Frasers Group | 1 | |
| Future Secure AI | 1 | |
| Genetic Signatures | Develops PCR-based infectious disease tests under its EasyScreen brand | 1 |
| Gigacomm | 1 | |
| Greencross | 1 | |
| Gridsight | AI-powered capacity management platform for energy grids | 1 |
| Healthscope | Australia's second-largest private hospital | 1 |
| Heidi Health | Australian HealthTech company | 1 |
| Heidrick & Struggles | 1 | |
| HEST | 1 | |
| HEST A | 1 | |
| Hitachi Ventures | 1 | |
| Ingenia | 1 | |
| Inghams | 1 | |
| Jardine Matheson | 1 | |
| Kip McGrath Education Centres | Sydney-based tutoring franchise providing English and math tutoring for primary and secon… | 1 |
| KKR | 1 | |
| Koala | 1 | |
| KordaMentha | 1 | |
| L Catterton | Connecticut-headquartered buyout firm | 1 |
| Lendlease | Healthcare infrastructure and construction company | 1 |
| Lincoln Place | land lease player | 1 |
| Link Group | 1 | |
| Livingbridge | 1 | |
| Lyrebird | 1 | |
| Macquarie Group | 1 | |
| Magellan | 1 | |
| MaxiPARTS | ASX-listed truck components distributor | 1 |
| McGrath Nicol | Insolvency firm | 1 |
| Medcast | 1 | |
| Melbourne Storm | NRL team | 1 |
| Mercer | 1 | |
| Metal | 1 | |
| Microba Life Sciences | Provides clinical-grade gut microbiome testing and has a therapeutics pipeline | 1 |
| Microsoft | 1 | |
| NOJA Power | 1 | |
| Nvidia | Technology company developing platforms for AI computing including orbital compute. | 1 |
| OneQode | AI business underpinned by AMD technology | 1 |
| OPTrust | $27 billion Canadian pension fund | 1 |
| Ord Minnett | Wealth management and financial advice for individuals and businesses | 1 |
| Orix | 1 | |
| PAG Asia Capital | 1 | |
| Palisade Impact | Infrastructure and real assets investment management | 1 |
| Parratech | Supplier of enclosures for data centres | 1 |
| Pearler | Investment platform for younger Australians | 1 |
| Peet | 1 | |
| Pemba Capital Partners | 1 | |
| Perennial Partners | 1 | |
| Pinnacle | 1 | |
| Platypus | 1 | |
| Plus Es | 1 | |
| PSP | 1 | |
| Qantas Airways | 1 | |
| RadPartners | 1 | |
| Record Point | Continental's corporate advisory boutique | 1 |
| RedEarth Energy Storage Ltd | 1 | |
| Regal Partners | Institutional investor and one of OncoSil Medical's biggest shareholders | 1 |
| Reliance Worldwide | Plumbing supplies group | 1 |
| RM Williams | iconic bootmaker | 1 |
| SA Power Networks | Australian utility partner of Neara | 1 |
| SCX.ai | cloud computing provider | 1 |
| SG Fleet | 1 | |
| Skip Capital | Private fund investing in technology and infrastructure | 1 |
| Smartgroup | 1 | |
| Southern Cross | 1 | |
| SpaceX | Aerospace company operating the Starlink satellite constellation and orbital launch servi… | 1 |
| Stack APAC | data centres | 1 |
| Steadfast Group | Australia's largest general insurance broker network | 1 |
| Stripe | 1 | |
| Supalai | 1 | |
| Superhero | Trading platform expanding into crypto trading | 1 |
| Tanarra Capital | 1 | |
| Tanda | 1 | |
| Thoma Bravo | American private equity and growth capital firm | 1 |
| Titomic | additive manufacturing player | 1 |
| Vertical Aviation | chopper biz | 1 |
| Warburg Pincus | 1 | |
| Westpac | Australian bank | 1 |
| Wunala Capital | Investment and fund management for growth tech firms | 1 |
| Xero | 1 |
Investors named in AFR Technology's articles, most-covered first.
| Investor | What it does | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| AirTree Ventures | 7 | |
| Airwallex | Fintech payments and financial infrastructure company | 1 |
| Best Practice | 1 | |
| Blackbird Ventures | 4 | |
| Capital 49 | 1 | |
| Colter Bay | 1 | |
| Ellerston Capital | Investment management services for equities and private assets | 2 |
| Firetrail Investments | 1 | |
| Frazis Capital Partners | 1 | |
| Harvard Management Company | 1 | |
| Insight Partners | 1 | |
| Macquarie Asset Management | 1 | |
| MetLife Investment Management | 1 | |
| Morgan Stanley | Investment bank where Gabrielle Munzer previously worked | 3 |
| Partners Horizon Fund | 1 | |
| Salter Brothers | 1 | |
| Schroders | 1 | |
| Significant Capital Ventures | Venture firm backing early-stage critical tech startups | 1 |
| Square Peg Capital | 1 | |
| University of Wisconsin | 1 | |
| Wilson Asset Management | 1 | |
| Yarra Capital Management | 1 |