Annie Cannon-Brookes

Agtech VC Tenacious Ventures plants $18 million in first close for Fund II

Agtech investor Tenacious Ventures reached an $18 million first close on its second fund, which has a $50 million target; backers include Trawalla Group, Wollemi Capital Group and Macdoch Ventures.

Also Forbes Australia

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Tech's climate fight, another big raise week, valuations set to fall?

Ignition Lane's weekly technology roundup: climate-tech funding activity, Grok's bid for AGL, King River Capital's digital asset fund, a batch of Australian startup raises, Maropost acquisitions, GigSuper's collapse and a National AI Centre appointment.

Also Startup Daily

CEFC congratulates Zoomo on $80m raise

Electric delivery vehicle maker Zoomo has closed an oversubscribed Series B of US$60 million (A$80 million), led by new investor Grok Ventures with Skip Capital and ArcTern, plus follow-on from existing backers and a new debt facility.

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

Ten climate-conscious startups that have raised millions in 2021 so far

A roundup of climate-focused startups that secured investment during 2021, led by Loam Bio's $40 million carbon sequestration round, spanning clean energy, waste, lithium, and plant-based protein companies across Australia and New Zealand.

Also SmartCompany

Using microbes to accelerate carbon removal – Loam Bio raises AUD $40m Series A

Australian microbial carbon-removal startup Loam Bio raised a $40 million Series A led by TIME Ventures, with CEFC, Main Sequence, Horizons Ventures and others joining; Virescent Ventures says it has invested $5.8 million.

Also Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Crypto moves, the future of Facebook, VC moat gloats, Zero Co's record week

Weekly roundup reporting Australian raises including Zero Co, MOBI and CipherStash, Cashrewards' takeover agreement, Shebah's collapse, WeWork's NYSE listing, crypto regulation recommendations and SiteMinder board appointments.

Also Australian FinTech·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Mike & Annie Cannon-Brookes just turned Grok Ventures into Australia's first $1 billion VC fund to invest in climate tech

Startup Daily reports the Atlassian co-founder and his wife have pledged a billion dollars via their family firm Grok Ventures to climate-focused startups, plus half a billion to philanthropy.

Mike Cannon-Brookes backs $41.5 million raise for social impact startup Who Gives a Crap

Melbourne social impact startup Who Gives A Crap has raised its first outside capital in nine years, led by Verlinvest, with Grok Ventures, other funds and several angel investors also taking part.

Also SmartCompany·Business News Australia·SmartCompany·privateequitywire.co.uk·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·onimpact.com.au

Fintech Spriggy banks $35 million series B led by NAB Ventures

Pocket money app Spriggy has secured a $35 million Series B, led by NAB's venture arm alongside Perennial and returning backer Grok, to fund growth including tripling headcount.

Also Startup Daily

After closing $27m maiden fund, Tenacious Ventures seeks to scale-up Australian agrifoodtech

Agrifoodtech venture firm Tenacious Ventures has completed the final close of its debut fund at A$35 million, with CEFC and Grok Ventures as cornerstone backers, and has so far backed six startups including Goterra, Nori and Vow.

Tenacious Ventures closes first agrifood tech fund, oversubscribed at $35m

Tenacious Ventures closed its debut agrifood tech fund oversubscribed at A$35 million, after a March 2020 first close of just over $20 million backed by the CEFC's Clean Energy Innovation Fund and Grok Ventures.

Also Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·evokeag.com·farmingahead.com.au·Dynamic Business·agriinvestor.com·@AuManufacturing·AgFunderNews·globalaginvesting.com·@AuManufacturing·globalventuring.com

Brighte bags $100 million to “go deeper” on energytech, but founder Katherine McConnell is keeping a startup mindset

Energy and fintech firm Brighte has raised $100 million from existing backers, led by Grok Ventures, and is moving into retail energy with a new model combining generation and retail.

Also RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·Australian FinTech·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Fintech News Australia

100,000 Australians jump on board with Spaceship

Investment platform Spaceship reports its customer base passed 100,000 in October, with funds under management above $530 million. Backers include Grok Ventures and AirTree Ventures, and it has received over $50 million in funding.

Agritech VC Tenacious Ventures backs US carbon marketplace Nori in $5.6 m raise

Seattle carbon removal marketplace Nori has raised US$4 million, with Australian agrifood tech investor Tenacious Ventures co-investing in a round led by Placeholder with North Island Ventures.

Also Startup Daily

CEFC and Cannon-Brookes partner in agrifood tech venture

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Cannon-Brookes family vehicle commit cornerstone capital to Tenacious Ventures, a new Australian agrifood venture fund backing early-stage startups, and recalls Sundrop Farms' sale to Morrison & Co.