EVP

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #179, 26th September 2026

Weekly roundup recording a dozen raises and acquisitions, Firmus's scheduled float, a new $50m venture fund, a founder share sale, grant winners, an accelerator intake, and an AI agent's government breach.

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Business founder wants to cut real estate agents out of the rental market

RentBetter, a platform letting landlords manage rentals without agents, has secured $5m from VC firm EVP; industry and tenant advocates question whether renters will see the savings.

Also SMH Business·Startup Daily·This Week in Australian Startups

EVP launches 40x to support software startup founders looking to raise

EVP has launched 40x, a peer network for revenue-generating software startups in Australia and New Zealand planning to fundraise within a year, led by Mark Zmarzly; applications close mid-September.

WA mining software startup CorePlan strikes $5 million

Perth-based drilling and exploration software company CorePlan raised a follow-on round led by existing investor EVP to fund global expansion.

Two Aussie startups that raised $132 million this week

Weekly roundup covering UpGuard's $105 million Series C and EatClub's $27 million Series B, plus earlier funding history for both Australian companies.

Marco Pierre White-backed EatClub raises $27 million in Series B

Australian dining-discounts marketplace EatClub has secured $27 million from Marbruck and earlier backers to accelerate its British rollout, with its valuation reportedly climbing past $200 million.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Cheque-in: 10 ANZ startups raised nearly $193 million this week

Weekly roundup of ten Australian and New Zealand startup raises totalling nearly $194 million, topped by Neara's $90 million round at a $1.1 billion valuation, with Splose, Operata, HAMR Energy and Adora also covered.

AI allied health platform Splose raises $46 million Series A

Splose, an Adelaide maker of practice software for allied-health clinicians, has landed a $46 million Series A from Spectrum Equity and Athletic Ventures to speed product development and push into the UK.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia

CorePlan raises $5 million to expand its mining software platform

Perth-based mining software firm CorePlan has secured $5 million in a follow-on raise, with existing backer EVP leading, to grow its team and push into drilling and geology workflows; BHP is a user.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Six Aussie startups that raised $197.4 million this week

Roundup of six Australian funding deals: AutoGrab, Applied EV, Checkbox, Hometime, Factory and On the House, with amounts, investors, and Hometime's past acquisitions and raise history detailed.

Also Startup Daily

School admin edtech Compass acquires Clipboard

Compass Education has bought Clipboard, a school extracurricular software startup, with early backers including Jelix Ventures and EVP expecting up to 10x returns; earlier raises by both companies are recalled.

AI-based car valuation platform hits top get with $80 million Series B

Melbourne car-data platform AutoGrab has closed an $80 million Series B valuing it at $230 million, co-led by Octopus Ventures and Movac, to fund expansion across Britain, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Car data startup AutoGrab wheels away with $80 million investment

Vehicle-data platform AutoGrab has raised $80 million led by Octopus Ventures and Movac, valuing the company at $230 million, alongside Premier Capital Partners and existing backers EVP and Ten13.

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Sendle is dead, killed by a US merger partner who misled the Aussie startup's key investor, Federation

Federation says ACI Logistix hid its finances before merging with Sendle and FirstMile into Fast Group, now winding down, killing the courier; the article also recalls past Sendle and Strongroom raises.

EVP Fund V: Backing the Next Generation of AI-First B2B Software

EVP says its fifth fund is live and nearing its $100 million cap, with most commitments from returning backers; the post describes its Series A business-software strategy and names portfolio companies.

VC EVP's legal fight with StrongRoom AI to recover its $10.4 million investment continues as liquidator grills

EVP's Federal Court bid to claw back $10.4 million from collapsed healthtech StrongRoom AI continues, with liquidator examinations of former directors ahead; the rebooted business has since raised fresh funds under owner Joe Zhou.

Also AFR Technology·This Week in Australian Startups·Dealroom

Cheque-in: 8 startups raised $113 million this week to end October

Weekly funding roundup covering eight raises totalling over $113 million across aerospace, biotech, materials, health and software, plus a pharmacy firm's acquisition out of administration.

Eight ANZ startups that raised $113 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight trans-Tasman startup raises worth a combined $113 million-plus, alongside Joe Zhou's buyout of StrongRoom AI from administrators.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Six ANZ startups that raised $211.1 million this week

Roundup of six Australian and New Zealand funding rounds, headlined by Heidi Health and Octopus Deploy, also covering Nexl, OpenSolar, Lucent and PAM, with past acquisitions of Stella AI, MagicBrief and Codefresh noted.

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Investment Notes: Why We Invested in SprintSuite

EVP sets out its case for backing SprintSuite, an operations platform for mining and engineering service firms co-founded by Fredy Galindo Jr. and Sandra Harris, citing insider credibility and strong early growth.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Investment Notes: Why We Invested in SprintSuite

EVP's investment note reflects on its backing of SprintSuite, built for mining-sector service companies by founders with industry roots, citing insider credibility, rapid growth and a large untapped market.

Five Aussie startups that raised $85 million this week

Roundup of five Australian raises totalling $85 million: National Renewable Network's Series A, plus Syenta, Cuttable, SprintSuite and Bitwise Agronomy, with lead investors and expansion plans for each.

StrongRoom sells for $3 million – and now the games begin

Healthtech firm StrongRoom AI sold to pharmacy operator Joe Zhou for $3 million via administrators, while backer EVP litigates to recoup $10.4 million after the startup's collapse following a March raise.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·AFR Technology

Investment Notes: Why We Invested in Termina

EVP explains its decision to back Termina, whose software pools small businesses' energy purchasing to cut costs and emissions, citing traction across thousands of meters and its founding team.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Seven Aussie startups that raised $495.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of seven Australian startup raises, led by Airwallex's Series F, plus EatClub, Kite Magnetics, Termina, Preve, Foremind and Liveheats.

Also Startup Daily

StrongRoom AI's administrators recommend liquidation

The medication startup StrongRoom AI looks headed for liquidation, its administrators citing likely insolvency from October 2024, while EVP litigates to claw back its $10.4 million and the CEO faces fraud claims.

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Tim Doyle has a dildo problem and needs a hand

Tim Doyle, cofounder of health startup Eucalyptus, tells a Blackbird Sunrise audience that solving his warehouse of returned sex toys is the route to a job, and offers blunt views on local venture capital.

StrongRoomAI cofounder denies investor EVP's claim that he admitted to fraud

StrongRoomAI chief Max Mito denies EVP's fraud allegations in Federal Court; the startup is in administration ahead of a sale after the Sydney VC's $17m backing unravelled into litigation.

After investing $10.4 million, EVP claims StrongRoom AI's CEO and cofounder admitted to fraud with fake revenue numbers

EVP alleges StrongRoom AI's CEO admitted fabricated revenue and debt figures after the Sydney VC invested $10.4m in a $17m raise; the Melbourne startup is now in administration with assets frozen.

Strong Room AI's administrators press ahead with sale amid court battle over $10 million

Strong Room AI, a Melbourne medicines-management startup, is in voluntary administration weeks after a February raise; investor EVP's court action froze assets while administrators seek a buyer and creditors meet on April 8.

‘The investor’s role is to build, not to destroy’: StrongRoom AI’s Seed backer takes aim at EVP amid pending legal battle over $10.4 million

Tyson & Blake, which seeded StrongRoom AI, threatens legal action against EVP, which is suing to recover its $10.4 million after the Melbourne medtech entered administration.

VC firm EVP calls in police at startup StrongRoom AI weeks after leading $17 million investment

EVP has involved police and forensic experts as it seeks to claw back its $17 million backing of Melbourne medication firm StrongRoom AI, weeks after the round it led with Artesian and InterValley Ventures.

Investment Notes: Why We Invested in splose

EVP sets out its reasoning for backing splose, an AI-native practice management platform for allied health clinics, citing NDIS-driven admin burdens, customer traction and a planned UK expansion alongside Australia and New Zealand.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Eight Aussie startups that raised $104.4 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian startup raises, led by Sonder's $40 million round, plus AMP's $20 million raise and acquisition of the Shopify app Back in Stock.

Also Startup Daily·Defence Connect·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Defence Connect·Forbes Australia

Medication management software startup swallows $17 million

StrongRoom AI, a pharmacy software startup, has banked $17 million in an EVP-led round valuing it near $70 million, and is buying loyalty program Member Benefits Australia with part of the proceeds.

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Seven ANZ startups that raised $42.8 million this week

Weekly roundup of seven Australian and New Zealand raises totalling $42.8 million, spanning property-investment AI, workforce credentialing, allied-health practice software, conversation analytics, maths learning games, copper processing and holiday-park bookings.

Six Aussie startups that raised $119.9 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing six Australian raises: Q-CTRL's Series B extension, plus fresh capital for Mutinex, Atelier, Rosterfy, Build Club and Axify.ai, naming lead investors and founders throughout.

Marketing analytics startup Mutinex raises $17.5 million to fuel US growth

Mutinex has raised $17.5 million from Marbruck Investments, EVP and Archangel Ventures, reaching a $132.5 million valuation, while adding executives and reshaping roles as it pushes into the US.

Also SmartCompany

Seven Aussie startups that raised $45.6 million this fortnight

Roundup covering seven Australian companies' recent raises — Splend, Rich Data Co, Slice, InvestorHub, Eyeonic, Graceview and Monty Compost Co — from fleet electrification finance to AI compliance and compost-monitoring seed rounds.

Two Aussie startups that raised $5 million this week

Weekly roundup: InvestorHub banks a $4m Series A extension led by EVP, while Brisbane compost-tech maker Monty Compost Co picks up $1 million from Skalata, Antler and other backers.

Also SmartCompany