Folklore Ventures

Eight ANZ startups that raised $102 million this fortnight

Roundup of eight Australian and New Zealand startups whose late-July funding totals $102 million across space capsules, medical devices, livestock breath analysis, sports analytics and AI crop forecasting.

Agtech startup using AI to predict grain crops plants $1 million first raise

Sydney AI grain-forecasting startup Octopusbot has raised over $1 million from Folklore Ventures and No Brand to grow its platform and enter further commodity markets.

Also SmartCompany

Three ANZ startups that raised $81 million this week

Roundup of three trans-Tasman raises: Ordermentum landed $55m from Five V Capital, defence-tech firm Arkeus closed $25m, and music platform Lume gathered NZ$1.3m from well-known backers before its launch.

Also Startup Daily

Arkeus Featured in the Wall Street Journal Following A$25 Million Series A Raise

The defence sensing company says its Series A backing from QIC Ventures and Folklore Ventures drew Wall Street Journal coverage of planned United States manufacturing, at a $72 million valuation.

Beaten Zone Venture Partners Congratulates Arkeus on A$25M Series A as Portfolio Company Reaches Inflection Point

Arkeus has closed a A$25 million Series A with QIC Ventures leading, as early backer Beaten Zone Venture Partners returns alongside other existing backers; proceeds fund Queensland manufacturing and a doubled team.

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

Our investment in Arkeus

Folklore Ventures announces it has joined Arkeus' A$25 million Series A with QIC Ventures, R+ VC and returning backers, describing the Melbourne defence-sensing startup's technology and growth plans.

Also Beaten Zone Venture Partners portfolio·Beaten Zone Venture Partners portfolio·arkeus.com·Forbes Australia·Cut Through Venture·SmartCompany·Dealroom

Getting to know the team — meet Florencia

Folklore Ventures introduces Florencia Quinteros as its new Head of Operations, covering her background at Australian Ethical Super and healthtech scaleup TMRW, her operational approach, and her views on the Australian startup ecosystem.

Capital returns but discipline and liquidity remain key

A retrospective on 2025 Australian venture activity: large raises at Firmus, Heidi Health, Airwallex and others, deep tech momentum, and Folklore's own backing of Hullbot and Sphere.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily

Getting to know our newest Partner — meet Albert

Folklore Ventures brings Albert Bielinko in as a partner, recounting his decade as a Titanium Ventures general partner, his earlier investments, and Enable's later acquisition by Flintfox.

Andreessen Horowitz backs Folklore investee, Sphere

Folklore Ventures says its investee Sphere has secured US$20 million in a Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, with Y Combinator, Felicis and 20VC also in; Folklore backed Sphere at pre-seed.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $108.6 million this week

Roundup of eight funding deals: Synchron's Series D, plus raises by Lumonus AI, Hullbot, Nbryo, Cytophenix, Giftbee, Understanding Zoe and Zeligate, spanning medtech, robotics, agtech and AI.

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

Our investment in Hullbot

Folklore Ventures announces it invested in Hullbot's A$16 million Series A with Regeneration VC, Trinity Ventures and Katapult Ocean, backing the Sydney hull-cleaning robotics company's growth.

Also Climate Tech Partners portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·katapultocean.com·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·greenreview.com.au·marinebusinessnews.com.au

Hullbot raises $16m from the bottom of the harbour

TEN13 Newsletter - Flight Path (September 2025)

Ten13's monthly newsletter reports its first institutional mandate via Queensland's QVCDF, new seed investments in OneMRI and Source, follow-ons in Arintra and Everlab, and portfolio progress including Go1, Qsic, Pearler and After.com.

Getting to know the team - Meet Divine

Folklore Ventures welcomes Divine Aaron to its investment team as an investor, in a Q&A covering her move from neuroscience research and consulting into venture capital and her views on AI-era software.

Five Aussie startups that raised $35.2 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing five Australian startups' raises: a PR platform's Series B, a biotech's post-stealth funding, a defence tech round, a pre-seed voice-AI raise, and a crowdfunding campaign.

Also Startup Daily

Drone delivery startup Swoop Aero stalls, lands in administration

Drone delivery company Swoop Aero has entered voluntary administration after its cofounder blamed investor pressure; administrators now seek a buyer or recapitalisation. The piece recalls its 2021 Series B and 2018 Startmate stint.

Also Startup Daily

Getting to know the team - Meet Chris

Folklore Ventures introduces Chris Comino as its new investor relations lead in a Q&A covering his three decades in asset management and what drew him to venture capital.

Ben Sand on Strong Compute's path to enterprise via hackathons, research grants and more

Folklore Ventures Q&A with Strong Compute founder Ben Sand covering its enterprise AI compute offering, community events, grant programs, hiring and his take on how AI market assumptions have shifted.

Getting to know the team - Meet Clare

Folklore's blog introduces new CFO Clare Power, who brings a quarter-century of finance experience from firms including Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, BT and Income Asset Management.

Five ANZ startups that raised $79 million in the past two weeks

Roundup of five raises across Australia and New Zealand: Constantinople's $50m Series A, Illuvium's US$12m, Forever Network's $6m, Starboard's NZ$5m seed and Medibis's $736,000 crowdfunding.

Sports social media platform Forever Network shoots and scores $6 million Series A

Sports media firm Forever Network, known for Basketball Forever, has secured a $6 million Series A with Yolo Investments leading, to fund American expansion, extra sports verticals and gamified products.

Also SmartCompany

Why these founder prefer a ‘thriving middle’ to chasing VC funding for fast growth

Profile of Mentorloop, a profitable Melbourne mentoring-platform startup whose cofounders urge founders to seek sustainable growth instead of repeated fundraising; the piece recalls its 2017 seed round backed by Blackbird, Rampersand and Folklore.

AirTree and Antler-backed addiction app Lived shuts down as founder battles health concerns

Sally Metelerkamp's addiction app Lived has closed as she manages health problems; the story recalls its Antler incubator origins, a 2021 launch backed with $2.5 million, and $4 million more raised.

Shutting down my startup: Lived founder Sally Metelerkamp shares the unforgettable lessons

The founder of health startup Lived reflects on closing the company, repaying backers, and lessons for other founders, crediting Folklore Ventures and Antler for early backing.

Also Startup Daily

Getting to know the Folklore team – Meet Mitch

Folklore's blog introduces new investor Mitchell Bissinger, who discusses his operating background at a healthcare company, advisory work and a food venture, plus his views on early-stage backing in the region.

Six Aussie startups that raised $114.5 million this week

Weekly roundup of six Australian startups that together raised $114.5 million, spanning payments, drone defence, carbon accounting, medical AI and health tech, across rounds from pre-seed to Series D.

Also SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing

Healthcare simulation startup SimConverse raises $1.5 million Seed round

SimConverse, whose AI simulates patient conversations to train healthcare workers, has raised a $1.5 million seed round, with Folklore Ventures leading and Artesian participating.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany

Five startups, $63 million in funding: Who has taken home the cash this week?

A weekly roundup covering five funding rounds: HealthMatch's Series C, Monday Distillery's crowdfunding, Sonder's Series B, Lleaf's bridge round, and Spice AI's seed raise.

Clinical trials startup HealthMatch lands $10 million Series C

Sydney clinical trials platform HealthMatch raised a $10 million Series C led by Folklore Ventures with Square Peg participating, after laying off half its staff in June; funds will support rehiring and US expansion.

Also SmartCompany·Techboard

FUNDED APRIL 2022

Techboard's monthly roundup cataloguing April 2022 Australian startup funding: megadeals, seed rounds, grants and crowdfunding, nine acquisitions, several ASX listings, and venture firms' fund news.

Drone delivery startup Swoop Aero raises $16 million Series B

Drone logistics company Swoop Aero has raised a Series B led by Main Sequence, with Giant Leap and In-Q-Tel participating, to enter new markets and expand manufacturing.

Also @AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·TechCrunch Venture

Strong Compute raises $7.8M seed round to speed up ML training pipelines

Sydney machine learning optimisation startup Strong Compute announces a $7.8 million seed round backed by about 30 funds and angels, and describes its Y Combinator background, customers and hiring plans.

Brisbane supply chain data startup ProductEngine raises $1.2 million Seed round

Brisbane product and pricing software firm ProductEngine has secured seed backing to grow its team and enter overseas markets, with a venture firm leading and an accelerator supporting the round.

Sydney startup Canopy Study raises $1.1 million for AI-driven education platform

An education technology company has secured seed capital to expand its platform that turns coursework into adaptive learning resources, with a venture firm leading the round.

Also Startup Daily·Techboard

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Super-fast unicorn, VC funding boom, put another founder on a Barbie

Ignition Lane's weekly roundup: Zip's deal for Sezzle, Zeller's unicorn raise, several Australian funding rounds, Startmate backing Provvy, a space manufacturing grant, NZVC's first close, and tech's response to Russia.

Kiwi retailing crime intelligence startup Auror raises NZ$30 million

New Zealand crime-intelligence software company Auror has raised NZ$30 million in a round led by Movac, with GD1, Shasta Ventures and Folklore Ventures taking part, to grow its Australian team, technology and retail support.

Also Startup Daily

How the intersection of edtech and the creator economy is reshaping education

Folklore investor Dan Fleming argues cohort-based learning platforms and the creator economy are transforming education, noting his firm's investment in Australian online learning platform ScholarSite.

50 companies, 120 founders backed: the incredible achievements of Antler Australia in its first two years

Retrospective on Antler Australia's first two years: a $46 million first fund closed with Eduardo Saverin backing, pre-seed investments in about 50 startups, Melbourne expansion, and new programs including an Existing Business cohort.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Kiwi startup Komodo raises $1.7 million to improve mental wellbeing in schools

Christchurch student wellbeing software firm Komodo has raised NZ$1.8 million in seed capital led by Folklore Ventures, with Flying Fox, Icehouse Ventures and two Culture Amp staff also taking part, to fund hiring and product development.