Joel Connolly

2023 Year In Review

Blackbird's yearly letter recaps 2023: 38 investments worth $189 million across Australian and New Zealand startups, heavy AI and deep tech deployment, community programs, and open investment-team roles.

Investing in More Women and Non-Binary Founders: Part 2

Blackbird shares a six-month progress update on its push to back more women and non-binary founders, covering pipeline data, program outcomes, targets and bias-reduction changes to its investment processes.

Blackbird is hiring a Product Operations Specialist

Blackbird's Founder Success team is recruiting a Product Operations Specialist, based in Sydney or Melbourne, to scale its community programs such as Giants, the Founder Academy and the Talent Network. Applications have closed.

Investment Notes: Bella Acton - Our Creative Director!

AfterWork Ventures announces Bella Acton as its Creative Director, describing her storytelling background, her startup Never Liked It Anyway, her role at Kin Group, and why the fund hired a creative lead.

Startup Insights with Rick Baker

Write-up of a Giants Weekly fireside chat where Blackbird co-founder Rick Baker discusses the firm's $500 million fund, seed investing, software and science companies, and offshore interest in Australian startups.

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

The Next Generation of Blackbird’s Investment Team

Blackbird introduces Tom Humphrey and Michael Tolo as new investment Principals alongside Tip Piumsomboon, and notes its fourth fund closed at $650 million in late 2020.

Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio

Investment Notes: Dovetail

Blackbird's investment note explains its backing of Dovetail, a platform for UX researchers founded by Benjamin Humphrey and Brad Ayers, covering its customer growth and community among UX professionals.

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Investment Notes: Roborigger

Blackbird's investment note announces $5 million put into Roborigger, a Perth robotics startup whose device steadies crane loads, profiling founder Derick Markwell and listing current construction projects.

Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Blackbird Ventures portfolio·@AuManufacturing·Startup News (WA)

The Third Way: This is Why We Back Our Founders

Blackbird describes closing its $29M first fund in 2013 and a GP-led secondary where fund investors sold a minority stake to StepStone and HESTA for about $100M, locking in returns while keeping its portfolio.

Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·Business News Australia