Jonathan Lui

🇦🇺 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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Eleven Aussie startups that raised $61.5 million this week

Weekly roundup of funding rounds at eleven Australian startups, including a $28 million Series B, a $14 million raise paired with an acquisition, and a neural-implant company appointing a new chief executive.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Airtasker cofounder Jonathan Lui's proptech app, Soho, banks $750,000 to hit $20 million valuation

Soho, the property search app cofounded by Airtasker's Jonathan Lui, has secured $750,000 from Singapore VC Feedback Ventures in a pre-Series B round valuing it above $20 million.

Also SmartCompany

Veteran tech director Cass O’Connor to chair Airtasker as investor James Spenceley steps down to focus on humanitarian work

Airtasker names Cass O’Connor as its next chair while James Spenceley departs the board after eight years to devote himself to Ukrainian relief efforts.

Startup stakeholder management platform Cake Equity raises $3 million seed round

Gold Coast stakeholder management startup Cake Equity has raised a $3 million seed round co-led by Jason Calacanis and Rampersand, with angels including Airtasker's Jonathan Lui, to support global expansion.

Also Australian FinTech

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.

From living room floor to $227 million listing: How Airtasker got to where it is today

A look back at Airtasker's path from its 2012 founding to an imminent ASX float, covering its raises, acquisitions, partnerships and controversies along the way.

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Luxury leather goods retailer Mon Purse collapses into liquidation

Handbag customisation startup Mon Purse has entered liquidation and stopped trading, with Wexted Advisors appointed and seeking buyers, while the article recalls the company raising roughly $9 million from backers over six years.

Also Startup Daily