Mad Paws

Six ANZ startups that raised $568.1 million this week

Funding roundup led by Airwallex's US$330 million Series G at a $12 billion valuation, with raises from Kasada, Hnry, All G, Bless Payments and Emanda, plus earlier rounds recalled.

Also Startup Daily

Breast milk substitution biotech raises $10 million amid French deal for global push

Sydney biotech All G raised $10 million via convertible note from Agronomics, Doehler's venture arm and ID Capital, alongside a joint venture with France's Armor Protéines to push its fermented lactoferrin products globally.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Smart50 star Mad Paws secures $62 million buyout deal

Pet-sitting marketplace Mad Paws has recommended a proposed $62 million takeover by US company Rover, with its Pet Chemist arm earmarked for VetPartners, while earlier raises are recalled.

Six Aussie startups that raised $28.5 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing new capital for Australian startups Diraq, BrainFish, RecycleSmart, Cohabit and Five Faces, alongside Alumly's undisclosed multimillion-dollar backing from UK investor Mauve Group.

Also Startup Daily

Customer experience platform Brainfish hooks $9.8 million pre-Series A

Sydney AI customer-support startup Brainfish has secured a $9.8 million pre-Series A, with Prosus Ventures leading and existing backers Peak XV's Surge and Macdoch Ventures participating, to fund its US expansion.

Also SmartCompany·SmartCompany

Finder and ASX-listed NobleOak contra with marketing VC Scaleup Mediafund

Scaleup Mediafund swapped ad space for equity in Finder and ASX-listed insurer NobleOak, the latter worth $1.5m, among six investments from its third fund backed by major media companies.

Melbourne scaleup Book An Artist adds US marketplace Wescover to its palette

Wescover, an American marketplace for custom-made creations, has been bought by Melbourne-headquartered Book An Artist, which plans to merge the platforms; the piece also recalls Book An Artist's 2022 raise.

Hawke's Brewing and Bare Funerals toast $1 million media-for-equity deals

Scaleup Mediafund's $15 million third fund has made its first two investments, backing Hawke's Brewing and Bare with roughly $1 million in advertising apiece; oOh!media joined as an investor.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Nine Aussie startups that raised $233.5 million this week

Weekly roundup of nine Australian startups that together raised over $233 million, led by Hysata's $172 million Series B, with rounds also for V2 Digital, AgriWebb, Disco, Genero, Brainfish, Kite Therapy, Nucanon and Maslow.

Also Startup Daily·Business News Australia·Startup Daily

Brainfish nets $3.85 million to tackle customer support challenges

Sydney AI customer-support startup Brainfish has raised $3.85 million in a round led by Peak XV Partners' Surge, with Macdoch Ventures, Black Sheep Capital and angels taking part, bringing its total capital to $5 million.

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

Burgers and acquisitions: All G Foods spins out plant-based meats in merger with Fenn Foods

All G Foods spins its Love Buds plant-based range into a merger with Fenn Foods' vEEF, forming a new entity; All G pivots to fermented dairy, with both companies' earlier raises recapped.

Antler-backed shares-for-shopping fintech Upstreet is winding down

Sydney app Upstreet, which gave shoppers fractional shares for their spending, is closing; the founders gave no reason, 18 months after a Wattle Hill-led seed round and a lifetime raise near $5 million.

Also Startup Daily

Zero Co, Ofload and Mad Paws: The startup winners of the 2022 Smart50 awards

SmartCompany names its 2022 Smart50 winners: July tops the list, Ofload ranks second after a $60 million raise, and Mad Paws, Zero Co, Code Like a Girl and Hero Packaging take out category awards.

Retail rewards fintech Upstreet raises $3 million Seed+ round

Upstreet, which gives shoppers fractional share rewards, has raised a $3 million seed-plus round led by Wattle Hill Capital, with funds earmarked for retail partnerships and platform upgrades.

Also Australian FinTech·Techboard·Startup Daily

Fake meat startup All G scores bigger Woolies backing

Woolworths' corporate venture arm W23 has added an undisclosed multi-million-dollar investment to its backing of Sydney alt-protein maker All G Foods, which had earlier raised a $16 million seed round in late 2021.

Also Startup Daily·AgFunderNews·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Pet Circle raises $125m to become Australia's latest unicorn

Sydney pet-care platform Pet Circle has raised $125 million in a Series C round backed by Prysm Capital, TDM Growth Partners, Baillie Gifford and AirTree Ventures, reaching unicorn status.

Also SmartCompany

Wholesale Investor is launching a $10 million seed-stage VC fund in partnership with Singapore-based Hatcher+

Wholesale Investor and Hatcher+ plan a joint $10 million fund backing 50 seed-to-series-A startups across Australia, New Zealand and beyond, with investor pre-registration open but nothing yet committed.

Ignition Lane’s Weekly Wrap: Airtasker lists, Culture Amp revenue jumps, Spotify’s $5bn payout, Andreessen Horowitz bets on NFT

Ignition Lane's weekly technology roundup: Seequent and Neto acquisitions, imminent listings for AirTasker and MadPaws, large venture rounds at Stripe, Yotpo, PatSnap, SecurityScorecard, Appfire and OpenSea, plus new fund plans and ecosystem news.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Business News Australia

The startup funding round: Fintech frenzy continues, $50 million for cancer biotech, and Stripe's $122 billion valuation

Weekly roundup reporting QBiotics' $50 million raise, LAB Group's $4 million from Costa Asset Management, Hudled's $640,000 backing, and Stripe's US$600 million round at a US$95 billion valuation.

Also Cut Through Venture

Software management startup Hudled raises $640,000 seed round

SaaS tracking startup Hudled has raised a $640,000 seed round from Black Nova Group, Antler, Sydney Angels and three angels, after an earlier $155,000 Antler pre-seed, ahead of its product launch and possible US expansion.

Also SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Mad Paws funding round 70% subscribed – register interest today to take part

A promotional update inviting investors into Mad Paws's open capital raise, already mostly subscribed, describing the Australian pet-care marketplace's growth and naming Qantas, Equity Venture Partners and Macdoch Ventures as existing backers.

Also Wholesale Investor

“The fur baby is part of the family”: How Mad Paws attracted 370,000 customers by talking about their dogs

Profile of pet-sitting platform Mad Paws, recalling its $5 million raise and Qantas partnership, and how chief Alexis Soulopoulos built growth by connecting with pet owners.

Also SmartCompany·Wholesale Investor

Mad Paws nominated for Startcon's startup of the year award

Pet-sitting marketplace Mad Paws is a finalist for Startcon's Startup of the Year award and reports its million-dollar investment round is seventy percent filled, with Qantas, Equity Venture Partners and Macdoch Ventures among its backers.