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🇦🇺 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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Pedestrian cofounder Chris Wirasinha nails $23 million Series B for adtech startup Linkby

Sydney adtech firm Linkby secured US$15 million in a Volition Capital-led Series B to expand in the US; CEO Chris Wirasinha earlier founded Pedestrian.tv, later sold to Nine.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

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.

Runway May 24: The 7 startups revealing venture raises this week

Weekly roundup covering seven ANZ startup raises — Bare Funerals, Humii, WeMoney, CLT Toolbox, Clean Slate Clinic, SpatialGPT and Great Wrap — plus LaunchVic's $900,000 into Paul Little's Skalata fund.

Also Startup Daily

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

‘When Lachlan calls, you answer’: Inside this Murdoch-backed luggage giant

Profile of luggage brand July, built by Melbourne founders Athan Didaskalou and Richard Li with backing including Lachlan Murdoch, covering its pandemic pivot, Olympic team supply deal and retail expansion.

Wellness and sport-focused VC XT Ventures launches with $5 million from health fund HCF

Health insurer HCF has committed a five-million-dollar cornerstone investment into the newly launched sports, fitness and wellness venture fund XT Ventures, run by Slingshot founder Craig Lambert.

Shippit acquires Premonition for $20.5 million

Shippit, a Sydney logistics software provider, has bought last-mile technology firm Premonition for A$20.5 million; the piece also recalls Shippit's 2020 Series B and notes another raise in progress.

Also Techboard·Startup Daily

BNPL founders pile into record $15.5 million seed round for insurtech startup Honey

Honey Insurance has raised $15.5 million in seed funding backed by RACQ, PEXA, Metricon and founders of Zip and Afterpay, to launch its smart-home insurance offering.

Westpac flags more fintech deals after SocietyOne tie-up

Westpac will share its banking licence with lender SocietyOne, its second fintech partnership in five months after Afterpay, and a senior executive expects more such deals this year.

Westpac teams up with lending fintech SocietyOne for digital banking play

Lending fintech SocietyOne joins Westpac's 10X digital banking platform, following Afterpay, giving its customers transaction accounts from late 2021. Westpac has backed SocietyOne since 2014 via Reinventure, alongside other Australian backers.

Your 90-second guide to the day in tech

Roundup: Facebook blocks Australian news publishers including Startup Daily; Deliveroo loses a Dutch rider classification appeal; telco Swoop agrees a $61.3 million reverse takeover with Stemify to reach the ASX; NBN paid executives bonuses.

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Fractional property investment platform Bricklet raises $3 million in series A backed by News and REA Group

Bricklet, a fractional property investment platform, has raised a $3 million Series A from News Corp, REA Group and earlier backers at a $28 million valuation, to fund marketing.

Also Australian FinTech·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·Australian FinTech

Tradie directory Hipages made its ASX debut today: here’s who owns the biggest stakes

Australian online trades marketplace Hipages Group debuted on the ASX after a $100.4 million IPO valuing it at $318.5 million, with News Corp the largest shareholder and early investors receiving up to $60 million.

Investing in private assets is ‘way to go’: Odell

Ellerston Capital's JAADE private assets fund, co-led by ex-Aristocrat CEO Jamie Odell, reports a strong first year and ambitions to raise up to $500m; its holdings include Mable, Camms and SiteMinder.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

5 things you should know about tech today

Roundup covering AUSTRAC warnings to fintechs, News Corp's attack on Google, WeWork's executive exodus, Australia's slide in the IMD digital rankings, and BugHerd's revival under founder Alan Downie after he bought out investors.

Greg Roebuck retires - GoAutoNews Premium

Carsales pioneer Greg Roebuck will retire in March, with COO Cameron McIntyre becoming CEO. The piece recalls Carsales' dealer-funded launch, Fairfax's classifieds sale, the CarsGuide buyout and merger into Cox Automotive Australia.

Media & Marketing

AFR's Media & Marketing section roundup: Joe Aston's Rampart has raised $2.3m from five backers and TEG has locked in roughly $100m of fresh bank debt, alongside media policy, court and personality stories.

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