Partner · Founder, Blackbird Ventures
Every published round Rick Baker took part in, and every parcel of existing shares it bought off another holder. Deals we hold but haven't published yet are not counted.
Companies Rick Baker has backed in a published round, and companies whose existing shares it bought off another holder.
| Company | What it does | First invested | Rounds | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No portfolio companies recorded yet. | ||||
This is a stake in the fund itself, money that the fund's manager invests, not a stake in the fund manager.
Companies Rick Baker has backed that another company then bought. An exit for the holding, not a deal Rick Baker did.
Stories naming Rick Baker. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Blackbird has locked in a second billion-dollar fund — its sixth, slightly bigger than the last — bringing in new institutional backers, and the article recalls portfolio wins, writedowns and failures.
Blackbird and Airtree mark Canva's worth down sharply, the employee share price falls too, and commentators question whether a 2027 sharemarket float remains realistic amid sliding confidence in AI-era software.
Blackbird partner Rick Baker recalls backing Canva's founders in 2013 and argues its 2026 AI launch extends that founding purpose to a new frontier.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·Startup Daily
Blackbird's operating chief reflects on four years of the fund's independent, quarterly valuation process, citing the Eucalyptus acquisition and its returns as proof the 2022 policy endured.
Blackbird's Rick Baker recounts backing rocket firm Gilmour Space from its 2017 Series A to a newly closed A$217 million Series E at a valuation above US$1 billion.
Canva has raised US$40 million at a US$1 billion valuation, becoming an Australian unicorn, with Sequoia China joining long-time backers Blackbird Ventures and Felicis Ventures in a round led by Blackbird.
Meliora, Clive Dickens' advisory firm, has started backing AI companies alongside a student-focused venture fund that is closing in on its fundraising target.
Also Forbes Australia
Blackbird partner Samantha Wong reflects on a decade of the firm's Sunrise conference and Australia's startup ecosystem, recalling Atlassian's Nasdaq listing and Aconex's float and sale to Oracle.
Also SmartCompany
Australian digital business cards startup Blinq raised a US$25 million Series A led by Touring Capital, with HubSpot Ventures, Blackbird and Square Peg participating, reportedly valuing the company at $200 million.
Student-run venture fund NextGen Ventures has locked in $1.5 million toward a $2.5 million target, backed by Blackbird's cofounders, Airtree and angel investors, and has already invested in AI startup Fluency.
Long-time SafetyCulture chief Luke Anear hands the reins to Kelly Vohs while moving to the chair; the piece also recaps the firm's recent raises, valuation dip and backer changes.
Blackbird's investor relations lead reflects on its limited partners, recalls the A$29 million first fund and A$1 billion returned to early backers, and flags her move to part-time as the firm seeks a replacement.
Also SmartCompany
Rocket developer Gilmour Space has banked a $55 million Series D led by QIC for its first orbital launch, with Blackbird, Main Sequence, HostPlus and HESTA also taking part.
Also Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Forbes Australia·@AuManufacturing·Defence Connect·gspace.com
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.
Robyn Denholm has joined SafetyCulture's board as a director, adding to her Tesla chairmanship and Technology Council role, replacing long-serving director and Blackbird co-founder Rick Baker.
Blackbird welcomes Michael Tolo, Tom Humphrey and Phoebe Harrop into its investment partnership, citing their craft, founder relationships and contribution to its New Zealand expansion.
Australian venture investors AirTree, Blackbird, Square Peg and OneVentures review their 2022 deployment and fund raises and predict capital efficiency, venture credit, consolidation and selective funding will shape 2023.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·Virescent Ventures·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·TechCrunch Venture·Forbes Australia
Blackbird's team marks the firm's tenth birthday by unveiling a new A$1 billion fund to back ambitious Australian and New Zealand startups, sketching a 2032 vision of technology dominating the economy.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Dealroom·Startup Daily
Blackbird is recruiting its first Head of Investor Relations to manage relationships with existing and prospective LPs, describing the role, benefits, and the firm's assets under management and portfolio.
Gold Coast rocket firm Gilmour Space raised a $61 million Series C led by Fine Structure Ventures, with Blackbird, Main Sequence and super funds taking part, ahead of a planned 2022 orbital launch.
Also SmartCompany·@AuManufacturing·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing
Canva's valuation reached US$15 billion after a new funding round led by T. Rowe Price, Dragoneer, Blackbird Ventures and Skip Capital. The article also recalls Canva's earlier US$60 million raise and Blackbird's first investment.
Also SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup News (WA)
Roundup: Split Payments promotes a new C-suite; Hubilo raises a US$23.5m Series A; Next.e.GO banks €30m; Lexer lands a $33.5m Series B; Zip posts a heavy loss; Kogan.com adds two directors.
Blackbird partner Rick Baker explains why the firm is leading customer data platform Lexer's Series B, describing the product, its founders' backgrounds, and plans to expand the team.
Also Startup Daily·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture
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
Blackbird's year-end review covers its fourth fund announcement, investments in companies including See-Mode, Morse Micro and SafetyCulture, Startmate's climate cohort intakes, Mike Cannon-Brookes joining its board, and numerous team hires.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·TechCrunch Venture·TechCrunch Venture·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Women's Agenda·Startup News (WA)·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Women's Agenda·Startup Daily
Blackbird Ventures has closed a $500 million fourth fund backed by Australian institutional and international investors. The article recalls Square Peg and Tidal Ventures raises, Our Innovation Fund's new fund, and Amazon's Zoox acquisition.
Also SmartCompany
Blackbird announces the close of its fourth fund at $500 million, bringing total committed capital to $1.24 billion, and separately announces Mike Cannon-Brookes joining its board as chair.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily
Blackbird announces a $1 million investment in Ovira, a direct-to-consumer period pain device startup founded by Alice Williams, whom the firm met through Startmate.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Women's Agenda
Blackbird's February newsletter reports new investments in Roborigger and Dovetail plus Process Street's Series A, alongside portfolio updates, a founder spotlight and hiring notices.
Wireless crane load control developer Roborigger has landed a $5 million Series A from Blackbird, money the founder says will build capability for overseas markets, following award wins and industry trials.
Blackbird introduces seven new team members for 2020 across legal, operations and investment roles, while recalling a $100 million GP-led secondary, a raised New Zealand fund, and its earlier Startmate investment in Perx.
Blackbird's post announces its seed investment in Fable, a mushroom-based meat alternative maker co-founded by Michael Fox, Jim Fuller and Chris McLoghlin, describing the plant-based protein opportunity and the founders' backgrounds.
Also Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany
Blackbird advertises an opening for a financial accountant in its Sydney office to handle reporting, tax compliance and payroll as the venture firm brings finance tasks in-house.
Blackbird Ventures advertises a full-time Business Operations role at its Sydney office, covering investor reporting, compliance, audit and portfolio support, offering a $90,000 salary plus fund carry participation.
Write-up of Luke Anear's talk at an eGroup event, recounting SafetyCulture's growth from a Townsville garage, its Blackbird and Atlassian backing, funding history, and the founder taking some money off the table.
Blackbird's retrospective of its 2018: a third fund launched, new partners and staff hired, Startmate cohorts run, numerous portfolio raises led, Shape Analytics sold, and Shoes of Prey shut down.
Also Blackbird Ventures portfolio·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Beef Central / Grain Central·@AuManufacturing
Sydney online design startup Canva, founded by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams, has secured a $3 million seed round from Australian and US backers after the founders met investors at a Hawaiian kitesurfing camp.
Also TechCrunch Venture