StrongRoom AI

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #173, 9th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Firmus completes its $2.85b round; Procore acquires DroneDeploy; Atlassian rebounds while Canva cuts guidance; plus fresh raises for Zabidou, BioScout, Vexev, Enrola, Spacetalk and others.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Sendle is dead, killed by a US merger partner who misled the Aussie startup's key investor, Federation

Federation says ACI Logistix hid its finances before merging with Sendle and FirstMile into Fast Group, now winding down, killing the courier; the article also recalls past Sendle and Strongroom raises.

VC EVP's legal fight with StrongRoom AI to recover its $10.4 million investment continues as liquidator grills

EVP's Federal Court bid to claw back $10.4 million from collapsed healthtech StrongRoom AI continues, with liquidator examinations of former directors ahead; the rebooted business has since raised fresh funds under owner Joe Zhou.

Also AFR Technology·This Week in Australian Startups·Dealroom

Cheque-in: 8 startups raised $113 million this week to end October

Weekly funding roundup covering eight raises totalling over $113 million across aerospace, biotech, materials, health and software, plus a pharmacy firm's acquisition out of administration.

Eight ANZ startups that raised $113 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight trans-Tasman startup raises worth a combined $113 million-plus, alongside Joe Zhou's buyout of StrongRoom AI from administrators.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

StrongRoom sells for $3 million – and now the games begin

Healthtech firm StrongRoom AI sold to pharmacy operator Joe Zhou for $3 million via administrators, while backer EVP litigates to recoup $10.4 million after the startup's collapse following a March raise.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily·AFR Technology

StrongRoom AI's administrators recommend liquidation

The medication startup StrongRoom AI looks headed for liquidation, its administrators citing likely insolvency from October 2024, while EVP litigates to claw back its $10.4 million and the CEO faces fraud claims.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily

Queensland R&D finance fintech raises $2.3 million

Equity raise of $2.3m by Advanced, a Sunshine Coast R&D finance startup building a $25m lending fund; backers include Wayne Gerard and Phil Cummins, who joins the board.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily

StrongRoomAI cofounder denies investor EVP's claim that he admitted to fraud

StrongRoomAI chief Max Mito denies EVP's fraud allegations in Federal Court; the startup is in administration ahead of a sale after the Sydney VC's $17m backing unravelled into litigation.

After investing $10.4 million, EVP claims StrongRoom AI's CEO and cofounder admitted to fraud with fake revenue numbers

EVP alleges StrongRoom AI's CEO admitted fabricated revenue and debt figures after the Sydney VC invested $10.4m in a $17m raise; the Melbourne startup is now in administration with assets frozen.

Strong Room AI's administrators press ahead with sale amid court battle over $10 million

Strong Room AI, a Melbourne medicines-management startup, is in voluntary administration weeks after a February raise; investor EVP's court action froze assets while administrators seek a buyer and creditors meet on April 8.

‘The investor’s role is to build, not to destroy’: StrongRoom AI’s Seed backer takes aim at EVP amid pending legal battle over $10.4 million

Tyson & Blake, which seeded StrongRoom AI, threatens legal action against EVP, which is suing to recover its $10.4 million after the Melbourne medtech entered administration.

VC firm EVP calls in police at startup StrongRoom AI weeks after leading $17 million investment

EVP has involved police and forensic experts as it seeks to claw back its $17 million backing of Melbourne medication firm StrongRoom AI, weeks after the round it led with Artesian and InterValley Ventures.

Eight Aussie startups that raised $104.4 million this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian startup raises, led by Sonder's $40 million round, plus AMP's $20 million raise and acquisition of the Shopify app Back in Stock.

Also Startup Daily·Defence Connect·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Defence Connect·Forbes Australia

Medication management software startup swallows $17 million

StrongRoom AI, a pharmacy software startup, has banked $17 million in an EVP-led round valuing it near $70 million, and is buying loyalty program Member Benefits Australia with part of the proceeds.

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

Making the AI desert bloom

LaunchVic case study on Boab AI, a Melbourne investor backing artificial-intelligence companies through a program funded by LaunchVic and Artesian; it names Remi, PI.Exchange, Daitum and Strongroom among those supported.

Victoria's scale-up AI accelerator could be a catalyst to industry growth, says Andrew Lai

Boab AI has launched its scale-up accelerator, putting $1.5 million into five AI startups in its first cohort, drawing on Artesian's $100 million Boab Global AI Fund and Victorian government backing via LaunchVic.

Your 90-second guide to the day in tech

Tech roundup: Facebook's smartwatch plans, Jaguar's EV pivot, Kraken launching a VC arm, Tribe raising pre-IPO ahead of a planned ASX float, and LaunchVic backing Boab AI's scaleup program and first five companies.

Also Startup Daily·LaunchVic

Backing Victoria as a leading AI technology destination

LaunchVic-backed Boab AI launches Australia's first AI scaleup accelerator in Richmond with government and private backing, naming its first five startups, alongside a new $100 million Artesian-powered AI investment fund.

New Victorian AI program launches with $100 million VC fund

Boab AI has launched a Victorian scaleup program for mature AI companies, backed by LaunchVic and Artesian, naming Pi.Exchange, Plaetos, Strongroom AI, Daitum and Remi AI in its first intake.