Ledger.

Startup · $24.7m raised

Zip

Sydney, NSW

Coverage

Stories naming Zip. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

Funding announcement

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #176, 30th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Blackbird confirms a record fund close and Galileo reaches a first close, Genesis merges with Proudi, IREN secures massive debt, and several startups report raises, grants and program wins.

Funding announcement

Two ANZ startups that raised $21 million this week

Two raises reported: Superhero has banked $20m of a hoped $30m round led by Salter Brothers at a $176m valuation, while New Zealand crime-intelligence startup Azonic took NZ$1m in a Blackbird-led pre-seed.

News

Zip Co to shut New Zealand operations

Payments provider Zip Co will wind down its New Zealand operations following a strategic review, concentrating instead on its growing Australian and US businesses, with any financial impact described as immaterial.

2 deals

4 Fintech Startups from Australia to Have on Your Radar in 2026

Profiles four Australian fintechs worth watching in 2026: Fat Zebra, WeMoney, Swyftx and Block Earner, covering their growth, past acquisitions and previously secured funding rounds.

Also Australian FinTech·Fintech News Australia·Fintech News Australia

Seed $6.1m

Dam Secure raises $6.1 million to tackle AI code security risks

AI code security startup Dam Secure has closed an oversubscribed $6.1 million seed round led by Paladin Capital Group, with several tech executives investing, to grow its Australian R&D team and build a US sales presence.

Also Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

5 deals

Australia’s Top 5 Most Well-Funded Fintech Startups in 2025

Ranking of Australia’s five best-funded fintechs — Airwallex, Athena, Zeller, InDebted and Brighte — profiling each one’s total raised, most recent raise, backers, valuation and growth moves.

4 deals

Fintech Superhero's valuation jumps nearly 20% in 3 months after $11 million raise

Share trading and super platform Superhero has raised $11 million from existing backers, lifting its post-money value to $150 million, with plans to build tools that give investment advice.

Also SmartCompany

10 deals

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

3 deals

Private equity firm Quadrant takes a $50-100 million slice of startup veteran LegalVision

Sydney PE firm Quadrant's new $660m growth fund backs LegalVision for an undisclosed stake; the article also recaps Quadrant's earlier deals and exits, including Canva, Modibodi and Canberra Data Centres.

11 deals

Eight Aussie startups that raised $80 million this week

Weekly funding roundup covering eight local companies that together banked $80m, topped by twin $17m Series Bs at Safewill and Fresho, plus Celosia's $16.75m Series A and five smaller rounds.

Also Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·LaunchVic

Unnamed stage $250k

Canva has a new $500 million shareholder – a Sydney private equity firm that previously made a fortune from pet food

Sydney PE firm Quadrant bought a $500 million Canva stake from existing holders including Blackbird, at a US$25 billion valuation — the first deal for Quadrant's ninth fund.

Seed $7m

Why We Invested in Hatch

Aura Ventures explains its seed investment in Hatch, an Australian jobs marketplace for young professionals co-founded by Adam Jacobs and Chaz Heitner, alongside Rampersand, Investible, Jelix Ventures and Alberts.

Also Alberts Impact Ventures portfolio·Aura Group portfolio·Startup Daily·Early VC·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

Seed $1.3m

Refilled wants to save 100 million plastic bottles from the landfill

Sydney startup Refilled has raised a A$1.3 million seed round, with Melt Ventures leading and Envato's Ta'eed brothers among backers, to scale refill stations that cut single-use plastic; Google is already a customer.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

Funding announcement

This venture fund wants more billion-dollar businesses founded by women

Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale started to back women founders across Australia and the US, its Australian backers, and its portfolio companies Eugene, Loupe, HowToo and Othelia AI.

Funding announcement

'A turning tide': Marisa Warren and Kate Vale's venture fund will level the playing field for female founders

Profile of ALIAVIA, the venture fund Marisa Warren and Kate Vale run from California to back women founders across Australian and US markets; also covers its backers, early investments, and Warren's ELEVACAO program.

Fund close $13.5m

ALIAVIA Ventures fights gender funding inequalities in the US and Australia

ALIAVIA Ventures has closed its debut fund at A$13.5 million. The US-based firm backs female founders bridging Australian and US markets; backers include Carol Schwartz, Tattarang, the Denholms, Euphemia, Dom Pym and Cynthia Scott.

Also SmartCompany·Women's Agenda·Forbes Australia·TechCrunch Venture

32 deals

FUNDED September 2022 Including September Q Review

Techboard's September 2022 roundup reports Australian raises led by Morse Micro's $140m Series B, several acquisitions including ResApp Health to Pfizer, fund closes by Telstra Ventures, OIF and Main Sequence, and open raises.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·SmartCompany

9 deals

Cultured meat, seaweed and death tech: 10 startups we’re watching in 2023

SmartCompany profiles ten Australian startups to watch in 2023, recapping recent funding rounds, one acquisition, and pitch-event and awards results across insurtech, gaming, biotech, death tech and freight.

Also SmartCompany

8 deals

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Venture capital is down, but a long way from out

Ignition Lane's weekly wrap reports falling Australian venture funding, lists several startup raises and fund raises, covers Chargefox's acquisition, Volt's closure, the Zip-Sezzle merger termination, and global tech news.

Also Women's Agenda·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Techboard·SmartCompany

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