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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Oceania, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌍
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📰 Important News
- Virgin Australia partnered with OpenAI so ChatGPT could suggest and plan flights as the airline expanded its AI-driven customer experience.
- Australia launched the AI Safety Institute to assess AI risks, support regulation, and strengthen public trust ahead of the National AI Plan.
- Two teens backed by the Digital Freedom Project are challenging Australia’s under-16 social media ban as an unconstitutional burden on political communication.
- GetSwift founders Bane Hunter and Joel Macdonald have been permanently banned from serving as directors in Canada after major misconduct findings.
- Yume Food entered liquidation after a decade of reducing food waste and generating $30 million for manufacturers, with its platform offered for sale.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Pay.com.au closed $53 million at a $633 million valuation to expand in Australia and launch in the US while scaling its B2B rewards platform.
- Ruminant Biotech secured $9.7 million to commercialize long-duration methane reduction tech for pasture cattle with a 2026 launch planned.
- Australis Scientific landed $6 million from Rohto to advance Confidanz trials and expand across Asia Pacific with its smart patch alternative to adult diapers.
- Paperly raised $3 million to scale its fast-growing school administration SaaS platform and expand in Australia and abroad.
💰️ Notable Exits
- Sea Forest debuted on the ASX after raising $20.5 million to scale its SeaFeed methane reduction tech.
- Blackpearl Group debuted on the ASX after raising $8.65 million to scale its AI-powered Pearl Engine platform.
- REA Group acquired Neighbourlytics to boost community data insights, giving investors an exit after the startup raised $1.3 million.
- Alchemy Distillers acquired Banks Botanicals to boost global expansion and innovation.
🏦 About Investors
- EVP raised $100 million for its fifth fund from mostly existing LPs, doubling down on conservative SaaS software bets despite the StrongRoom AI dispute.
- Boman Grouplaunched a $60 million construction tech fund with JPCX to back modular and advanced building startups easing Australia’s housing shortage.
- Ochre Ventures reached a $30 million first close for its $100 million First Nations-focused VC fund backing scalable Indigenous-led startups with long-term support.
🚀Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
Pay.com.au
Pay.com.au is a fast-rising Melbourne fintech founded in 2019 by Damien Waller, Edward Alder, and Grant Austin, built around a simple idea, helping SMEs earn rewards on major business expenses. Led by CEO Ed Alder, the company offers an end-to-end platform that lets businesses pay tax, suppliers, rent, and wages while converting those flows into valuable points through partners like Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and more. It recently completed a $53 million capital event, including a $25 million primary raise and a $28 million secondary sell-down, led by Morgans Corporate with support from Wilson Asset Management, Thorney Group, and Ophir, lifting its valuation to $633 million. Now expanding into the US, with airline and hotel partnerships in place, pay.com.au is positioning itself as a new loyalty and payments infrastructure layer for businesses seeking more value from every transaction.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
EVP
Sydney-based EVP (Equity Venture Partners), founded in 2014 by Les Szekely and Howard Leibman, has built a reputation as one of Australia’s most disciplined B2B software investors, backing fast-growing SaaS companies across Australia and New Zealand. The firm, led by partners Leibman, Justin Lipman, and Daniel Szekely, recently navigated the turbulence surrounding its StrongRoom AI investment yet still closed a $100 million fund, with 80 percent of commitments coming from returning investors. With a concentrated portfolio strategy and a decade-long track record of minimal capital loss, EVP continues positioning itself as a steady, conviction-driven VC shaping the next generation of enterprise technology across the region.
🤑Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: The Imagine H2O Accelerator
The Imagine H2O Accelerator is now open for applications until December 19, 2025, offering a zero-equity program designed to help early-stage water and climate tech founders scale globally. Startups gain access to world-class mentorship, pilot funding, investor networks, and a strong industry ecosystem, with participation open to teams worldwide, including all African markets. The 2026 program cycle begins soon, supporting innovators developing breakthrough solutions across water management, quality, access, and sustainability. Apply now to accelerate your technology and enter new markets.
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