Australia’s startup machine is revving up for 2025 on a wave of new capital fueling a tide of innovation.
From AI-powered eCommerce to workplace wellness, marketing automation, and Asia-Pacific growth lending, homegrown startups are scooping up large deals—and even larger cheques
AMP boosts AI-powered eCommerce with $20m capital
AMP, an AI-powered eCommerce software platform out of Sydney, has raised $20 million in new capital and acquired Back In Stock, a top Shopify app for back-in-stock alerts. The round, led by current investor Openspace Ventures and new entrant One Ventures, raises AMP’s total capital raised to $50 million (USD $30.5M).
Founded by serial founders Cameron Priest and Patrick Barnes, AMP has grown explosively since raising its $18.5M Series A in September of 2023. The funds will fuel its mission to disrupt eCommerce with transformational AI solutions.
Choco Up and Wonder Capital join forces to unlock $50m
Choco Up, one of Asia-Pacific’s premier growth financing platforms, has entered into a joint venture with independent investment management group Wonder Capital Group Limited to bring to market a range of $50 million private credit funds. The venture is commencing life with a first close of $10 million headed by Wonder Capital’s CMAG Private Credit Fund.
Dedicated to closing the $2 trillion SMEs funding gap in Asia—98% of Asia’s businesses but only 38% of its GDP—this program will provide non-dilutive, revenue-based financing to asset-light eCommerce, SaaS, and tech businesses. Choco Up’s vision: help one million businesses grow responsibly in the region.
Flowing Bee raises $1.6m
Flowing Bee, an AI-driven behavior insights platform, has raised $1.6 million in an oversubscribed round of funding led by Archangel Ventures. Investors include The University of Melbourne Genesis Pre-Seed Fund, Antler, LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund, M8 Ventures, and key angel investors. Its technology revolutionizes marketing by targeting strategies at consumer behavior, putting a new twist on automation. The funds will power its mission to disrupt how businesses connect with their audiences.
Startmate and Victorian accelerators donate $4.1m
Victoria’s startup community is receiving an injection of $5.1 million from LaunchVic, the state’s startup body. The Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship gets $1 million to train early-stage investors in due diligence, raising capital, and portfolio management. An extra $4.1 million (up to an additional $1.5M) is allocated across five accelerators—ANDHealth, Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP), MedTech Actuator, Startmate, and Startupbootcamp—to provide 165 Victorian startups with mentorship, resources, and capital to scale rapidly.
Sonder raises $40m to revolutionize workplace safety
Sonder, an eight-year-old Sydney scaleup founded by three previous public servants, has raised $40 million to expand its workplace wellbeing and safety app, which is used by McDonald’s, among others. As a modern replacement for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), Sonder simplifies employees’ access to advice.
The funding, from existing investors Blackbird, MA Growth Ventures, and Seek, and super fund Hostplus, follows a $35M Series B round in mid-2022 and a $16M follow-on in January 2024. The funding will drive its next phase of growth.
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