
Starfish Ventures
Description
Starfish Ventures is a prominent Australian venture capital firm based in Melbourne, known for its focus on early-stage technology and life sciences companies. Established as a significant player in the Australian VC ecosystem, the firm manages over A$400 million (approximately US$260 million) in capital across five distinct funds. Their strategic objective is to identify and nurture high-growth Australian businesses with the potential for global scale, contributing significantly to the nation's innovation landscape.
The firm's investment mandate spans a broad spectrum of sectors, including information technology (covering software, internet, digital media, mobile, telecommunications, semiconductors, and electronics), life sciences (including medical devices), and clean technology. Starfish Ventures typically targets initial investments ranging from A$1 million to A$10 million (approximately US$650,000 to US$6.5 million). This initial capital is deployed to support companies from seed to Series A stages, helping them achieve critical milestones and accelerate market penetration.
Beyond the initial capital injection, Starfish Ventures demonstrates a commitment to its portfolio companies by providing follow-on funding, with the capacity to invest up to A$20 million (approximately US$13 million) over the lifecycle of a single company. This long-term approach underscores their dedication to fostering sustainable growth and maximizing value for their ventures. Their experienced team provides strategic guidance, operational support, and access to an extensive network, positioning them as a valuable partner for ambitious Australian entrepreneurs aiming for significant market impact.
Investor Profile
Starfish Ventures has backed more than 22 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 4 rounds, about 18% of its total and boasts 18 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series B, Series A, Series C rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Australia.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Enterprise Software, Health Care.
- Typical check size: $650K – $6.5M.
Stage Focus
- Series B (36%)
- Series A (27%)
- Series C (9%)
- Seed (9%)
- Series Unknown (9%)
- Series E (5%)
- Post Ipo Equity (5%)
Country Focus
- United States (64%)
- Australia (36%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Enterprise Software
- Health Care
- Medical
- Hardware
- Manufacturing
- Biotechnology
- Telecommunications
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Health Diagnostics
Frequently Asked Questions
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