In the Blink of AI: Conversations with AI Innovators Join Georgie Healy on 'In the Blink of AI', your weekly guide to the dynamic world of artificial intelligence. Each episode features interviews with the founders of top AI startups, creative product builders, and industry leaders. With 20 years in engineering and technology, Georgie aims to distill complex AI concepts into engaging stories.

The show covers business building, cutting-edge AI technology, and guests' approaches to developing AI products, finishing with rapid-fire questions for quick insights. Connect with Georgie on LinkedIn, Instagram, or via email to share your thoughts and suggestions for future guests.

00:00 Introduction to In the Blink of AI

00:10 Meet Your Host: Georgie Healy

00:56 Podcast Format and Content

01:11 Engage with Us

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In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, host Will Richards and guest host Cheryl Mack from Aussie Angels and The First Cheque podcast break down the latest in Australia's startup and venture capital ecosystem. They cover Square Peg's ambitious new funds, the 2023 financial results of Linktree, and a groundbreaking partnership that will see hypersonic rocket launches from South Australian spaceports in 2025. The duo also discuss SafetyCulture's latest $75M raise, Algenie’s mission to replace plastics with algae, and interview Emma Grife from Startmate about their latest cohort. The episode wraps up with a useful resource for B2B startups navigating their sales funnels.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

05:00 Square Peg’s New Funds

09:00 Linktree’s 2023 Financials

12:30 Hypersonic rocket launches in South Australia

15:00 SafetyCulture’s Latest Raise

18:30 Algenie’s plastic replacements using Algae

25:00 Interview with Emma Grife from Startmate

30:00 Knowledge as a Service (KaaS) Recommendations

To get all the links to the stories we mentioned in this episode, you can read this week’s https://newsletter.overnightsuccess.vc/p/aussie-startup-vc-summary-14th-september

• Square Peg’s New Funds
• Square Peg is raising $840M for its sixth fund, focusing on seed and Series A investments, with a minority stake strategy. They are also raising $210M for their Opportunities Fund 3, highlighting strong returns from Canva and challenges in recent vintages.
• Linktree’s 2023 Financials
• Linktree revealed a $61.6M loss for 2023, spending $2 for every $1 earned. Despite generating $42.8M in revenue, the startup cut its workforce by nearly half. The founders took $21M off the table in secondary sales.
• South Australian Hypersonic Rocket Launches
• Hypersonix Launch Systems will partner with Southern Launch to enable Mach 7 hypersonic rocket launches from South Australian spaceports by 2025, dependent on environmental assessments.

• SafetyCulture
• Raised $75M in fresh capital with an additional $90M in secondaries at a $2.5B valuation. SafetyCulture plans to enhance its workplace solutions with AI-powered tools and IoT functionalities.
• Algenie
• Secured $1.1M in pre-seed funding to scale algae production as a sustainable alternative to fossil...

In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, host Will Richards and standing in for Gemma Clancy this week, Cheryl Mack, dive into Uber's new partnership with Turo after shutting down its Car Next Door acquisition. They also discuss Premier Capital Partners' new fund, AirTrunk’s $23 billion sale, and Cheryl’s experience at the Startup Daily Awards. The episode also features a deep dive into Safe Ag Systems, an agtech safety platform. Plus, catch the latest startup raises and Will’s pick for Knowledge as a Service (KaaS).

• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
• 00:28 Uber pivots to Turo partnership
• 05:15 Premier Capital Partners new fund
• 10:22 AirTrunk’s $23 billion sale
• 13:45 Startup Daily Awards highlights
• 20:15 Startup Raises: Safe Ag Systems
• 28:10 KaaS Recommendations

To access the links to the stories mentioned in this episode, check out this week’s Overnight Success newsletter. https://newsletter.overnightsuccess.vc/p/7th-september-2024

• Australian Startup Financial Confidence Report 2024
• Airwallex Report
• Uber’s Turo Partnership
• Uber has partnered with Turo to let users rent peer-to-peer vehicles through the Uber app starting in 2025.
• Premier Capital Partners Fund
• Premier Capital Partners is launching a fund targeting mid-market tech companies with a size of $30-$50 million and a hard cap of $75 million. The fund will write cheques between $5-$20 million.
• AirTrunk Sale
• AirTrunk was sold to Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $23 billion, marking one of Australia’s largest acquisitions.
• AFR Article on AirTrunk Sale

• David Burt

In the interview, David Burt from UNSW Founders discusses the impact of Labor's proposed cap on international students and its potential effects on Australia's startup ecosystem, universities, and the broader economy.

• Safe Ag Systems
• Founders: Katy Landt and Caroline Graham
• Safe Ag Systems, an agtech safety platform, raised $2.5 million to expand its reach to 10% of farm workers.

• Will’s Pick 💁🏻‍♂️
• How to Do Great Work by Paul Graham

• Cheryl on LinkedIn
• Will on LinkedIn

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In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, hosts Gemma Clancy and Will Richards explore three exciting new funds and initiatives in the Australian startup ecosystem, including the launch of the $66 million 66ten fund by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and Main Sequence's new Atmosphere program. They also cover the latest venture from SEEK co-founder Paul Bassett, Amplify, and discuss AustralianSuper's significant $1.1 billion write-off in their Pluralsight investment. The hosts highlight standout startups, including WhyHive, a data analysis tool, and Cropify, an AI-powered grain grading AgTech company. The episode also features an interview with Gav Parry on the launch of the Centre for Arts, Sports and Technology (CAST), and concludes with KaaS recommendations on essential startup content and a special announcement about a new co-host joining next week.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:28 New Fund Launches and Initiatives

06:12 Paul Bassett's Amplify

09:45 AustralianSuper's Pluralsight Write-off

12:40 Weekly Startup Raises

20:30 Interview with Gav Parry on CAST

28:00 KaaS Recommendations

30:45 Special Co-Host Announcement

31:00 Outro

Three New Funds and Initiatives

• 66ten Fund: WEHI’s $66M fund to back biomedical innovation.
• Seedlab Australia: Secures an additional $7M from Woolworths to support food, drink, and sustainable products.
• Main Sequence’s Atmosphere: New program to transform cutting-edge research into venture-scale businesses.

Paul Bassett Launches Amplify

• Amplify aims to improve trust in democracy through events, online conversations, and sharing of evidence.

AustralianSuper Write-Off

• AustralianSuper writes off $1.1B in their Pluralsight investment, which had acquired A Cloud Guru in 2021.

• WhyHive: A $600K raise led by Skalata Ventures, making data analysis user-friendly.
• Cropify: A $2M seed round for AI-powered precision grain grading, led by Mandalay Venture Partners.

• Gemma’s Pick: Crucible Moments (Season 2) by Sequoia Capital, featuring founders of ServiceNow, YouTube, DoorDash, and more.
• Will’s Pick: Blog on common VC scams - OpenVC.

• Cheryl Mack from Aussie Angels & The First Cheque podcast will join as a co-host next week while Gemma enjoys a vacation in Italy.

• Gemma on LinkedIn
• Will on LinkedIn

Thanks to our sponsors for helping to make this episode of The Startup Retro possible.

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In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, Gemma and Will explore Uber's decision to shut down Car Next Door, its Australian carshare division, after acquiring the startup for $105M. The hosts share some positive news from the startup ecosystem, including Sitemate’s acquisition of Nomad Fleet, Bindimaps securing a key partnership with Australia Post, and the latest developments in the SunCable renewable energy project. In the startup raises segment, the hosts spotlight space-tech innovator Metakosmos and childcare-focused AI startup LoveHeart.ai.

Time Stamps

00:00 - Acknowledgement of Country

00:30 - Intro music

01:00 - Welcome and episode preview

01:30 - Pre-roll ad

02:00 - Headlines

02:30 - Uber shuts down Car Next Door

07:30 - Sitemate acquires Nomad Fleet

09:00 - BindiMaps secures partnership with Australia Post

10:00 - SunCable project approved by Federal Government

12:00 - Startup Raises

12:30 - Gem’s Pick: Metakosmos

17:00 - Will’s Pick: LoveHeart.ai

20:00 - Mid-roll ad

25:00 - KaaS Recommendations

28:00 - Outro

Headlines

• Uber scraps Carshare division after acquiring Aussie startup Car Next Door for $105M
• Sitemate acquires Nomad Fleet for $2M
• BindiMaps navigates a path to partnership with Australia Post
• SunCable solar farm in NT gets Federal government approval

Startup Raises

• Metakosmos
• LoveHeart.ai

KaaS Recommendations

Gem’s Pick

• Building B2B Startup Marketing Orgs from 1 to 25+, Emily Kramer (MKT1)

Will’s Pick

• Thrive, Consolidate or Die by Abhishek Maran (Rampersand)

• Gemma on LinkedIn
• Will on LinkedIn

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In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, hosts Will and Gemma discuss the latest developments in the Breakthrough Victoria saga, including the departure of its CEO and ongoing legal battles with a founder. They also provide an update on the progress of the Future Made in Australia (FMiA) legislation, which is currently being debated in parliament. The hosts then cover the release of Australia's updated National Science and Research Priorities, focusing on key areas like net-zero transition and Indigenous knowledge systems. In addition, they highlight two new funds deploying capital into Aussie startups and feature their favourite startup raises of the week. To top it off, Gemma and Will interview Slice co-founder Farouk Ismail, who shares insights on their decision to take international funding and offers advice on expanding into the US market. The episode concludes with their Knowledge as a Service (KaaS) podcast recommendations.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:12 Breakthrough Victoria CEO Departure & Legal Battle

06:48 FMiA Legislation Update

10:42 National Science and Research Priorities Release

15:25 New Funds - CoVentures & Proto Axiom

21:13 Weekly Startup Raises

27:50 Interview with Slice Co-founder Farouk Ismail

43:21 KaaS Recommendations

48:12 Outro

Breakthrough Victoria

• CEO exits amid ongoing legal battle with a founder.

FMiA Update

• Heated debate continues in parliament.
• The government could proceed with the funding regardless of the legislation’s outcome.

National Science and Research Priorities

• Minister Ed Husic outlines new imperatives for science investment in Australia.
• Key focus areas include transitioning to net-zero, supporting healthy communities, elevating Indigenous knowledge systems, environmental restoration, and national security.

New Funds

• CoVentures, a single-GP fund managed by Maxine Minter, closes its first fund with $5M+. (Listen to Maxine’s show, First Cheque on the Day One network.)
• Proto Axiom emerges with new capital to deploy into Australian startups.

Gemma's Pick: aglow

• Founders: Jo Blundell and Karl Margrain
• $1.25M raised
• Aglow is helping beauty businesses implement membership programs, moving them away from pay-as-you-go models towards predictable, recurring revenue streams. With 600+ salons onboarded and $16M in ARR, they are leading a shift in the beauty industry.

Will's Pick: DeCarice

• Founders: Goran Bozic and Professor Shawn Kook
• Pre-seed raise from Investible’s Climate Tech Fund
• DeCarice’s hydrogen injection technology is cutting carbon emissions by 85% in heavy-duty diesel engines, offering a scalable decarbonisation solution for mining and transport industries.

Slice's Farouk Ismail

• Farouk shares why Slice chose international funding and offers essential tips for Australian startups looking to break into the US market.

Gemma's Pick 💁🏻‍♀️: Diaspora.nz

• A podcast showcasing the Kiwi expat community, hosted by David Booth, featuring conversations with founders, innovators, and emerging leaders.

Will's Pick 💁🏻‍♂️:...

In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, Gemma and Will explore the latest happenings in the Australian startup ecosystem. They discuss OneVentures' ambitious plans with their 7th fund, aiming to raise $200 million, and review the firm's impressive history. The hosts also highlight the new accelerator cohorts from Startmate and Remarkable, before diving into the significant US court ruling that declares Google an illegal monopoly. To round off the episode, they feature their top startup raises of the week, including Eyeonic's innovative glaucoma screening technology and Rich Data Co's AI-powered credit assessment platform.

00:00 Acknowledgment of Country

00:30 Intro Music

01:00 Welcome and Overview

02:00 OneVentures’ 7th Fund Announcement

05:30 Startmate and Remarkable Accelerator Cohorts

09:00 US Court Ruling on Google as an Illegal Monopoly

12:00 Pulse Check Recap

15:00 Startup Raises

15:30 Gemma’s Pick: Eyeonic

21:00 Will’s Pick: Rich Data Co

25:30 Special Mention: Noveco Surfaces’ Recycled Glass Tiles

28:00 KaaS Recommendations

Headlines

• OneVentures raising 7th VC fund, aiming for $200m (AFR)
• Startmate Accelerator Winter 24 cohort announcement (Startmate)
• Remarkable Accelerator cohort announcement (Smart Company)
• US Court decides Google is an illegal monopoly (The Conversation)
• Pulse Check Newsletter - August Edition

Startup Raises

• Eyeonic
• Company story video
• Rich Data Co
• Noveco Surfaces

Our favourite startup-relevant read, listen or watch of the week

• Australia’s Sportstech Sector: Australian athletes aren’t the only ones winning on the global stage, by Will Richards

Gem’s Pick 💁🏻‍♀️

• How I Built Dis, The Imperfects Podcast (from The Resilience Project)

Will’s Pick 💁🏻‍♂️

• Two by Two - Capital Chronicles Newsletter by Joshua Boccamazzo

• Gemma on LinkedIn
• Will on LinkedIn

Thanks to our sponsors for helping to make this episode of The Startup Retro...

In this week's episode of The Startup Retro, hosts, Will & Gemma delve into Canva's acquisition of Leonardo AI and feature an interview with Elli Hanson from Side Stage, one of Leonardo's investors. The hosts also discuss the South Australian Venture Capital Fund and the state government's independent report on its effectiveness and uncover the secret termination of the federal government's Boosting Female Founders (BFF) grant program. And to wrap up Gemma & Will highlight the latest startup raises, including Monty Compost, an industrial composting tool, and Slice, a bootstrapped fintech in the travel industry.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:28 Canva Acquires Leonardo AI

05:02 South Australian Venture Capital Fund Report

09:00 Boosting Female Founders Program Termination

15:37 Weekly Startup Raises

28:31 KaaS Recommendations

To get all the links to the stories we mentioned in this episode, you can read this week’s Overnight Success newsletter. https://newsletter.overnightsuccess.vc/p/aussie-startup-vc-summary-3rd-august-2024

Headlines

• Canva Acquires Leonardo AI
• SAVCF Government Report
• Boosting Female Founders Program Termination

Startup Raises

Monty Compost

Founder: Ashley Baxter

Monty Compost, an organic waste recycling/composting IoT device with analytics software, has secured $1M from Skalata and Antler (QIC).

Slice

Founders: Yannick Darmalingam and Farouk Ismail

Slice, a Sydney-based fintech, has raised $7.5M in Seed funding from Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India & SEA) and a $10M debt facility from Roadnight Capital.

Gemma’s Pick 💁🏻‍♀️

Podcast: The Journal - "Alexa is in millions of homes and Amazon is losing billions"

Will’s Pick 💁🏻‍♂️

Blog: The Big Guide to Fusion by Ben James

• Gemma on LinkedIn
• Will on LinkedIn

Thanks to our sponsors for helping to make this episode of The Startup Retro possible.

Are you a founder overwhelmed by HR, payroll, onboarding, and IT tasks? Simplify with Rippling: an all-in-one platform for your global workforce.

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