News & Announcements

Learn how non-technical women founders can thrive in the tech startup world. From finding the right co-founder to navigating investors, this guide offers practical tips for overcoming challenges.

Angelina Wu, co-founder of Investment Markets, explains how the platform connects independent investors with diverse opportunities, while helping capital raisers reach a wider audience.

Retail investors in private companies face new risks as platforms like Liquidise offer solutions for equity crowdfunding. Learn about the challenges and opportunities in this growing alternative investment market.

InvestmentMarkets.com.au launches Australia’s first all-in-one investment portal, simplifying access to various asset classes for self-directed investors. Find and compare opportunities in managed funds, shares, ETFs, and more.

Michael Lee, a passionate entrepreneur, is revolutionising property management with WeWumbo. He shares how the platform connects high-rise residents with their building community, local services, and amenities, aiming to make everyday life more convenient and efficient.

Seed Space Partner Will Lawson examines whether Australia's new investment rules could hinder innovation, discussing the impact of regulatory changes and how startups can adapt.

Andrew Ward, CEO of Liquidise, shares how his company is disrupting private share liquidity through blockchain technology. Liquidise is leading innovation in the finance space, offering a game-changing solution for investors.

Will Lawson, Partner at Seed Space, discusses the positive trends in Australia's fintech sector for 2024, highlighting innovation, regulatory support, and growing investor confidence.

Anto Joseph, co-founder of Stropro, shares his journey from private wealth management to launching a platform that offers exclusive access to alternative investments. Discover how Stropro is redefining the wealth management space.

Peter Prowse, co-founder of CodeSource, discusses how his company is revolutionising software solutions for Australian SMEs, tackling challenges like remote work and data management with innovative tools.

Tom Blinksell shares how Provider Choice is building an impact-first platform to simplify NDIS management, empowering Australians with disabilities to navigate care more effectively and achieve better outcomes.

Daniel Kniaz, founder and CEO of Weel (previously DiviPay), shares insights on fintech innovation, digital payments, and staying competitive in Australia's evolving financial landscape.

Explore the shift in the startup ecosystem as the Unicorn Era fades, and seed-stage startups rise to prominence. Discover the factors driving this change and how investors and entrepreneurs are adapting to the new landscape.

Cathy Lyall discusses key areas where the Australian government can step in to support the startup ecosystem. She highlights the need for policies that encourage innovation, better access to capital, and simplified regulatory processes.

WE Wumbo is a fully integrated building management platform created by entrepreneur Michael Lee in 2017. With a background in property management, Lee saw the potential for technology to revolutionize the industry and offer residents of highrise buildings a more efficient, personalized way to manage their spaces.

Cathy Lyall shares her perspective on the 2023 investor landscape. She discusses key trends, potential opportunities, and challenges that investors may face in the coming year.

Perth tech startup HeyHubble hopes to give more Australians with disabilities greater control over how they want to lead their lives after raising $11 million in funding.

With so much doom and gloom in the global media at the moment it’s easy to get the impression that the venture capital and startups scene in Australia is collapsing around us. But in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. 2021, with its huge valuations and the ‘bull market of everything’ was an anomaly – what we see today is not much more than a return to normal conditions.

Sydney-based health-tech T-Shirt Ventures raises $11M in Series A to expand NDIS support through innovative technology, led by HEAL Partners and with ex-Ramsay CEO Chris Rex as chairman.

The boom in Australia’s tech sector, coupled with a post-pandemic shift in how people are working, could be the key to economic recovery and employment after the pandemic. However the government needs to help push this along further.

Do you know what was happening 59 years ago? The Beach Boys were crooning at the top of the pops with “Surfin’ USA.” The internet was a good three decades away from popular adoption; the average Australian house cost less than $10,000; and a litre of petrol cost around $0.65. JFK got assassinated; the world’s first measles vaccine got approved; and US Congress passed the Equal Pay Act.

You’ve had a great idea, you believe in it 100%, and you’ve successfully completed your first capital raise – it’ll be plain sailing now, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, statistics show just the opposite. The failure rate for startup companies is around 90% (reference and link to Startup Genome) and of those, two out of 10 will fail within their first year of operation.

It is undeniable that technology is shaping the way we live, come together, grow and thrive as part of a global society. Fintech is an important part of this modern digital reality. According to Accenture, investments in fintech leaped from $3.2 billion in 2012 to $42.1 billion in 2020 as fintech has made increasing traction in creating real change in the real world. Financial inclusion has been an important part of this and will be for many years to come.

Redbelly Blockchain, an Australian blockchain developed by the University of Sydney and CSIRO, has spun out as a commercial enterprise, Redbelly Network, in a joint venture with blockchain venture studio Block8.

The dawn of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has the potential to cause disruption throughout the fabric of the world’s economy, and across all industries. Owning assets is becoming more dynamic by the day; people are jumping aboard the ship of exclusivity; and celebrities haven’t been hesitant in utilising this new asset class.

A startup founder has to wear many hats. Convening a Board is just one of the many, many tasks facing a founder, but it is arguably one of the most critical that can make – or break – a fledgling company.

Founded in 2018, Seed Space is a venture capital firm focused on early stage fintech investments. Seed Space was initially set up in Australia, supported by capital from its founders, its investment committee and a small group of family offices.

Cathy Lyall sat down with ausbiz TV to talk about the evolving fintech startup ecosystem in Australia and what changes need to be made to the Government incentives, including the ESVCLP program, to provide greater support to founders and investors.

More than 100 digital and fintech innovations have been successfully integrated into the Australian financial services industry since the end of 2019. With Afterpay making waves locally, and the global fintech sector set to be worth $305 billion by 2025, what can Australia do to get a bigger slice of the pie?

Australian fintech is enjoying a shining moment on the international stage with Square’s purchase of Afterpay. The deal is a huge positive for the whole fintech ecosystem, and an important recognition of the strength of Australian fintech.

Australia recently ranked 6th in the world in the 2021 Global Fintech Rankings, a testament to the creativity and entrepreneurship of the local industry. This success however, has come despite, rather than as a result of, Government support for tech generally and fintech in particular. If Australia is to reach its potential, there is much to be done.

Afterpay’s rise from nothing to being the subject of the biggest merger and acquisition in Australian history will provide a big boost for the Australian Securities Exchange’s plans to become a global listed tech stock hub, and could turbocharge the country’s booming start-up scene, industry insiders say. Seed Space Partner Cathryn Lyall shares her view on the deal in The Australian Financial Review.

The rise of the fintech sector has invited millions around the world to reimagine the way they conduct their finances. Driven by a lack of trust for traditional banking institutions, we’re currently seeing fintech startups becoming an increasingly attractive choice for a wide range of demographics. In this article, we’ll examine the key role that regtech plays in the fintech field in Australia and beyond, discussing its possibilities after the pandemic.

It is difficult to get anything other than optimistic positivity when you talk to many players involved in the fast-growing local tech start-up scene. By nature they have to believe that risky endeavours to create big new companies from scratch are going to succeed, so are prone to seeing the opportunities rather than the roadblocks. But roadblocks do exist and Seed Space Advisor Cathryn Lyall is well placed, and more than willing to point them out.

Paul Feeney, a driven entrepreneur with a background in wealth management, is changing the way people access independent financial advice. Having worked for many years as a financial planner and then a private banker, Paul knows only too well the challenges people face in managing their finances, no matter what stage of the wealth journey they’re on.

Cathy Lyall from Seed Space Venture Capital sat down with ausbiz TV to talk about the Federal Budget announcement and why Australia needs greater tax concessions for early stage investors.

Bitcoin was essentially created by those who didn’t believe in the established monetary system, they wanted to create an environment where monetary exchanges could take place outside of the established system by removing not only the third-party intermediaries but also replacing the traditional units of exchange.

Last night’s federal budget gave us a whole lot to cover, both in terms of small business and startup initiatives. But between the digital economy plan, tax relief for SMEs and measures to boost employment, there were a few things missing. Despite historically being an area in favour, and despite the ongoing Senate enquiry into fintech and regtech, financial technology barely warranted a mention in this year’s budget.

The classic phrase ‘time is money’ is one that heavily applies to those running businesses, where every minute has the potential to push a company forward or hold it back. As many will no doubt attest: it can be an arduous juggle.

To list or not to list? That’s seemingly the question of 2021 when it comes to the start-up tech sector. Some prefer to stay private for longer, thus retaining control of the shareholder register and saving on the significant time and cost often associated with the disclosure and compliance requirements of being a public company.

2020 was a year of fast and profound changes. Countless businesses were forced to close, while others had to restructure their activities. As part of this, the world experienced an exponentially accelerated adoption of eCommerce. 2020’s shift in consumer habits created new perceptions of how we sell and buy goods that will leave a lasting impact. In this article, we’ll discuss five new eCommerce trends and their impact on businesses.

Joel Robbie, CEO & Co-Founder at Nod, is a passionate advocate for AI and believes that through the power of technology that we can remove the preconceived barriers to let humans better connect with each other. These personal values have evolved into the greater purpose that Nod has set out to achieve.

Cathy Lyall & Lynda Coker from Seed Space Venture Capital sat down with ausbiz TV to talk about the participation of women in fintech and how we can shift the gender imbalance.

Tarek Ayoub is a driven entrepreneur with an ambitious vision for the fintech industry and its future. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Beforepay, a company that is changing the way people access their pay cheque, providing everyday Aussies with access to their wages on demand.

Cathy Lyall from Seed Space Venture Capital sat down with ausbiz TV to talk about the nominees for the Female Fintech leader of the Year Award at the "Finnies."

Founder Dirk Steller talks with ticker on how Seed Space helps promote diversity and inclusion in Australia's fintech sector.

Lynda Coker sat down with ausbiz TV to share her thoughts about Open Banking and the fintech industry in Australia.

Cathryn talks in detail with ausbiz TV about the current barriers that exists and the improvements that the Australian Government can make to changes the way VC's can invest in early-stage fintech startups.

To mark International Women’s Day 2021, Seed Space spoke to six influential women in the Australian fintech startup scene about what specific idea they #ChooseToChallenge this year. Some of them may surprise you.

More Australians have sprung into the world of online shopping after coronavirus restrictions and store closures last year accelerated the uptake of e-commerce. There’s no doubt that the impacts of the pandemic accelerated demand in e-commerce. But while people are becoming more and more willing to shop online, the user experience for customers leaves much to be desired.

As a venture capitalist, hundreds of deals are presented to me on a monthly basis. Understanding how we evaluate these can help early stage businesses give themselves the best chance of getting noticed among the crowd.

When assessing the suitability of an early-stage business for possible investment, the makeup of its founding team weighs heavily and is all-important. A founding team with the right mix of hustle, industry knowledge and swagger can be the “make or break” factor in determining long-term success.

The Australian government has regularly stated that it recognises the need to support competition, innovation and productivity in the Australian financial services sector. Statements made by the government so far are warmly welcomed, as are the actions taken, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for Business and Talent Attraction. However, in order to flourish, fintech businesses require capital, and Australia currently lags far behind in this regard.

Lynda Coker sat down with ausbiz TV to talk about the importance of building a diverse founding team and the critical role it plays when assessing the suitability of an early-stage business.

In the business game, attention – specifically, the right attention – is king. By now, most of us know that social is a major marketing avenue for businesses – an incredibly valuable way to attract customers and partnerships, and to amplify the brand as a whole. But, oh boy, are there a lot of questions.

The federal government’s early-stage venture capital partnership was set up for the purpose of encouraging investment into our tech sector, yet Australia continues to lag behind other nations in terms of capital investment. Dirk Steller shares his views in The Australian on why a new mandate for Australia's Future fund could could help solve a major gap in fintech funding.

Is 2021 the year your startup will go from big idea to fully fledged company? One of the first hurdles you and all startups face is how to fund your early development and growth.

Building an ‘impact first’ business that will demystify the minefield of the NDIS is Tom Blinksell’s mission. Alongside co-founder Jonathan Salgo, Tom represents a new breed of entrepreneur, using their skillsets and commercial experience to create a socially impactful business.

The growing prevalence of digital identities will have far-reaching consequences for the way we interact with our traditional banking and financial services institutions in shaping the contours of customer engagement. Seed Space Venture Capital founder and managing partner Dirk Steller shares his views on Stockhead.

Australia’s fintech sector continues to grow, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 recession, new research has shown. Despite a growing number of fintechs entering the market, venture capital investor Seed Space highlighted Australia cannot compete globally in a fintech market due to weaker global initiatives.

While the Prime Minister has shown he believes both government and industry need to get behind fintech, Dirk Steller, founder and managing partner of Seed Space Venture Capital commented the local sector needs policy changes and greater support before it can be taken seriously as a regional hub for innovation.

From selling everything he owned, sleeping on floors to raising the biggest seed round in Malaysian history. It has been a rollercoaster few years for MyMy CEO & Co Founder Joe McGuire, as he he strives to build the world’s first Sharia-compliant digital bank.

Seed Space Venture Capital managing partner Dirk Steller believes it’s absolutely critical that Australia learns from our international counterparts in making open banking a success, particularly as the Consumer Data Right is rolled out to different industries beyond financial services.

Seed Space Venture Capital managing partner Dirk Steller opens up on the transformational impact that the pandemic has had on the fintech industry and emerging companies in Australia.

The results from this year's Fintech Australia and EY Fintech Census show female participation in the fintech workforce has stagnated at 29 percent, the same figure as last year. Founder Dirk Steller and Civil Ledger CEO Katrina Donaghy - an adviser to Seed Space share their thoughts on why gender diversity in fintech is so important.

Seed Space investee DiviPay is an all-in-one spend management tool that helps Australian SMEs instantly issue virtual corporate cards, control spending and automate their expense reporting. DiviPay comes with everything you’ll need to streamline and control company spending.

Having overseen a meteoric share price rise after its debut on ASX this month, Douugh Founder & CEO Andy Taylor remains sanguine, and focused on his upcoming US launch.

The VC Land Podcast connects you with some of the leading players in Australia’s growing venture capital (VC) market. In this episode, Justin speaks with veteran VC investor Dirk Steller, founder and managing partner of Seed Space Venture Capital. Steller talks through the origins of Seed Space; how his fund identifies opportunities and the formula for success and more.

As startups grow, gain recognition and commercialise, capital raising becomes a critical component of success. The funding landscape is constantly changing and investment options are diversifying. The Stone & Chalk guide to capital-raising for startups provides expert guidance to the types, stages, and sourcing of startup funding, as well as the steps involved in valuation and issuing equity.

Venture Capital fund Seed Space is ready to deploy capital to find the next Australian FinTech unicorn. And in doing so, it wants to help local startups safely navigate the dreaded “valley of death”.

As Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced his new-look ministry, it served as an immediate recognition of the fact that the voice of fintech in this country was being heard. Seed Space’s managing partner Dirk Steller looks at how Senator Jane Hume’s promotion to the role of assistant minister for superannuation, financial services and financial technology this week was an excellent step forward for fintech in Australia.

As Australia’s fintech industry develops, successful startups will increasingly need to consider how they access capital markets to finance the next phase of growth. Dirk Steller, founder of fintech venture capital fund Seed Space, says listing publicly can still add value, but it’s important to get the timing right.

Securing the right venture capital can completely transform your startup. Getting the right partnership in place can prove to be invaluable – particularly in your early stages of development.

The passage of open banking legislation by the Australian parliament last month is a key turning point for fintech in Australia. Fostering the right regulatory policy settings and cultivating a mood of collaboration between start-ups and regulators has been a key aspect of Australia’s mission to cement its claim as a regional leader in fintech innovation.

In this feature article for Dynamic Business, editor Loren Webb speaks to industry experts on the best strategies to ensure your business thrives and stands out from the competition to ensure customer loyalty.

In this feature article for Dynamic Business, editor Loren Webb speaks to industry leaders on whether modern start-ups and innovative businesses today can still survive without an online offering.

Journalist Elizabeth McArthur speaks to Seed Space’s managing partner Dirk Steller after the release of a Rice Warner report arguing technology will fundamentally alter how people expect to receive and pay for retirement advice.

Incumbent financial institutions, traditionally constrained by a historical reliance on legacy systems and infrastructure, are now able to focus more on the scale and sophistication of their data, opening up new possibilities for how they interact with the fund members of tomorrow through the advent of AI.

The growing maturity of Australia’s FinTech space is unlocking a realm of possibilities for the next generation of small businesses coming through seeking to gain a strong capital foothold as they transition towards their next phase of growth.

The federal government has kicked off a review of Australia's fintech industry in a bid to improve the nation's competitiveness, as entrepreneurs call for more support and a visa shake-up.

The first issues paper on the national inquiry into Australia's fintech and regtech sectors has been released, providing insight into the government's view of the sector as well as how it plans to shape the inquiry.

Access to capital, regulation and culture is among the issues for Australian fintechs by the sector’s dedicated Senate committee, as the government body has launched its inquiry into the industry.

Clancy Yeates speaks to Seed Space founder Dirk Steller on open banking, why it won’t spark an exodus from the traditional financial services incumbents and what it means for younger clients who are open to buying services digitally.

The Australian Senate’s Select Committee on Financial Technology and Regulatory Technology released an issues paper this week ahead of its inquiry into the sector. Startup Daily spoke to three tech leaders for their views. Here’s what they said.

New fintech on-the-block Stropro has started to officially open up its investment platform to wealth managers and high-net-worth investors around the country, after completing beta testing for its technology.

This year’s WealthTech Forum in Geneva had a clear message for Australian wealth managers: it’s time for change. The reality is that wealth management and private banking across the world has not yet started focusing on millennials or iGen clients who will completely transform the business model needed.

Stropro looks to be the market leader for structured products in Australia, bringing wholesale investors market leading opportunities from the world’s best global investment banks. We sat down with CEO & Co-founder Anto Joseph to discuss the rise of Stropro and its addressable market.