Four ANZ startups in unrelated industries announced raises totalling about $76 million in late April 2026, led by a $37 million Series A for Sydney chip packaging company Syenta.
The four span financial services software, semiconductors, market research and battery recycling. Two of the rounds came with notable endorsements: Blackbird compared one company’s early traction to Canva’s, and former Intel chief executive Pat Gelsinger joined another’s board. Figures are as reported.
The companies
Marloo
Marloo, which builds an AI assistant for financial advisers, raised a US$10 million (about A$14 million) seed round led by existing investor Blackbird Ventures, Startup Daily reported on 29 April. The company said more than 650 advisory firms across six countries had signed up in less than six months. Blackbird said the team reminded it of Canva’s early days. Marloo was co-founded by Hardy Michel, Shakeel Lala and Ben Robertson.
Syenta (Sydney)
Syenta raised a $37 million (US$26 million) Series A co-led by Playground Global and the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, Business News Australia reported on 22 April. The company, built on research from the Australian National University, develops a chip packaging process it says can cut manufacturing steps by up to 40 per cent, a bottleneck for AI hardware. Gelsinger, now a general partner at Playground Global, joined the board. Existing backers including Blackbird, Investible and In-Q-Tel also took part.
Ideally (Sydney and Melbourne)
Ideally, an AI market research platform, raised a $13.4 million Series A at a valuation of more than $83 million, according to IT Brief Australia. Shearwater Capital led the round, with Altered Capital and Icehouse Ventures participating. More than 250 brands use the service, including Google, Telstra, DoorDash and Asahi, and the money is earmarked for US expansion.
Renewable Metals (Perth)
Renewable Metals raised a $12 million Series A for its technology to recycle used electric vehicle batteries. The company has a new plant in Western Australia nearing operation.
Jack’s take
When Blackbird compares a seed stage company to early Canva, people pay attention. And when the former CEO of Intel joins the board of an ANU spin-out, it says something about where chip talent thinks the next breakthroughs will come from.