Fundraising Fox

Starfish Ventures

Venture capital

Melbourne · Pre-Seed–Growth · 2 people tracked

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Investment thesis

Starfish Ventures backs high-growth technology businesses from an Australian base, with an investment focus spanning information technology and life sciences. The firm emphasizes partnering with entrepreneurs and investing in people rather than technology alone, taking a company-growth approach that helps founders expand teams, build product, scale globally, and achieve successful exits. Its investment philosophy targets novel technologies that create new markets or supply new products and services to existing markets, with an emphasis on preparing for exits from the outset in order to deliver superior returns to investors.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Growth
Check
$2M – $3.3M
HQ
Melbourne, Victoria, AU
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2001
AUM
$267M
Tracked investments
47

Team · 2 people

from the firm's website
John Dyson· Investment Principalin

Co-founder of Starfish Ventures, which he established in Melbourne in 2001.

Michael Panaccio· Investment Principalin

Co-founder of Starfish Ventures, which he established in Melbourne in 2001.

What they invest in

from 3 of 47 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×1Creator Economy ×1EdTech ×1Enterprise Software ×1Gaming ×1Marketplaces ×1SaaS ×1Sales Tech ×1

HQs:Australia×2United States×2

Investments · 47 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path
5th Finger
Aktanaaktana.comin

Aktana provides a real-time orchestration platform for pharmaceutical marketing that coordinates digital and field engagement across channels to reach healthcare professionals at optimal times.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSales TechSan Francisco, US

Anthony Glenning(Director)Jin Huang(Executive Officer)Al Wiegman(Director)Rob Willson(Executive Officer)Eric Gilbert(Director)Marc-david Cohen(Executive Officer)

Armaron Bio
Aruspex
Atmail
Audinate
Ausra
Bubble Gum Interactivebubbleguminteractive.com

Bubble Gum Interactive is a games studio that develops video games and interactive experiences for children and general audiences, including mobile games, educational games, and augmented/virtual reality applications.

EdTechGamingSydney, AU

CapX
DesignCrowddesigncrowd.com.au𝕏

DesignCrowd is an online creative marketplace connecting businesses and startups with a global network of designers for custom graphic, logo, web, and print design projects.

Creator EconomyMarketplacesSaaSMelbourne, AU

Alec Lynch(Founder & CEO)

Distra
DorsaVi
EchoView
Energy Response
Evostor
Finisar
G2
H3D

Ann Arbor, US

Zhong He(Executive Officer, Director)John Yu(Director)Feng Zhang(Director)

Holly Connects
ICIX
Impedimed
Intersection Medical
iSelect
Macropod
Marani
MC
MetaCDN
Milkdrop
Mimetica
Monitoring Division
Murigen
Nephrodynamics
Nitro
Notud
Ofidium
Ourcast
Protagonist
QS Semiconductor
QuickComm
ReNerve
Scalify
ScriptRock
Space Time
StyleTread
Supa
Xelor
Zoom Systems

Frequently asked questions

What stage does Starfish Ventures invest at?
Starfish Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
What is Starfish Ventures's typical check size?
Starfish Ventures typically writes checks of $2M – $3.3M.
What sectors does Starfish Ventures focus on?
Starfish Ventures focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Deep Tech, Enterprise Software, Healthtech, Sector Agnostic.
Where is Starfish Ventures located?
Starfish Ventures is headquartered in Melbourne, AU.

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