Section 08 · 21 entries · Updated 6 August 2026
Superconnectors
The people and publications worth following to stay close to the Sydney and broader Australian startup ecosystem.
01Investors who share
- Niki ScevakCo-founder of Blackbird Ventures & Startmate. Posts actively on X about AU/NZ founders, investing, and ecosystem trends.source ↗
- Samantha WongGeneral Partner at Blackbird Ventures. Active on X and LinkedIn sharing founder insights, AI trends, and Blackbird portfolio news.source ↗
- Nick CrockerGeneral Partner at Blackbird Ventures. Publishes 'Branches' newsletter on Substack; long-form writing on founders, health, and building.source ↗
- Craig BlairCo-founder and Managing Partner at AirTree Ventures. Posts on AU startup funding, ecosystem commentary, and venture trends.source ↗
- Jackie VullinghsPartner at AirTree Ventures. Writes and speaks on health, fintech, and AI investing; LinkedIn is her main public channel.source ↗
- James CameronPartner at AirTree Ventures (Sydney). Active on X discussing ANZ startup ecosystem, SaaS, and early-stage investing.source ↗
- Alister ColemanFounder and Managing Partner at Folklore Ventures. Posts on AU VC landscape, first-cheque investing, and startup funding data. Co-authored the 2025 State of Australian Startup Funding Report.source ↗
- AirTree Open Source VCAirTree's public playbook: guides, templates, benchmarks, and investor lists freely shared with ANZ founders. Updated regularly.
02Community builders
- Phaedon StoughCEO and co-founder of Innovation Bay — Australia's longest-running network for tech founders and investors, running since 2003.source ↗
- Ian GardinerCo-founder of Innovation Bay and Partner at Jelix Ventures. NSW Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year; hosts the pod 'Open The Pod Bay Doors'.source ↗
- Phoebe PincusCEO of Startmate (since December 2025, succeeding Michael Batko). Former COO; leads Australia's top early-stage accelerator and community for founders.source ↗
- Michael BatkoEx-CEO of Startmate (8 years, stepped down Dec 2025); writes 'Batko OS' newsletter on AI and building. Prolific sharer of startup and operator wisdom.source ↗
- Innovation BayAustralia and NZ's premier founder-and-investor community. Hosts summits, dinners, and the 'Open The Pod Bay Doors' podcast.source ↗
- StartmateAustralia and NZ's top startup accelerator and operator community. Runs fellowship programs, angel training, and founder events.source ↗
03Media & newsletter voices
- Will Richards & Gemma Clancy — Overnight SuccessCo-founders of 'Overnight Success' — weekly AU startup and VC summary and The Startup Retro podcast. 5,000+ community; also runs an angel syndicate (launched Oct 2025).source ↗
- Chris Gillings — Cut Through VentureFounder of Cut Through Venture; publishes the most-cited AU startup funding reports. Director at Five V Capital. 20,000 subscribers.source ↗
- Simon Thomsen — Startup DailyEditor of Startup Daily since 2019. Hosts the Startup 360 podcast. 30+ years journalism experience; X: @StartupDailyanz.source ↗
- Startup DailyAustralia's leading startup news outlet. Covers funding rounds, founder profiles, and ecosystem trends daily.source ↗
- Capital Brief — TechnologyBusiness and tech news for the new economy. Covers AU startup funding, VC, AI, and enterprise tech with strong editorial rigour.source ↗
- Rohit Bhargava — The Startup Playbook PodcastMelbourne-based host of The Startup Playbook Podcast (9 years, 200+ episodes). Interviews AU/global founders, investors, and operators.source ↗
- Eloise Keating — SmartCompanyEditor at SmartCompany. Prolific coverage of AU startup funding, founders, and policy; active contributor as of June 2026.source ↗
Every entry above is source-linked and reviewed before publish. Spotted something out of date? It will be picked up in the next weekly agent run — each section is re-researched on a rolling cadence.