Tractor Ventures

Cracking day yesterday to be on the set of the Crackerjack film (circa 2002 for those wonder what film that is) at Windsor Bowling Club. Tractor Ventures hosted an afternoon for some partners and customers to get together and have some fun. Some great bowling but mostly bad form and lots of laughs. Thanks for joining us and great to see you Jimmy Zhong , Danielle Bodinnar, Rob Raulings, Jarrad Skeen, Brett Skeen, Remco Marcelis, Bryan Williams Elizabeth Kaelin, MSc, RDN,Jenny McMaster, Jonathan Jeffries (JJ), Bianca Contrabona, Billy H., Natalie Gómez (nee Costante), Matt Allen, 🚜 🏳️🌈 Olivia Doherty, Paul Mitchinson, Gerald Fisher

Lock in your cost of capital upfront and turn ‘what if rates spike?’ into ‘how fast can we scale?’ With Tractor Ventures’s fixed‑rate loans you know the total dollar cost on day one, the size of every repayment, and the exact date the debt disappears - so cash‑flow planning finally lines up with reality.” Unpredictable interest costs are optional. Here’s why fixed‑rate debt flips the script: → Know the price on Day 1 - When Tractor lends, the rate never changes - so the total cost of the loan is locked in before you sign. → Predict every repayment - Same amount, same cadence, no surprises. Your cash‑flow model finally matches reality.  → Stay in the driver’s seat - No covenants tying up your strategy. Make the repayments, deploy the capital, grow. We built Tractor Ventures so founders could control their growth capital - not the other way around. Our only expectation? You hit the agreed repayments. Meanwhile, we’ll help you aim that capital at the highest‑return levers - think sales and marketing that convert into revenue fast. Using the right type of funding at the right time isn’t a risk - it’s a strategic move to grow your company without giving up too much equity too soon. PS. If you’re doing an average of at least $50k monthly revenue, send me a message - I can get our credit team to do a free assessment, where you can then see how much you can potentially access. No harm in knowing your options, right? :)

“So… do you folks at Tractor Ventures do venture debt?” We get that one in our DMs all the time, usually followed by: “What’s the fine print?” Let’s clear it up in one go (friendly founder‑to‑founder 🙂). Traditional venture debt is a mix of interest plus equity warrants. Those warrants can balloon in value when your company takes off, meaning the ‘non‑dilutive’ loan you signed ends up shaving a surprising piece of the pie at exit. That never felt right to us. Tractor’s take is simpler and, well, nicer: 🚜 Just principal‑and‑interest - No warrants, options, or sneaky convertibles “hiding on page 17”. 🚜 Cost locked on day one - You’ll see the total dollar cost of the loan before you e‑sign - full stop. 🚜 Predictable cash‑flow - Same repayment, same date, every month. Plug it into the model once and get back to building. 🚜 Truly unsecured, truly non‑dilutive. We don’t ask for personal guarantees. You keep every share for the next equity round - on your timeline, at your valuation. Think of it as growth fuel you can pour straight into sales, marketing, product - anything that pushes revenue up and helps you stroll into your next raise with a bigger multiple (or skip the raise entirely). Before you sign any loan (including with us at Tractor), ask these five friendly questions: 1. What’s the total cost of capital, end to end? 2. Are there warrants or other equity kickers attached? 3. Is the rate fixed or floating? 4. What covenants could trip a default? 5. Do I have to pledge personal or company assets? If any answer is fuzzy, keep shopping. With Tractor, what you see on page one is exactly what you pay. If you’re doing $50k+ in monthly revenue, DM me and I’ll get our credit team to run a free assessment so you can see exactly how a fixed‑rate facility would fit your growth plans. No harm in knowing your options, right? :)

"I don’t care if you finish at three o’clock… Once you’ve done your job, that’s all I care about. We’ve got a scoreboard - just hit the numbers. I don’t care when you do it." Sometimes that might mean stopping to read a book with your daughter after school (Romy and I pictured). At Tractor Ventures, remote work isn't just a setup - it’s a powerhouse strategy built on trust and delivering results. Here’s why it works: 🚜 Flexibility Ignites Performance - Forget the 9-to-5 grind.  - Our 4-day work week frees you to own your schedule and crush goals on your own terms.  - When you're measured by results, not hours, you’re unstoppable. 🚜 Trust Fuels Innovation - We throw out micromanagement.  - Trusting our people to deliver sparks creativity, initiative, and rapid problem-solving - because great work happens when you’re trusted to be great. 🚜 Smart Investments, Big Returns - By ditching expensive office spaces, we redirect funds into experiences that truly matter.  - Think high-energy retreats, breakthrough conferences, and spontaneous catch-ups that spark collaboration. 🚜 No Borders, Just Talent - Remote work shatters geographic limits.  - We tap into the best minds wherever they are, assembling a diverse, agile team that’s always ready to hit the ground running. 🚜 Transparency Powers Connection - Our open, dynamic communication ensures every voice is heard and every win is celebrated.  - Regular check-ins and digital shoutouts keep our team in sync and fired up. These bold shifts have created a lean, mean, high-performing machine that proves success doesn’t depend on where—or when—you work. For the founders and leaders reading this, this is why remote work, works… - Flexibility drives unstoppable performance. - Trust unlocks the full potential of your team. - Investing in connection yields extraordinary results. How is your team breaking the mold and driving results?

“So… I need to be profitable before Tractor will lend to me, right?” We hear that a lot, and the short answer is: nope. Profitability is great, but it’s not a prerequisite for our growth capital. What matters more than profit: ➖ Healthy unit economics - if every dollar you spend on sales or marketing reliably turns into more than a dollar of gross margin down the line, we’re listening. ➖ Clear path to profitability - show us how today’s growth investment leads to break‑even (and beyond) in a sensible timeframe. ➖ Revenue momentum - we like to see customers signing up, churn under control, and cohorts that look better every month. ➖ Founders who know their numbers - you don’t need an MBA, but you should understand CAC, LTV, and payback like the back of your hand. ➖ If those boxes tick, being in “growth mode” instead of “profit mode” is totally fine with us. :) How our funding fits: 💸 Fixed‑rate, principal‑and‑interest loan. No warrants, no equity strings. 📅 Predictable repayments. Same amount, same date - easy to model alongside your burn. 🔓 Unsecured & founder‑friendly. No personal or directors guarantees. Think of it as runway‑extension fuel ⛽: pour capital into the channels that are already working, compound ARR, and choose when - or if - you flip to profitability or raise equity. If you’re doing $50k+ in monthly revenue (whether you’re profitable or not), DM me and I’ll get our credit team to run a free assessment so you can see exactly how a fixed‑rate facility would fit your growth plans. No harm in knowing your options, right? :) 

“I’ve already poured my savings into this startup - do I really have to put my home on the line too?” With Tractor Ventures, it’s a big, friendly nope. 😊 Some traditional lenders love personal or director guarantees; miss a payment and they can chase your personal wealth. That might work for asset‑heavy businesses, but in tech it feels like strapping a parachute made of bricks to your back. At Tractor, we don’t ask for personal guarantees on your personal assets. Every Tractor loan is backed only by a general security agreement (GSA) over the business, registered on the PPSR so we hold first‑ranking security if the company ever goes into administration. Your house, car and holiday fund? Off‑limits. Here’s how Tractor flips the script: 🚫 No personal or director guarantees. Your personal balance sheet stays untouched. 🔒 Unsecured facility. We register a GSA over the company - not your home or vehicle. 🛡️ Founder‑first mindset. You’ve already taken enough risk; our job is to de‑risk you, not pile more on. 🤝 Risk sits with us. We underwrite the business, set a fixed rate, and shoulder the exposure so you can focus on growth - not sleepless‑night liability. Before you sign any loan (including with us at Tractor), ask these five friendly questions: 1. Do you require personal or director guarantees? 2. What assets are pledged as collateral? 3. Can the terms change mid‑stream? 4. What happens if revenue dips temporarily? 5. How quickly can I repay or refinance without penalties? If the answers feel fuzzy, keep shopping. In the end, growth capital shouldn’t add “my personal assets are on the line” to your worry list. With Tractor, the liability stays with the company - right where it belongs. If you’re doing $50k+ in monthly revenue (whether you’re profitable or not), DM me and I’ll get our credit team to run a free assessment so you can see exactly how a fixed‑rate facility would fit your growth plans. Or if you’ve simply got questions, just connect and DM me. :) 

The Cut Through Venture Quarterly Q1 2025 is out! It was a privilege to contribute market insights through the Tractor Ventures lens, collaborating to deliver perspectives grounded in real-time data from our portfolio. Australia’s startup ecosystem has evolved dramatically in the last couple of years, and at Tractor Ventures, we’ve witnessed it firsthand through our lending portfolio. From 2020-2022, hyper-growth ruled— our borrowers’ revenue soared 78% YoY to $545M, fuelled by a VC peak and other macro factors. Startups prioritised scale over profit, with net margins at -17.4%. But by 2023, a cooler market shifted focus to efficiency. Revenue growth slowed to 20.8% in 2024, yet net margins improved to -8.6%, hitting positive 2.5% in early 2025. Founders now seem to balance ambition with discipline, using our capital strategically for sustainable growth. Proud to support durable, profitable businesses in this maturing ecosystem! Thanks for the opportunity Chris Gillings and team.

“Debt feels risky because the true cost keeps moving… right?” That’s what 63 % of founders told us in a fresh survey we ran with SmartCompany - and we get why it sounds scary. But with Tractor Ventures’ non‑dilutive debt capital, the price tag never wiggles. Here’s the reality of our fixed‑rate facilities: 💡 Total cost revealed on Day 1. Borrow $100 K? Pay back $112 K—no surprise fees, no “gotchas,” ever. 📅 Fixed term, fixed repayments. You’ll know the exact number, size, and dates of each instalment before you sign. 🔒 Nothing changes mid‑stream. Rates don’t float, covenants don’t creep, and your personal assets stay off the hook (unsecured lending). So, instead of guessing what capital might cost, you can model ROI with precision: → Aim the funds at revenue drivers like sales & marketing. → Track the lift. → Watch the margin between growth and repayment widen - because the repayment line is flat. If you’re doing $50k+ in monthly revenue, DM me and I’ll get our credit team to run a free assessment so you can see exactly how a fixed‑rate facility would fit your growth plans. No harm in knowing your options, right? :)

Exciting News! We have collaborated with SmartCompany to write an eBook. Attitudes to Debt, How Australian Founders are rethinking business funding. For years, the startup and SME funding landscape followed a familiar playbook: take on debt, seek venture capital, or bootstrap your way forward. Lately, however, Australian founders have been rethinking their approach to funding. To find out how attitudes are changing, SmartCompany and Tractor Ventures surveyed nearly 400 SME owner/operators and startup founders. The results of this survey reveal 29% of owners and founders now prioritise ownership and control when making funding decisions, while 22% focus on minimising financial risk. Only 3% prioritise speed. This ebook unpacks the funding strategies modern SMEs and startup founders are using, explores real-world examples, and offers practical insights to help you make informed decisions when seeking finance. Get your copy here - https://lnkd.in/g2fV47se Great to work with you on this Cassandra Leong, Justine Goss, and Dan Siepen Will Hayward, Ai Mawdsley, Kevin Cooper

In CY2024, the Tractor Ventures portfolio did $639.7M in top line rev! 📈 Companies who borrow from Tractor Ventures have gotten some serious momentum through to their bottom lines over the past few years. Have a read!