KPMG High Growth Ventures

What do founders get wrong when it comes to building a finance function? In our recent webinar on "Building a Scalable Finance Function: Establishing Financial Foundations for Growth," our specialists outlined the common issues founders run in to, and how to get it right from the beginning. So, what exactly do founders stumble on? And how can they avoid common mistakes? 💡 Neglecting the Basics: KPMG Australia’s Josh Geelan emphasised the importance of getting the basics right from the start - if founders can't manage their own money, they won't be able to manage investors' money either. Getting your foundations right, from chart of accounts to tax stack and key metrics like ARR, from the start is essential. 💡 Inadequate Systems and Processes: OIF Ventures’ Oliver Darwin pointed out that many founders do not have the right systems, processes, and resources in place to support growth. To avoid stagnation later down the track, implement the right processes early on, and find a financial software that aligns with your business model. 💡 Opportunity Cost of Time: KPMG Australia's Leanne Hegarty pointed out the importance of evaluating the opportunity cost of your time. Founders should focus on high-value activities and consider outsourcing basic finance functions to ensure they are not bogged down by operational tasks. A big thank you to all our speakers and attendees for joining us! If you would like to see the recording, or learn more about how KPMG High Growth Ventures can help your startup set up for financial success, get in touch via the link below ⬇ #Startup #FinanceFunction #KPMG #HighGrowthVentures #ScalableFinance #Founders #WebinarInsights Michael Chandler, Amanda Price, Imogen Hunter, Sophie Ritchie, Rachel Smith, Max Francis, Giulia Colaci, Arjun Agarwal 🚀, Gabby Lee-Sinclair, Monte Quittner, Thomas Chalouhi

It was great to hear Vu Tran, founder of Black Sky Industries and unicorn company Go1 speak on the Blackbird Wild Hearts podcast this morning about ‘Why Australia’s Defence needs tech founders’.     Defence has previously been an industry left predominantly to large international players, but the growing amount of capital and investment in the space is seeing greater opportunity for startups. 💸   Recently attending the Avalon Australian International Airshow, our portfolio manager Michael Chandler got to meet some of the incredible companies in the space, here’s what he had to say:   "The remarkable participation of private industry in supplying the Defence and National Security sector with world-class technology was clearly evident. With over 800 exhibitors ranging from startups to multinational corporations, the event showcased a diverse array of innovations.     Notably, every state and territory government, along with all major universities in Australia, provided crucial support to DNS startups, ensuring they have the best possible launchpads. This collaboration highlights a growing focus on how private enterprise and funding can drive the next generation of technology for Defence, both locally and internationally.”    We support founders across all sectors. If you want to learn more, get in touch with us below. 👇 Here's the podcast link: https://lnkd.in/gRZ5YjHs

Last chance! ⏰ If you're a startup operator seeking advice and insights on how to build a scalable finance function, our webinar tomorrow is not to be missed 🤯 Hear from OIF Ventures's Oliver Darwin alongside KPMG Australia's Josh Geelan & Leanne Hegarty as they unpack exactly what you should be doing now to ensure your startup is growth ready. 🚀 To join us on Wednesday the 9th of April from 12pm - 1pm AEST, Register at the link below 👇 Amanda Price, Michael Chandler, Imogen Hunter, Rachel Smith #FinanceFunction #CFO #Startups

Off the back of our successful Sydney event in February, yesterday we were thrilled to bring our ‘Capital Raising and Setting Up Business in the US’ event to Melbourne. 🛫     In an open forum with a select group of Melbourne’s fastest-growing startups, our specialists unpacked how founders can successfully manage the transition to the US, speaking to legal, tax and compliance considerations. It was great to hear from so many of the founders in the room as they discussed their key challenges. 🗽     A big thank you to our facilitator, Jared Smith of Lander & Rogers and our specialists David Morris, also from Lander & Rogers, John Locke and Jackie Shelton from KPMG Australia and John Wayne Horton and Carl Hessler from Lowenstein Sandler LLP.     Want to learn more or attend our next event? Take a look at our building business in the US resource in the comments below or fill out the form to stay informed of our upcoming activities. ⬇   Sophie Ritchie, Giulia Colaci, Arjun Agarwal 🚀, Max Francis, Elena E., Anthony LaBarbera

Let’s Talk About It: Due Diligence In the fast-paced world of #startups, balancing due diligence with the speed of innovation is crucial. Recent cases highlighting the negative impacts of inadequate due diligence serve as a stark reminder for founders to rely on the right people to manage the backend of their startups & to know what red flags VCs are looking for.    In our recent webinar on Capital Raising with Chris Davidson, Justine Carzino, CFA, Josh Geelan, and Kieran O'Neill, these were the top red flags: 🚩 Dramatic Changes or Undisclosed Risks: Justine emphasised that significant deviations from previous business plans and a reluctance to disclose information, especially if big risks emerge, could cause a deal to fall apart. 🚩 Failure to Address Market Fit: Kieran pointed out that founders who lack a clear vision of what will make their business defensible aren't a great bet. Additionally, a lack of diversification in the customer base can be a red flag for investors looking for startups poised for future success. 🚩 Forcing Investor Decisions & Inconsistencies in Financial Metrics: Chris highlighted that inconsistencies between the financial metrics presented and the actual business performance can be problematic. Attempts to force investors into making quick decisions without proper relationship building are also concerning.     Thanks to all our speakers for joining us for such an important session. If you’re interested in learning more about how KPMG High Growth Ventures can support your startup, or want access to the recording get in touch 👇 Amanda Price, Michael Chandler, Imogen Hunter, Sophie Ritchie, Rachel Smith #CapitalRaising #Fundraise #Funding

Happy Friday all! Today we’re celebrating some of the incredible recent wins for our portfolio 🎇 Read on to learn about Australian innovation 👇    🩺 Harrison.ai has been awarded $32 million by the National Reconstruction Fund as part of a $179 million Series C raise.   ♻ GOTERRA announced a key partnership with the City of Sydney in a NSW first to trial turning residential food scraps into food and feed.   🧠 Cortical Labs launched the first commercial biological computer made of brain cells at Mobile World Congress in Spain.    🛩 Drone-Hand PTY LTD took out the Airwallex Shifting Perspective Business Acceleration Grant, announced as part of the Australian Grand Prix.   👏 Nature Positive 2022 winner, Uluu, took out the 2025 SXSW Austin Innovation Award at the US innovation festival. 🛫 Akula Tech’s Nishq Ravindranath took out the 2025 emerging technology award, at the Avalon 2025 Innovation Pitchfest.    🥇 Cauldron Ferm, FarmLab and Eden Brew were included amongst global peers in the FoodTech 500 list of most innovative food tech companies. ...and much, much more! We couldn't be more proud to see Australian innovation thrive - congratulations to all, we look forward to continuing to support you grow 👏 #Startups #Innovation #CapitalRaise

Australia’s #climatetech startups are hungry for success. What’s missing? Funding.     With our team attending last week’s Climate Investor Forum 2025, the event emphasised the urgent need to unlock capital to accelerate the global energy transition. Kobad Bhavnagri from BloombergNEF set the scene perfectly, highlighting that while progress is being made, it's not happening fast enough. Key insights include:  ⚡ Global energy transition investment has surpassed $2 trillion.  🌏 Renewables are now the cheapest source of new electricity generation.  🔋 Battery costs are falling, bringing EVs closer to price parity. With numerous challenges in accessing funding, it was encouraging to hear impactful discussions on the way forward, focusing on public-private collaboration and blended finance to overcome funding challenges and scale decarbonisation efforts. To create real impact, the climate transition requires innovation and behavioral change across all sectors. The Prime Minister of Bhutan's words were a fitting reminder: Leadership is not restricted to politicians - every individual can exercise leadership.     Learn more about how we can support your climate tech startup by getting in touch with our Climate Lead, Kylie Little at the link below 👇  #ClimateInvesting #FutureFocused #ClimateTech

If you could start your founding journey from the beginning, what would you do differently? 🤔    An ex-founder himself, our Portfolio Manager Michael Chandler recently shared his pearls of wisdom with our Community Manager, Rachel Smith, outlining what 3️⃣ things he would do differently the second time around.     Curious to know what they were? Catch the video below 👇    If you're interested in speaking with Michael, or want to learn more about how we help startups grow, get in touch with us via the link in the comments.     #KPMGHighGrowthVentures #FounderAdvice #Startups #FoundingJourney

Each year, Climate Action Week Sydney brings together the best and brightest of climate innovation – and last week was no exception! Our climate lead, Kylie Little, shares her key insights for Aussie startups below 👇     💡 On investment & innovation: Australia boasts world-class climate tech innovation, but given the huge ‘valley of death’ facing startups in the space, scaling up remains a significant challenge – not helped by a risk-adverse funding environment. Without more support, Australia risks losing its global leadership position. 🌐 On global climate policy: Despite geopolitical uncertainties in some locations, countries like India, China, and those in Europe are committed to Net Zero targets, opening new opportunities for Aussie climate tech, especially in renewable energy. ⚡ On renewable energy progress:  On 6th November 2024, 75% of electricity in Australia’s National Energy Market was sourced from renewables, up from 46% in the last quarter. Challenging the notion that renewable energy isn't viable for large-scale use, Australia continues to progress towards a sustainable energy future. 💪 On Australia’s climate ecosystem: Despite challenges, Australia’s startup ecosystem has more support than ever before. While there’s a long way to go, players like Greenhouse, EnergyLab, Climate Salad, Cicada Innovations and more are enabling critical support to help commercialise world class tech and entrepreneurs.    Overall, it was excellent to see so many innovators under one roof, celebrating the sectors future, but also underscoring the critical need for innovation, strategic investment, and collaboration to ensure a sustainable future.    If you want to learn more about how we enable Climate Tech startups to succeed with the right advisory support, get in touch below.  #ClimateTech #Innovation #ClimateActionWeek #CAW25 #Cilmate

Yet to sign up for our upcoming webinar on successful #capitalraising? Want to know what you’ll be missing out on? Our "Inside the Minds of VCs – What Startups Need to Know in 2025” webinar featuring top VCs including Chris Davidson (Map n Scale), Kieran O'Neill (Tidal Ventures), Josh Geelan (KPMG Australia), and Justine Carzino, CFA (OneVentures) will leave you with;  📚 An understanding of investor expectations   🤘 Strategies to stand out amongst the crowd  📈 How to structure your capital raise for success   🕳 What common pitfalls you should avoid Join us on Thursday, 27th March 2025 from 12pm – 1pm AEDT online.   Ideal for anyone with capital raising on the mind, join over 120 ecosystem players and insiders who have already registered as we unlock how to scale your startup despite market challenges. 🤔 Link in the comments to register! Michael Chandler, Amanda Price, Imogen Hunter, Rachel Smith