Entrepreneurs

Moira Forbes speaks with Gwyneth Paltrow about how she views business after turning 50 and starting Goop as a newsletter 16 years ago and turning it into a massive brand.

AI and product leaders from Google and Stripe have raised $5 million in seed funding from Square Peg to launch customer support platform, Lorikeet.

Matilda’s co-founders Damian Png and Niamh Mooney say Australia’s visa application process is ripe for disruption. AfterworkVentures, Wollemi Capital, EverywhereVC, Co-ventures, and Startmate agree.

Melbourne co-founders Phoebe Simmonds and Kate Casey started The Memo as an e-commerce store in 2019 with a mission to disrupt the parenting category. Three (soon-to-be four) retail locations later, the pair report 45% year-to-date sales growth – with expansion plans on the horizon.

Founded in the early days of the pandemic by former Square Australia Country Manager Ben Pfisterer, Zeller quickly became one of Australia’s fastest startups to achieve unicorn status. Rooted in Melbourne, the company has just launched its latest payments terminal.

Bae Juice, armed with $1 million from online gambling magnate Laurence Escalante, learns how hard it is to take a drinks brand to the US.

Up until now, Adelaide-headquartered startup Cropify has been bootstrapped by its co-founders. The fundraise will accelerate the commercialisation of the AI-driven technology domestically and set the company up to export its expertise internationally.

Six Australian companies have earned spots on the 2024 Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list. The annual list, now in its fourth year, highlights emerging businesses across the region, with this year’s entries collectively raising over $2 billion in funding.

Ten-year-old startup Andela, valued at $1.5 billion, expects to grow its tech contractor marketplace by 15% this year.

Suppliers of magic-mushroom-derived psilocybin and MDMA, aka ecstacy, are rushing to meet the market created by Australia having allowed their clinical use. Two founders speak to Forbes Australia.