Australian equity-based crowdfunding platform, VentureCrowd recently raised $363,000 in a pre-IPO funding round for the popular crowdsourcing question–and–answer micro job network, Crowd Mobile. Has the crowd ever flexed its muscles this much? VentureCrowd’s exclusive online platform, powered by Artesian Venture Partners, enabled a ‘crowd’ of sophisticated investors to tip in $363,000 as part of a…
The Aussie tech scene has a new kid on the block in the form of new global Bitcoin mining operator, BitcoinCloudMining.com, an Australian owned and operated cloud based mining platform. The high power mining platform, which has been mining Bitcoins since mid 2013, aims to reduce complexity of getting into the crypto-currency game for investors…
The Future Capital Bitcoin Fund (FCBF), an Australian-based investment firm, has launched a $USD30 million global investment fund investing in companies that are leveraging services based on Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies. Keep in mind that the rise in popularity of Bitcoin over the past few years is due, in large part, to the growing ecosystem…
“We recognised that Blue Chilli could take our value proposition, extend it to other vertical sectors and cement it as a loyalty and marketing platform through the team’s technology expertise,” said Vividways founder Paul Williams, who will continue to work with Blue Chilli. “We look forward to the journey ahead.”
Incubator options for Australian startups will expand next month, with the announcement on Friday that “venture technology company” BlueChilli has acquired growth funding from early stage venture capital fund FCDF. If the names BlueChilli and FCDF sound familiar it’s because BlueChilli is the venture of serial entrepreneur (and 30under30 veteran) Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin. FCDF is the product of another well-heeled player in the Australian startup scene, Domenic Carosa.
In the application for this august competition, people are asked to dream up an award category. Jack Delosa suggested “30under30 Veteran.” Sold. Nice to see you again, Jack.
Meet and learn from other business builders. Share a drink. Have a laugh. Gain insights from a panel of business builders who have ‘been there, done that’ and created successful ventures. Benefit from the experiences of other attendees.
On 25 March, Anthill is hosting a full-day Capital Raising, Acquisitions & Exit Masterclass, facilitated by Domenic Carosa. Learn the benefits of growing a business using acquisitions as a strategy, and the processes involved in approaching, negotiating, closing and integrating acquisitions or mergers.
Two heads are better than one, right? Even so, you should be very careful who you choose as a co-founder. At the point of founding a company, the path for the life of the business is almost entirely decided. You need to choose very wisely the entrepreneur or entrepreneurial manager you bring on board.
Domenic Carosa, at age 35, is already a wily veteran of online entrepreneurship. In this wide-ranging interview with Anthill, he talks about investing in internet upstarts (as compared to startups) and about what kinds of entrepreneur he’s likely to invest in. Oh, and keep an eye out for a Special Guest Appearance at 5:23. Woof.
Founded by web-developers Scott Handsaker and Andrew Edwards in November 2009, Eventarc has turned over AUS$4million in transactions in the past 13 months. That’s approximately $300,000 per month. Becoming quickly revenue positive has proven to be an important factor when picking investments for the Future Capital Development Fund (FCDF), according to Domenic Carosa.
As I lie in bed writing this on a Sunday morning, I am bracing myself for a wave of criticism. There is going to be a fair dose of irony in this article, and depending on where it meanders, I can imagine it pissing off a lot of people.
As I lie in bed writing this on a Sunday morning, I am bracing myself for a wave of criticism. There is going to be a fair dose of irony in this article, and depending on where it meanders, I can imagine it pissing off a lot of people.
This week, Domenic Carosa’s Future Capital Development Fund (FCDFL), Australia’s only internet-focused Pooled Development Fund, announced its plans to raise a new round of capital in the lead up to an IPO. It’s current portfolio consists of approximately 15 companies, including MP3.com.au, which he bought back from Destra last year.
This week, Domenic Carosa’s Future Capital Development Fund (FCDFL), Australia’s only internet-focused Pooled Development Fund, announced its plans to raise a new round of capital in the lead up to an IPO. It’s current portfolio consists of approximately 15 companies, including MP3.com.au, which he bought back from Destra last year.
The Future Capital Development Fund has invested into OurWishingWell.com, an Australian online gift registry service.
Late last year, destra founder Domenic Carosa launched the Future Capital Development Fund Limited (FCDFL), a new investment fund focused on internet ventures. Here, Carosa chats with Anthill publisher James Tuckerman about the process of starting a new investment fund in Australia.
Domenic Carosa founded destra Corporation (then called Sprint) with his sister Anna in 1993. By 1998, destra ran a number of the leading entertainment websites in Australia. In 2000, the company reverse-listed on the ASX a matter of hours before the tech crash on Wall Street. After diversifying into web hosting to survive the dot-com recession, Carosa took the company back to its digital media roots in 2005 and built it into a $100m company with 300 staff nationally. Earlier this year, Carosa became a casualty of the Opes Prime collapse, which resulted in him losing his equity in destra and his departure from the company he built and loved.
Has it really been six years since the world’s first wave of internet entrepreneurs fell through that plump cloud they’d conjured in the sky, taking with them the turgid hopes of our fledgling new economy? It’s been six years peppered with hard luck stories, investor reluctance and, lately, cautious hope rekindled. Australian internet startups were in the thick of it back then. The survivors emerged with slightly bloodied noses and wisdom far beyond their years.
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