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Why Starfish Ventures?

Starfish Ventures investment team has over 15 years experience investing in high growth companies and outstanding management teams. We understand the challenges of seeding, building and managing high growth technology businesses from an Australian base.

A key success factor in our mission to grow great companies is that we invest in people, not just technology. The Starfish Ventures team focuses on a company-growth approach, adding value to its investee companies by assisting founders in the following ways:

•   Building management capabilities
•   Building successful teams
•   Access to strong global business connections
•   Driving business and international expansion
•   Developing exit strategies

This approach is applied as standard operating procedure in order to build Starfish Ventures' portfolio companies and provide superior returns for all shareholders.

Building Management Capabilities

The specific needs of each portfolio company dictate our level of involvement. We generally appoint an active director to the board of a portfolio company so we can assist with strategic and operational issues.

We do not aspire to manage the day-to-day operations of our portfolio companies; however we do aim to be actively involved with management in decisions that are critical in generating significant shareholder value.

Building Successful Teams

Outstanding management teams and company Boards are key to taking our portfolio companies to the next stage in their growth and development. Starfish Ventures brings proven expertise in successfully identifying the right executive talent for our portfolio companies. 

Access to Strong Global Business Connections

Starfish Ventures' long term participation in the venture capital market has enabled the creation of powerful networks amongst global businesses, high quality intermediaries, research institutes, co-investors and entrepreneurs. Our portfolio companies benefit from these personal introductions to distributors and strategic partners from the US, European and Japanese markets.

Starfish Ventures also has an extensive network of relationships with leading venture capital firms both domestically and internationally. Co-investments with other international top-tier firms include  Ampersand Ventures, Development Bank of Singapore, ECentury Partners, Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, Hummer Winblad, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, Mitsubishi Corporations, The Carlyle Group and Versant Ventures. 

Driving Businesses and International Expansion

Starfish Ventures assists portfolio companies to become regional and global market leaders and we are committed to helping companies effectively target overseas markets. In some cases, this means establishing an overseas presence. To date, we have helped 15 of our portfolio companies to move a portion of their operations overseas. Often they maintain research, development and manufacturing in Australia.

Developing Exit Strategies

With 21 successful company exits to date, including listings on the NASDAQ, AIM and ASX, the Starfish Ventures team has established a strong reputation for partnering with talented entrepreneurs to grow innovative companies from an Australian base. We work closely with both management and other stakeholders in determining and implementing the most appropriate exit strategy. The positioning of a portfolio company for an eventual exit commences on the first day of the investment and may involve positioning the company for M&A, trade sale or an IPO.