STYLE SHEET
STYLES
ANIMATIONS
MEDIA QUERY
LUMOS
GLOBAL CSS
About us
G'day.
Kia Ora.
We’re excited to meet you.
But first, here's our pitch to you.
Airtree was born from the belief that founders could build world-class businesses from Down Under. We partner with founders to shortcut company-building firsts and unlock global success. Our network, resources and scale ensure we’re with you for every milestone that adds up to something monumental.
We believe big things start small
We invest at seed and see potential where others don’t. We believe in your vision for your company’s future, not as it exists today. At times, that requires a leap of faith into the unknown. But we’ve done this many times before, and it’s earned us the privilege of working with over 100 of the fastest-growing and category-defining tech companies in Australia and New Zealand.

We think in decades, not days
To our founders, the road to building an iconic company is lengthy, and we’ll walk it with you. To our LPs, we’ve built our track record by being trusted, transparent and disciplined custodians of capital across market cycles.

We share Antipodean ingenuity with the world
Our region is producing world-class startups at an accelerating rate. It’s a positive force for job creation, the economy and social change. We build free programs, resources and communities to add momentum to the flywheel.
$1.3bn
Funds under management
7
Funds
2014
Year founded
Our approach
Network and Connection

Join a network of founders, operators and angel investors who know what it’s like to start and scale something from scratch. Connect with your peers at our founder dinners, exec forums, and annual CEO and LP Summits.

Playbooks and resources

We dedicate extraordinary resources to shortcutting company-building firsts—from your first hire or advisor, to your ESOP structure and Parental Leave Policy. We help founders keep tabs on how they’re tracking against peers with financial and fundraising benchmark reports.

Impact and change

We put impact into action by sharing our DEI dashboard data, a starter guide to ESG, and building diverse communities through our Explorer and Pioneer programs. We believe There’s more to life—even in the busy world of startups—and a founder’s mental health and family matter a lot.

Platform support

Our team is an extension of your team. Looking to recruit a key role, get a software discount or announce your latest funding round? Our platform team is here to help.

Kell Reilly
Partner
Helen Norton
Partner
Craig Blair
Co-founder and Partner
Jackie Vullinghs
Partner
Elicia McDonald
Partner
What our founders say
Alex Zaccaria
Co-founder & CEO

We partnered with Airtree because they understood our vision went beyond a link-in-bio tool, and saw our potential to empower the creator economy to make a living from their passions. As a founder, you want to work with people who are just as excited about your vision as you are.

Anastasia Volkova
Co-founder & CEO

Elicia has been an early thought leader in deep tech investments, proving how these bets pay off. We're extremely grateful for that early support and trust in us, as well as Elicia's and Airtree's role in building equity in the Australian startup ecosystem around topics like parental leave and founder pay equity.

Ben Thompson
Co-founder & CEO

I’ve worked with Airtree for close to a decade now and they’ve played an important role in Employment Hero’s success. Their team and SaaS expertise are a standout, and the community they’ve built around their founders is second to none.

Sam Kroonenburg
Co-founder & CEO

James was one of the few investors we met that really understood our vision from the very beginning—and he continued to be a great thought partner for us as we scaled the business.

Robbie Ferguson
Co-founder & President

It's rare you get both an exceptional brand in a VC firm and personalised, genuine support; John and the Airtree team have helped us with everything from hiring at scale, to strategic advice, to countless investor introductions. They are unwaveringly loyal to their portfolio companies and a leader in Australian venture.

Kimberly Randle
Co-founder & CEO

Airtree’s approach is direct, open and honest, enabling us to build trust and a relationship quickly. Jackie is both incredibly commercial and extremely relational, always showing empathy for the pressure of raising capital, growing a business and life outside of work.

Kim Teo
CEO & Co-founder

There's no manual for founders on how to manage every twist and turn that comes with building a startup. Airtree’s team are always thoughtful – strategic when it makes sense, and simply encouraging when that’s what we’ve needed. We’re grateful for their support from the early seed stage. To top things off, they’re a bunch of legends!

Andrew Barnes
Co-founder & CEO

I first met Craig in 2015, and he has since become a trusted and respected thought partner and sounding board for the executive team and me. Airtree’s brand is a useful talent magnet for Go1.

Siobhan Savage
Co-founder & CEO

Elicia is not just an investor in our company but also a valued strategic soundboard. She’s been a consistent support throughout the ups and the downs of our journey. No problem is too hard and if she doesn’t immediately know the answer she always connects me with someone who does.

Mike Frizell
Co-founder & CEO

Craig has a high level of integrity, and his experience and judgement have been invaluable to the board and me in his role as Chairman of Pet Circle since we first founded the company.

Shane Brunette
Co-founder & CEO

The Airtree team uses all their experience working with the fastest growing tech companies to help founders at the earliest stages see around corners and lay down solid foundations for the long-term. Airtree’s brand and reputation helps with hiring and social proof, and their events and support for founders raises the bar for VCs in ANZ.

Mark Woodland
Founder & CEO

I’ve partnered with Airtree in my startups Xplor and Kismet and their support and collaboration beyond funding sets them apart as the best in the business.

Mark Tanner
Co-founder & COO

Dylan & I feel genuinely lucky to have John in our corner. He has pushed us to reach even higher when times are good and has helped us in genuinely meaningful ways when times are tough. He is sensible, thoughtful and great fun too. Airtree's Founder network, Operator network and internal support staff have been a huge help to Qwilr in many ways small and large over the years too. We wouldn't be the company we are today without John & Airtree.

Leigh Jasper
Co-founder & Co-CEO

Airtree have been an invaluable partner to us as we build Firmable, with John and the team bringing genuine insight to the strategic questions we are facing. We also value being part of Airtree’s network of entrepreneurs and executives, which helps our leadership team navigate the challenges of building a startup.

Phil Wilson-Brown
Co-founder & CEO

Airtree gets founders. The team delivers on their promises with unwavering conviction and efficiency. Access to their network and experience has opened doors for us. And we feel like we're part of a community connected to both the Airtree team and the rest of the portfolio, which has been hugely valuable.

Andrew Lipp
Co-founder & CEO

The Airtree team truly understands the rollercoaster ride of early-stage startups. John goes well beyond mere advice to offer hands-on support diving into the hottest problems. He's an exceptional thought partner and active board member who is genuinely invested in our vision and success.

Mathew Keeley
CEO

Jackie is a great strategic partner who understands our tactical needs whilst balancing them with long-term growth objectives. She has uplifted our board governance and supported me as a founder to evolve into a CEO and leader. The Airtree team is willing to invest the time in getting to know your business and see where they can add value based on your needs and stage.

Cliff Obrecht
Co-founder & COO

I consider Airtree to be one of the top VCs in the country and valuable to have in our corner as they’ve supported Canva and our growth through talent, press and customer introductions.