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Elicia McDonald

Since joining the Airtree team in 2016, I’ve been fortunate to witness the scaling journey from our first fund. In that time, I’ve also seen the phenomenal growth of our portfolio companies as well as the broader ANZ startup and tech ecosystem.

My journey into the world of venture capital began in tech investment banking, but my desire to get out from behind the computer screen and engage more closely with businesses and people led me to join a B2B SaaS startup and later LinkedIn.

When I joined the Airtree team in 2016, I knew I’d found somewhere special where I could build a career aligned with my passions for tech and people, and I haven’t looked back since. I get to work with the most ambitious and resilient founders in ANZ, providing support as they navigate the challenges of scaling their businesses. While my 5-year-old daughter is particularly excited about the fact that I get to work with unicorns, I love that I get to support founders right from the beginning of their journey.

Why tech and startups excite me

Technology has the potential to create a positive impact at a massive scale. It can transform the human experience for the better, and the founders we partner with work tirelessly to challenge the status quo. I love the fast-paced nature of the tech industry; it’s in a constant state of evolution, and no two days are the same.

What I nerd out over

I love building genuine relationships and delving into the intricacies of what makes people tick. What’s more important in life than building meaningful relationships?

A motto I live by

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. This was on our fridge when I was growing up, and it’s always stuck with me. It’s particularly relevant to tech founders who are striving to build something impactful and always pushing for the next milestone. It’s so important to find joy throughout the journey and celebrate the small wins along the way.

Here’s where you’ll find me on the weekend

Somewhere in the inner west of Sydney with my family. Running between swimming lessons, kids’ birthday parties, play dates, soccer and nippers. If I can squeeze in some me time you’ll find me running the bay while listening to a podcast or audiobook.

Position
Partner
Joined
2016
Companies I work for
Enterprise
Enterprise
SaaS
SaaS
Regrow Ag
Series A
Pre-Seed, 2017
Enterprise
Enterprise
SaaS
SaaS
AI
AI
Abyss Solutions
Series A
Series A, 2020
Consumer
Consumer
Health tech
Health tech
HotDoc
Growth
Seed, 2015
Enterprise
Enterprise
AI
AI
SaaS
SaaS
Reejig
Series A
Series A, 2021
Health tech
Health tech
Human
Seed
Seed, 2022
Health tech
Health tech
SaaS
SaaS
Kismet
Pre-Seed
Pre-Seed, 2023
AI
AI
SaaS
SaaS
Narrato
Pre-Seed
Pre-Seed, 2022