The Sachin and Adam Show Inside AirTree’s $650M Fund: The Future of Aussie Startups & AI
Aug 6, 2025
Join John Henderson and Jackie Vullinghs from AirTree as they unveil their groundbreaking $650 million fund aimed at propelling Australian and Kiwi startups into the global arena. They discuss the surge of international interest in Oz’s tech scene, highlighting the emergence of AI-native companies and what founders need to succeed today. The duo shares insights on the shift to faster, conviction-led investing, the critical traits they seek in startups, and the evolving venture capital landscape, making it essential listening for aspiring entrepreneurs.
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AI Creates A New Why-Now For Startups
- AI dramatically lowers engineering scale and time-to-market, creating a 'why now' across sectors.
- Successful AI-native startups can scale faster with much smaller teams than before.
Own Early Rounds, Then Bring In Global Funds
- Invest early to help founders reach product-market fit; defer some global capital until after PMF.
- Use local seed support to prepare companies to raise from top global funds when selling internationally.
AI Expands What 'Software' Can Do
- AI enables new categories: tech-led service businesses can gain operating leverage once impossible without software.
- AirTree will back technology that creates unique IP and durable net-dollar retention, not roll-up service plays.