Top 9 Angels and Angel Groups in Australia Who Fund Software Startups (2026)

The main angel investors backing software startups in Australia are angel groups (Sydney Angels, Brisbane Angels, Melbourne Angels, Perth Angels and the Cut Through Venture syndicate) and founder-turned-angels such as Didier Elzinga, Craig Winkler, Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes. This list covers all nine, with what each is known for and how they invest.

Angel Match lists 1,600+ investors in Australia, including 800+ in Sydney and 300+ in Melbourne. If you are also looking at funds, see our list of the top VC firms in Australia.

Who Are the Top 9 Angel Investors and Angel Groups in Australia for Software Startups?

Five of the nine entries below are angel groups or syndicates. The other four are individual investors who invest through their own funds or family offices. Details come from each investor's own website or from press coverage, and every source is linked.

Sydney Angels

• Type: Angel group
• Based in: Sydney, New South Wales
• Active since: 2008
• Website: sydneyangels.net.au

Sydney Angels says its 100-plus members have been investing in Australian startups since 2008, and that it has backed more than 90 companies. Applicants go through six cycles a year, each with a deal screening meeting and a members meeting. Members who like a company form a syndicate and run due diligence together. The group says it does not charge companies a fee to apply.

Its Gust profile lists typical investments of $300k to $500k, for businesses seeking $100K to $1M at pre-money valuations of $1M to $4M. Portfolio companies listed there include ezyCollect, SmartrMail and Datagames.

Brisbane Angels

• Type: Angel group
• Based in: Brisbane, Queensland
• Website: brisbaneangels.com.au

Brisbane Angels describes itself as the largest angel investing group in Australia. Its investors assess new opportunities together with subject matter experts, and the angels management team coordinates each investment. Portfolio companies shown on its homepage include Kapiche, FlyFreely, Eight360 and Ferronova. Founders apply through the funding form on its site.

Melbourne Angels

• Type: Angel group
• Based in: Melbourne, Victoria
• Active since: 2007
• Profile: Melbourne Angels on GEN

Melbourne Angels was formed in early 2007 by eight business people with backgrounds as founders, entrepreneurs, executives and venture capitalists. It describes itself as one of the longest-operating angel groups in Australia and says it was named Most Active Angel Group in 2018. The group is not a fund and does not invest directly, so each member makes their own investment decisions. In 2020, Startup Daily reported that it won the Best Angel Exit award for a 4x return on its 2013 investment in Rome2Rio.

Perth Angels

• Type: Angel group
• Based in: Perth, Western Australia
• Active since: 2010
• Profile: Cut Through investor database

Perth Angels backs pre-seed, seed and angel-stage companies, with recent deals in hardware and robotics and in vertical business software. It describes itself as the only Western Australian angel group with a global and national network affiliation, and says it has funded more than 40 companies. Founding member Greg Riebe was named Angel of the Year in the 2020 Techboard awards, according to Startup Daily.

Cut Through Venture

• Type: Angel syndicate and data publisher
• Based in: Australia
• Founder: Chris Gillings
• Profile: Cut Through Ventures on CB Insights

CB Insights says Cut Through Venture runs one of Australia's largest angel syndicates. It also publishes the State of Australian Startup Funding report with Folklore Ventures, which is the main source for the funding figures further down this page. Its founder, Chris Gillings, is also managing director of Five V Capital. CB Insights lists a 2024 pre-seed deal in SeenCulture as its latest tracked investment.

Didier Elzinga

• Type: Individual angel investor
• Based in: Melbourne, Victoria
• Known for: Co-founder of Culture Amp
• Profile: Didier Elzinga on CB Insights

Didier Elzinga co-founded Culture Amp, the Melbourne software company that helps businesses collect employee feedback through surveys. He also invests as an angel. CB Insights lists six investments, with the latest being a seed round in Kinde in March 2022.

Craig Winkler

• Type: Individual angel investor
• Known for: Co-founder of MYOB
• Profile: Craig Winkler on CB Insights

Craig Winkler co-founded the accounting software company MYOB and served as its CEO for nine years, according to his Skoll biography. He was an early investor in Xero, and in 2014 he joined the seed round of Practice Ignition, a platform for accountants. CB Insights lists 12 investments, including Chaser in 2019 and a 2021 round in Ignition.

Scott Farquhar

• Type: Individual investor, through Skip Capital
• Based in: Sydney, New South Wales
• Known for: Co-founder of Atlassian

Scott Farquhar co-founded Atlassian and invests in startups through Skip Capital, the private investment fund he runs with his wife, Kim Jackson. SmartCompany reports that Skip Capital has backed Culture Amp, Brighte and Morse Micro, and that Farquhar has also invested in SafetyCulture.

Mike Cannon-Brookes

• Type: Individual investor, through Grok Ventures
• Known for: Co-founder of Atlassian

Mike Cannon-Brookes, the other Atlassian co-founder, invests through his family office, Grok Ventures. Per the same SmartCompany report, Grok has invested in Culture Amp, Spriggy, Cog Systems and August Robotics. Both Grok Ventures and Skip Capital took part in Culture Amp's Series D round.

How To Pitch To Startup Investors?

Pitching to startup investors is not a one-line shortcut. It takes experience, confidence and a startup idea that deserves funding. Before you start, check your company against this checklist for making your startup investable.

We have also prepared a short practical checklist that will help you pitch to startup investors and secure investment.

Be Passionate and Authentic in Your Purpose

An easy way to lose an investor is to promise goals you can't reach. Stay realistic about what the business can achieve, and show the potential for strong results.

Keep Your Pitch Straightforward

It's good to include a story in your pitch deck, but a deck that is only story and has no realistic numbers will not convince anyone. Investors need to see the potential of the startup, so show it plainly.

Introduce Your Team

Your team matters just as much. Introduce it professionally, and tell investors how the business can reach the expected results and what each person contributes.

Some additional tips:

• Include Rich and Concise Data
• Personalize Your Pitch for Your Audience
• Be Prepared to Answer Questions
• Practice Often and Improve Your Public Speaking Skills
• Tell a Short, Compelling Story
• Research Your Investors BEFORE You Meet
• Meet With the Intention of Building Relationships

Is Funding for Australian Startups Still Growing?

Total funding grew in 2025, but fewer startups received it. Australian startups raised $5.1 billion across 390 deals, up 24% from $4.1 billion in 2024, according to the State of Australian Startup Funding report by Cut Through Venture and Folklore Ventures. Deal count fell from 470 to 390, and the 20 largest deals made up 58% of all capital raised (Startup Daily).

The same report found that 61% of capital went to startups that cite AI in their product, and that 66% of deals included at least one international investor, up from 57% in 2024.

Wrap-Up

That covers the top angel investors and angel groups in Australia who fund software startups. Before you start outreach, a few things are worth knowing.

Founders often overthink their first investor meeting and hurt their chances. To ease the tension, watch some online interviews to see how startup meetings work.

If you want a shortlist matched to your company, the AI Fundraising Agent reads your website, matches you with investors from the database and drafts your first outreach emails. You can also browse 82,000+ angel investors directly.

At the end of the day, angel investors are also looking for a valuable person to invest their capital in. That person can be you!

Good Luck!

Frequently Asked Questions