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AfterWork Ventures is a community-powered venture capital firm based in Australia and New Zealand that invests in early-stage, next-generation technology companies. The firm operates a structured investment model that leverages an extensive network of founders, startup operators, and community investors to source deals, conduct due diligence, and support its growing portfolio. The organization currently manages a $20 million venture fund backed by its community of tech professionals who actively contribute to post-investment growth strategies. Through this collaborative approach, the firm has directed capital into several notable regional startups, building a diverse portfolio that includes recognizable names such as Eucalyptus, Heaps Normal, Tixel, and OwnHome. By aligning the incentives of everyday operators with startup success, the fund aims to generate returns through traditional equity exits. AfterWork Ventures was founded in 2020 by partners Alex Khor and Adrian Petersen.
Afterwork has raised $400K across 1 funding round.
Afterwork has raised $400K in total across 1 funding round.
Afterwork has raised $400K in total across 1 funding round.
Afterwork's investors include Hustle Fund, KohFounders, SoftBank Capital, Mark Goines, Stephen Dash.
Afterwork has raised $400K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $400K Seed in November 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2023 | $400K Seed | — | Hustle Fund, KohFounders, SoftBank Capital, Mark Goines, Stephen Dash | Announced |
AfterWork Ventures is a community-powered venture capital fund based in Australia and New Zealand, investing in next-generation tech companies at the seed and pre-seed stages with cheque sizes ranging from 100k to 500k AUD.[1][4] It adopts a sector-agnostic approach, prioritizing ambitious founding teams, and leverages a network of over 100 tech operators to provide enhanced support to portfolio companies like Prophero, Lyka, Klikit, Functionly, Hectre, and Samphire Neuroscience.[1][2][4] This model amplifies its impact on the startup ecosystem by offering not just capital but operational expertise, fostering growth in diverse areas such as agritech, B2B SaaS, AI, and neurotechnology.[2]
AfterWork Ventures emerged as a venture fund harnessing community strength in the Australia-New Zealand tech scene, though specific founding year and key partners are not detailed in available sources.[1][4] Its evolution centers on empowering "after work" projects into full-scale ventures, with early investments dating back to 2018 in companies like 90 Seconds (SaaS) and Onfido (AI), followed by 2019 bets on Car Next Door (marketplace) and Hectre (agritech), and more recent ones in 2020-2021 such as Functionly (B2B SaaS) and Klikit (restaurant management).[2] Pivotal moments include building a robust portfolio that capitalizes on trends like the creator economy and ghost kitchens, while community members from within the network have launched backed startups like Samphire Neuroscience.[2]
AfterWork Ventures rides the wave of decentralized, community-driven investing in the ANZ region's burgeoning tech ecosystem, where early-stage funding gaps persist amid global trends like AI, agritech, and healthtech.[1][2][4] Timing aligns with post-pandemic shifts accelerating ghost kitchens, creator economies, and gender-focused neurotech, as seen in investments like Klikit and Samphire Neuroscience.[2] Market forces favoring it include ANZ's growing startup scene and the need for operator-backed capital, influencing the ecosystem by democratizing access—e.g., via Stropro's structured financial products and Medoo's coaching tools—while emphasizing DEI and founder accountability.[4]
AfterWork Ventures is poised to expand its portfolio amid ANZ's tech maturation, potentially deepening bets on AI-driven tools, sustainable agritech, and health innovations as economic recovery bolsters seed funding.[2][4] Trends like embedded finance, real-time org analytics, and personalized neurotech will shape its trajectory, with community networks enabling resilience against banking volatility.[4] Its influence may evolve by setting standards for community-led VC, turning more "after work" ideas into ecosystem leaders and amplifying ANZ's global tech footprint—echoing its core mission of backing ambitious teams to dent the universe.[1][4]
