Blackbird

Blackbird Ventures is a prominent venture capital firm deeply embedded in the technology ecosystems of Australia and New Zealand. Established in 2012 by co-founders Niki Scevak and Rick Baker, the firm was created to support ambitious founders and cultivate generational companies from the region [3, 5, 8, 25]. Initially launching with an AU$30 million fund, Blackbird has grown substantially, managing significant capital and investing across various stages from pre-seed to beyond IPO [3, 5, 6, 25, 29]. They serve technology founders with 'wild hearts and wild ideas', providing not only capital but also extensive operational assistance, strategic guidance, and a strong community network [3, 8, 29, 37, 41].

What sets Blackbird apart is its distinctive philosophy of generational ownership for generational ambition, investing in companies for the long haul, often from their very inception through to global scale [6, 8, 29]. The firm prides itself on being 'founder-first', focusing on the entrepreneurs themselves rather than being strictly sector or stage-bound [6, 24]. Their investment approach is characterised by high conviction decisions, blending careful research and debate with years of pattern matching and trusting their instincts [6]. Blackbird has also actively fostered the startup ecosystem through initiatives like the Giants mentoring program and The Sunrise festival, which connect founders and share expertise [4, 6, 29, 41].

Blackbird's key achievements include raising the largest Australian venture capital fund, an A$1 billion fund in November 2022, which drew investments from major superannuation funds and Australia's sovereign wealth fund [3, 25, 28]. As of August 2025, Blackbird's portfolio is valued at over $9.9 billion, comprising more than 174 companies across Australia and New Zealand [3, 29]. Among these, over 40 companies are valued at more than $100 million, and eight have achieved unicorn status, exceeding $1 billion in valuation [29]. Notable investments include Canva, a global graphic design platform; Airwallex, a fintech leader; Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company; SafetyCulture, a workplace operations platform; and Halter, an agricultural technology innovator [4, 5, 8, 12, 16, 19, 25]. The firm has also demonstrated a significant commitment to New Zealand, establishing Blackbird Ventures NZ in 2019 and raising dedicated funds for Kiwi founders, with Phoebe Harrop now leading their Auckland office [19, 37].