Australia has been described as one of the best places to launch a startup, and Melbourne, in particular, has become a very popular city for entrepreneurs. Melbourne is home to an array of startups, from healthcare and deep tech to eCommerce. These companies are shining examples of Melbourne’s rising status as a global hub for startups.
Why Is Melbourne A Popular Place For Startups?
Australia has a very accommodating legal structure that makes it easy to buy or rent property in Melbourne. Finding a suitable place for your business—and somewhere for you to live—is a key priority. Australia is also a country that invests in itself, with the Australian government offering a wide range of loans and grants to startups. While many governments are cutting back on business investment, this is not the case in Australia. These investments are crucial to scaling a startup, and when funding is easier to come by, it makes Melbourne an excellent place to build a business.
Australia’s economy is ranked 13th in the world, and the population is also relatively wealthy. This creates a strong and affluent market, making it a great place to sell your products and services.
Coworking is also a very popular trend in Australia. Many entrepreneurs are starting businesses on their own, and they tend to gravitate towards others in the same situation. This has led to a rise in coworking spaces, where like-minded startup founders can connect and collaborate.
Melbourne is also one of the most liveable cities in the world—a title it earns on global rankings year after year. On top of that, the quality of life in Australia is exceptional. The country offers accessible healthcare, quality education, and robust social assistance systems, all of which contribute to its consistently high liveability scores. Not only does Melbourne offer a thriving startup ecosystem with strong international connections, but it also provides a beautiful, enriching lifestyle—far more than just kangaroos!
What Are The Drawbacks Of Launching A Startup In Melbourne?
Sydney is still regarded as Australia’s primary startup hub, and it can sometimes be more difficult to secure investment in Melbourne. However, efforts are underway to bridge this gap.
Australia might seem like an expensive place to live, but Melbourne’s high liveability offsets this. While the cost of living may be higher than you’re used to, it also means that products and services are priced accordingly—so business revenue potential is also higher.
10 New Startups In Melbourne, Australia
Here are 10 startups that were recently launched in Melbourne:
1. Marqo
Marqo is a startup that was launched in 2022 in Melbourne by Tom Hamer and co-founder Jesse Clark. Marqo is a vector search platform that integrates with applications, websites, and workflows.
The investment in this company has been exponential, with Marqo completing a Series A round just six months after raising £8 million in a seed round. These funds will go towards expanding and establishing the business in San Francisco.
This startup is making waves and has already been featured in many popular publications such as Forbes.
2. Zeller
Zeller is a fintech-based startup that was launched in 2020 in Melbourne. This startup is one of Australia’s fastest to reach unicorn status.
Their goal is to eliminate friction in financial operations, and they therefore offer a unique platform for payment processing, invoicing, and account management. The company is now launching a streamlined terminal designed in Melbourne, and this can be purchased directly from their website.
Since it started, the company has successfully raised more than £137 million through four different funding rounds, with its most recent Series B in March 2022 bringing in an impressive £70 million.
3. ElectraLith
ElectraLith is a renewable energy startup that was founded in 2021 in Melbourne. Their primary focus is lithium-ion battery production. ElectraLith has developed a direct lithium extraction and refining technology that helps with sustainable and efficient lithium production.
They have managed to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide in a single step without the use of water or chemicals, which is revolutionary for sustainability.
Their latest deal has managed to bring in over £25 million, and they are also backed by major companies such as Chevron.
4. VaultEscrow
VaultEscrow is a startup that was launched in 2022 and focuses on decentralised finance with its multi-chain staking platform.
The company aims to help crypto enthusiasts stake safely and earn passive income across various blockchains. They support over 10 blockchain protocols, such as EVM and Layer 2 networks, which helps to enhance liquidity and accessibility in DeFi markets.
5. Zitcha
This Melbourne-based company was founded in 2022 by Troy Townsend and Jack Byrne. They classify themselves as the world’s first omnichannel retail media platform.
They are revolutionising the way retail media works. Retailers can improve their offering by streamlining the retail media lifecycle, tapping into actionable insights, and ensuring smooth integration with their trade plans. This approach leads to top-notch performance at every customer interaction point.
Zitcha has recently entered the South African market by partnering with Leroy Merlin to launch a full digital retail media network across South Africa. This shows the company’s intention to expand globally.
6. GoPerkz
GoPerkz is a Melbourne-based startup that was founded in 2024 and focuses on fintech. GoPerkz boosts business growth with smart rewards and payments.
GoPerkz is a revolutionary platform designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) grow by offering them a way to keep customers coming back, increase sales, and simplify rewards. Without disrupting your business operations, this platform offers personalised incentives, integrated payments, and automated marketing.
Not only does it benefit businesses, but it also offers customers the chance to enjoy big savings, multiply their rewards, and support local businesses with personalised offers.
7. Aourix
Aourix is a Melbourne-based startup that was founded in 2024. They specialise in an AI-powered lead-to-cash platform. Their platform covers the entire sales lifecycle, from lead generation and quoting to product planning, inventory, production, and procurement—ensuring that every step of the process is optimised.
What makes Aourix different is that it’s not like other generic CRM or ERP systems. This platform was purpose-built and combines SaaS with tailored customisation effortlessly.
8. ClimaSens
ClimaSens, a Melbourne-based startup, was established in 2017 and focuses on AI-driven climate tech. It was co-founded by Joseph Glesta, with Timon McPhearson joining later.
They claim to provide the world’s first comprehensive view of climate risk to people, property, and the planet. ClimaSens has developed tools that can monitor and mitigate climate change impacts.
In 2023, ClimaSens received an £8 million investment from Google as part of its Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation.
9. Nutromics
Nutromics is a biohealth startup that was established in 2017 in Melbourne by Peter Vranes and Hitesh Mehta. Their company focuses on real-time, continuous diagnostic monitoring through innovative biosensors.
Nutromics has raised over £25 million over seven rounds, including a seed round in June 2023. They are now using these funds to develop real-time monitoring devices for health conditions.
Their mission is to build a world where no one has to face preventable deaths due to a lack of continuous diagnostic monitoring.
10. Kali Healthcare
This Melbourne-based startup was established in 2020 and specialises in health tech. Their team is focused on revolutionising monitoring for pregnant women. They are developing technology that improves access and ease of pregnancy monitoring for all women.
Their AI-based wearable device provides safe and accurate pregnancy monitoring at home and in hospitals.
Their system consists of a wearable device and a sensor patch that can accurately detect the baby’s heart rate. This is revolutionising healthcare for pregnant women.
