VC Fundamentals

Paul is the cofounder of Rampersand VC, an early-stage Australian tech fund established in 2013 with a mission to be the most valuable first investor for founders with abnormal potential. Since then, Rampersand has invested in and supported dozens of innovative and disruptive startups, sometimes when they had little more than a big idea, including JigSpace, Cuttable, Expert360, Skedulo and so many more. Before launching Rampersand Paul worked as a senior marketing and strategic communications executive and consultant for several successful venture-backed tech companies in Silicon Valley and Europe. In addition to his work at Rampersand, Paul is a husband, father and Richmond (AFL) tragic.

Rachael was the founding facilitator of Wade Institute’s VC Catalyst program and brings deep passion (and serious chops) to early-stage investing. She is currently Founding Partner of Flying Fox Ventures. and has played key roles across the startup and VC ecosystem – including former Chair of StartupAus, Partner at Startmate, and founding Board member of LaunchVic. In her previous role as Head of Startups ANZ at Amazon Web Services, Rachael led efforts to grow the startup ecosystem across Australia and New Zealand – helping boost both the quantity and quality of founders in the region. She’s also a trusted strategic advisor and early-stage investor, backing a range of ambitious founders and the companies they’re building.

Rachel is a Partner at Giant Leap. Giant Leap invests in founders solving our most pressing global problems at scale across climate, health and empowerment & education and has invested in over 30 companies to date. Rachel is also on the Advisory Board for the Victorian Government’s Equity Investment Attraction Fund and formerly the Chair of the Startup Network, a non-profit, grassroots organisation supporting founders through their startup journey. Rachel’s background is in management consulting and corporate finance, and she previously co-founded a non-profit organisation to raise funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease.

Judy is Group CEO at Euphemia, the family office of renowned Australian entrepreneur and technologist, Dom Pym, as well as the co-founder of Oceania’s first fit-for-purpose fintech fund, Triple Bubble. At Euphemia, Judy leads the Group’s $80+ million global investment portfolio including private & public equities, venture capital, property portfolio and the Euphemia Foundation to support people in need. Focus areas include fintech, climate tech, women-led startups and startup infrastructure. With 75+ portfolio companies and 20+ funds – comprising of at least a dozen Australian funds including Airtree, Giant Leap, Possible Ventures and Square Peg Capital.

Cheryl is CEO of Aussie Angels, on a mission to democratise early-stage investing in Australia & NZ. She’s an active angel investor with 32 investments, a Venture Partner at Black Nova VC, and co-founded the now famous 361 Angel Club. Cheryl also leads an angel syndicate, CMACK Ventures , with over 450 investors. She’s a strategic advisor for several startups, and in her spare time, mentors for programs like Startmate. A community-builder at heart, she previously held leadership roles at Stone & Chalk, and the Australian Computer Society. Before that she was the CEO of StartCon for 4 years, and created the APAC-wide Pitch for $1M competition.

Ruairidh (rhymes with “brewery”) is Associate Director of Investments at First Australians Capital, where he leads the Investments Team of analysts towards delivering direct investment into Indigenous owned, led and managed businesses operating in Australia. With 12 years experience in accounting, fund reporting and project investment management across Australian financial institutions (ANZ & ME Bank), global Aerospace and a Tier One investment bank, Ruairidh has a solid foundations in investment appraisal techniques, capital markets and financial products. Ruairidh is a CPA and CIMA accountant, and holds a First in Politics from the University of Glasgow.

Silk is an Investor at Blackbird Ventures, backing early-stage startups across the Australia and New Zealand ecosystem. With a background in MedTech commercialisation, strategy consulting at Kearney, and startup leadership, her skillset encompasses a unique mix of operational and strategic insight. Silk is also a passionate supporter of diverse and mission-driven founders, actively mentoring through programs like Startmate and championing inclusive innovation across the Australian startup ecosystem.

Claire’s role as Partner and Co‑Head of Venture Capital at Herbert Smith Freehills in Melbourne encapsulates advising both founders and investors from pre‑seed to late‑stage rounds, alongside which, she also specialises in dealing with complex mergers and acquisitions, carve‑outs and public takeovers. Recognised among Lawyers’ Weekly “30 Under 30,” Claire holds a double degree in Law (Hons) and Arts from the University of Melbourne and is admitted in NSW and Victoria. She shares insights into essential legal knowledge for anyone participating in venture investing, offering a clear and accessible explanation of the documentation, processes, and pitfalls to watch out for in early-stage capital raising.

Pedram brings a wealth of global venture capital experience to the Wade Institute. He’s a founding faculty member of Stanford’s VC Unlocked program, a former Principal at Mayfield Fund, and a seasoned instructor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Over the years, Pedram has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and business leaders – from early-stage startups to Fortune 50 companies and institutions like the World Bank – across five continents. Wherever he is, Pedram’s passion lies in helping people turn bold ideas into impactful ventures.

Working as a Partner at Blackbird Ventures in Sydney, Sam is backing ambitious Australia and NZ startups in fields like enterprise software, robotics and AI, digital healthcare and marketplaces. Having established Blackbird’s New Zealand office in 2020 and leading a raise of $140M over 2 vintages to invest in 36 companies, Sam has an extremely nuanced perspective on the ANZ investment landscape and what it takes to capture an investor’s attention. As such, she shares her insights on startup pitch decks being more than a slideshow – it’s often a way to first attract awareness from investors and to bring clarity, credibility, and storytelling to the venture.