Starfish Ventures

DesignCrowd is an online marketplace for logo, website, print, and graphic design services providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world. Through crowdsourcing 2.0, DesignCrowd provides its users with access to a virtual team of over 430,896 designers from around the world allowing its users to tap into international design talents. It allows its users to post projects and receive more than 50 designs through the platform. DesignCrowd was launched in January 2008 and is based in Sydney, Australia.

Odonata Health Inc is a company that specializes in developing a wearable, textile-based product designed to monitor vital statistics of pregnant women and their developing fetuses. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Stillwater, Minnesota, the company's innovative product leverages artificial intelligence to enhance the assessment of health and wellness throughout the stages of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Odonata Health is actively collaborating with notable partners, including The Mayo Clinic, to further advance its technology and improve maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Aktana helps life science companies get the most out of artificial intelligence for commercializing their products. Its platform harnesses machine learning algorithms to enable marketing and sales teams to optimize their engagement with prescribing physicians. Aktana supports more than 100 brands and more than half the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide to increase revenue, capitalize on data investments, and drive channel productivity and results. The company’s focus on the life sciences market allows Aktana to understand and incorporate unique market dynamics more deeply than the major AI players. Headquartered in San Francisco, Aktana also has offices in New York, Philadelphia, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

DesignCrowd is an online marketplace for logo, website, print, and graphic design services providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world. Through crowdsourcing 2.0, DesignCrowd provides its users with access to a virtual team of over 430,896 designers from around the world allowing its users to tap into international design talents. It allows its users to post projects and receive more than 50 designs through the platform. DesignCrowd was launched in January 2008 and is based in Sydney, Australia.

BugHerd is a visual feedback tool designed to simplify the process of collecting website feedback and tracking bugs. It enables users to provide feedback directly on a webpage through a browser extension, functioning similarly to sticky notes. With a straightforward point-and-click interface, users can send contextual information, including screenshots and technical details, to their development teams. This data is organized and managed via a project and task management kanban board, allowing for efficient tracking and resolution of issues. BugHerd offers a 14-day trial for new customers, with monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Founded in 2011 by Alan Downie and Matt Milosavljevic, BugHerd aims to streamline the communication between web designers and developers.

Nitro Software Limited is a document productivity company that provides software and support services focused on enhancing workflows through the portable document format (PDF). Founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, Nitro offers a range of products including Nitro Pro, which enables users to create, edit, convert, merge, annotate, protect, and sign PDFs. Additionally, Nitro Cloud provides tools for electronic signatures and collaboration, while Nitro Analytics delivers insights into document workflows and productivity. Serving various sectors such as real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, and education, Nitro aims to help organizations reduce paper use, streamline business processes, and facilitate digital transformation through its integrated and affordable solutions.

Ourcast Inc. is a technology company that has developed a mobile application capable of accurately predicting precipitation changes within a two-hour timeframe. The app offers minute-by-minute forecasts for rain and snow, allowing users to effectively plan their outdoor activities. By providing timely and precise weather information, Ourcast aims to enhance the decision-making process for individuals relying on up-to-date weather data.

Aktana helps life science companies get the most out of artificial intelligence for commercializing their products. Its platform harnesses machine learning algorithms to enable marketing and sales teams to optimize their engagement with prescribing physicians. Aktana supports more than 100 brands and more than half the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide to increase revenue, capitalize on data investments, and drive channel productivity and results. The company’s focus on the life sciences market allows Aktana to understand and incorporate unique market dynamics more deeply than the major AI players. Headquartered in San Francisco, Aktana also has offices in New York, Philadelphia, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Protagonist Pty Ltd is a biotechnology company based in Brisbane, Australia, focused on developing innovative therapeutics for inflammatory and metabolic conditions. The company specializes in discovering peptide and small molecule compounds that mimic or inhibit protein-protein interactions relevant to therapeutic applications. Protagonist Pty Ltd also aims to identify drug candidates for targets that have traditionally been resistant to small molecule discovery, creating arrays of molecules that explore biologically-relevant chemical diversity. Originally founded as Cytokine Mimetics Pty Ltd in 2001, it operates as a subsidiary of Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops peptide-based products to address unmet medical needs, particularly in hematology and gastroenterology. Protagonist Therapeutics has a portfolio that includes drug candidates in various stages of clinical trials for conditions such as beta-thalassemia and inflammatory bowel disease.

Atmail Pty Ltd. specializes in email and collaboration solutions for businesses, universities, government agencies, and service providers. Founded in 1998 and based in Peregian Beach, Australia, with additional offices in Kurrajong and Philadelphia, the company provides a comprehensive messaging platform that includes webmail, calendaring, groupware, and mobile accessibility across devices. Atmail also offers deployment services such as cloud, on-premise, soft appliance, and hardware appliance options. The company's solutions extend to telecommunications providers, and it supports administrators with implementation, on-site integration, and migration services. By delivering a reliable mail server and groupware system based on open standards, Atmail aims to enhance customer engagement and support mission-critical operations.

MetaCDN Pty Ltd. provides a cloud-based content delivery network that harnesses cloud storage networks. It enables businesses to deliver their multimedia content to consumers worldwide. The company’s solutions are used to access to single files and whole Web sites; integrate with existing customer applications and Web sites; maintain customer branding and control of advertising; and deploy content in specific regions and internationally. It delivers content to various devices, platforms, and connections to maximize branding opportunities, audience engagement, and retention. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Melbourne, Australia.

StreamShark is a technology company with expertise in reliable video stream delivery for global reach. It excels at making the live streams of large scale, high profile events a massive success with viewers having an exceptional viewing experience.

Ourcast Inc. is a technology company that has developed a mobile application capable of accurately predicting precipitation changes within a two-hour timeframe. The app offers minute-by-minute forecasts for rain and snow, allowing users to effectively plan their outdoor activities. By providing timely and precise weather information, Ourcast aims to enhance the decision-making process for individuals relying on up-to-date weather data.

Bubble Gum Interactive Pty Ltd is an independent game development studio based in Sydney, Australia, established in 2010. The company specializes in creating story-driven entertainment experiences, including mobile games and interactive applications for various brands. Notable projects include the virtual world "Space Heroes Universe!" and other mobile games that cater to diverse audiences. Bubble Gum Interactive has received funding through venture capital, angel investments, and government grants, which support its innovative approach to game and app development.

UpGuard's proprietary technology tests an organization's IT infrastructure both internally and externally and calculates the potential risk for future intrusions and outages. Upon evaluating the ongoing configuration state of every server and network device, companies are given an easy-to-understand score called CSTAR — a single number which indicates to IT staff as well as their executives their risk level for data breaches. An organization's CSTAR score can even be used by corporate insurers in creating a cybersecurity insurance policy. Thousands of companies, including ADP, E*TRADE, and Cisco Systems, use UpGuard to validate infrastructure, continuously detect risks, and procure cybersecurity insurance. UpGuard is headquartered in Mountain View, California with offices in Portland, Oregon.

Aktana helps life science companies get the most out of artificial intelligence for commercializing their products. Its platform harnesses machine learning algorithms to enable marketing and sales teams to optimize their engagement with prescribing physicians. Aktana supports more than 100 brands and more than half the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide to increase revenue, capitalize on data investments, and drive channel productivity and results. The company’s focus on the life sciences market allows Aktana to understand and incorporate unique market dynamics more deeply than the major AI players. Headquartered in San Francisco, Aktana also has offices in New York, Philadelphia, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Scalify Pty Ltd. is a Melbourne-based company that specializes in networking technologies for multiplayer applications. Founded in 2010, Scalify offers the Badumna Network Suite, a powerful technology suite designed to facilitate the development of large-scale multi-user applications, including online games and virtual environments. Badumna employs a decentralized architecture, which enhances scalability and networking performance while reducing operating costs. This innovative approach enables developers to create complex multiplayer experiences that were previously unattainable. In addition to its core technology, Scalify provides applications for centralized services such as authentication, arbitration, load distribution, and game administration, further supporting developers in building robust online platforms.

Nitro Software Limited is a document productivity company that provides software and support services focused on enhancing workflows through the portable document format (PDF). Founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, Nitro offers a range of products including Nitro Pro, which enables users to create, edit, convert, merge, annotate, protect, and sign PDFs. Additionally, Nitro Cloud provides tools for electronic signatures and collaboration, while Nitro Analytics delivers insights into document workflows and productivity. Serving various sectors such as real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, and education, Nitro aims to help organizations reduce paper use, streamline business processes, and facilitate digital transformation through its integrated and affordable solutions.

Styletread is a shoe retailer based in Abbotsford, Australia, specializing in a wide range of footwear for men, women, and children. The company provides an extensive selection of styles, including casual, dress shoes, athletic footwear, and boots. Styletread aims to inspire customers by showcasing the latest fashion trends in footwear. Additionally, the retailer offers free delivery and a 365-day return policy, ensuring a convenient shopping experience for its clientele.

BugHerd is a visual feedback tool designed to simplify the process of collecting website feedback and tracking bugs. It enables users to provide feedback directly on a webpage through a browser extension, functioning similarly to sticky notes. With a straightforward point-and-click interface, users can send contextual information, including screenshots and technical details, to their development teams. This data is organized and managed via a project and task management kanban board, allowing for efficient tracking and resolution of issues. BugHerd offers a 14-day trial for new customers, with monthly subscriptions starting at $29. Founded in 2011 by Alan Downie and Matt Milosavljevic, BugHerd aims to streamline the communication between web designers and developers.

DesignCrowd is an online marketplace for logo, website, print, and graphic design services providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world. Through crowdsourcing 2.0, DesignCrowd provides its users with access to a virtual team of over 430,896 designers from around the world allowing its users to tap into international design talents. It allows its users to post projects and receive more than 50 designs through the platform. DesignCrowd was launched in January 2008 and is based in Sydney, Australia.

Aktana helps life science companies get the most out of artificial intelligence for commercializing their products. Its platform harnesses machine learning algorithms to enable marketing and sales teams to optimize their engagement with prescribing physicians. Aktana supports more than 100 brands and more than half the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide to increase revenue, capitalize on data investments, and drive channel productivity and results. The company’s focus on the life sciences market allows Aktana to understand and incorporate unique market dynamics more deeply than the major AI players. Headquartered in San Francisco, Aktana also has offices in New York, Philadelphia, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Ourcast Inc. is a technology company that has developed a mobile application capable of accurately predicting precipitation changes within a two-hour timeframe. The app offers minute-by-minute forecasts for rain and snow, allowing users to effectively plan their outdoor activities. By providing timely and precise weather information, Ourcast aims to enhance the decision-making process for individuals relying on up-to-date weather data.

Active Transparency. Brand Protection. Customer Trust. ICIX helps the retail industry’s leading companies collaborate across trading partner networks to achieve Active Transparency. Our solutions enable companies to safeguard consumers, protect their brand, and build trust - all while improving margins. More than 20,000 businesses actively connect on the ICIX network, including 3 of the top 10 U.S. retailers and the top 100 food suppliers. ICIX customers include Walmart, Nike, Target, Hanesbrands, US Foods, Diageo, Wakefern and Restoration Hardware.

EvoStor is pioneering development of a new generation of storage systems purpose-built for the challenging requirements of virtual infrastructure. Storage vendors have tried to add capabilities to legacy products to address the challenges introduced by virtualization. Just adding features is not enough. EvoStor delivers innovative new technology to fully integrate with virtualization systems and management tools so they are simple to deploy and manage while providing enterprise class functionality.

Audinate Group Limited specializes in digital audio and visual networking solutions, primarily through its Dante protocol, which is the most widely used standard for digital audio networking across the professional AV industry. Founded in 2003 and based in Surry Hills, Australia, the company provides a range of products including Dante Controller, Dante Virtual Soundcard, and Dante Via, which facilitate audio routing and device configuration. Its offerings extend to the Dante Embedded Platform for AV-over-IP solutions and Dante Domain Manager for network management, including user authentication and security features. Audinate serves over 400 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who utilize the Dante protocol in more than 4,000 products. The company has also begun to expand its digital networking capabilities to video equipment, maintaining a commitment to transporting audio and video using standard networking protocols like Ethernet and TCP/IP while ensuring high performance and low latency.

Ausra manufactures and develops utility-scale solar technologies to serve global electricity needs in a market competitive and environmentally responsible manner. Ausra's solar concentrators boil water with focused sunlight, generating high-pressure steam that drives conventional turbine generators. Low-cost thermal energy storage systems now under development by Ausra will allow solar electric power to be generated on demand, both during the day and at night.

Ofidium is a developer of optical OFDM technology that significantly enhances telecommunications networks by enabling transmission speeds of up to 100 Gbit/s over existing infrastructure. This innovative approach not only increases bandwidth but also reduces costs, facilitating capacity growth for new optical fiber and improving the performance of current networks. By leveraging its advanced technology, Ofidium aims to address the growing demand for high-speed telecommunications solutions.

ZoomSystems is a leader in the automated retail industry, established in 2002 and based in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in developing and operating unattended point-of-sale solutions that integrate hardware, software, and managed services. Its ZoomShop network has expanded to over 1,500 locations, including airports, malls, resorts, military bases, and retail stores across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. ZoomSystems partners with prominent brands such as Best Buy, Nespresso, Proactiv, Amazon, Essie, Benefit Cosmetics, and Albertsons, providing them with advanced technologies that enhance the consumer shopping experience. Through its services, ZoomSystems enables retailers to increase sales, broaden market reach, and improve overall customer satisfaction.

dorsaVi Pty Ltd (previously Pro-Active Medical Pty Ltd) is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative motion analysis device technologies. dorsaVi comes from ‘dorsa', Latin for ‘back' and Vi which is a derivative of the French for ‘life', ‘Vie'.

EvoStor is pioneering development of a new generation of storage systems purpose-built for the challenging requirements of virtual infrastructure. Storage vendors have tried to add capabilities to legacy products to address the challenges introduced by virtualization. Just adding features is not enough. EvoStor delivers innovative new technology to fully integrate with virtualization systems and management tools so they are simple to deploy and manage while providing enterprise class functionality.

5th Finger is a prominent mobile solution provider in the United States, specializing in mobile marketing services for the retail and health industries. The company develops mobile experiences for major brands and retailers, including Safeway, Jos A Bank, Victoria's Secret, and Joann Fabric and Craft. As part of Merkle, a leading marketing database company, 5th Finger offers a range of services that include SMS and mobile marketing campaigns, geo-fencing, and mobile couponing. This focus on innovative mobile solutions positions 5th Finger as a key player in enhancing customer engagement and driving sales for its clients.

Audinate Group Limited specializes in digital audio and visual networking solutions, primarily through its Dante protocol, which is the most widely used standard for digital audio networking across the professional AV industry. Founded in 2003 and based in Surry Hills, Australia, the company provides a range of products including Dante Controller, Dante Virtual Soundcard, and Dante Via, which facilitate audio routing and device configuration. Its offerings extend to the Dante Embedded Platform for AV-over-IP solutions and Dante Domain Manager for network management, including user authentication and security features. Audinate serves over 400 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who utilize the Dante protocol in more than 4,000 products. The company has also begun to expand its digital networking capabilities to video equipment, maintaining a commitment to transporting audio and video using standard networking protocols like Ethernet and TCP/IP while ensuring high performance and low latency.

Aruspex creates strategic workforce planning solutions for organizations' design.

Holly Connects is the fresh voice in voice platforms, delivering software for powerful yet cost-effective call handling to telecommunications carriers, hosted service providers, and large enterprises worldwide. Holly's award-winning products provide a reliable foundation for delivering exceptional customer service by telephone.

MDi was created to fill critical gaps in network diagnostic tools for carriers migrating from SONET to IP over Optics, and to lay the groundwork for smart optical infrastructure. mdi's in-service monitoring software is the first to provide real-time insight into fiber networks. The company's tools let telecom systems vendors, carriers and technicians quickly and cost-effectively characterize fiber assets for network migration to 40G+, easily find impairments, and continuously manage high-speed networks.

Austhink Software, founded in 2004 by cognitive scientist Tim van Gelder, specializes in developing software that enhances critical thinking and decision-making capabilities in both business and educational settings. The company's innovative use of argument mapping—graphical techniques for managing complex argumentation—has been supported by extensive research demonstrating its effectiveness in improving critical thinking skills. Austhink's software aims to strengthen users' reasoning, logical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication abilities, thereby contributing to more informed and effective decision-making processes.

MuriGen Therapeutics Pty., Ltd. engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drugs in various therapeutic areas, including arthritis, thrombocytopenia, inflammatory diseases, epilepsy, and thalassemia. The company is based in Bundoora, Australia.

Quickcomm Software Solutions, Inc. specializes in telecom expense management software tailored for mobile and landline services. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York, the company provides tools for automatic reconciliation of telecom bills at the line-item level, enabling enterprises to identify discrepancies in charges and manage expenses more effectively. Its software also offers functionality for inventory management, order tracking, billing management, and cost center allocation, as well as analysis of telecom infrastructure usage to inform provisioning decisions. Quickcomm serves a diverse range of clients, including multinational enterprises and integrators, across markets in Asia/Pacific, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Additionally, the company has established strategic partnerships with various industry players to enhance its service offerings.

Intersection Medical, Inc. develops and markets non-invasive medical devices. Its devices help physicians in treating patients with heart failure. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Carlsbad, California.

Impedance Cardiology Systems, Inc. engages in biotechnology and is based in Menlo Park, California.

Protagonist Pty Ltd is a biotechnology company based in Brisbane, Australia, focused on developing innovative therapeutics for inflammatory and metabolic conditions. The company specializes in discovering peptide and small molecule compounds that mimic or inhibit protein-protein interactions relevant to therapeutic applications. Protagonist Pty Ltd also aims to identify drug candidates for targets that have traditionally been resistant to small molecule discovery, creating arrays of molecules that explore biologically-relevant chemical diversity. Originally founded as Cytokine Mimetics Pty Ltd in 2001, it operates as a subsidiary of Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops peptide-based products to address unmet medical needs, particularly in hematology and gastroenterology. Protagonist Therapeutics has a portfolio that includes drug candidates in various stages of clinical trials for conditions such as beta-thalassemia and inflammatory bowel disease.

Impedimed Limited is a medical software technology company based in Pinkenba, Australia, specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) devices and software services. The company offers a range of noninvasive devices, including SOZO for detecting lymphedema and monitoring fluid status in heart failure patients, SFB7 for analyzing body composition in healthy individuals, and ImpediVET for veterinary applications. Impedimed's products are recognized for their accuracy, portability, and ease of use, allowing for applications in various healthcare segments such as lymphedema assessment, weight management, and sports medicine. The company operates globally, with a significant revenue stream from North America, and provides a cloud-based platform to manage patient data. Established in 1999, Impedimed is noted for its pioneering role in next-generation bioimpedance technology, maintaining quality through compliance with international standards.

G2 Microsystems, Inc. designs, develops, and markets low-power Wi-Fi system-on-chip solutions, modules, and networking applications. The company’s solutions are used for asset tracking applications in healthcare, oil and gas, chemical, government, and automotive industries; wireless sensing applications in enterprises, retail outlets, factories, and warehouses; and in consumer devices, such as media players, gaming platforms, digital cameras, remote controls, headsets, and computer peripherals. Its modules provide connected Wi-Fi and networking services for mains and battery-powered devices. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Campbell, California. It operates a research and development facility in Sydney, Australia.

Qs Semiconductor develops a disruptive non-volatile RAM product that offers combined benefits of DRAM and flash memory. The company's non-volatile memory will be high density, low cost and have no wear out - making it ideal for a broad number of applications in the computer, handheld and electronic markets,

Engana Pty, Ltd. is a manufacturer based in Eveleigh, Australia, specializing in intelligent optical modules designed for reconfigurable optical communications networks. Established in 2001, the company develops products such as wavelength selective switch modules tailored for use in reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer applications. Engana focuses on meeting the needs of equipment manufacturers by providing advanced subsystems that enhance the capabilities of next-generation optical networks. As of 2006, Engana operates as a subsidiary of Optium Corporation.

Xelor Software, Inc. provides service quality management solutions for enterprises deploying Internet protocol telephony systems. The company's XelorRate software supports IP PBXs and networking infrastructure. Its XelorRate family of products enforces service quality policy end-to-end, as well as control network resources for Internet protocol communications.

Distra is an Australian software company established in 1999, focused on transforming payment systems globally. The company specializes in developing high-performance, high-availability payment applications for financial institutions, payment processors, and other entities within the payments ecosystem. Distra's enterprise-class solutions are designed to help organizations navigate cost, regulatory, and competitive challenges with minimal risk and maximum reliability. Its offerings facilitate consolidation, real-time payments, and the flexibility to adopt new business models, catering to the evolving needs of the market. Distra's technology is utilized by prominent financial institutions and is engineered to deliver tier-one performance and availability while remaining accessible to organizations of all sizes and budgets.

G2 Microsystems, Inc. designs, develops, and markets low-power Wi-Fi system-on-chip solutions, modules, and networking applications. The company’s solutions are used for asset tracking applications in healthcare, oil and gas, chemical, government, and automotive industries; wireless sensing applications in enterprises, retail outlets, factories, and warehouses; and in consumer devices, such as media players, gaming platforms, digital cameras, remote controls, headsets, and computer peripherals. Its modules provide connected Wi-Fi and networking services for mains and battery-powered devices. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Campbell, California. It operates a research and development facility in Sydney, Australia.

Xelor Software, Inc. provides service quality management solutions for enterprises deploying Internet protocol telephony systems. The company's XelorRate software supports IP PBXs and networking infrastructure. Its XelorRate family of products enforces service quality policy end-to-end, as well as control network resources for Internet protocol communications.