Starfish Ventures

CAP-XX develops, manufactures, and markets high power, thin, flat supercapacitors for various applications including commercial electronics, consumer devices, clean energy, and industrial equipment across Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America.

Smart Urban Properties Australia (SUPA) specializes in integrating renewable energy, advanced mobility, high-speed internet, and smart property technology to enhance the appeal and sustainability of multi-occupancy properties. The company, formed by merging Epsilon Security, b.energy, Fibrecorp, Smart Automation Systems, and connecX, offers services such as energy metering, solar panel installation, hot water systems, intercoms, security systems, and CCTV, aiming to reduce construction and operational costs for its clients.

Milkdrop manufactures innovative breast pump cushions designed to enhance comfort during breastfeeding. Their silicone cushions stretch over the pump head, protecting nipples from harsh suction and reducing discomfort.

Hearables 3D specializes in customized wearable technology. It uses 3D scanning and printing to create personalized earphones tailored to individual ear shapes, streamlining the process of producing custom-fit hearing devices.

DesignCrowd is an online creative marketplace that connects businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs with a global network of designers. The platform facilitates crowd-sourced design projects, offering a wide range of services including logo design, web page design, graphic design, business card design, brochure design, t-shirt design, and poster design. By enabling small firms to access diverse design talent, DesignCrowd helps them obtain the creative solutions they need at competitive prices. In addition to its primary marketplace, DesignCrowd also manages BrandCrowd, an online logo maker that further enhances its offerings in the design space.

Marani Health is a health technology company developing a prenatal care platform that includes a wearable textile-based device to measure key vitals of pregnant women and their developing fetus during pregnancy, labor and delivery. The platform uses artificial intelligence to assess health and wellness and supports the prenatal and postpartum experience with remote patient monitoring and devices. It delivers evidence-based, personalized care to maternity providers, health plans, and employers, with the aim of improving outcomes and enhancing care coordination while helping to reduce costs. The company collaborates with leading medical institutions, including Mayo Clinic, to advance its solutions.

Aktana is a technology company that builds an AI‑driven decision support platform for life science organizations. Its software integrates with existing CRM workflows to analyze market data, channel activity, and healthcare professional preferences in real time. The platform delivers actionable insights and suggested actions to sales and marketing teams, enabling them to optimize engagement with prescribing physicians and refine multichannel campaigns. Since its founding in 2008, Aktana has served more than 100 brands, including a majority of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, and operates from offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., established in 2006 and headquartered in Newark, California, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing peptide-based therapies to address unmet medical needs in hematology and gastroenterology. The company's pipeline includes PTG-300, an injectable hepcidin mimetic in Phase II trials for beta-thalassemia; PTG-200, a completed Phase I antagonist peptide candidate for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease; and PN-943, an oral integrin antagonist in Phase I trials for inflammatory bowel disease. Protagonist has a licensing and collaboration agreement with Janssen Biotech for PTG-200's development and commercialization. The company's proprietary platform enables the discovery of novel constrained peptide-based drug candidates targeting protein-protein interactions.

DesignCrowd is an online creative marketplace that connects businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs with a global network of designers. The platform facilitates crowd-sourced design projects, offering a wide range of services including logo design, web page design, graphic design, business card design, brochure design, t-shirt design, and poster design. By enabling small firms to access diverse design talent, DesignCrowd helps them obtain the creative solutions they need at competitive prices. In addition to its primary marketplace, DesignCrowd also manages BrandCrowd, an online logo maker that further enhances its offerings in the design space.

BugHerd develops bug-tracking software designed to streamline website review processes. Its platform integrates with project management tools and enables users to log and manage bugs visually.

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.

Mimetica is a biotechnology company based in Brisbane that specializes in drug discovery through the development of a proprietary class of small molecule scaffolds. These scaffolds are designed to mimic reverse-turn motifs of peptides, allowing Mimetica to create novel small molecule mimics of important peptides and proteins linked to various diseases. The company's current focus is on dermatological applications, particularly in treating conditions such as acne, by leveraging the rational design of these small molecules to improve skin health.

Ourcast is a technology company that specializes in developing software and mobile applications focused on enhancing weather forecasting capabilities. Its primary product offers minute-by-minute predictions for rain and snow over a two-hour period, allowing users to make informed decisions about their outdoor activities. By providing real-time updates and localized forecasts, Ourcast aims to improve user experience and confidence in planning around changing weather conditions.

Aktana is a technology company that builds an AI‑driven decision support platform for life science organizations. Its software integrates with existing CRM workflows to analyze market data, channel activity, and healthcare professional preferences in real time. The platform delivers actionable insights and suggested actions to sales and marketing teams, enabling them to optimize engagement with prescribing physicians and refine multichannel campaigns. Since its founding in 2008, Aktana has served more than 100 brands, including a majority of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, and operates from offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., established in 2006 and headquartered in Newark, California, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing peptide-based therapies to address unmet medical needs in hematology and gastroenterology. The company's pipeline includes PTG-300, an injectable hepcidin mimetic in Phase II trials for beta-thalassemia; PTG-200, a completed Phase I antagonist peptide candidate for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease; and PN-943, an oral integrin antagonist in Phase I trials for inflammatory bowel disease. Protagonist has a licensing and collaboration agreement with Janssen Biotech for PTG-200's development and commercialization. The company's proprietary platform enables the discovery of novel constrained peptide-based drug candidates targeting protein-protein interactions.

Atmail is a provider of webmail and email server solutions specifically designed for Unix and Linux systems. The company offers a comprehensive webmail system that integrates with existing POP3 and IMAP accounts, delivering more than standard webmail functionality. Atmail's Email Server edition serves as a complete messaging platform suitable for businesses, featuring a reliable mail server and groupware system essential for mission-critical operations. The platform includes various services such as email, collaboration tools, calendaring, and mobile access, as well as email protection and domain registration. This enables organizations, including businesses, universities, and government agencies, to enhance customer engagement and drive brand revenue.

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.

MetaCDN is a provider of global cloud-based content delivery, video encoding, and streaming services. The company specializes in web content acceleration and live streaming, integrating various content delivery network (CDN) providers into a cohesive global network. By dynamically optimizing and unifying leading cloud and network infrastructure, MetaCDN ensures rapid, secure, and reliable delivery of web content to users worldwide. Their services are designed to enhance the user experience by enabling clients to load websites quickly, regardless of their location. Whether clients require basic content delivery or advanced media encoding and streaming, MetaCDN caters to a diverse range of needs in the digital content landscape.

Ourcast is a technology company that specializes in developing software and mobile applications focused on enhancing weather forecasting capabilities. Its primary product offers minute-by-minute predictions for rain and snow over a two-hour period, allowing users to make informed decisions about their outdoor activities. By providing real-time updates and localized forecasts, Ourcast aims to improve user experience and confidence in planning around changing weather conditions.

UpGuard Inc. is a cybersecurity company that provides a comprehensive platform aimed at assessing and managing cyber risks. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, UpGuard offers tools such as the CyberSecurity Threat Assessment Report (CSTAR), which evaluates an organization's IT infrastructure and assigns a risk score that reflects potential vulnerabilities. Its solutions include integrity monitoring, configuration differencing, and advanced vulnerability analytics, which help clients identify security gaps and streamline compliance efforts. Additionally, UpGuard's platform automates the documentation of configuration states for servers and network devices, facilitating better risk assessment and management. The company's technology is utilized by numerous organizations, including major corporations, to enhance their security posture, improve DevOps initiatives, and support cybersecurity insurance procurement. UpGuard was previously known as ScriptRock Inc. before rebranding in January 2016.

Aktana is a technology company that builds an AI‑driven decision support platform for life science organizations. Its software integrates with existing CRM workflows to analyze market data, channel activity, and healthcare professional preferences in real time. The platform delivers actionable insights and suggested actions to sales and marketing teams, enabling them to optimize engagement with prescribing physicians and refine multichannel campaigns. Since its founding in 2008, Aktana has served more than 100 brands, including a majority of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, and operates from offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Scalify is a technology company specializing in the development of peer-to-peer networking solutions aimed at creating large multi-user applications, including online games and virtual worlds. Its flagship product, Badumna, is a cloud-based gaming software that employs a decentralized architecture, distinguishing it from traditional client-server models. This innovative approach enhances scalability, improves networking performance, and reduces operating costs, enabling developers to design complex multiplayer applications that were previously unattainable. Scalify's technology empowers creators in the gaming industry to deliver immersive experiences with greater efficiency and flexibility.

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 retailer specializing in the latest styles of shoes for women, men, and children. It offers a wide range of products including casual and dress shoes, athletic footwear, boots, and bags. The company stands out by providing free delivery and a hassle-free 365-day return policy.

BugHerd develops bug-tracking software designed to streamline website review processes. Its platform integrates with project management tools and enables users to log and manage bugs visually.

DesignCrowd is an online creative marketplace that connects businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs with a global network of designers. The platform facilitates crowd-sourced design projects, offering a wide range of services including logo design, web page design, graphic design, business card design, brochure design, t-shirt design, and poster design. By enabling small firms to access diverse design talent, DesignCrowd helps them obtain the creative solutions they need at competitive prices. In addition to its primary marketplace, DesignCrowd also manages BrandCrowd, an online logo maker that further enhances its offerings in the design space.

Aktana is a technology company that builds an AI‑driven decision support platform for life science organizations. Its software integrates with existing CRM workflows to analyze market data, channel activity, and healthcare professional preferences in real time. The platform delivers actionable insights and suggested actions to sales and marketing teams, enabling them to optimize engagement with prescribing physicians and refine multichannel campaigns. Since its founding in 2008, Aktana has served more than 100 brands, including a majority of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, and operates from offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Osaka, and Shanghai.

Ourcast is a technology company that specializes in developing software and mobile applications focused on enhancing weather forecasting capabilities. Its primary product offers minute-by-minute predictions for rain and snow over a two-hour period, allowing users to make informed decisions about their outdoor activities. By providing real-time updates and localized forecasts, Ourcast aims to improve user experience and confidence in planning around changing weather conditions.

iCiX is a provider of software solutions focused on supply chain risk management and compliance, particularly for the retail and food industries. The company offers a cloud-based network that facilitates collaboration among trading partners, allowing retailers and manufacturers to track the origins of their products and ensure compliance with safety regulations. By connecting over 20,000 businesses, including prominent retailers and food suppliers, iCiX helps its clients achieve Active Transparency, thereby enhancing brand protection and customer trust. Its solutions are designed to address the challenges of securing the food supply chain while improving operational margins, ultimately fostering a safer and more transparent marketplace.

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 develops and markets networked solutions that enable high-performance, low-latency transport of digital audio and video over standard data networks. Its flagship product is Dante, the world's most widely adopted protocol for digital audio networking, licensed by nearly 500 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for use in their products.

Ausra is a manufacturer and developer of utility-scale solar technologies aimed at addressing global electricity demands in an environmentally responsible manner. The company specializes in solar thermal power infrastructure, particularly through its compact linear Fresnel reflector systems, which utilize focused sunlight to boil water and generate high-pressure steam that powers conventional turbine generators. Ausra is also advancing low-cost thermal energy storage systems, enabling the generation of solar electric power on demand, both during daylight and nighttime hours. By providing zero-carbon power plants, Ausra offers a viable alternative to fossil-fuel-based electricity generation, delivering energy at competitive market prices while minimizing emissions associated with traditional fuel combustion.

Ofidium is a technology company specializing in optical OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) solutions aimed at enhancing telecommunications networks. The company develops advanced technologies that enable the transmission of data at speeds of 100 Gbit/s over existing infrastructure, thereby facilitating significant capacity growth for new optical fiber and improving the performance of current networking systems. By focusing on increasing bandwidth and reducing operational costs, Ofidium positions itself as a key player in the telecommunications sector, addressing the growing demand for faster and more efficient data transmission.

ZoomSystems is a leader in the automated retail industry, established in 2002 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in developing and operating unattended point-of-sale solutions that help brands and retailers enhance their market reach and improve consumer experiences. ZoomSystems provides a comprehensive platform that includes integrated hardware, software, and managed services, facilitating the delivery of products directly from manufacturers to consumers. Its network, known as ZoomShop, features over 1,500 locations in various venues such as airports, malls, resorts, military bases, and retail stores across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. The company partners with prominent brands including Best Buy, Nespresso, Proactiv, Amazon, Essie, Benefit Cosmetics, and Albertsons, focusing on providing advanced retail technologies that enhance convenience and customer satisfaction.

Energy Response is an aggregator focused on Demand Side Response (DSR) in the Australian and New Zealand electricity markets. The company facilitates participation for all market players, employing dedicated systems for aggregation, scheduling, dispatch, and settlements. With a strong expertise in the energy sector, Energy Response offers advisory services that cover various aspects of market development, including access, regulation, competition policy, and governance. This comprehensive approach enables effective participation in the energy markets, addressing both operational and strategic needs for its clients.

DorsaVi specializes in developing motion analysis technologies, focusing on workplace safety and clinical rehabilitation. Its key products include ViSafe for workplace injury prevention, ViMove for patient care and recovery, and ViPerform for athletic training risk assessment. The company operates globally with a majority of its revenue generated from the United States.

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, a subsidiary of Merkle, specializes in mobile solutions for retailers and healthcare providers in the U.S. They offer services such as SMS and mobile marketing campaigns, geofencing, and mobile couponing to enhance customer experiences for prominent clients like Safeway, Jos A Bank, Victoria's Secret, and Joann Fabric & Craft.

Aruspex specializes in strategic workforce planning solutions aimed at assisting organizations in designing and achieving their future workforce needs. The company offers services that utilize software to analyze both internal and external demographic trends, allowing for the identification of future workforce gaps. This analytical approach enables executives and HR professionals, particularly within multinational corporations, to address various workforce management challenges effectively. By focusing on the strategic alignment of workforce planning, Aruspex supports organizations in navigating the complexities of workforce dynamics and preparing for future demands.

Audinate develops and markets networked solutions that enable high-performance, low-latency transport of digital audio and video over standard data networks. Its flagship product is Dante, the world's most widely adopted protocol for digital audio networking, licensed by nearly 500 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for use in their products.

Holly Connects is a company that specializes in developing innovative voice platforms designed for telecommunications carriers, hosted service providers, and large enterprises globally. By offering powerful and cost-effective call handling software, Holly Connects delivers essential tools that enhance customer service experiences. The company's award-winning products include features such as IVR virtualization, reporting, speech recognition logging, and call recording, which provide a reliable foundation for effective communication. With a focus on meeting the needs of the modern telecommunications landscape, Holly Connects aims to transform how organizations manage and optimize their voice interactions.

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 Australian cognitive scientist Tim van Gelder, specializes in developing software that enhances critical thinking and decision-making capabilities in both business and educational contexts. The company's innovative approach employs argument mapping, a graphical technique that effectively manages complex argumentation and has been validated through extensive research for its ability to improve critical thinking skills. Austhink Software's products aim to bolster reasoning, logical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills among users, making it a valuable resource for individuals and organizations seeking to enhance their cognitive processes.

MuriGen Therapeutics Pty., Ltd. is an Australian company based in Bundoora that specializes in the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel drugs for various therapeutic areas, including cancer, arthritis, thrombocytopenia, inflammatory diseases, epilepsy, and thalassemia. Utilizing a unique biology-based technology, MuriGen conducts functional analyses of entire mammalian genomes to identify new therapeutic targets. This innovative approach aims to address unmet medical needs and provide significant benefits to researchers, healthcare practitioners, and patients. MuriGen has demonstrated the effectiveness of its technology through a model of thrombocytopenia. The company is closely affiliated with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, a leading medical research organization, which enhances its capabilities by providing access to advanced facilities and resources.

Quickcomm Software Solutions, Inc. specializes in telecom expense management software, catering to the mobile and landline telecommunications markets. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York, the company provides a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes automatic reconciliation of telecom bills at the line-item level, cost center allocation, and detailed reporting on telecom infrastructure usage. Its software helps enterprises efficiently manage expenses, track inventory, and optimize wireless services. Additionally, Quickcomm offers deployment services to enhance the implementation of its solutions. The company serves a diverse clientele across various regions, including Asia/Pacific, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, and has formed strategic partnerships with several industry players to expand its service offerings.

Impedance Cardiology Systems develops cardiovascular monitoring systems for patients with congestive heart failure.

Intersection Medical, Inc. is a California-based company founded in 2006 that specializes in the development and marketing of non-invasive medical devices. The company focuses on creating innovative solutions to assist physicians in the treatment of heart failure. Additionally, Intersection Medical is working on technology aimed at enhancing the visibility of patients' health status, providing actionable data to both patients and healthcare providers. Through its advancements, Intersection Medical aims to improve patient outcomes and streamline the management of heart failure.

Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc., established in 2006 and headquartered in Newark, California, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing peptide-based therapies to address unmet medical needs in hematology and gastroenterology. The company's pipeline includes PTG-300, an injectable hepcidin mimetic in Phase II trials for beta-thalassemia; PTG-200, a completed Phase I antagonist peptide candidate for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease; and PN-943, an oral integrin antagonist in Phase I trials for inflammatory bowel disease. Protagonist has a licensing and collaboration agreement with Janssen Biotech for PTG-200's development and commercialization. The company's proprietary platform enables the discovery of novel constrained peptide-based drug candidates targeting protein-protein interactions.

ImpediMed designs, manufactures, and markets bioimpedance spectroscopy BIS devices and software for noninvasive assessment of fluid status and tissue composition. It offers SOZO, a device and cloud platform to detect lymphedema and monitor fluid status in heart failure patients; SFB7, a single-channel BIS device for body composition analysis; and ImpediVET for veterinary applications. The company sells to hospitals and clinics worldwide and focuses on lymphedema prevention, heart failure monitoring, and tissue composition measurement. Headquartered in Pinkenba, Australia, it operates globally.

G2 Microsystems, Inc. is a company specializing in the design, development, and marketing of low-power Wi-Fi system-on-chip solutions and networking applications. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Campbell, California, G2 Microsystems serves a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, oil and gas, chemicals, government, and automotive, by providing innovative asset tracking solutions. Additionally, the company's technology supports wireless sensing applications across enterprises, retail environments, factories, and warehouses. G2 Microsystems also caters to consumer electronics, offering modules that enhance connectivity for devices such as media players, gaming platforms, digital cameras, remote controls, headsets, and computer peripherals. The company maintains a research and development facility in Sydney, Australia, to further its technological advancements.

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 an Australian company established in 2001, specializing in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of intelligent optical modules designed for reconfigurable optical communications networks. Based in Eveleigh, the company produces wavelength selective switch modules specifically tailored for use in reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer applications. Engana's products are aimed at addressing the demands of equipment manufacturers, providing essential subsystems that enhance the performance and flexibility 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, specializing in high-performance payments applications. The company focuses on developing solutions for financial institutions, payments processors, and other entities within the payments ecosystem. Distra's enterprise-class products are designed to enhance the flexibility and performance of existing payments infrastructures, enabling organizations to effectively tackle cost, regulatory, and competitive challenges with minimal risk. Its solutions support real-time payments, facilitate consolidation, and allow for the adoption of new business models. Serving some of the world's leading financial institutions, Distra's offerings are characterized by tier one performance and availability, making them accessible to organizations of all sizes and budgets. The company is committed to meeting current market demands while being architected for future needs.

G2 Microsystems, Inc. is a company specializing in the design, development, and marketing of low-power Wi-Fi system-on-chip solutions and networking applications. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Campbell, California, G2 Microsystems serves a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, oil and gas, chemicals, government, and automotive, by providing innovative asset tracking solutions. Additionally, the company's technology supports wireless sensing applications across enterprises, retail environments, factories, and warehouses. G2 Microsystems also caters to consumer electronics, offering modules that enhance connectivity for devices such as media players, gaming platforms, digital cameras, remote controls, headsets, and computer peripherals. The company maintains a research and development facility in Sydney, Australia, to further its technological advancements.

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.