# VentureCrowd

> VentureCrowd is one of Australia's original equity crowdfunding platforms, launched in Sydney in 2013 out of alternative investment manager Artesian. It lets everyday and wholesale investors put money - from as little as A$250 - into early-stage startups, property developments and impact-focused ventures that were once the preserve of institutional venture capital. Led by co-founder and CEO Steve Maarbani, a former PwC partner and corporate lawyer, the platform has channelled over A$300 million into private companies, construction projects and sidecar funds, positioning itself as a bridge between the Australian 'crowd' and high-growth private markets.

- **Founded:** 2013
- **Headquarters:** Sydney, Australia
- **Founders:** Steve Maarbani (Co-founder & CEO), Jeremy Colless (Co-founder (via Artesian))
- **Team size:** ~24-26 employees
- **Products:** Equity Crowdfunding, Property Crowdfunding, Debt / Credit Investments, Sidecar Funds & Managed Funds
- **Notable:** One of Australia's first and original equity crowdfunding platforms (founded 2013)., Ran the largest Australian equity crowdfunding raise at the time - A$4.2M for ride-hailing startup Ingogo (2015)., Pioneered property crowdfunding in Australia via a partnership with developer Mirvac (2015).

## Products & services

- **Equity Crowdfunding** — A platform for retail and wholesale investors to buy fractional equity in early-stage, high-growth Australian startups, with minimum investments from around A$250.
- **Property Crowdfunding** — Access to residential and commercial property development deals, launched in partnership with developers such as Mirvac, opening real estate projects to smaller investors.
- **Debt / Credit Investments** — Debt-based crowdfunding and credit investment opportunities that let investors earn returns from secured lending and project finance.
- **Sidecar Funds & Managed Funds** — Curated managed funds and sidecar vehicles that let the crowd co-invest alongside professional venture and alternative-asset managers.

## Achievements

- One of Australia's first and original equity crowdfunding platforms (founded 2013).
- Ran the largest Australian equity crowdfunding raise at the time - A$4.2M for ride-hailing startup Ingogo (2015).
- Pioneered property crowdfunding in Australia via a partnership with developer Mirvac (2015).
- Reported channelling A$300M+ in total across startups, property projects and sidecar funds.
- Raised its own Series A capital (A$3.9M) directly from the crowd on its own platform (2022).

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — VentureCrowd's parent holding company entered external administration, with creditors reporting ~A$7.3M in claims; CEO Steve Maarbani characterised it as a corporate debt restructure and said operating subsidiaries and managed funds continue to run unaffected.
- **2022-02** — Closed a Series A round, including A$3.9M raised directly from investors on its own crowdfunding platform.

## Links

- Website: https://venturecrowd.com.au
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecrowd-pty-ltd
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/venturecrowd
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/VentureCrowdAustralia/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/venturecrowd
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-24