# Side Stage Ventures

Side Stage Ventures is a Venture Capital based in Sydney, Australia.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** Sydney, Australia
- **Region:** Oceania
- **Address:** Sydney, Australia
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** sidestage.vc
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/side-stage-ventures

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Side Stage Ventures is a founder-led seed fund backing outlier founders in Australia. We write the first cheque into the best early stage companies. Then we lean in to help the founders build & scale.

## Sectors

- Enterprise Software
- AI/ML
- ClimateTech
- Digital Health
- Media & Entertainment

## People

- Markus Kahlbetzer — General Partner & Co-Founder
- Ben Grabiner — General Partner & Co-Founder
- Elli Hanson — Partner
- Harrison Wright — Principal
- Alice Williams — Head of Operations

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Side Stage Ventures?

Investment decisions are led by General Partners and Co-Founders Markus Kahlbetzer and Ben Grabiner, with Partner Elli Hanson also sourcing and leading deals. Kahlbetzer brings 18 years of venture and multi-asset investing experience, while Grabiner brings operator experience from founding Platoon (acquired by Apple) and investing at London's LocalGlobe. The firm operates as a tight, founder-led partnership where conviction is built collectively before a check is written.

### How does Side Stage source proprietary deal flow?

The firm sources opportunities through its own operator networks and a distinct community of founder-LPs that includes the co-founders of Linktree, Go1, and Airtasker. Side Stage augments this with an active content and research practice — publishing reports like the 'Australia Outliers Report' — which acts as an inbound funnel for early-stage talent across the country. The partnership's own startup experiences also create referral paths from repeat founders who previously worked alongside the GPs.

### Does Side Stage participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

Side Stage focuses on direct, first-check investments into pre-seed and seed-stage companies. The firm's public positioning and its team's investment histories emphasize direct startup exposure; there is no disclosed program for investing as a limited partner into other venture funds.

### What is Side Stage's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The firm describes itself as 'super collaborative' and actively invests alongside other venture funds in Australia and around the world. It does not require a lead position and frequently participates in syndicates where a larger domestic or international fund sets the terms. This co-investment posture aligns with the firm's focus on adding operational support rather than controlling rounds.

### Which portfolio company provided the most significant outcome to date?

Leonardo.AI, a generative-AI platform, was acquired by Canva in 2024 in a transaction the firm cites as a validation of its thesis (per the firm, 2024). The acquisition marked a breakout moment for the portfolio and demonstrated the fund's ability to identify globally scalable AI businesses emerging from the Australian ecosystem.

### How are the founders' prior operating experiences embedded into portfolio support?

The GPs and Partner Elli Hanson are all former founders or operators who built companies before joining Side Stage — Grabiner at Platoon/Apple, Kahlbetzer at multiple startups, and Hanson at the consumer-hardware company Flaus and Ogilvy. They offer portfolio companies direct, hands-on support in US market entry, hiring, fundraising strategy, and product-market-fit development, operating as an extension of the founding team rather than a passive capital source.

## Related profiles

- [Sidereal Capital Group](https://altss.com/profile/sidereal-capital-group)
- [Side X Side Management](https://altss.com/profile/side-x-side-management)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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