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Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our interview show where we sit down with a guest, think about their work and unpack the rest. 

Today, we’re spinning the globe with not one but two interviews thanks to Rebecca Bellan, who’s been in Auckland, New Zealand, for the past three years. She recently hopped across the Tasman Sea to Australia to report on the startup scene there, and is coming back to us with a temperature check on VC Down Under.

For this episode of Equity, we spoke to two Aussie VCs: Dan Krasnostein of Square Peg and Gabrielle Munzer of Main Sequence. Rebecca and our guests dug into:

• Why early-stage funding is popping off in the region
• The government’s role in growing a startup ecosystem
• Why the region’s deep tech startups are less worried about “tourist-style” investors
• And what it’s like to compete — and collaborate — with Silicon Valley

In addition to these conversations, Rebecca wrote a few deep dive stories from her time in Australia, including a look at its burgeoning climate tech scene and some of the people who are fighting to lift women up in the ecosystem. Rebecca also chatted with Canva — the SaaS darling of Australia — to learn how the company is embracing generative AI at its core and pursuing more B2B clients.

Equity has one more episode to share before saying goodbye to 2023. It’s a fun one and a tradition: Equity’s 2024 predictions. Stay tuned!

Connect with Equity on X and Threads @EquityPod, and keep up with all of TechCrunch’s podcasts @TechCrunchPods on TikTok.

For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity’s Simplecast website.

Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more!