Business strategists
Go to marketers
Seasoned investors
Tech founders
Product gurus
All-weather specialists
A huge part of our business is creating trusting relationships with our founders, and matching our resources and services to the needs of each company.
Consider us your very own brains trust, ready to help with the ebbs and flows of being a seed-stage company and empowering founders to solve problems in their own way.
Grant McCarthy
Managing Partner
Leader, sounding board, visionary. Grant leverages a background in digital media and 20+ years of experience investing in seed companies in Asia & Australia and advising early-stage founders on their most critical challenges. He encourages big picture thinking, and guides companies to see strategic opportunities, build product-market fit, and prepare for institutional capital raising. Formerly Yahoo.
Wendell Keuneman
General Partner
Product gun, founders' go-to-guy. Wendell is a product-led-growth expert and multi-time start-up founder, armed with 20+ years of software engineering and product management experience. Whether you need to go deep in code, sound out an idea, get a reality check, or just talk through frustrations, Wendell's unique thinking helps others to see the path forward. Formerly Atlassian, Broadsoft & Inference.
Georgie Turner
Partner
Go-to-market guru, fundraising gun. Georgie has extensive experience in investment banking as well as enterprise sales, working closely alongside founders to develop successful go-to-market strategies. She brings wisdom and dedication to help founders optimise their business and prepare for the next round of fundraising. Formerly Bailador, Rackspace, Lazard.
Andrea Kowalski
Venture Partner
Growth specialist, global outlook. Andrea has successfully launched two funds in overseas markets all while building trusting personal relationships with founders as an adviser and confidant. With 15+ years of VC and tech investment experience, Andrea is our growth investment lead and US presence, preparing companies for global expansion and ongoing fundraising. Formerly Bailador, Boost & Co, UBS.
Max Kausman
Associate
Strategist, problem solver. With a background in strategy consulting and corporate advisory, Max can think big-picture as well as get into the detail. Relentlessly curious and deeply engaged, he works closely with founders on finance, growth, and strategy, helping them exploit opportunities and optimise commercial approaches. Formerly Bain & Co, Vesparum.
Vicky Clare
Portfolio Success Manager
Community, customers, talent. Vicky is a startup storyteller, able to highlight the metrics that matter and spot gaps in new markets. Her work with the US startup ecosystem has given her special insights into what it takes to go global. She’s here to help our founders connect to commercial opportunities, source talent, and succeed in the global market. Formerly Aussie Founders Network (USA), Investment NSW.
Samadhi Pelenda
Analyst
Ideas, insights, independent vision. Samadhi’s special gift is helping founders clarify their vision, quantify their capabilities, and turn ideas into reality. She brings considerable experience working with startup size enterprises as well as big public sector companies, harnessing data to promote growth. Formerly Macquarie, PwC.
Murray Bleach
Chair (Seed)
Wise counsel, leader of leaders. Murray is a financial leader with over 30 years of investment, banking, and fund management experience, and a passionate, insightful backer of the newest ideas. Having served on high-profile boards, Murray's sound, practical experience supports every investment and underpins every Tidal value. Formerly IFM, Macquarie.
Tony Faure
Chair (Follow-On)
Clarity and conviction. Tony brings over 25 years of experience in the technology, data, and media industries, and has an extensive background of investing in early-stage companies and helping them scale. Tony brings vision and insight to Tidal's investment processes and governance. Chair of oOh!media and ReadyTech. Formerly Yahoo.
Craig Holden
Chief Financial Officer
Sage of finance. The buck stops with Craig and his 25 plus years in senior finance roles. His rigour and flair is the foundation of our operations and the bedrock of our best decisions. Continuously improving how we manage and govern the fund, he drives us to achieve business growth through best-in-class financial systems, processes, and thinking. Formerly Allen & Buckeridge.
Kristina Kardum
Head of Investor Relations
Investor relationship glue. Kristina is a seasoned investment leader and advisor, with over 15 years in senior and consultancy roles at high profile financial institutes. Her role at Tidal is to steer our investment strategy, and identify and nurture investors who share our passion for seed-stage business. Previously Julius Bar, MLC.
Parinita Gadekar
Fund Operations
Finance savvy with a startup heart. Parinita is a numbers and commerce wizard, with experience on the stock exchange and consulting for large financial enterprises. As a founder herself, Parinita now uses her STEM-finance-tech lens to help our founders flourish and succeed. Formerly Deloitte, Chicago Board Options Exchange.
Jamie-Leigh Hecht
Public Relations
Keeping us in the public loops. Jamie has a deep appreciation for the entrepreneurial journey and investment landscape. As a PR specialist she helps us to increase Tidal's presence and create real impact by raising the profile of our community of founders and investors. Formerly Hitachi, Black Nova VC.
Claire Mahoney
Staff Writer
Word warrior. With a background in software and tech, Claire is a storyteller who quickly uncovers the clearest path through any topic. With clarity of thought, insight, and message, she collaborates with people and teams to create meaningful experiences for users, products, and projects. Formerly Atlassian, MYOB.