
Mighty Partners today announced the appointment of Kal Jamshidi as Managing Director. The appointment comes as the company gears up to grow its loan book to $100 million over the next two years, expanding its range of debt products for high-growth technology businesses.
Founded in 2021, Mighty Partners (formerly Fundabl) provides customised venture debt facilities ranging from $500,000 to $5 million to technology companies with proven revenue streams. The company has already funded over 70 companies, including notable Australian tech successes such as Amber Electric, Lyka, WeMoney, and Sprintlaw.
"Mighty is filling a significant gap in the Australian technology funding landscape," said Matt Leibowitz, Founder of Stake and investor in Mighty Partners. "Mighty gives savvy founders access to growth capital, without forcing them to dilute ownership in the businesses they're building. Venture debt is still in its infancy in Australia, but demand will rise as the market matures."
Jamshidi brings significant experience to the role, having begun his career as an Investment Banker at Macquarie, where he spent six years working across the Sydney and San Francisco offices in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications team. After Macquarie, he joined US insurtech startup Doma as an early employee, helping scale the company from 20 people to a $150 million-revenue business and leading a $170 million acquisition ahead of the company's $3 billion IPO.
As an entrepreneur, Jamshidi founded OnPodio, a software platform for independent fitness studios, which he scaled to $1.6 million in revenue before exiting to Recess. He also founded Letter of Intent, a daily publication read by over 20,000 Australian professionals across investment banks, law firms, VCs, PE funds and consulting firms, which was later acquired by Capital Brief.
"Venture capital takes a portfolio approach to investments - it's hunting for outliers, but expects the majority of investments to fail," said Jamshidi. "In contrast, we only back sustainable businesses that have achieved recurring revenue, show strong signs of product-market-fit, and have identified clear ways they can use capital to fuel their growth. Founders are also getting smarter about dilution, and capital partners need to get smarter too. Mighty Partners' incentives are aligned with founders - we offer flexible growth capital that can scale alongside their businesses."
Unlike traditional lenders who require profitability or hard assets, Mighty Partners bases lending decisions on companies' recurring revenue, growth rate, and technological moats. The firm adheres to disciplined underwriting principles, generally capping the amount of debt provided at one-third of a company's annualised revenue.
Venture debt remains in its infancy in Australia compared to more established ecosystems in the U.S. or Europe. However, as noted in the Cut Through Ventures Q1'25 Report, venture debt is gaining traction in the Australian market, with Mighty Partners a leader in this growing segment.
Backed by notable Australian tech entrepreneurs including Matt Leibowitz (Stake) and Larry Diamond (Zip), Mighty Partners is committed to providing an alternative funding pathway for founders who want to retain significant equity and control of their businesses while accessing the capital needed for strategic growth initiatives.
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Credit Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport.
Image credit: Eamon Gallagher