Sonder raises $40m from Blackbird Ventures, Seek, Hostplus
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The news: Health, safety and wellbeing startup Sonder announced the completion of a $40 million funding round led by Blackbird Ventures and Seek, with new investment from Hostplus Super and support from existing investors including MA Growth Ventures.
The numbers: Sonder did not disclose its latest valuation but told the AFR that it is a “material uplift” on the $150 million valuation reported during its 2024 Series B funding round. The startup says that it has reached one million members on its mobile app, achieving 40% year-on-year growth.
The context: Sonder allows companies to provide services targeting employee wellbeing, with an overarching focus on employee retention and performance. The company’s key Australian customers include brands such as David Jones, Yo-Chi, Lifeblood, Mirvac, Hoyts and IAG.
Sonder co-founder and CEO, Craig Cowdrey, said that the funding will enable the company to scale its operations across ANZ and the UK as well as building out AI-driven products and features.
Cowdrey said: “Businesses are recognising that investing in employee health, safety, and wellbeing is not just the right thing to do – it’s a critical driver of retention, productivity, and business success.”
What they said: Blackbird partner and co-founder, Niki Scevak, said Sonder is established and has proven its worth to the Australian market: “The Sonder platform delivers tangible health, wellbeing, safety and financial outcomes to customers, addressing core challenges that are prevalent across almost all businesses. With a healthy crop of blue chip businesses already signed and an outstanding team, we’re bullish Sonder will continue its rapid growth and be a household name."
The source: Sonder press release
