SYDNEY, July 2025
Airtree Ventures has joined forces with Stone & Chalk to launch Venture Suites, a dedicated workspace providing practical support to high-growth tech startups in Sydney’s Tech Central innovation district.
Located at 477 Pitt Street in Haymarket, Venture Suites combines private office space with strategic support tailored specifically to the needs of rapidly scaling companies in Airtree’s portfolio. Startups based at Venture Suites gain direct access to mentorship, industry expertise, and curated investor networks, leveraging Stone & Chalk’s ability to accelerate growth.
Venture capitalists increasingly seek new ways to offer value beyond capital. For instance, Investible’s partnership with Greenhouse in Circular Quay underscores how leading Australian VCs differentiate themselves by providing practical infrastructure and support. Similarly, Airtree’s support of Venture Suites demonstrates its commitment to founder success through tangible resources rather than capital alone.
Jackie Vullinghs, Partner at Airtree, said, “Airtree has always committed to backing founders with more than capital. We're excited to partner with one of the leading ecosystem enablers in Australia to deliver resources and community designed specifically for startup growth”
Tech Central is Sydney’s burgeoning tech precinct and already hosts leading innovators such as Atlassian, Canva, and the University of Technology Sydney. Designed to foster collaboration among academia, industry, and emerging tech businesses, Tech Central provides a vibrant ecosystem for ambitious startups. As Grace Yao, VP Operations at Reejig, said, “nothing beats the magic of in-person connection. As a remote-first company, having access to a space in the CBD where we can come together to brainstorm and collaborate has been a game changer for our team.’
For early-stage companies, access to a communal space isn’t taken for granted. Kate Lambridis, Co-founder of Human Health, pointed out: "Our team deeply values face time, but we wanted to avoid the cost and admin of a full-time office. Venture Suites gives us the perks of having a beautiful shared space without any of the overhead.”
Early tenants of Venture Suites include Reejig, an AI-powered workforce management platform; CipherStash, cybersecurity experts; and Human Health, a digital health platform for managing chronic conditions.
Cipherstash's CTO, Kate Andrews, who has been working from the space, spoke highly of the connections made with fellow Airtree portfolio companies.
"CipherStash has been using the Airtree Venture Suite at the Stone & Chalk Tech Central for a few months now, and we're absolutely loving it.” She continued, “For our stage of evolution as a company, having a co-working space with this level of flexibility is a perfect fit. And it's so much more than just a physical space – the chance to connect and share ideas with other Airtree companies is gold. Being part of the broader Tech Central community provides additional opportunities to learn and spark ideas.
“Through the Venture Suite, Airtree and Stone & Chalk give us the support we need to grow – a convenient and cost-effective physical space that's great for focus and collaboration, as well as a sense of being part of something bigger, a vibrant collective of tech folks who are on a similar adventure to CipherStash."
Jacqui Duncan, GM - NSW of Stone & Chalk, added, “This partnership is about establishing the best builders in the Tech Central precinct, surrounding them with the robust support they need to succeed. Thriving innovation precincts are built through collaboration, and this is a powerful example of multiple players coming together to back the companies shaping the future of our innovation economy.”
For more information, visit www.stoneandchalk.com.au/venture-suites.
Biographies:
Kate Andrew is the CTO of CipherStash, an Australian cybersecurity company specialising in encryption-in-use technology, ensuring sensitive data remains protected even during active use. Founded in 2020 by Dan Draper, CipherStash offers solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing databases and applications, allowing organisations to implement robust data security without sacrificing performance or usability. CipherStash empowers businesses to mitigate risks associated with data breaches and unauthorised access.
Jacqui Duncan is the General Manager of Stone & Chalk in NSW. Stone & Chalk is Australia’s largest innovation community, dedicated to accelerating the growth of emerging technology startups and scaleups. Operating as a not-for-profit, it provides founders with access to expert mentorship, funding pathways, corporate partnerships, and a collaborative network of peers.
Jackie Vullinghs is a Partner at Airtree. Airtree Ventures is a leading Australian venture capital firm established in 2014. It backs ambitious founders across Australia and New Zealand in building the iconic technology companies of tomorrow.
