Marc Orchard

Consulting & Advisory

Brisbane

Marc Orchard is the CEO and co-founder of Planet Startup, a Brisbane-based virtual CFO services company he launched with Rhys Cupples in 2022. Planet Startup advises technology founders from seed to Series B, and has worked with companies including Greaseboss, Orefox, Rainstick, Swyftx, xrecruiter and Nourish'd. In October 2025, the business was acquired by ASX-listed Scalare Partners, with Marc continuing as CEO and Planet Startup becoming the operating brand for Scalare's vCFO service line.

A 2009 UQ Bachelor of Business Management graduate, Marc built an earlier career across the startup and finance ecosystem. He founded the BDO for Startups division at BDO Australia, served as Brisbane City Manager at Fishburners, and worked as Talent Program Director at fintech Swyftx. He is also a former Entrepreneur in Residence at UQ Ventures, a Lead Finance Facilitator for LaunchVic's 30x30 program, and Chapter Lead for Brisbane Finance in Tech.

Marc argues that most founders receive very little proactive financial or commercial advice, with large accounting firms focused mainly on end-of-year taxes. He states that fewer than 20% of high-growth, pre-Series A companies in Australia have a full or part-time CFO, and sees the fractional CFO model as the way to fill that gap.