Inside Scalare Partners' Hands-On Acquisition Strategy
Scalare Partners describes itself as an Australian technology accelerator and investment and advisory firm, and on its About page it sets out the growth-by-acquisition approach that has shaped the…
Scalare Partners describes itself as an Australian technology accelerator and investment and advisory firm, and on its About page it sets out the growth-by-acquisition approach that has shaped the company under chief executive Carolyn Breeze. The firm has brought together a portfolio of businesses that spans the startup support ecosystem, from incubation space to founder education and financial services.
That portfolio has grown through a series of acquisitions. Scalare acquired Tank Stream Labs in a deal worth around $5.5 million, along with Tech Ready Women, the Australian Technologies Competition, Inhouse Ventures, and Planet Startup, a Brisbane-based virtual CFO service. Together these businesses give the company a presence across several stages of a founder's development, consolidating accelerator, advisory and capability-building functions under one listed entity.
Carolyn leads the firm as its first chief executive, a newly created role she stepped into after joining from Zepto, where she was Chief Commercial Officer. She brings more than 20 years of experience across technology, telecommunications, eCommerce, payments and fintech, with earlier senior roles at GoCardless, Braintree, PayPal and eBay. Under her leadership, Scalare listed on the ASX in December 2023, a milestone she described as the first tech accelerator to list in the country.
Carolyn sees Scalare's model as distinct from traditional venture capital. She believes the firm differs by taking an active, hands-on role in supporting its portfolio companies, rather than a purely financial one. Her perspective also extends to how founders themselves are treated. Carolyn argues that founders deserve to benefit financially from secondary sales and should prioritise self-care and salaries, a view that reflects the broad support function the company has assembled through its acquisitions.
That combination of capital, advisory and capability under a single structure is central to how Scalare positions itself. For Carolyn, it is an opportunity to back Australian founders at multiple points in their growth, with the firm working alongside them rather than simply investing and stepping back.