STARTUP ADVICE How Aussie startup TrademarkVision secured a “superb return” for investors, from one angel who was there

Women-focused investor network Scale Investors has seen its first exit, with IP-specific image recognition startup TrademarkVision (TMV) being acquired by research and analysis company Clarivate Analytics.

Launched in 2011 by chief executive Sandra Mau, TMV applies artificial intelligence and image recognition to the brand protection space. It was one of the first recipients of funding from the Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Enterprise Australia, and later received investment from Right Click Capital and the Scale Investors group.

Angel investor and member of the group Lauren Melton tells StartupSmart she signed herself up to do the due diligence on the initial investment, and became very involved in the startup, taking a position as chair of the board.

Melton isn’t able to reveal any of the terms of the deal or provide specifics on the returns investors received. However, she did say it was a “superb return for a business at that stage”, and “very well deserved”.

TMV has been working with CompuMark, the trademark research and protection arm of Clarivate Analytic, since 2016. Mau tells StartupSmart “the company always seemed like the right home for us”. Read more

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien - SmartCompany - 22 November 2018