Simon Hackett

Simon at Base64 3 Simon Hackett is an Australian business leader who combines entrepreneurial energy with technical expertise. After building Internode into Australia's largest privately-owned broadband company, Simon sold Internode to iiNet Ltd, Australia’s second-largest provider of DSL broadband services. After serving as a non-executive director on the iiNet board for 18 months, Simon resigned that role in November 2013 to become a non-executive director of NBN Co, the government-owned company building the National Broadband Network. Simon has also invested in a number of innovative Australian start-up technology companies.

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Details: In Simon Hackett; / Published on 02 September 2014

Simon Hackett

Led by Australian business icon The Myer Family Investments Pty Ltd and Internode founder Simon Hackett
Capital to be applied to growth in booming Australian tech startup market

Australian technology startup BlueChilli Group today announced it had closed a $5 million round of investment to speed the growth of providing services to early-stage technology startups, and to corporate customers seeking startup-like innovation.

The investment round is led by the Myer Family Investments and includes one of Adelaide’s most successful technology entrepreneurs, Internode founder Simon Hackett.

BlueChilli was founded in 2012 with the backing of original investor, Domenic Carosa’s Future Capital Development Fund. Future Capital’s equity will be acquired in this transaction. The valuation of the company as a result of this transaction has not been disclosed.

“We’re obviously excited to make this announcement,” said BlueChilli founder and CEO Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin. “While the scale of the investment may be the headline in the Australian startup community, it’s really who our new investors are which is the most significant aspect of the announcement.”

“Simon Hackett is one of Australia’s most successful technology entrepreneurs, and the Myer Family is one of Australia’s most iconic investing families. We’ve been able to demonstrate a uniquely viable model for creating a thriving portfolio of more than 40 new tech startups in two years. The investment signifies their support for our plans to scale our model here and overseas.”