Charles Troian
2 December, 2025
Why Boring is Beautiful: Venture Capital Lessons with Matthew Browne
In this episode of The Exchange, EW&L Associate Adviser, Charles Troian, sits down with Matthew Browne, Founder and Managing Partner of Black Nova Venture Capital, to explore the evolution of Australia’s start-up ecosystem and what it really takes to build - and back - world-class technology companies.
From launching his first business at 13 to founding and exiting two successful enterprise software companies (including Y Combinator–backed Whispli), Matthew shares lessons learned from both sides of the venture table. He unpacks what separates resilient founders from the rest, why “boring” B2B software often outperforms hype-driven tech, and how Australia’s venture market has matured into one of the most efficient ecosystems in the world.
The conversation dives deep into Black Nova’s investment philosophy - a by founders, for founders model - and the firm’s focus on mission-critical, enterprise-grade software with strong fundamentals and global potential. Matthew also reflects on the future of AI, capital flows, and the importance of reinvesting in Australia’s innovation economy.
Whether you’re an investor, founder, or adviser, this episode offers a rare look inside the mindset of one of Australia’s most disciplined venture capitalists, and what it takes to identify the next generation of enduring businesses.
Important disclaimer
Emanuel Whybourne & Loehr Pty Ltd (ACN 643 542 590) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of EWL PRIVATE WEALTH PTY LTD (ABN: 92 657 938 102/AFS Licence 540185).Unless expressly stated otherwise, any advice included in this email is general advice only and has been prepared without considering your investment objectives or financial situation.
There has been an increase in the number and sophistication of criminal cyber fraud attempts. Please telephone your contact person at our office (on a separately verified number) if you are concerned about the authenticity of any communication you receive from us. It is especially important that you do so to verify details recorded in any electronic communication (text or email) from us requesting that you pay, transfer or deposit money, including changes to bank account details. We will never contact you by electronic communication alone to tell you of a change to your payment details.
This email transmission including any attachments is only intended for the addressees and may contain confidential information. We do not represent or warrant that the integrity of this email transmission has been maintained. If you have received this email transmission in error, please immediately advise the sender by return email and then delete the email transmission and any copies of it from your system. Our privacy policy sets out how we handle personal information and can be obtained from our website.
The information in this podcast series is for general financial educational purposes only, should not be considered financial advice and is only intended for wholesale clients. That means the information does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider if the information is appropriate for you and your needs. You should always consult your trusted licensed professional adviser before making any investment decision.
Emanuel Whybourne & Loehr Pty Ltd (ACN 643 542 590) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of EWL PRIVATE WEALTH PTY LTD (ABN: 92 657 938 102/AFS Licence 540185).Unless expressly stated otherwise, any advice included in this email is general advice only and has been prepared without considering your investment objectives or financial situation.
There has been an increase in the number and sophistication of criminal cyber fraud attempts. Please telephone your contact person at our office (on a separately verified number) if you are concerned about the authenticity of any communication you receive from us. It is especially important that you do so to verify details recorded in any electronic communication (text or email) from us requesting that you pay, transfer or deposit money, including changes to bank account details. We will never contact you by electronic communication alone to tell you of a change to your payment details.
This email transmission including any attachments is only intended for the addressees and may contain confidential information. We do not represent or warrant that the integrity of this email transmission has been maintained. If you have received this email transmission in error, please immediately advise the sender by return email and then delete the email transmission and any copies of it from your system. Our privacy policy sets out how we handle personal information and can be obtained from our website.
Catch-up on all our latest
Podcast
Peter Bates (T Rowe Price): Creating Investment value after the inflation storm of 2022
In this episode, hear from Peter Bates (Baltimore, Maryland), Portfolio Manager with T Rowe Price, one of the World’s largest…
Podcast
Ophir's Secret Sauce: How Discipline and Detail Drove 20x Growth in 12 Years with Andrew Mitchell
Tim Whybourne sits down with Andrew Mitchell, Co-Founder and Senior Portfolio Manager at Ophir Asset Management
News
Exploring the Growing Appeal of Alternative Investments in Australia
Managing Partner Tim Whybourne shares his insights on the rising popularity of alternative investments on ausbiz.
NewsLetter
Subscribe to keep up to date with our market insights
Thankyou!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Free Download
Download our Semi-Annual Investment Outlook Report
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
