Artesian describes itself as a global alternative asset manager specialising in debt and venture capital. Its venture business is carried on by Artesian Venture Partners Pty Ltd (ACN 112 089 488), which holds Australian Financial Services Licence No. 284492 and is owned by Artesian Capital Management Pty Ltd (ACN 136 833 192), a corporate authorised representative (No. 339915) of Artesian Funds Management Pty Ltd (ACN 089 486 445, AFSL No. 259457). The firm states it backs ventures across six investment themes - Agrifood, Health, Climate and Energy, Defence, AI and Autonomy, and Frontier - and reports 600+ ventures backed. Alongside its own funds it runs a Venture Capital as a Service (VCaaS) business, established in 2019, which operates sole-limited-partner venture mandates for institutions and government-linked programmes, including the South Australian Venture Capital Fund, GrainInnovate for the GRDC with GrainCorp, SproutX, and mandates announced in 2025 for Hort Innovation, the Western Australia Government and HBF. The firm reports 9 offices across 5 countries - Adelaide, Austin, London, Melbourne, New York, Perth, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney - and 43 people. It states it is a certified B Corporation and a PRI signatory.
$1.5B (firm homepage, 2026; Debt $815M and Venture $660M - the site prints no currency code, so the currency is unresolved and no conversion has been applied) AUM72/100 Power Score™2004 FoundedSydney, Australia
Artesian founded by Jeremy Colless, Matt Clunies-Ross and John McCartney, spun out of ANZ Banking Group's Capital Markets business, launching a credit-arbitrage hedge fund with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, New York and London.
2010
Expansion into venture capital with proprietary seed investments across Asia-Pacific including China, and first external VC funds investing in startups emerging from accelerators, incubators, university programs and angel groups.
2016
Hostplus commits as the first Australian superannuation fund to invest in Artesian venture, and Artesian launches what it describes as Australia's first climate and clean energy seed fund with CEFC, Australian Ethical and Future Super as cornerstone investors.
2019
Sole-LP venture fund model launched in Australia with the South Australian VC Fund and GrainInnovate for the GRDC, and Venture Capital as a Service (VCaaS) established as venture infrastructure for institutional mandates.
2023
Female Leaders Fund launched with Hostplus and Legalsuper as cornerstone investors.
2025
New sole-LP venture capital mandates announced for Hort Innovation, the Western Australia Government and HBF.