Blackbird is a venture capital firm known for early investments in companies such as Canva.
Portfolio
3
companies
Elyos AI
Elyos AI builds artificial intelligence agents to automate customer communication and operational workflows for the trades sector.
Marloo
Marloo provides artificial intelligence automation platforms for financial advisory practices.
Wonder Studios
Wonder Studios fuses filmmaking and technology to create modern cinematic content.
James Palmer
James serves as a principal at Blackbird, having previously worked as an associate at the firm. His background includes investment management at NZ Growth Capital Partners and strategy roles at Todd Corporation.
LinkedInSamantha Wong
General Partner
Samantha serves as a partner at Blackbird Ventures and holds board director roles across several portfolio companies.
LinkedInThe seed round was led by Blackbird to fund expansion into the United States and product development.
"In under a year, 650 firms across six countries have made Marloo the centre of their practice. What they have built is elevating the entire profession and what every adviser is capable of. It reminds us of the early days of Canva,"
The Series A round was led by Blackbird Ventures and will support international expansion and product development.
"Trades businesses are overwhelmed by calls, emails, and admin – and that friction directly costs them revenue. We’re building AI agents that work like effective front-office staff: answering every call, booking every job, and integrating deeply into the systems trades already use."
The round was led by Atomico with backing from LocalGlobe, Blackbird, and other investors to support team expansion and content creation.
The London and Auckland based startup will use the capital to accelerate product development and expand its international footprint.
"Advisers didn’t get into this profession to be buried in paperwork or frustrated by awful software built in the last century. In 2025, advisers deserve technology that is truly AI-first; simple, intuitive solutions that are a pleasure to use. Our goal at Marloo is to empower advisers and their important work by building the number one adviser AI assistant – most loved for its design, simplicity, and ease of use – so they can get back to what matters most: their clients."
