Scaleup Mediafund, an Australian media-for-equity fund, has recently completed two new investments as part of its latest $15 million funding round.

The fund is backed by investors including News Corp Australia, NOVA Entertainment, Foxtel, REA Group, and oOh!media and has committed over $45 million in advertising and marketing inventory to support the country's burgeoning start-up sector. To date, the fund has supported the growth of 19 businesses. The two latest investments are non-alcoholic cocktail business, Naked Life, and online property conveyancing platform, Settle Easy.

Scaleup Mediafund has completed five deals from this third funding round, which Investment Principal Michael Lamont said highlighted the fund's distinctive structure to support founders who recognise the critical role marketing plays in building brand and sales through premium advertising channels.

The fund's unique model provides high-impact brand advertising and paid media in exchange for equity. This approach has been demonstrated in recent campaigns by a vitamin subscription service, which saw a 200 per cent increase in its conversion rate, and Hawkes Brewing, which maintained its market position and is now embarking on its second campaign to support further retail distribution expansion.

"Scaleup Mediafund's unique proposition to support building brands and driving growth aligns perfectly with our mission to change the face of drinking in Australia," David Andrew, Founder and CEO of Naked Life, said. "The fund provides us with a valuable opportunity to expand our awareness and reach through premium channels - helping to increase penetration and demonstrate that life's moments can be celebrated with both alcoholic and non-alc drinks - the choice is yours."

Settle Easy, another beneficiary of the fund, aims to become the number one provider of settlement services for property buyers and sellers.

"Since our launch in 2020, we've expanded nationally to become one of the country's fastest and most efficient conveyancing providers. With Scaleup Mediafund's investment, we can continue to build the brand, extend our services to more Australians, and achieve our growth plans," Sam Almaliki, Co-Founder and CEO of Settle Easy, said.

Lamont, highlighted the fund's continued commitment to offering consumer-facing brands affordable access to high-impact branding and advertising opportunities in exchange for equity.

"Since our inception in 2017, we've consistently demonstrated how we help founders build their brand, attract consumers, scale effectively, and accelerate growth," he said.

Lamont also noted the increasing interest from founders in media-for-equity support for their ambitious growth plans, stating, "We've now completed five deals from our third funding round, which showcases that more founders are proactively seeking media-for-equity support for their ambitious growth plans. They're recognising the critical role that marketing plays in driving business expansion."