Eight years ago I hung up my red jacket after four seasons of Shark Tank Australia. I didn't stop backing startups — I found different ways to do it. Through my podcast Handpicked, through speaking to founders on stages around the country, and through the networks I've stayed part of since, I've kept a front-row seat on Australian entrepreneurship. What I hadn't done in eight years was sit back down in that chair.
Last week, four of the five original sharks changed that. Janine Allis, Steve Baxter, Dr Glen Richards and I climbed back into our seats to judge four new pitches — Andrew Banks was the only one of the original five who couldn't make it, caught out of town. This time nobody was pitching for equity (well maybe a bit). Everybody was pitching for a good cause.
Getting the gang back together
Whilst years had past, honestly, it took about thirty seconds to feel like no time had passed at all. We slipped straight back into our old ways— Janine still the relentless operator, Steve still the engineer's engineer (and talking over the top of me), Glen still the one asking the quiet question that unravels a whole business model - and knows so much, and me still leaning forward to always ask the customer questions.
What struck me most wasn't how much had changed. It was how much hadn't. With all the change in the world - business fundamentals remain. The four of us argued about valuations, swapped notes on how to actually deliver a pitch that lands, and laughed more than I expected to. Good chemistry doesn't have an expiry date, it turns out.
Four pitches, one afternoon, big Australian ideas
The businesses in front of us this time were a genuine cross-section of where Australian innovation and the start-up world are headed right now — wastewater, fine jewellery, property technology, and off-road electric mobility, all pitched back to back.
ALBON — algae-based wastewater treatment
ALBON develops sustainable, algae-based wastewater treatment technology for industrial businesses, with a focus on food production and agriculture. Their system cuts treatment costs, reduces chemical use, and converts waste into valuable by-products like biochar. (I particularly liked my line - 'will this effluent make you affluent?'
Bonded Matter — lab-grown diamonds and fine jewellery
Bonded Matter creates premium lab-grown diamonds and bespoke fine jewellery, pairing advanced diamond-growing technology with real craftsmanship — an alternative to mined diamonds that's chemically identical, fully traceable, and built for changing consumer values.
Find out more about Bonded Matter
Parking Spotz — smart parking management software
Parking Spotz provides smart parking management software that helps property owners and managers monitor, control and optimise parking spaces across residential, commercial and mixed-use developments.
Find out more about Parking Spotz
Ungoverned — tracked electric mobility platforms
Ungoverned designs and manufactures high-performance tracked electric mobility platforms for environments where conventional wheeled vehicles simply can't go — recreational, commercial, defence and emergency response, built here in Australia.
Find out more about Ungoverned
Why I keep saying yes
Every one of these founders reminded me why I keep saying yes to rooms like this one. It's easy to romanticise the pitch — the drama, the deal, the cameras. What gets me is watching someone who has bet everything on solving a problem they can't stop thinking about. It takes guts to pitch in front of an audience.
If it is to be, it is up to me. That's been my line for as long as I've been in business, and it applies just as much to the founders building these companies as it does to the rest of us backing them from the sidelines — including through causes that don't get nearly enough airtime.
Cerebral palsy is the most common lifelong physical disability in the world, and research into it remains chronically underfunded relative to its impact. As a Governor of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, this is the cause I chose to pitch for last week — and I'd love your support for it too.
Donate to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation →
Frequently asked questions
Who were the original Shark Tank Australia sharks?
The original Shark Tank Australia panel across the first four seasons (2015–2018) was Naomi Simson (RedBalloon), Janine Allis (Boost Juice), Andrew Banks (Talent2), Steve Baxter (internet pioneer and entrepreneur), and Dr Glen Richards (Greencross Vets), with John McGrath appearing in season one before Dr Richards joined from season two.
How many original Shark Tank Australia sharks reunited?
Four of the five original sharks — Naomi Simson, Janine Allis, Steve Baxter and Dr Glen Richards — reunited to judge four charity pitches. Andrew Banks was unable to attend as he was out of town.
What was the reunion pitch event for?
The reunion wasn't a television taping for investment. It was a charity pitch event where four Australian startups — ALBON, Bonded Matter, Parking Spotz and Ungoverned — each pitched, and the original sharks judged in support of causes they each champion.
What cause is Naomi Simson supporting?
Naomi Simson is a Governor of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF), which funds research to change what's possible for people with cerebral palsy and advances technology that benefits people with disabilities worldwide.
Is Naomi Simson still involved in the startup world after Shark Tank Australia?
Yes. Since leaving Shark Tank Australia after four seasons, Naomi Simson has continued supporting founders through her podcast Handpicked, keynote speaking engagements, and ongoing involvement in Australian entrepreneurial networks. She also speaks regularly on keynote stages across Australia about leadership, entrepreneurship and the future of work.
