23 July 2026: Hyper Ventures led the oversubscribed A$2 million seed funding round for Early Bird, a functional biotics company founded by former Eucalyptus operators Dan Cable and Alex Debney.
The round was originally seeking A$1.5 million and was completed through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity. Thirteen members of the Hyper Ventures syndicate participated alongside two venture capital funds, Early Bird’s co-founders and other angel investors.
Early Bird is developing a non-GMO capsule focused on alcohol-related gut health, alongside a longer-term gut health clinic. The company’s initial product is expected to form the foundation for a broader range of probiotic and gut health products.
Early Bird is led by Dan Cable, who previously built Eucalyptus’ men’s longevity brand Compound, and Alex Debney, a former Macquarie Group manager and early backer of Eucalyptus. The team is supported by technical and scientific partners, including researchers associated with QUT and Microba.
Thomas West, co-founder of Hyper Ventures, said the quality of the founding team and the scale of the opportunity were key factors in the syndicate’s decision to participate.
“Dan has a rare ability to build brands and grow revenue organically. Alongside Alex’s commercial and investment experience, the team has a strong understanding of both consumer health and the opportunities in functional biotics.”
Early Bird plans to use the funding to progress product development, establish its initial manufacturing capability and prepare for a launch in the United States.
Hyper Ventures is an angel investment syndicate connected to Hyper’s founder community. It brings together experienced founders, operators and private investors who choose to invest alongside one another in early-stage companies.
Hyper Ventures’ participation in Early Bird was made available to eligible members of its private syndicate. Hyper does not provide personal financial advice or make recommendations about whether any person should invest. Early-stage investments are speculative and carry a significant risk of loss, including the possible loss of all capital invested.
About Early Bird
Early Bird is a functional biotics company founded by Dan Cable and Alex Debney. The company is developing products focused on gut health, beginning with an alcohol-related use case and with a longer-term ambition to build a broader gut health platform.
About Hyper Ventures
Hyper Ventures is the investment arm of Hyper, an Australian startup studio and founder community. Hyper Ventures invests alongside experienced founders and operators in selected early-stage companies.
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