'The Exit Readiness Report Gap' Webinar - why doesn't Australia talk about exits?
In Australia, we don’t talk about exits enough. And when exit planning is reactive, founders feel the pain where it counts most. Slower deals, weaker negotiating power, and value left on the table.
On Wednesday, 28 January 2026 (10:00AM – 11:00am AEDT), we’re launching the inaugural KPMG High Growth Venture Exit Readiness Gap Report with a live webinar with key insiders on the topic to open up the conversation and share actionable ways to build towards successful outcomes.
Sign up & learn more: KPMG High Growth Ventures - Exit Readiness Gap Report Launch Webinar
In this session, we’ll discuss:
Why exits stay in the shadows: and the ecosystem‑level impact of that silence
Making exit planning a standing agenda item: practical steps across financial, legal, strategic, and governance disciplines
Rebuilding the exit flywheel; how better preparation recycles capital and talent while strengthening resilience, and improving outcomes for founders, teams, investors and the broader ecosystem
You’ll hear real talk from three operators and advisors on their insights and honest advice they wish they’d had sooner, plus a first look into data‑backed insights that reveal where readiness most often breaks down and how to fix it.
Panelists include;
Fee Barry, Venture Partner, Tidal Ventures & Founder, Flo Capital. Fee Barry is a venture partner and deal-maker with deep experience across capital, M&A, and high-growth tech. She is the Founder of Flo Capital, an independent transactions and private capital markets firm, advising companies and shareholders on capital raises, strategic transactions, and exits. Alongside this, she is a Venture Partner at Tidal Ventures, supporting early-stage founders on investment strategy, deal terms, and next-round readiness. Previously, Fee worked in corporate development at Atlassian and as a senior M&A lawyer advising startups and funds.
James Cattermole, CEO Vypex. James is a serial Australian tech entrepreneur with multiple exits and deep experience in the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, where he spent many years living and working. His first company, VHN Systems, developed entertainment and DVD rental software and was acquired by Blockbuster three years after launch. He went on to found several other ventures, including JadeLynx, an IT services and consulting firm later acquired by a larger IT provider, and Hexigo Decision Management, a Silicon Valley–based enterprise collaboration platform. Alongside building companies, James has advised a range of large organisations and remains an active angel investor in early stage enterprise startups. In 2021, he became CEO of Vypex, an Australian technology company delivering IoT solutions and tracking devices for asset tracking, safety, warehousing, inventory and distribution.
Ben Sharp, Investor & GTM Executive Leader. Ben Sharp is a senior B2B SaaS growth and commercial executive with more than 20 years’ experience helping founder-led and private-equity-backed technology companies scale, professionalise and prepare for exit. He has held CRO and executive leadership roles across multiple Australian software businesses, leading go-to-market transformations that have driven significant valuation uplift and successful liquidity events, including trade sales and private equity exits. Ben now works with founders, boards and investors to embed exit readiness early—focusing on repeatable revenue, operational discipline and strategy—so exits become deliberate outcomes rather than reactive scrambles.