Investment Thesis with Kali Norman 
About Mick Liubinskas
Mick Liubinskas is co-founder and chief executive of Climate Salad, a community of founders, investors and supporters of sustainability solutions in Australia that he started in 2021. Since 2025 it has run as a leaner operation that he manages part-time, centred on its online community, newsletters and webinars.
He has spent more than 25 years in startups. He co-founded Pollenizer and Telstra's accelerator muru-D, was a co-founding investor and mentor at Startmate, and ran global marketing for Kazaa. After a period in San Francisco working with cleantech companies, he returned to Australia in 2019 to work with BCG Digital Ventures on corporate climate and impact businesses.
He hosted The Mix with Mick Liubinskas on Day One and explained his approach to backing founders on Investment Thesis with Kali Norman.
- Talks about
- Startup Lessons, Climate & Energy, Fundraising, Venture Capital
Behind the microphone.
Also in conversation.
4 episodes
Start hereMick Liubinskas' Investment ThesisHis most recent guest appearance, where he sets out how 25 years in startups shaped his approach to backing founders.
Investment Thesis with Kali Norman 
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 2
With Jodie Fox, Alfred Lo, Hamish Hawthorn, Cameron Adams, Evan Thornley, John Allsopp, Malcolm Turnbull, Ian Gardiner, Matt Barrie, Mark Pesce, Phil Hayes-St Clair, Simon Thomsen, Phil Morle, Silvia Pfeiffer, Dean McEvoy, Alan Noble, Niki Scevak, Alan Jones
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 5
With Mark Pesce, Steve Grace, Eloise Hall, Isobel Marshall, Darryl Lyons, Megan Sebben, Phil Ireland, Wayne Gerard, Sam Jockel, Samantha Finnegan, Arthur Sinodinos, Peter Devine, Tim Fung, Peter Tippett, Trevor Folsom, Dean McEvoy, Moira Were, Kate Jones, Daniel Flynn, Peter Bradd, Rachael Neumann, Chad Renando, Annie Parker, Aaron Birkby, Rachel Yang, Melissa Widner, Sarah Pearson, Colin Kinner, Lauren Capelin, Bruce Tulloch, Matt Barrie, Kate Cornick, Cheryl Mack, Andrea Gardiner, Niki Scevak
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series Mick Liubinskas: Australia’s startup ecosystem would be stronger with a single city leading it
Go straight to the good bits.
Key moments from Mick Liubinskas' Investment Thesis.
- 2:11How two accountants over a beer created his first startup
- 2:59The full-circle story: his first investor became his CFO at Climate Salad
- 4:24From receiving checks to writing them: Pollenizer and Startmate
- 5:13The first personal angel check: Flightfox and the convertible note
- 6:40Small checks, help the founder
- 7:19The 80/10/10 rule and being sector agnostic
- 7:55The cheerleader trap: why he balances optimism with pragmatism
- 10:04Why he stopped investing his own money
- 11:13Ten years ago: moving to the US, Silicon Valley, and the Paris Agreement
- 12:51The double bump thesis: climate is a must-have + Aussie companies going global
In their own words.
“Customers solve most of the problems with startups. If you get customers, you get revenue, you get proof points, you get momentum, you get more customers.”
The path so far.
- Now
CEO & Co-Founder · Climate Salad
- From 2019
Corporate climate/impact ventures · BCG Digital Ventures
- Earlier
Co-founder · muru-D (Telstra)
- Earlier
Co-founding investor & mentor · Startmate
- Earlier · Startup
Co-founder · Pollenizer
- Earlier · Scale-up
Global marketing · Kazaa
Sources: climatesalad.com
Climate Salad on Day One
Climate Salad is a community dedicated to supporting climate technology entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters in Australia.
1 person · 4 episodes
Across the network.
In the room with
Kali NormanHost, Investment Thesis 
Adam SpencerHost, Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem 
Jodie FoxCo-founder & former Chief Creative Officer, Shoes of Prey 
Alfred LoChief Commercial & Product Officer, Harvest B 
Hamish HawthornVP Corporate Development, Propeller Aero 
Cameron AdamsCo-founder & Chief Product Officer, Canva 
Evan ThornleyCo-Founder & CEO, LongView 
John AllsoppCo-Founder, Large Language Law Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 29 October 2026
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