Launchd Takes Off: Former AFL Stars Lead Tech-Powered Platform Set to Disrupt Talent and Influencer Marketing
Backed by Institutional Capital, Launchd Combines Five Leading Agencies and Smart Technology to Deliver Measurable Results
Influencer marketing is now a 33-billion-dollar global industry, yet nearly 70 percent of marketers still say they cannot confidently measure ROI on their campaigns¹. Launchd, a new next-gen tech platform founded by former AFL stars James Begley and Matthew Pavlich, is tackling that problem head-on.
Over the past year, Begley and Pavlich have quietly been executing a strategic acquisition and roll-up strategy to unify some of the industry’s most respected names. That mission has seen them recently acquire and integrate a number of Australian-based companies into their newly formed Launchd business, each bringing unique expertise across talent, influencer marketing, keynote speaking and content delivery. Combined with their foundation business, Pickstar, these five entities now form Launchd, creating a first-of-its-kind platform purpose-built for the future of commercial talent partnerships.
Combining cutting-edge technology, industry-leading talent representation, and deep data insights, Launchd offers a unified ecosystem that connects brands with over 5,000 elite athletes, creators, and speakers while providing end-to-end services and technology solutions for strategy, execution, content, and talent activation measurement.
With millions in new financial capital from Brisbane-based Altor Capital and a roster of prominent investors, Launchd is set to become a global force in the future of talent and influence.
“Talent has become one of the most valuable marketing assets in the world, but the way brands work with talent has not evolved at the same pace,” said James Begley, CEO and co-founder of Launchd.
“We built Launchd to solve that disconnect - with technology that empowers smarter decisions, faster execution, and transparent results from end to end.”
"This is influence as a service, powered by data, and built for measurable impact."
Born from Sport. Built for Scale. Backed to Go Global.
Founded by Begley and Pavlich after decades in professional sports, Launchd fills a clear gap in the market. Brands have had to juggle multiple vendors to manage sponsorships, influencer deals, and talent activations, leading to poor integration, wasted time, and unclear outcomes.
"We know the value of talent. We also understand how much potential was being lost through the complexity, lack of transparency, and guesswork that exists with talent appearances and activations," said Matthew Pavlich. "Launchd is about unlocking that potential at scale, with precision and trust."
Its key features include:
A curated marketplace of more than 5000 athletes, influencers, and keynote speakers
Enterprise-grade technology for campaign planning, workflow automation, and performance reporting
In-house creative and communications teams for branded content and storytelling
Data-led strategy to ensure campaigns deliver tangible commercial outcomes
Already Trusted by Iconic Australian Brands
Launchd is already delivering results for leading organisations:
AFL and Cricket Australia use the Launchd SaaS platform to manage over 100,000 yearly talent activations for commercial partners and community visits
Australian test cricketer Alex Carey's brand endorsements with Toyota are managed through the Launchd platform.
With 78 staff across offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland - and growing interest from the United Kingdom and United States - the company is now preparing for international expansion.
Global Momentum for Influencer Marketing
Momentum in the influencer space is not limited to startups. Global brand leaders are increasingly doubling down on influencer strategies. Unilever, one of the world’s largest advertisers, recently announced plans to allocate 50 percent of its media budget to social platforms while significantly increasing investment in influencer partnerships².
"We are seeing the world's biggest companies pivot toward influence-led marketing," said Begley. "Launchd is built to deliver the clarity, scale, and ROI those brands now demand."
"Our business brings together the best of both worlds - traditional sports and entertainment talent with the fast-moving creator economy - to create one unified platform built for modern influence."
Altor Capital Backs the Vision
Altor Capital, known for investing in high growth assets, including the Tasmanian JackJumpers, has made a strategic investment of several million dollars in Launchd to accelerate product development, international market entry, and additional acquisitions.
Ben Harrison from Altor Capital said, “Launchd is solving real problems in a fast growing sector. Their platform delivers what brands and talent are asking for - clarity, simplicity, and ROI.”
Launchd’s investor group also includes respected names in Australian sports and media, such as Adam Gilchrist, Lleyton Hewitt, Matt de Boer, Cate Campbell, and Ryan Fitzgerald.
Built for the Future of Influence
Today’s sponsorship deals are more complex than ever, involving social media, appearances, content creation, and contra agreements. Yet brands continue to struggle with fragmented workflows and vague metrics.
Launchd brings everything together into a single, transparent platform - built to serve brands, leagues, teams, and talent.
"We are defining a new category in this space," said Begley. "One platform, one team, one solution. Built for results."
