Good evening,

An investor community of professional Australian sports stars which has backed the likes of Mexican-themed fast-food chain GYG, Ozempic seller Eucalyptus and electric golf buggy maker MGI is launching its first venture capital fund.

Street Talk understands Athletic Ventures (AV), led by former AFL star Matt de Boer and basketballer Matthew Dellavedova, has hit the pavement to raise at least $25 million for its Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership (ESVCLP).

Sources said AV has received commitments exceeding $20 million from more than 50 athletes including Matildas star Sam Kerr, Australian men’s cricket team captain Pat Cummins, wheelchair tennis champ Dylan Alcott and Aussie NBA legend Patrick Mills.

Investment has also been opened to founders and the VC elite with Square Peg’s Paul Bassat, Airtree’s Daniel Petre and GYG co-founder Robert Hazan tipping in.

Read the full story tomorrow and more on the Street Talk page.

• Singapore’s CapitaLand in talks to acquire $8 billion Wingate Group
• The endless debt merry-go-round continues to spin at Bis Industries
• Arb fund Harvest Lane, Christine Christian meet again at Selfwealth
• Bain Capital Credit boss Joshua Hartz resigns

• Investors strip $36.4 million from Cuscal on ASX debut
• Inside Pacific Equity Partners′ old-school private equity play

Bis Industries is reshuffling its debt just 14 months after major shareholders, The Carlyle Group and Varde Partners, were forced to tip in more money to stave off a showdown with the mine equipment supplier’s lenders.

The Australian sharemarket reset its all-time high for a second consecutive session on Monday as real estate stocks gained, with the index closing less than 80 points away from the 8500-point milestone.

Click here for the latest equity market wrap.