One of the most likeable people in Australian venture capital, Square Peg partner James Tynan, has left the VC after five years.
News of his departure after 2.5 years as a partner appeared in “Team Update” to end Square Peg’s half-yearly investor update, released last week. It read like a statement of employment.
“We want to thank James Tynan, who concluded his time with Square Peg at the end of 2025 after five years with the firm,” it said.
“Since joining in 2020 and becoming a Partner approximately two and a half years ago, James has been an important contributor at Square Peg. We wish him every success in his next chapter.”
The change leaves the 42-member Square Peg team with seven partners.
Tynan, previously the Startmate CEO, acknowledged his departure on LinkedIn today, six days after the Square Peg note.
“Thanks to all the wonderful people who already reached out. Apologies if it comes as a bit of a shock – the reality is this is a decision that has been building for a while,” Tynan wrote, thanking the VC’s cofounders, Paul Bassat and Tony Leibert, “for taking a bet on me and making it possible to invest in some truly extraordinary founders and companies” and his colleagues.
“Thank you to the founders who let me join their crusades over the past 5+ years,” he said, with the highlights of his “amazing blur” including Neara when he was “a completely unproven Principal to lead their first VC round”; and meeting Vow‘s cofounders in a high school science lab then watching it “become the world’s leading cellular ag company”
AI plans
For now, Tynan says he’s in his “exploratory phase” and “having conversations with folks interested to invest and build at the forefront of the AI transformation” and “doing a lot of walks and zooms!”
Paul Bassat responded: “Congrats and thanks James Tynan on everything you have achieved and contributed to Square Peg. It has been a lot of fun working with you and looking forward to seeing what’s next for you!”
But Sydneysider Ken Asakura who recently launched his own AI startup nailed the zeitgeist wishing Tynan “Otsukare-sama”.
He explained that the “Japanese word literally means ‘you must be exhausted,’ but the nuance is ‘Well done for your effort, time, and commitment. Get some rest!’… feel like that’s more appropriate than ”Congrats on leaving’.”
Tynan replied that it’s “a fantastic word that should be better known in tech spheres.”
