about us

We are made to scale

Wireframe graphicPhoto of a x-15 rocket modelx15 people working in the office

We’re a venture scaler powered by CommBank. We build, buy, and invest in startups that would benefit from connections to Australia’s leading bank, and could improve the lives of its customers.

We sit in the unique space between corporate and startup. Close enough to benefit from the bank's strategy, scale and stability, but separate enough that we have the autonomy to try new things.

A sandbox for change. Connected, but separate.

It's a balancing act that requires constant calibration, but one we believe gives us – and our ventures – a distinct advantage.

Toby Norton-Smith at x15 Launch

We harness the collision of careers, ideas, and expertise to help build and scale the next generation of digital businesses.

x15ventures is a product of CommBank's deliberate desire to self disrupt – helping reimagine its products and services.

Originally the bank's innovation lab, we launched our venture model in February 2020, with an explicit mandate to build, buy and invest in best-in-class digital solutions that could deliver material benefits to CommBank.

Our approach

We're building an environment where ventures can innovate at pace without compromising on enterprise-grade safety, security, and scalability – meaning they're able to benefit from closer connections to CommBank.

Pace

Operating on a separate technology stack to the bank, we can rapidly build, launch and iterate ventures at a pace you'd expect from a startup.

Safety

But speed doesn't come at the cost of security. Specially designed governance and risk processes ensure we meet relevant CommBank obligations and mean ventures can experiment and innovate in a 'bank safe' environment.

Scale

Finally, strategic alignment with the bank provides our ventures with opportunities to leverage CommBank assets (e.g. brand, insights, customer distribution) that can help them scale faster than independent startups.

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Find out what it's like to work at x15

We're a diverse team from different backgrounds – often using our skills in new domains. We're curious, roll up our sleeves, and find that most problems can be solved with a good dose of grit and humour.

© 2023 CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd ABN 38 633 072 830 and Australian Credit Licence 516487, trading as x15ventures. x15ventures is a trade mark of CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd. CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd is a wholly owned but non-guaranteed subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd is not an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 and its obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Please refer to the venture websites for specific venture-related disclosures and other important information. Read our Privacy Policy.

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© 2023 CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd ABN 38 633 072 830 and Australian Credit Licence 516487, trading as x15ventures. x15ventures is a trade mark of CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd. CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd is a wholly owned but non-guaranteed subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. CBA New Digital Businesses Pty Ltd is not an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 and its obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Please refer to the venture websites for specific venture-related disclosures and other important information. Read our Privacy Policy.

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