Joint venture & private equity · Australia-wide
Capital That Shares the Project—Not Just the Security
Private equity and joint-venture capital for selected property and development opportunities where sponsor capability, project economics, governance and exit support an aligned investment.
Zip Funding helps sponsors present the complete opportunity: land and approvals, capital already committed, total cost, completed value, delivery team, downside protection, decision rights and the proposed distribution waterfall.
Confidential preliminary review. No obligation.
Equity capital is selective and negotiated case by case. It is not a loan approval, passive funding commitment or substitute for a viable project and genuine sponsor contribution.
Illustrative capital stackStructure follows the opportunity
Priority layerSenior DebtSecured lending
repaid first
Flexible layerJV / Preferred CapitalNegotiated return
and controls
Risk capitalSponsor EquityCash, land, costs
and capability
Capital requirementGenerally $500K–$100M+*
StructuresJV, preferred or project equity*
AssessmentEconomics, team, controls & exit
Sponsor positionGenuine contribution required
CoverageAustralia-wide opportunities
Where equity capital may fit
For a strong opportunity whose capital requirement is not best solved by more debt.
Private equity is most useful when the provider can be properly rewarded for project risk and the sponsor benefits from completing, retaining or scaling the opportunity.
01 · AcquisitionSite or Asset Purchase
Complete a property or project acquisition where senior debt and sponsor funds leave a supportable equity gap.
02 · DevelopmentConstruction Capital
Fund selected residential, commercial, industrial, land or mixed-use projects with credible feasibility and delivery capability.
03 · CompletionProject Recapitalisation
Introduce new capital where the complete cost to finish, stakeholder position and revised exit can be independently verified.
04 · GrowthPortfolio Expansion
Support sponsors with a repeatable pipeline, demonstrated execution and a clear strategy for deploying and returning capital.
05 · ComplexSpecial Situations
Consider non-standard timing, ownership or capital structures where the opportunity remains commercially robust and governable.
06 · RepositionValue Creation
Capital for planning, leasing, refurbishment or conversion with identifiable milestones and exit pathways.
What makes an opportunity investable
Equity begins where a loan matrix ends.
An investor is not only asking whether the asset covers the capital. The complete proposition must compensate for delivery, market, control and exit risk.
Project economicsTotal cost, supportable value, realistic revenue, contingency, finance cost and profit sensitivity.
Sponsor alignmentCash, land, approved costs and capability genuinely at risk throughout the investment.
ExecutionRelevant sponsor, builder, consultant and project-management experience plus a credible program.
GovernanceReporting, reserved matters, budgets, draws, overruns, distributions and change protections.
ExitSale, settlements, refinance, stabilisation, recapitalisation or another supportable liquidity event.
01Project receiptsSales, refinance or another agreed realisation event
02Senior debt and liabilitiesPaid according to documented priority
03Investor capital and priority returnReturned under the agreed waterfall
04Remaining project profitDistributed under negotiated participation
Capital waterfall
The headline profit share never tells the whole story.
The commercial result depends on what is paid, in what order, and which party funds changes along the way.
- Who contributes capital, land and project costs?
- Is there a preferred return before profit sharing?
- Who funds overruns and approved variations?
- Which decisions require investor consent?
- How are delays and underperformance handled?
- What happens on deadlock, default or early exit?
General illustration only. Actual priority, tax treatment, rights, returns and distributions depend on negotiated documents and independent advice.
Capital pathway matrix
Choose the capital that solves the real constraint.
Debt can preserve ownership. Equity can reduce fixed repayment pressure. The correct answer depends on margin, liquidity, timing, risk and control.
PathwayCore economicsWhen it may fitKey issue
Senior debtInterest, fees and defined repaymentLower leverage with sufficient sponsor equitySecurity and maturity
Mezzanine debtSubordinated debt with higher costA measured gap behind compatible senior debtCombined leverage
Preferred equityPriority return with negotiated participationFlexible capital with limited fixed servicingPriority and control
Joint ventureCapital and profit shared under agreementA genuinely aligned project partnershipOwnership and waterfall
Sponsor equityMore sponsor capital; remaining economics retainedLiquidity is available and ownership mattersConcentration
Indicative comparison only. Legal, financial, tax and control consequences differ materially.
Investor assessment
A credible investment memorandum answers the difficult questions early.
OpportunityAsset & Market
Location, planning, demand, comparable evidence, competition and the value-creation thesis.
EconomicsFeasibility
Every material cost, tax, funding expense, contingency and revenue assumption under downside cases.
SponsorCapability
Delivery history, balance sheet, team, governance and capacity to respond when conditions change.
ContributionCapital at Risk
Cash, land equity and recognised costs contributed plus the source of remaining sponsor funds.
DeliveryProgram & Team
Approvals, builder, contract, quantity surveyor, consultants, milestones and cost controls.
StructureRights & Controls
Ownership, board rights, reserved matters, reporting and decision-making during stress.
ReturnWaterfall
Capital priority, preferred return, profit participation, fees and treatment of overruns.
ExitLiquidity Event
Timing, net proceeds, senior payout, sensitivities, alternate exits and delay consequences.
Risk and control
Aligned capital still requires clear rules for an unplanned outcome.
Document how decisions are made before a disagreement, overrun or delay occurs.
Dilution and ownershipThe sponsor may surrender project economics, voting rights or ownership. Compare the complete cost with viable debt alternatives.
Decision rightsBudgets, contracts, variations, new debt, distributions and sales may require investor consent.
Cost overrunsThe agreement should state who funds overruns and what happens if a contribution is not made.
Exit and deadlockExtension, forced-sale, buy-sell, step-in, default, valuation and dispute mechanisms must be understood.
Information for review
Make the opportunity investor-ready.
Project and capital
Start with a concise investment summary supported by current evidence.
- Address and ownership
- Planning and approvals
- Current value
- Total development cost
- Gross realisation value
- Senior facility
- Capital required
- Sponsor equity
Delivery and returns
Explain how the project will be controlled, completed and converted into liquidity.
- Detailed feasibility
- Program and milestones
- Builder and consultants
- Quantity surveyor
- Presales or leasing
- Sponsor track record
- Proposed returns
- Exit and downside
Assessment pathway
From opportunity to negotiated capital partnership.
01Define the Gap
Confirm total cost, senior debt, sponsor contribution, timing, requested capital and exit.
02Test the Project
Review feasibility, values, sensitivity, capability, governance and return profile.
03Explore Structure
Compare JV, preferred equity, mezzanine and debt before progressing a proposal.
04Due Diligence
Negotiate economics, controls, conditions, legal documents, funding and exit.
C → ECapital to exit
Why Zip Funding
We prepare the opportunity around what an investor actually needs to decide.
We consider the capital stack, economics, sponsor contribution, control framework and exit before identifying private-capital pathways whose mandate may fit.
Capital-stack reviewDebt and equity alternativesInvestor-ready presentationFeasibility focusAustralia-wide pathwaysClear expectations
Frequently asked questions
Joint-venture and private-equity capital, explained clearly.
What is joint-venture property funding?
A negotiated arrangement in which parties contribute capital, property, expertise or other value and share rights, risks and returns.
How is private equity different from a loan?
A loan normally has interest, fees, security and repayment. Equity generally participates in ownership or project economics and may carry governance rights.
How much capital may be considered?
Selected opportunities may involve approximately $500,000 to $100 million or more, depending on project scale, investor mandate, economics, sponsor, structure and exit.
What sponsor contribution is required?
There is no universal percentage. Investors typically expect meaningful alignment through cash, land equity, recognised costs, capability or another negotiated contribution.
Is there a maximum LVR?
Equity is not assessed solely by LVR. Investors consider senior debt, peak capital, total cost, completed value, margin, sponsor contribution, controls and downside.
How is profit shared?
The waterfall may return capital first, pay a preferred return and then share remaining profit. Exact terms are negotiated case by case.
Does the investor control the project?
Control varies. Reporting, budgets, draw controls and consent rights over material decisions are common.
Can distressed or incomplete projects be considered?
Potentially, where the payout, creditors, cost to finish, builder position, revised feasibility, capital requirement and exit can be verified.
How long does assessment take?
Timing depends on information quality, valuation, due diligence, investor committee, negotiations and legal documents. It is not guaranteed.
What does equity capital cost?
The economic cost may include preferred returns, profit participation, fees, ownership dilution and control rights.
What advice should parties obtain?
Each party should obtain independent legal, tax, accounting and financial advice.
Private capital desk
Bring the complete opportunity—not just the funding gap.
Share the capital stack, feasibility, contribution, team, governance concept and exit. We will explain which debt or equity pathways may be realistic.
