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The $1.6 billion Eucalyptus exit is worth celebrating - but here's why female founders are also shaking their heads

Reported by Startupdaily
Apr 15, 2026· 3 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Hims & Hers Health is acquiring Australian digital health startup Eucalyptus in a deal valued at US$1.15 billion (AU$1.6 billion), representing one of Australia's most significant startup exits in recent years.
  • • The acquisition structure includes US$240 million at closing, deferred payments over 18 months in cash or stock, plus earnout payments tied to financial targets through early 2029—meaning full deal value realization depends on performance milestones.
  • • Eucalyptus CEO Tim Doyle is expected to receive approximately $160 million from the transaction and will assume leadership of Hims & Hers' international division, accelerating the acquirer's expansion into Australia, Japan, and Europe.
  • • More than 100 Eucalyptus employees hold equity stakes and stand to benefit materially from the exit, with the deal triggering what sources describe as "the biggest staff payout" in the company's history.
  • • The startup, founded in 2019 with annual revenue run-rate exceeding US$450 million, operates four demographic-focused telemedicine brands (Pilot for men's health, Juniper for women's weight loss and menopause, Kin for fertility, and Software for prescription skincare) across a diversified product portfolio.
Summary
Hims & Hers Health, a NYSE-listed telehealth platform, is acquiring Sydney-based Eucalyptus in a transaction valued at US$1.15 billion, or approximately AU$1.6 billion. The deal represents a significant validation of the Australian digital health sector and marks one of the country's most substantial startup exits in recent market conditions.

The acquisition structure reflects current M&A risk-sharing conventions. Hims & Hers will pay US$240 million at closing, with the remainder distributed as deferred payments in cash or stock over 18 months, supplemented by additional earnout payments contingent on financial targets extending through early 2029. This contingent structure means investors and employees will realize full deal value only if Eucalyptus achieves specified performance benchmarks—a material consideration for stakeholders evaluating actual returns versus headline valuation.

Eucalyptus has demonstrated strong commercial traction since its 2019 founding. The company operates four distinct telemedicine brands targeting different demographics: Pilot (men's health including weight loss, hair loss, and erectile dysfunction); Juniper (women's weight loss and menopause management); Kin (fertility); and Software (prescription skincare). The company currently generates annual recurring revenue (ARR) exceeding US$450 million and serves hundreds of thousands of customers across its portfolio. The startup's valuation has appreciated substantially—from US$520 million following a US$50 million Series C raise in April 2023—reflecting accelerated growth and market expansion.

CEO Tim Doyle and co-founder Charlie Gearside emerge as primary beneficiaries, with Doyle positioned to receive approximately $160 million and transitioning to lead Hims & Hers' international operations. Beyond founder economics, more than 100 employee shareholders are expected to realize significant returns, with sources characterizing the transaction as generating "the biggest staff payout" in the company's history. The acquisition also benefits existing investors including Australian venture funds Blackbird, Airtree, Woolworths VC (W23), OneVentures, Athletic Ventures, and US investor Mary Meeker's BOND Capital.

The transaction underscores a broader shift in female founder outcomes; contemporaneous data indicates exit values for female-founded companies doubled year-over-year in 2025, with female founders' share of total US exit count reaching nearly 25%. However, industry observers emphasize that deal headline values mask execution risk—actual investor and employee returns hinge on meeting earnout targets over the 18-month deferred payment window and through early 2029, requiring continued operational performance under new ownership.

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Sources

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Startupdaily The $1.6 billion Eucalyptus exit is worth celebrating - but here's why female founders are also shaking their heads