David Adams

Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia.

Business

Sendle staff were worried about its US plans before the parcel logistics platform collapsed

- January 22, 2026 3 MIN READ

Sendle staff questioned the parcel delivery startup’s US expansion plan and high cash burn well ahead of its closure, suggesting the business faced existential challenges before its ill-fated merger. The Australian-born scaleup, which allowed small businesses to send parcels through partnerships with major courier networks, shocked customers last week by cancelling all upcoming pick-ups. The closure came… Read more »

Business

Another cleaning products impact startup, Pleasant State, is shutting down

- January 19, 2026 2 MIN READ

Australian sustainable cleaning product startup Pleasant State will close its doors after six years in operation, as cost-of-living pressures force environmentally-conscious consumers to make tough spending decisions. Founded in 2020 by Ami Bateman and Sian Murray, Pleasant State provides alternatives to traditional cleaning products and household sprays. Instead of relying on single-use plastics, Pleasant State… Read more »

James Chin Moody, Hein Vogel
Business

ASX-listed VC Touch wrote off its $36 million Sendle investment in June, resurrected it with the merger, then zeroed it again

- January 16, 2026 2 MIN READ

Touch Ventures (ASX: TVL), which invested more than $36 million into Sendle over several years, wrote down the value of its stake to nil in the weeks before the logistics startup’s abrupt closure. The downgrade, revealed publicly on Wednesday, sheds light on how one of Sendle’s major financial backers responded to worrying claims about its… Read more »

Business

Why not giving corporate regulator ASIC a current email address could cost you $20,000

- January 6, 2026 2 MIN READ

Business leaders would face fines of up to $40,000 for not listing their Director ID when required, and penalties of up to $20,000 for failing to provide updated email addresses, under draft legislation put forward by the federal government. The Treasury released an exposure draft for the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift)… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Five founders share the AI prompts that actually work

- January 3, 2026 3 MIN READ

Getting the most out of AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity requires the right know-how and prompting skills. These founder tips are an excellent starting point. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and DeepSeek are only becoming more prevalent in the workplace. But getting the most out of those artificial intelligence tools requires the right know-how and prompting… Read more »

Funding

‘Devastating decision’: women founders backed by LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund on the merger and uncertainty

- December 29, 2025 3 MIN READ

The Victorian government’s plan to abolish LaunchVic has shaken beneficiaries of its Alice Anderson Fund, who fear upcoming women-led startups could lose out on important funding, significant business opportunities, and a powerful support network. In response to a major cost-cutting review of the public sector, the Allan government confirmed earlier this month that startup support… Read more »

Business

Here’s the full program of inspiring speakers and fearless conversations at the Melbourne Growth Summit

- December 19, 2025 2 MIN READ

The full program for the 2026 Growth Summit in Melbourne is now live, promising expert insights, powerful leadership lessons, and fearless conversations tailored to Australian startups, scaleups, and SMEs. Presented by SmartCompany and Startup Daily, in partnership with Xero, the Growth Summit will see the nation’s brightest entrepreneurs and innovators inspire a new generation of ambitious business leaders. Leigh… Read more »

Business

South Asian Australian founders are a $1.6 billion startup powerhouse

- November 24, 2025 2 MIN READ

South Asian Australian founders have raised at least $1.6 billion in investment through to 2025, in fields as varied as artificial intelligence, mental healthcare, and sustainability, according to a new report celebrating the local startup sector. The figure demonstrates the growing influence of South Asian founders, says Sandeep Varma, whose SAARI Collective published a list… Read more »

Airtasker CEO Tim Fung
ASX

ASX-listed Airtasker raises another $10 million

- November 17, 2025 2 MIN READ

Freelancer marketplace Airtasker has completed a $10 million equity capital placement led by US radio and podcast giant iHeartMedia, powering the Australian company’s overseas marketing effort. The deal will help Airtasker — the Sydney-based platform connecting customers to freelance gardeners, bartenders, accountants, and beyond — compete for publicity against global rivals like Upwork and Fiverr. The… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Expat Australian founder Ned Dwyer on how to raise in Silicon Valley – having just bagged a $20 million Series A

- November 13, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australian entrepreneur Ned Dwyer has reason to celebrate, after Great Question, the San Francisco-based startup he co-founded in 2020, raised $20 million (US$13 million) in venture capital investment. And the Series A round has also prompted Dwyer to reflect on his experiences as an expat in Silicon Valley, and what has changed since for fellow… Read more »

ULUU cofounders Michael Kingsbury and Michael Julia Reisser
Climate Tech

Seaweed plastics alternative startup Uluu raises $16 million Series A

- October 30, 2025 3 MIN READ

Perth sustainable materials startup Uluu has raised $16 million in Series A, helping it develop a facility capable of turning seaweed into a natural plastic alternative at commercial scale. The latest raise was led by Germany’s Burda Principal Investments, with contributions from Main Sequence, Novel Investments, Startmate, and impact investors and family offices, including Fairground… Read more »

 Holly Cardew Mike Angell 
Business

4 years after a record $13m Seed raise, Blackbird-backed ‘ultimate wishlist’ shopping app Carted shuts down

- October 15, 2025 2 MIN READ

E-commerce startup Carted will close next week, four years after raising $13 million in one of Australia’s largest seed funding rounds and pledging to change how people shop online. The Carted wishlist app, which informs shoppers when coveted items go on sale, will close on Wednesday, October 22. “We’ve loved building Carted with you, but we… Read more »

Atlassian, Mike Cannon-Brookes, Scott Farquhar.
Business

Atlassian made Australia’s biggest claim for the R&D tax incentive – more than $220 million

- September 29, 2025 3 MIN READ

The research and development tax incentive (R&DTI) is only growing in value and scope, with a new Australian Taxation Office (ATO) transparency report detailing $16.2 billion in claims recorded over the 2022-23 financial year. And for the second year in a row, software giant Atlassian is the nation’s top claimant, reporting more than $220 million in… Read more »

Employment, interview, job
Business

Here’s who’s getting paid what in Australian tech

- September 22, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australian businesses hiring a director of artificial intelligence can expect to pay around $245,000 in compensation, with junior data support workers seeking salaries of $90,000, according to a new tech sector salary guide. However, some non-technical roles can attract salaries in excess of $370,000, showing AI is yet to fully replace the old-fashioned sales executive.… Read more »