The Queensland government has opened applications for the latest round of grant funding for two programs that help to bring startup ideas from prototype to market-ready stage. The Ignite Ideas Fund is for Queensland Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with high-growth potential to bring their product or service to domestic and international markets, with grants of… Read more »
A new pilot program aimed at helping sports technologies startups in South Australia crack the $500 billion US sports sector was launched in Adelaide during the AFL’s Gather Round. The South Australian Sportstech Export Capability Program is a partnership between the state government and the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN). It will provide up to… Read more »
Fintech WeMoney has exceeded plans announced less than 12 months ago to raise $10 million, banking $12m in its latest Series A round. Ironically for a startup that bills itself as a “financial wellness platform” to help people reduce their debts, the round was led by Perth online casino entrepreneur Laurence Escalante via his family… Read more »
Embedded finance platform Shaype has teamed up with UK fintech ANNA Money to launch Australia’s first AI-powered finance “super app” for startups and small business. The app will act as a single financial co-pilot, consolidating everything from business banking to tax, expenses, company formation and cards. The collaboration also launches ANNA (Absolutely No Nonsense Admin)… Read more »
Industry body the Australian Computer Society (ACS), which represents around 50,000 members in tech, said whoever forms government after the May 3 election needs to take urgent, coordinated action on digital skills reform and research commercialisation to secure the nation’s economic future. The recent ACS 2025 Election Forum in Sydney brought together leaders from industry,… Read more »
A recruitment platform that combines the simplicity of dating app swiping with AI-powered soft skills matching was launched in Sydney by a first-time founder this week. Job Matched is the brainchild of Australian-American Kayla Parry, who set out to make hiring faster, smarter and more human. Parry was on Startup 360 this week, where she… Read more »
Last year at SXSW Sydney, Startup Daily editor Simon Thomsen collaborated on a panel about parenting as a founder. Those who were there said it was powerful and one of the best sessions of the week. With both kids now adults and at uni, Thomsen can assure anyone in the thick of it there is… Read more »
The annual Tank Stream Labs S2S Summit returns this year in August for a third time, sending the Sydney Startup Hub off with a bang. The two-day event, August 20-21, 2025, is designed to empower entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders with keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Tank Stream Labs has been… Read more »
To understand a little bit of what women founders deal with in the hunt for investment, consider the comments from a VC that got back to Camille Goldstone-Henry, cofounder of biodiversity startup Xylo Systems, on episode 9 of Startup 360. Xylo helps companies address environmental protection alongside development, and landed a major international client. The… Read more »
An AI startup that takes corporate consultancy into the digital age has raised $1 million in pre-Seed funding. The round for NSW startup InsightWise was led by California VC Aliavia Ventures and Ari Klinger’s Sydney family office, No Brand Holdings, with support from Victoria Denholm’s Wollemi Capital Group, angel syndicate FB10x and other angels here and… Read more »
Woolworths is having a bet each way after selling chips, soft drinks and grog to its customer, investing in a Western Australian telehealth startup’s $6 million Series A. The round for Hola Health follows a $4.5 million pre-Series A 12 months ago, that marked a return to VC investing for Alan Jones and Emily Rich… Read more »
An energy grid management platform for the renewables era has raised $7.5 million in a Series A with Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins among its investors. The round for software platform Gridsight was led by Airtree Ventures, with support from Austin-based Energy Transition Ventures, Singapore-based Aera VC, and the fast bowling superstar. The startup, which… Read more »
A dozen emerging AI startups in NSW will take to the stage this Thursday at the sold out Pitchapalooza pitch competition. Hundreds of applications were whittled down to an egg carton of AI startups, with Pitchapalooza supporter Simon McKendry, a partner at VC OnePitch, saying the event breaks the usual pitch mould. “Instead of very… Read more »
Teenage entrepreneur Liam Fuller thought it would be funny to take a photo of him taking a client call and working on his laptop sitting in a toilet cubicle at school. The world did too, with more than 1.5 million viewed his posts on LinkedIn six months ago. The school principal was less impressed and… Read more »
An agtech startup from La Trobe University has banked $1.7 million to address food security in the latest investment from Breakthrough Victoria’s University Innovation Program. Gaia Project Australia (GPA) was founded in 2020 by engineer Nadun Hennayaka. He’s developed a patented method for leafy green vegetable growers to increase yields by up to 40%, without… Read more »
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