AI/Machine Learning

SXSW Sydney ends with AI optimism – from the company selling remedies to the pain they’re causing

- October 20, 2025 3 MIN READ

I’m personally pro-tech and use AI every day. I’m genuinely excited by progressive tools that expand what creators and businesses can do. But the pace of what’s happening — and how it’s being rolled out — has been eye-jarring: creators sidelined, copyright murky at best, implementation racing ahead of consent. Right now it feels like a land-grab: who can… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Australia’s large language model, Matilda, joins the global AI race, as Maincode’s Dave Lemphers outlines his national ambitions

- October 16, 2025 3 MIN READ

By the time I slipped into the packed SXSW Sydney expo theatre, the crowd was already deep in discussion. On stage, Dave Lemphers, cofounder and CEO of Maincode, sat alongside Dr Catherine Ball, steering one of the most grounded, technical and groundbreaking conversations of the festival: the debut of Matilda, Australia’s national large language model.… Read more »

Advice

Melbourne’s innovation crisis is about culture – and what comes next

- July 22, 2025 3 MIN READ

While Melbourne prepares for another glossy startup gala, let’s talk about what won’t be on the menu. Victoria’s startup agency has locked away $160m+ in public funding—yet no grassroots event support since 2019. VicGov spent $7 m+ on DIF (Digital Innovation Futures)—and it quietly shut down. Melbourne Convention Bureau backs only international events (e.g., C2, GEC)… Read more »

Business strategy

15 tech archetypes: the good, the bad, the mixed and downright ugly 

- February 6, 2025 6 MIN READ

The tech and innovation ecosystems are dynamic and interconnected networks fuelled by startups, investors, institutions, corporates, individuals and other entities. Startup Genome suggests that ecosystems are often defined within a 100km radius from a central city, providing governments with data-driven insights to benchmark success and focus their efforts. But what really happens inside an ecosystem?… Read more »