Simon Thomsen

Simon has been editor of Startup Daily since 2019.

He hosted the Startup Daily show on streaming service ausbiz.com.au from 2020 to 2023.

He was previously associate editor of Business Insider Australia, a national restaurant critic, editor of The Good Food Guide, and newspaper proprietor during a 30-year career in journalism and publishing.

He's also an investor in early stage startups.

Simon chaired the environment committee of industry lobby group Australian Business Ltd's (now NSW Business Chamber) during the Kyoto agreement era, debating cow farts with mining execs.

Business

Ozharvest and chef Matt Moran step in to revive subscription produce startup Good & Fugly as the founders depart

- May 28, 2025 3 MIN READ

The founders of social enterprise Good & Fugly have departed the business suddenly after five years, with OzHarvest Ventures and chef Matt Moran looking to give the “ugly” fruit and vegetables subscription service a second life. Cofounders Richard Tourino and Jonathan Englert announced that the Sydney startup had “ceased trading under our leadership, effective immediately”… Read more »

Tim Veron and Michael Pang
AI/Machine Learning

Glucose monitoring startup Vively metabolises $1.6 million Seed round

- May 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

Metabolic health monitoring platform Vively has raised $1.6 million in a Seed round as it rolls out its Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) program to tackle pre-diabetes. The round was led by Archangel Ventures with support from Bupa Ventures, the VC arm of not-for-profit private health insurer Bupa, and others. Archangel previously led 2022’s $1.5 million… Read more »

Business

The future of StrongRoom AI remains up in the air as legal action, its administration and a potential sale all drag on

- May 27, 2025 4 MIN READ

Ongoing legal action over the assets of failed medications management startup StrongRoom AI have led the company’s voluntary administrators to extend their control to the absolute limit. A case management hearing due today has been moved to June 4, extending Federal Court-imposed asset freeze on four StrongRoom directors and the administrator, initiated by VC investor… Read more »

Funding

Kiwi deep tech VC Outset Ventures secures NZ$41.5 million for Fund II

- May 27, 2025 2 MIN READ

New Zealand’s deep technology incubator and venture firm, Outset Ventures, has secured NZ$41.5m (A$38.4m) close of Fund II. The final commitments from more than 150 investors are more than a third above the initial NZ$30m target. The Auckland-based firm’s alumni include Rocket Lab, LanzaTech and Mint Innovation. Outset’s Future House currently hosts more than 20 deep tech… Read more »

Charlie Karaboga and James Coombes
Cryptocurrency

Doing their blockie: ASIC is having another crack at crypto fintech Block Earner

- May 27, 2025 2 MIN READ

Corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) is hoping it’s a case of third time lucky is its legal battle with cryptocurrency platform Block Earner, and will seek special leave from the High Court to appeal last month’s Full Federal Court decision to dismiss their case. ASIC is seeking a High Court’s ruling… Read more »

Space

Startups at Sydney’s National Space Industry Hub have raised $56 million and created 160 jobs in the last 4 years

- May 27, 2025 3 MIN READ

As taxpayer investments go, the NSW government is on a winner with the National Space Industry Hub, launched in 2021, with every $1 invested in the project resulting in the startups involved attracting $74 in external funding. Cicada Innovations and Investment NSW marked four years of the hub this week with a showcase of the technology involved,… Read more »

Richard White
ASX

WiseTech Global drops $3.2 billion on US rival’s takeover

- May 26, 2025 2 MIN READ

ASX-listed logistics software giant WiseTech Global is betting more than 10% of the company’s current value on buying NYSE-listed US rival E2open for $2.1 billion (A$3.2bn). WiseTech shares rose 4.7% today to close at A$104.75 on the news. The 25-year-old Texas cloud-based SaaS platform reportedly connects more than 500,000 manufacturing, logistics, channel, and distribution partners… Read more »

Business

Hybrids are the new EVs as Tesla sales plunge 60%

- May 26, 2025 3 MIN READ

Sales of new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the first quarter of 2025 have fallen to 2023 levels, while demand for hybrid cars as nearly doubled over the past two years. New figures from the peak motoring body Australia Automobile Association’s (AAA) quarterly EV Index reveal 17,914 BEVs were sold in the three months to… Read more »

Accelerator

AO StartUps is looking for sportstech for its winter intake ahead of the Australian Open

- May 16, 2025 2 MIN READ

Applications for the mid-year intake of AO StartUps, the pioneering sports and entertainment tech program powered by Tennis Australia and the Australian Open, are open until the end of May AO StartUps launched in 2022, and has now supported more than 30 startups across verticals including participation, fan engagement, high performance and event operations. The… Read more »

Business

StrongRoom AI’s administrators recommend liquidation

- May 12, 2025 5 MIN READ

The administrators of medication management startup StrongRoom AI have recommended putting the business in liquidation ahead of a 2nd creditor’s meeting on Tuesday. The decision comes a fortnight before the Federal Court is due to hold another hearing in the legal action by VC firm EVP to recover $10.4 million it invested in the business… Read more »

Ed Husic
Opinion

Science and industry minister Ed Husic’s been dumped from cabinet as Labor’s factions assert their power

- May 9, 2025 3 MIN READ

Industry and science minister Ed Husic has been dropped from the new federal government’s cabinet as Labor’s factions jostle for position amid a swathe of new MPs heading to Canberra. Husic was widely admired in the startup and tech sector, implementing a series of reviews into the sector during his three years in the role,… Read more »