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.

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A startup hoping to plant 1 million trees a year by drone just raised $437,000 from crowdfunding

- March 6, 2020 2 MIN READ

  An environmental restoration startup that’s designed tree-planting drones using artificial and data-driven intelligence to re-seed barren ground, has raised more than $437,000 in crowdfunding equity. AirSeed Technologies, based in Sydney and Cape Town, South Africa, was co-founded by mechanical engineer Andrew Walker and geo-spatial data expert Andries Louw. The pair are driven by their… Read more »

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5 things you should know about tech today

- March 5, 2020 3 MIN READ

1. Airbnb’s IPO may call in sick 007 is not the only one (see below) laid low by coronavirus. Airbnb’s much-anticipated IPO, previously announced for 2020, may be delayed until 2021, Bloomberg reports. Like many in the travel and tourism sector, Airbnb’s been hit hard by the sudden contraction brought on by travel bans and… Read more »

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5 things you should know about tech today

- March 4, 2020 3 MIN READ

Hello hump day Here’s what we’ve spotted.   1. Apple settles US class action for US$500m Apple will pay up to US$500 million to settle a California class action over the software that slowed down older iPhone models. Under the deal, Apple will offer US$25 to affected iPhone owners, although that figure remains fluid depending… Read more »

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Beauty startup Glamazon sells to Indian home services startup Urban Company

- March 4, 2020 < 1 MIN READ

Australian beautician and hairdresser booking app Glamazon has found an exit after three years, acquired by the Indian home services marketplace Urban Company for an undisclosed sum.  Co-founded by former Shark Tank contestants Lauren Silvers and Lisa Maree, Glamazon had raised $1.2 million in funding during its short life and had around 1,700 beauty workers on… Read more »

pot of gold
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ACS tells Senate inquiry there’s a $16 billion pot of gold for the financial sector if it embraces fintech AI

- March 3, 2020 3 MIN READ

The fintech sector has the potential to deliver up to $16 billion in efficiencies to the financial industry via artificial intelligence, new research commissioned by the ACS reveals. The IT sector professional body recently presented the research by AI analytics firm Faethm to a Senate Select Committee investigating fintech and regtech ACS CEO Andrew Johnson… Read more »

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RBA cuts Australia’s official cash rate to 0.5%

- March 3, 2020 3 MIN READ

  Australia’s official cash rate now sits at 0.50% following a 25 basis points cut It’s the fourth rate cut since June 2019 amid growing concerns about the impact of the coronavirus on the global economy RBA says “global growth in the first half of 2020 will be lower than earlier expected” While housing prices… Read more »

Elon Musk
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5 things you should know about tech today

- March 3, 2020 3 MIN READ

Welcome to Tuesday and so-called Autumn. Here’s what else is hotting up.   1.   Musk calls time on F-35s Elon Musk doesn’t mind expressing unpopular views. On Friday, the Tesla founder was talking to a room full of US fighter pilots at Orlando’s Air Warfare Symposium when he told a USAF Lt Gen that “the fighter jet… Read more »

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5 things you should know about tech today

- February 28, 2020 4 MIN READ

It’s Friday. Here’s out the week ends.   1. In for the long haul It’s been a tough week for investors as global markets were smashed by coronavirus fears. The ASX All Ordinaries Index, after recently soaring through the 7000 barrier, is down nearly 10% for the week going into Friday’s trade, sitting at around… Read more »

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Prospa shares rally after beating its earnings downgrade

- February 27, 2020 2 MIN READ

HY20 revenue of $75.6 million up 12% on the prior year (HY19: $67.7 million), in line with November downgrade. Customer numbers up 45% on corresponding period to 26,900 in HY20 HY20 loan originations of $306.8 million, up 37% on the prior corresponding period Co-CEO Beau Bertoli moving to role of Chief Revenue Officer Small business… Read more »

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5 things you should know about tech today

- February 27, 2020 4 MIN READ

G’day and welcome to Thursday. We’re hoping markets start to recover today. Or would the last CEO to leave please turn out the lights. 1. CEOs head for the exits It’s a big week for US corporate hi-flyers keen to spend more time with their families. First up, Uber Eats boss Jason Droege, who launched the… Read more »