Elon Musk
Global tech

A billionaire who spent 10 years predicting things his companies still haven’t achieved gets triggered by tech prophecy

- January 6, 2025 3 MIN READ

In October last year, the world’s richest conspiracy theorist, Elon Musk, announced plans for a robotaxi, the Tesla Cybercab. Production would begin he said “in 2026”, before correcting himself to “before 2027”, because “I tend to be a little optimistic with timeframes”. That observation is an understatement inversely proportional to Musk’s wealth. So it wasn’t… Read more »

Cyber security

National Reconstruction Fund slings $22.5 million at data security startup Vault Cloud

- December 20, 2024 2 MIN READ

The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) has gone into Christmas shopping mode, investing nearly $50 million in two days in two tech companies, today announcing $22.5 million for 12-year-old sovereign cloud data security company Vault Cloud. The equity investment comes just 24 hours after leading a $50 million raise for Adelaide IoT and satellite maker… Read more »

Funding

National Reconstruction Fund picks up half the tab in IoT nanosatellite maker Myriota’s $50 million raise

- December 19, 2024 2 MIN READ

The federal government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund has made its third investment, tipping $25 million to lead a $50 million raise by Internet of Things (IoT) satellite builder Myriota. It’s the first raise in four years by the Adelaide space tech startup since former PM Malcolm Turnbull was among the backers of a $28 million… Read more »

Space

Skip to the Moon: the team behind a $42 million Australian Space Agency project to build Australia’s first lunar ‘Roo-ver’ revealed

- December 17, 2024 2 MIN READ

A consortium of 21 startups, space and manufacturing companies, mining giant BHP and several universities will collaborate in a project to put an Australian-made rover on the Moon. The ELO2 Consortium, co-led by EPE Oceania and Lunar Outpost Oceania, is part of NASA’s Artemis Moon exploration program. The group has been charged with a $42… Read more »

Mark Zuckerberg
Data

Meta just got off cheaply in a $50 million compensation deal over data scraping scandal

- December 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has struck a $50 million deal with the Australian Information Commissioner to settle a Federal Court case over privacy breach involving the Cambridge Analytica political scandal. While it’s the second largest settlement struck by Meta over the matter, its a fraction of the US$725 million (A$1.14bn) the tech giant paid to… Read more »

Ed Husic
AI/Machine Learning

After 2 years of talking about how important AI is, the government is going to spend the next 12 months developing a capability plan

- December 16, 2024 2 MIN READ

The federal government will develop an artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities plan for Australia to figure out what support is needed and how it can be used to bolster the economy. Industry and science minister Ed Husic announced on Monday that his department will consult with industry to develop a National AI Capability Plan. The final… Read more »

tree pruner, lopped tree
Accelerator

A month after its IPO raised $4.3 million, a share price decline for accelerator Scalare Partners has trimmed $6.5m from its market cap

- December 13, 2024 2 MIN READ

A month after making its ASX debut in a reverse takeover, startup investor, advisor and accelerator Scalare Partners has seen its share price slide 28%, wiping around $6.5 million from its market capitalisation. As tech listings go, it’s been a less than auspicious start as a public company for Scalare (ASX: SCP), which bills itself… Read more »

Sydney Startup Hub Microsoft Reactor
Accelerator

The NSW government is evicting the Sydney Startup Hub from its CBD location, moving it to ‘somewhere’ in Tech Central in late 2025

- December 13, 2024 6 MIN READ

The Sydney Startup Hub above Wynyard Station in the heart of the CBD will be relocated to an undetermined site somewhere across the six square kilometres around Central Station known as Tech Central by the NSW government in October next year. In a rare announcement involving tech and startups from NSW innovation, science and technology… Read more »

The Kraken, Mad As Hell
Business

Crypto exchange Kraken cops $8m fine for unlawful credit with ‘margin extension’ that cost more than 1000 customers millions in losses

- December 12, 2024 2 MIN READ

The company running the Kraken crypto exchange in Australia has been handed an $8 million penalty by the Federal Court for unlawfully issuing a credit facility to more than 1100 customers. The fine follows legal action by the corporate regulator ASIC against Bit Trade Pty Ltd, launched in September last year, over its ‘margin extension’… Read more »

Flavia Tata Nardini and Matt Pearson,
Funding

Satellite startup Fleet Space orbits $800 million valuation with $150m Series D

- December 12, 2024 3 MIN READ

South Australian startup Fleet Space Technologies has raised $150 million in a Series D that values the satellite developer and data analytics platform at more than $800 million. The round was led by Canada’s Teachers’ Venture Growth, the VC arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Existing investors Blackbird Ventures, Hostplus, Horizons Ventures, Artesian Venture Partners,… Read more »

Vinyl Group, Concrete Playground
ASX

Richard White-backed Vinyl Group’s latest media play is acquiring Concrete Playground for $5 million

- December 12, 2024 2 MIN READ

ASX-listed music and media company Vinyl Group is broadening its publishing portfolio yet again, acquiring the city guides site Concrete Playground in a deal worth $5 million. Vinyl (ASX: VNL) has signed binding Heads of Agreement to acquire the 15-year-old digital lifestyle brand for $3.5 million in cash and $1.5 million in Vinyl shares, with… Read more »