Irene Tsang
Funding

Cheque-in: 8 ANZ startups banked $53.46 million in funding this week

- October 3, 2025 6 MIN READ

Startup funding activity has continued to hold steady this week, with nearly $53.5 million announced across sectors including agtech, energy, AI, health and fintech. Oh, and Limoncello. Leading the pack is Queensland-based SwarmFarm Robotics, which has banked $30 million to ramp up production of its autonomous farm robots and expand overseas. SwarmFarm Robotics: $30 million The… Read more »

Events

Four women, four visions, a $10,000 grant, one bold activation – and you’re invited

- October 2, 2025 3 MIN READ

On Thursday, 13 November, four trailblazing women-led brands will take centre stage at F5’s first-ever La Femme Activation – a bold new retail experience where commerce meets creativity and women-owned businesses are brought to life. These aren’t side hustles or “passion projects.” They’re commercial powerhouses built by women who are reshaping fashion, art, and identity.… Read more »

Ag tech

Clean Energy Finance Corporation ploughs $7 million into Queensland robotics agtech’s $30m Series B

- October 2, 2025 2 MIN READ

Queensland agtech startup SwarmFarm Robotics has secured $30 million in Series B funding to ramp up production of its autonomous SwarmBots and expand into North America. The round was led by European agtech investor Edaphon, with participation from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), QIC and Artesian Capital. The CEFC contributed $7 million through its… Read more »

Business

The US President’s son-in-law and Saudi Arabia – what the $83 billion Electronic Arts acquisition tells us about power and ‘game-washing’

- October 2, 2025 3 MIN READ

Video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA), one of the biggest video game companies in the world behind games such as The Sims and Battlefield, has been sold to a consortium of buyers for US$55 billion (about A$83 billion). It is potentially the largest-ever buyout funded by private equity firms. Not AI, nor mining or banking,… Read more »

Politics

Australia’s cutting a deal with the EU to get more locals into space

- October 2, 2025 2 MIN READ

Major pacts with Europe and the US set Australia’s space industry on course for expansion, with IAC 2025 showcasing the moment Australia and the European Union will sign cooperation agreements to cooperate on future space missions and extra-terrestrial business opportunities. The agreement between the Australian and European Space Agencies would offer businesses and researchers greater… Read more »

Funding

Australia’s new space institute says it’s time to back the local sector for sovereign capability

- September 30, 2025 4 MIN READ

Australia has launched the Australasian Space Innovation Institute to cut foreign reliance and speed up space commercialisation. A new not-for-profit space organisation has launched at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney. The Australasian Space Innovation Institute (ASII) aims to speed up the use of industry research, strengthen Australia’s own space capability, and deliver tangible benefits… Read more »

Mark Zuckerberg
Opinion

Analysis of Facebook data reveals the damage caused by the spread of misinformation on Meta’s social media

- September 25, 2025 3 MIN READ

Twenty-one years after Facebook’s launch, Australia’s top 25 news outlets now have a combined 27.6 million followers on the platform. They rely on Facebook’s reach more than ever, posting far more stories there than in the past. With access to Meta’s Content Library (Meta is the owner of Facebook), our big data study analysed more… Read more »

Funding

Audit of the federal government’s $466 million PsiQuantum deal declares it ‘appropriate’

- September 24, 2025 3 MIN READ

The federal department tasked with evaluating American firm PsiQuantum’s unsolicited proposal to build a quantum computer in Australia carried out an “appropriate” process despite minor issues with record keeping and planning for market testing, an internal audit has found. PsiQuantum proposed the build in November 2022, and its ultimately successful Brisbane plan — backed by… Read more »

Business

CHERRY ON TOP: How a team of 3 in Adelaide made the world’s hottest game – Hollow Knight Silksong

- September 22, 2025 4 MIN READ

This month, the Australian-made video game Silksong became one of the most played titles worldwide. Created by Team Cherry, a three-person indie studio in Adelaide, the sequel to 2017’s Hollow Knight shows how small studios can capture global attention. Its success matters not just for its artistry but because it demonstrates why video games are… Read more »