Funding

Cheque-in: The 2 startups that raised $8.2 million (and the expat Aussie backed by Square Peg)

- October 24, 2025 3 MIN READ

It has been relatively quiet on the startup funding front this week: we’ve counted only two local startups with fresh capital raises. But Australian talents are still shining abroad, with one founder raising tens of millions of dollars for a new tool empowering sales teams. Keep reading to learn more about 2cloudnine and SeaStock, which… Read more »

Canberra
AI/Machine Learning

OpenAI just won a 2nd Australian government contract after being the only company invited to bid

- October 23, 2025 3 MIN READ

OpenAI is steadily embedding itself in the Australian government, with the US tech giant winning its second contract without any competition as the public sector is encouraged to embrace public generative AI tools. The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) last week issued new guidance recommending agencies and departments be encouraged to use public generative AI tools… Read more »

Sydney, storm
Business

A computer scientist explains why cloud computing infrastructure needs to change after the AWS crash

- October 22, 2025 3 MIN READ

The world’s largest cloud computing platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), experienced a major outage that has impacted thousands of organisations, including banks, financial software platforms such as Xero, and social media platforms such as Snapchat. The outage began at roughly 6pm AEDT on Monday. It was caused by a malfunction at one of AWS’ data… Read more »

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 »

Scott Farquhar
AI/Machine Learning

Why the Tech Council’s ‘digital embassies’ idea surrenders Australian control of AI and data-centres to global tech giants

- October 20, 2025 3 MIN READ

When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets US President Donald Trump on Monday, the visit is expected to seal major big tech investment deals on artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres. In the lead-up, Atlassian cofounder Scott Farquhar (in his role as chair of the Tech Council of Australia) has been pitching a plan to… Read more »

Ron Conry and Sam Ringwaldt
Business

Cheque-in: 6 startups banked $13.4 million in funding this week

- October 17, 2025 4 MIN READ

After last week’s $211 million raised across six startups – that largely to Heidi Health’s $98m Seris B as well as details of Octopus Deploy’s 2024 $45.6m round emerging, mid October seems more normal, with six Australian companies collectively raising a collective $13.4m. The biggest raise came from GXE, which secured $3.3 million in Series… 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 »

Bitcoin ATM
Cryptocurrency

The Australian government is cracking down on cryptocurrency crimes with new regulatory powers over Crypto ATMs

- October 16, 2025 2 MIN READ

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Thursday will outline new powers to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and crime risks associated with cryptocurrency and Crypto ATMs. AUSTRAC, Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator, estimates 85% of the transactions sent by the top users of Crypto ATMs comes from the proceeds of scams or money-mule… Read more »

Daniel Vassilev, Daniel Palmer and Jacky Koh
Opinion

There are a few important details missing from LinkedIn’s list of Australia’s top startups

- October 15, 2025 2 MIN READ

LinkedIn’s Top Australian Startups list for 2025 just dropped and it’s a brilliant showcase of Australian innovation. 20 companies scaling fast, hiring smart and solving complex problems. The founders deserve their flowers… building anything in this economy is hard enough, let alone something that grows. But when you hold up the mirror, the story behind… Read more »

 Holly Cardew Mike Angell 
Business

4 years after a record $13m Seed raise, Blackbird-backed ‘ultimate wishlist’ shopping app Carted shuts down

- October 15, 2025 2 MIN READ

E-commerce startup Carted will close next week, four years after raising $13 million in one of Australia’s largest seed funding rounds and pledging to change how people shop online. The Carted wishlist app, which informs shoppers when coveted items go on sale, will close on Wednesday, October 22. “We’ve loved building Carted with you, but we… Read more »

Global tech

Google comes out swinging over government including YouTube in its under 16 social media ban

- October 15, 2025 3 MIN READ

Google has strongly criticised Australia’s impending ban of under-16s holding social media accounts after its popular video streaming platform YouTube was added to the ban following a federal government backflip. YouTube was expected to be exempt from the nation’s social media age ban, set to begin on 10 December, after the legislation was first introduced by the… Read more »