Telstra pointless ad 1
Business

Telstra cops new rules after it ‘put people’s privacy and safety at risk’ in 163,000 license breaches

- July 12, 2024 3 MIN READ

Australia’s communications watchdog has imposed new rules on Telstra after the telecommunications giant was found to have leaked the details of more than 140,000 people who requested their phone numbers not be shared publicly. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said it had issued Telstra with “a remedial direction” following an investigation of the… Read more »

Business

Just Wines nabs drinks rival Beer Cartel in M&A deal

- July 8, 2024 2 MIN READ

The empire of online drinks brand Just Wines is expanding again with the acquisition of craft beer e-tailer Beer Cartel and its gifting sub-brand Brewquets. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the merger comes nearly 3 years after the online beer store raised $1.45 million in a Birchal crowdfunding campaign from more… Read more »

Professor Scott Galloway
AI/Machine Learning

Scott Galloway’s Section School is coming to Australia to teach AI

- July 5, 2024 2 MIN READ

The fast-track business school founded by Professor Scott Galloway, the outspoken New York University professor, author, and tech entrepreneur, is coming to Australia to teach artificial intelligence (AI). Galloway’s Section School has partnered with BSI Digital Learning to launch the National School for Upskilling in Artificial Intelligence, offering an “AI Crash Course”. BSI Learning CEO… Read more »

ASX

End of story: ASX-listed online retailer Booktopia hits voluntary administration

- July 3, 2024 2 MIN READ

Online retailer Booktopia has been placed in voluntary administration less than four years after listing on the ASX. Shares in the Booktopia Group (ASX:BKG) had been suspended since mid-June after admitting the business had liquidity issues and sought funding for redundancies and working capital. McGrathNicol restructuring partners Keith Crawford, Matthew Caddy, and Damien Pasfield were… Read more »

Eraring power plant
Business

Energy giant Origin grabs a chunk of power consumption reduction startup Climatech Zero

- July 2, 2024 2 MIN READ

Power giant Origin Energy has taken a 20% stake in six-year-old energy management startup Climatech Zero for an undisclosed sum. The business was spun out of the merger of Sydney mechanical services (ie. air conditioning, heating, ventilation and plumbing) design and construction firm Climatech Group and Irish sustainability software business CoolPlanet, in 2018 before rebranding… Read more »

Business

Beam in Business acquires jobs for women networking startup Freelancing Gems

- June 21, 2024 2 MIN READ

Women’s jobs site Freelancing Gems has been acquired by regional community and Women’s Awards program Beam in Business. Freelancing Gems cofounders Fleur Madden and Kirsty Jackson launched the site in 2020, as Covid hit, using AI-driven matching models to connect women to their next remote, part time, freelance,  contract role. The site also champions women… Read more »

Edward Craven and Bijan Tehrani
Business

Crypto gaming billionaire Ed Craven dangles $100,000 sign-on carrots to lure engineers away from Canva, Atlassian and Australia’s top tech companies

- June 20, 2024 2 MIN READ

The overheated tech salary days of 2022 may be set to return, in engineering at least, if crypto gaming billionaire Ed Craven has his way. Craven, 28, and his cofounder Bijan Tehrani at online casino Stake.com and live-streaming platform Kick, are offering sign-on bonuses for senior and principal software engineers and engineering managers of between… Read more »

Floatspace founder Hugh Treseder and Ian Malouf.
Business

‘Airbnb for boats’ startup Floatspace acquired by billionaire Ian Malouf’s luxury yacht charter business

- June 19, 2024 2 MIN READ

Sydney-based Floatspace, the ‘Airbnb for boat experiences’, has been acquired by yacht charter business Ahoy Club. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Floatspace founder Hugh Treseder, will remain as CEO of the brand under its new owners. Ahoy Club was founded in 2018 by Sydney billionaire Ian Malouf and his daughter, Ellie,… Read more »

Daniel Mookhey
Business

Small business disappointed by NSW budget

- June 18, 2024 3 MIN READ

The centrepiece of the NSW government’s business support in the 2024-25 Budget is the expansion of the Service NSW Business Bureau. However, the lack of substantial assistance to counter the rising cost of doing business has left business advocates scratching their heads. To further the reach of the Service NSW Business Bureau initiative, the government has… Read more »

Business

C-rap: the most talked about part of Canva Create isn’t the product (but it totally is) because of a song

- May 27, 2024 4 MIN READ

There’s a famous maxim in advertising, courtesy of industry legend David Ogilvy that: “If you have nothing to say, sing it”. Combine that with Oscar Wilde’s observation that: “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about”, and you have the defining moment of Canva… Read more »