SXSW Sydney will not return in 2026, bringing an end to the Australian edition of the global South by Southwest festival after a three-year run. In a statement released on Wednesday, organisers said the decision reflected a “changing global environment” impacting major events and cultural programs worldwide. SXSW Sydney said it worked closely with the… Read more »
Scaleup tech companies from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA have been selected as finalists in a competition run by Moreton Bay council, north of Brisbane, for the $1 million “Ultimate HQ”. The competition, a collaboration between City of Moreton Bay and the University of the Sunshine Coast, aims to embed a high-potential scaleup business… Read more »
Sydney cybersecurity SaaS platform MyCISO was named Startup of the Year at the 2025 Australian Information Security Association Awards. MyCISO tackles one of cybersecurity’s biggest frustrations: the reliance on manual spreadsheets and fragmented tools to manage increasingly complex security programs. The platform’s Security Operating System (SecurityOS) integrates assessments, risk, compliance, maturity, effectiveness, supplier security, culture,… Read more »
It’s almost too daunting a task to summarise a year that could be best represented by this….. The long blood donation lines (hours long wait for many) to help the Bondi shooting victims. If there is an image that can truly sum up this year full of chaos, violence, war and fragile peace, technological advances… Read more »
The full program for the 2026 Growth Summit in Melbourne is now live, promising expert insights, powerful leadership lessons, and fearless conversations tailored to Australian startups, scaleups, and SMEs. Presented by SmartCompany and Startup Daily, in partnership with Xero, the Growth Summit will see the nation’s brightest entrepreneurs and innovators inspire a new generation of ambitious business leaders. Leigh… Read more »
Venture capital firm Blackbird’s annual startup Coachella, Sunrise Australia, will be held on Thursday, April 30, next year. That shaves a day off the annual “love letter to Aussie startups”, with the VC promising “one massive day + one huge night” instead. Announcing the changes to the 2026 event, Blackbird said the revamping the event… Read more »
If you’re not a celebrity or crypto bro with money to burn on Bored Ape NFTs, or bananas taped to a wall, but would like to buy art, then an exhibition opening in Sydney this week is just for you. James Erskine founded the Liverpool Street Gallery in East Sydney more than 20 years ago,… Read more »
It’s not every day you get to pitch for US$1 million in investment. But then again, the Startup World Cup in San Francisco is not your everyday startup pitch comp. Three Australian startups – Adiona, Deeligence and GravityFit – were among 98 finalists from 100 regional competitions across 60+ countries to fly to San Francisco… Read more »
As ROI goes for investing in deep tech, Sydney deep tech innovator Cicada Innovations has delivered in spades over the past 25 years. The organisation celebrated its 25th anniversary this week, estimating that its role in Australia’s economic growth tops $8 billion, including $6.5 billion in capital raised, high-skill jobs creation, and broader innovation innovation… Read more »
“Has Melbourne lost its spark”? In the tech world, the debate between Sydney and Melbourne often mirrors the more light-hearted rivalry about which city serves the best coffee. But when it comes to tech ecosystems, the stakes are much higher. The perception that a startup scene is “dead” can be deflating for early-stage founders. Of… Read more »
The founder of 20-year-old Canberra cybersecurity firm QuintessenceLabs, Dr Vikram Sharma, is among eight of the nation’s top scientists, innovators and educators recognised in the 2025 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. The annual awards recognise outstanding achievements in scientific research, innovation, and teaching Queensland University of Technology physicist and air quality expert professor Lidia Morawska won… Read more »
Over the coming weeks ahead of the TechStars Sydney Demo the Future evening on December 8, Startup Daily is profiling the 12 startups and their founders in the 2025 cohort. We kick things off with AI clinical note taking platform VetNotes. Startup: VetNotes Founder: Mitch Sigley One-liner: AI Scribe for Veterinarians What’s the problem… Read more »
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 »
Rory San Miguel, cofounder and CEO of drone-based site survey company Propeller Aero, has won the 2025 NSW Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The Pearcey Foundation, a non-profit named in honour of Australian ICT industry pioneer Dr Trevor Pearcey, recognises leaders in information and communications technology. The Pearcey NSW Entrepreneur Award is presented to… Read more »
A French-born baker who developed a world-first way to supply frozen artisanal sourdough products to supermarkets has been named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ for Australia at the prestigious business awards. Professional services firm EY Australia’s annual entrepreneurship awards celebrated their 25th anniversary in Sydney on October 15, also recognising 22 national finalists who represent the… Read more »
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
