Michelle Deaker
Women in tech

OneVentures, a pioneering VC with female leaders, says sorry for featuring blokes in an IWD post

- March 9, 2023 3 MIN READ

Every chance it gets, OneVentures touts its credentials as “Australia’s first female-founded VC firm” with cofounder Dr Michelle Deaker as its public face. She’s one of two female founders, alongside Anne-Marie Birkill and Paul Kelly. Last year the business added Sarah Meibusch to the leadership team as Partner. But the faces the Sydney VC chose… Read more »

ACCC
AI/Machine Learning

ACCC warns of ‘dark patterns’ used by tech giants to lock in consumers

- March 9, 2023 3 MIN READ

The five largest tech giants may be using ‘dark patterns’ to prevent consumers from adopting online services from competitors, the ACCC has warned as it solicits feedback on a new issues paper exploring the companies’ entrance into a diverse range of markets. Recent years have seen Amazon, Apple, Facebook parent company Meta, Microsoft, and Google… Read more »

Kitea, Simon Malpas
Funding

Kiwi remote care medtech Kitea Health raises NZ$6 million for brain implant monitor

- March 9, 2023 2 MIN READ

A New Zealand medtech startup that’s developed a world’s first wireless brain monitor to remotely manage chronic illness has raised NZ$6 million (A$5.6m) to take the device to clinical trials. Kitea Health spun out of the University of Auckland Bioengineering Institute after developing the implantable long-term brain pressure sensor, which could save the healthcare system… Read more »

Xero Rod Drury, Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, David Thodey
ASX

Xero slashes up to 800 jobs

- March 9, 2023 2 MIN READ

ASX-listed accounting platform Xero is the latest tech company to put a scythe through its workforce, cutting up to 800 roles globally to improve its bottom line. The New Zealand software company’s cuts come a day after Nasdaq-listed Atlassian announced it was cutting 500 positions. Xero (ASX: XRO) employs around 5000 people, meaning around 15%… Read more »

robot typing
AI/Machine Learning

A VC analyst spoke to 50 AI startup founders to understand who to invest in – here’s what she found

- March 8, 2023 2 MIN READ

In my first few months working in deep-tech venture capital, I found and spoke to more than 50 founders building ‘AI’ companies. From climate to workflow to healthcare to transports and logistics to aged care, I canvassed the AI startup space in Australia, meeting incredible founders and gaining useful insight about the Australian AI ecosystem.… Read more »

Brandcrush
Business

Rampersand, Startmate score exit as US media co snaps up marketing startup Brandcrush

- March 8, 2023 2 MIN READ

Startmate-backed marketing startup Brandcrush has been acquired by NASDAQ-listed media firm Criteo five years after it launched. The deal also delivers an exit for Rampersand, Luxury Escapes founder Adam Schwab, and other investors including Nicky Jackson, Jane Martino and Sean Taylor. Brandcrush was launched in 2018 by former Tribe sales director Matthew Hurle, and marketing… Read more »

Gender gap
Women in tech

From pinkwashing to progress: the impact of using a gender lens when investing in companies

- March 8, 2023 3 MIN READ

Gender equity continues to be a significant problem in business globally. We all know the story: the gender pay gap is a persistent issue and female-dominated industries tend to be lower paid. Female representation in senior leadership and board positions remains low in many countries, particularly in Aotearoa New Zealand. Women comprise only 28.5% of… Read more »

Sumday, Danny Hoare, Jessica Richmond, Lindsay Ellis
Funding

Canva’s Cameron Adams backs Tasmanian carbon accounting startup Sumday in $2 million Seed round

- March 7, 2023 2 MIN READ

Tasmanian accounting software startup Sumday has raised raised $2 million in a pre-Seed round as it looks to expand globally. The raise was backed by VC funds Blackbird and Possible Ventures, as well as Canva cofounder Cameron Adams and Lisa Miller, CEO of Wedgetail Ventures. Sumday gives accountants and bookkeepers the ability deliver non-financial accounting… Read more »

delivery rider
Other tech

Delivery marketplace Zoom2u launches DoorDash and UberEats rival for business

- March 7, 2023 2 MIN READ

Australian delivery platform, Zoom2u has launched a new SaaS marketplace, Drivers2u, to help businesses tackle deliveries.  The delivery service by the ASX-listed software company aims to bridge the gap between customers and drivers. Local businesses and restaurants can match with delivery provider for free through Drivers2u. The platform allows businesses and customers to post a… Read more »

SpaceTech
Space

Rocket startup Gilmour Space teams up with US space logistics firm Atomos for orbital cargo plan

- March 7, 2023 < 1 MIN READ

Queensland rocket company Gilmour Space has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US-based Atomos Space to provide in-space transportation and launch aggregation services. The deal comes as Gilmour prepares for the launch of its first home-grown rocket from it Bowen Orbital Spaceport in northern Queensland Atomos offers in-space transportation services, while Gold Coast-based Gilmour, which… Read more »