Last week, Google quietly abandoned a long-standing commitment to not use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in weapons or surveillance. In an update to its AI principles, which were first published in 2018, the tech giant removed statements promising not to pursue: technologies that cause or are likely to cause overall harm weapons or other technologies… Read more »
Atlassian will join the likes of Red Bull and biotech company BWT as team sponsor in Formula 1 in a long-term deal with British team Williams Racing. Atlassian Williams Racing will debut in Australia in mid-March with the first race of the 24 round 2025 season. Under the partnership, Atlassian is title partner, technology partner… Read more »
Sydney healthtech startup Harrison.ai has raised AU$179 million (US$112m) in a Series C as it looks to expand in the US The round was co-led by Aware Super, ECP and existing supporter Horizons Ventures, the VC firm of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing. The federal government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund announced its $32 millions… Read more »
A B2B product management startup cofounded by Canva and Atlassian alumni, and developed in the Y Combinator accelerator program, has raised $3.5 million in Seed funding. The round for Sydney startup Index was led by Blackbird and Bain Capital Ventures. Mary Meeker’s California VC Bond also chipped in along with Y Combinator, Linktree cofounder Alex… Read more »
The Victorian government’s $2 billion investment fund, Breakthrough Victoria has appointed Rod Bristow as its new chief executive officer. Bristow previously spent four years as CEO of early stage and climate-tech VC Investible, building out its Asian presence, and as well as raising a $32 million climate tech fund a $51.6m 2nd early-stage fund, and a new… Read more »
An Antler startup launched less than 12 months ago for people of post online listings selling second-hand products on multiple marketplaces with a single click has raised $800,000 in a pre-Seed round. Shopfront, founded by Nathan Spiteri and Drew Flaherty in April last year, was initially supported with $225,000 from Antler during its accelerator program.… Read more »
Commercial insurance broking startup UpCover has raised $19 million in a Series A round. On top of the $11 million equity investment, the insurtech also secured $8 million in debt. The round was led by RealVC, with support from existing investors Antler Elevate’s Global Fund – Upcover was part of its inaugural accelerator program in… Read more »
Volunteer and workforce management platform Rosterfy has raised $5.5 million from Sydney VC OIF Ventures. The funding tops up aa $3m follow on investment from ASX-listed Bailador Technology Investments (ASX:BTI) after its $9.8m initial investment in April 2023, which Startup Daily reported in October last year, The $3m from Bailador resulted in a 14% ($1.7m)… Read more »
Large social media companies should have to proactively remove harmful content from their platforms, undergo regular “risk assessments” and face hefty fines if they don’t comply, according to an independent review of online safety laws in Australia. The federal government this week released the final report of the review conducted by experienced public servant Delia… Read more »
Brisbane-based specialist defence technology venture capital firm, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, has secured more than $10 million in commitments, to call first close on the fund. The figure takes the fund to its final condition for ESVCLP (Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships) status, with its first capital call underway this week. Founder and… Read more »
A former New Zealander worked in Australia as a lawyer, before giving it up to found an AI-powered legal tech startup, has raised a $25.5 million (US$16m) Series A\ Min-Kyu Jung was a corporate lawyer sick of the time-consuming and manual process required for contract reviews. So he left the law, taught himself to code,… Read more »
AI can be useful, but it’s a long way from being as useful as a paralegal or associate when it comes to case law, as a NSW immigration lawyer found out recently, to his detriment. The lawyer, who cannot be named, has been referred to the complaints watchdog, the Office of the NSW Legal Services… Read more »
Diversity and gender equality might be a dirty words in some political and business circles right now, but not for AirTrunk founder and CEO Robin Khuda, who sold his 9-year-old data centre business last year for $23.5 billion. The freshly minted billionaire, who arrived from Bangladesh nearly 30 years ago as a teen to study… Read more »
SydneyAI startup Lorikeet has raised another US$9 million (A$14m), just four months after pocketing a $7.3 million Seed round. This time Blackbird led the round, joined by existing investors Square Peg and Kim Jackson’s Skip Capital. The raise values the business at $100 million. Lorikeet was founded in mid-2023 (originally as Optech) by US-based former… Read more »
Westpac hit the EFT button on $10 million for the online legal services scaleup Lawpath, and plans to entice business customers by offering them subscriptions to the legal compliance platform. The bank’s acting business and wealth boss Peter Herbert, said the exclusive partnership will give startups and small-to-medium sized businesses access to affordable legal services,… Read more »
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
