Topic Archives

What deep tech founders need to know about the Budget

Sian Priest - May 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

To ensure our long-term economic prosperity, Australia must continue to develop and establish sovereign capabilities in future critical industries. “This requires aligning the nation on a bold and visionary future through policy levers focussed on long-term, transformational opportunities while also galvanising short-term action to address our current circumstances”, commented Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams. Sally also… Read more »

Smart industry robot arms for digital factory manufacturing, Industry 4.0

Politics

More innovation and diversity is needed in tech if the government really wants a ‘future made in Australia’

Kylie Walker - May 17, 2024 3 MIN READ

This year’s federal budget is making up for decades of lost time – both in our clean energy transition and in betting on new technological breakthroughs. The Future Made in Australia Act holds tantalising potential for building Australian science, research and development. The aim is to turn Australia into an innovation and clean technology superpower.… Read more »

Jim Chalmers, Anthony Albanese and Katy Gallagher

Politics

The 2024 federal budget explained at a glance

Erin Cooper-Douglas & Matt Garrow - May 15, 2024 < 1 MIN READ

The government has handed down its budget for 2024–25. It’s delivered a $9.3 billion surplus for the financial year just about to finish but is forecasting a $28.3 billion deficit for next year. Here are the key points: Erin Cooper-Douglas, Deputy Politics + Society Editor, The Conversation and Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer, The Conversation… Read more »

Politics

Budget 2024: Tech sector reactions

Startup Daily - May 15, 2024 11 MIN READ

The answer to “how to you eat a shit sandwich?” when it comes to politics is: “With a grin”. The startup sector put on a brave face tonight following the 2024 federal budget. There were some big ticket items, but two years into its 3-year term, Labor offered little to tech specifically as it focused… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

If AI writes a song, who owns the copyright? It’s complicated

Wellet Potter - May 14, 2024 4 MIN READ

Artificial intelligence (AI) text and image generation tools have now been around for a while, but in recent weeks, apps for making AI-generated music have reached consumers as well. Just like other generative AI tools, the two products – Suno and Udio (and others likely to come) – work by turning a user’s prompt into… Read more »

Politics

Things startup founders and investors hope for in the 2024 federal budget

Startup Daily - May 13, 2024 5 MIN READ

After the federal government committed hundreds of millions in funding to PsiQuantum as part of a $940 million deal to bring the US quantum computing startup to Brisbane, many in the startup sector are wondering if that’s the start of a golden for Commonwealth cash, or the equivalent of blowing you night out budget on… Read more »

Humanitix cofounder Adam McCurdie presents The Life You Can Save director of philanthropy Louise Pfeiffer and co-CEO Andrea La Mesa with a $4 million donation, alongside his cofounder Josh Ross and ethicist and philosopher Peter Singer.

People

Why Humanitix is one of Australia’s very best startups

Simon Thomsen - May 13, 2024 2 MIN READ

Making a profit is atypical of most startups. Making substantial profits then giving them all away is next level. Which is what ticketing startup Humanitix does, donating 100% of its profits to charity. The Sydney-based online ticketing platform is backed by tech giants Google and Atlassian, and in just six years, the social impact startup… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

4 red flags to look out for if you have a chatbot ‘friend’

Dan Weijers & Nick Munn - May 10, 2024 4 MIN READ

It’s been seven years since the launch of Replika, an artificially intelligent chatbot designed to be a friend to human users. Despite early warnings about the dangers of such AI friends, interest in friendships and even romantic relationships with AI is on the rise. The Google Play store shows more than 30 million total downloads… Read more »

Funding

The Startmate Demo Day Asks: Here’s what the 10 startups are seeking, from investment to referrals

Simon Thomsen - May 9, 2024 6 MIN READ

Welcome to The Ask, our regular column for founders looking for capital. It may be venture capital, crowdfunding or another path, but if you’re on the hunt for cash, we’re happy to share the news with Australia’s startup community. This is your chance to pitch directly to them. This week it’s we have a special… Read more »

Politics

What you need to know about Victoria’s state budget – and how spending growing revenue leads to more debt

David Hayward - May 8, 2024 4 MIN READ

The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages within. But that was not to be, for the government – which has the largest debt of all the states and territories… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

The real reason retailers are replacing staff with AI bots is not because they’re cheaper, but for customer data

Cameron Shackell - May 7, 2024 4 MIN READ

You might have seen viral videos of Wendy’s drive-thru customers in the United States ordering their fast food from the firm’s generative AI bot Wendy’s FreshAI. Most show a very human-like transaction punctuated with cries of amazement at how fast, accurate and polite the system is. While the system and others like it are in… Read more »

Politics

Why the federal government’s merger plans are bad news for startups

Anthony Bekker - May 1, 2024 3 MIN READ

Australia’s startup industry is entitled to ask itself what are the government’s expectations when it comes to technology? While some of the government’s moves around Big Tech have been encouraging, proposed changes to mergers and acquisitions requirements will likely have a chilling effect on dealmaking and investment in our local startup industry. What’s happened? Last… Read more »

Women in tech

Tech is now the preferred method for blokes to harass women at work

The Conversation - April 30, 2024 4 MIN READ

Sexual harassment is often considered to be a person-to-person act, but new research shows Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment in large numbers through technology. Our latest study shows one in seven Australian adults surveyed reported having engaged in workplace tech-based sexual harassment. One in eight reported having engaged in both tech-based and… Read more »

Social Media

Social media needs for a social licence to operate too

Michelle Grattan - April 29, 2024 4 MIN READ

In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk last week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to being told to take down from X (previously Twitter) the video of the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a… Read more »

Business

Heatseeker is the startup you need to be a better founder and build faster

Startup Daily - April 18, 2024 2 MIN READ

Sydney startup Heatseeker, which uses AI to simplify business idea validation and market research, has launched the alpha version of its testing platform to help founders speed up the time to product launch. Heatseeker.ai was cofounded in 2023 by serial entrepreneurs Kate O’Keeffe and Fiona Triaca. They set out to develop a way to understand… Read more »