Bunnings may be a goldmine for Wesfarmers, but ecommerce site Catch has been a millstone since the ASX-listed retail conglomerate bought the tech startup for $230 million in 2019. Today, Wesfarmers announced it will shut down Catch at the end of April, blaming increased competition in Australian ecommerce. They expect Catch to post a loss… Read more »
Clean tech founder and investor Monique Conheady has added another directorial arrow to her corporate quiver, joining the board of Wollongong hydrogen electrolyser startup Hysata. Conheady was cofounder of the pioneering carshare startup Flexicar, acquired by Hertz Australia, and now chairs companies Energy Safe Victoria and JET Charge, as well as being a Breakthrough Victoria… Read more »
Canberra has a new think tank for tech policy founded by three women to offer advice on the way forward in a digital world. The Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) bills itself as Australia’s first non-partisan, independent think tank focused on best practice technology policy. Its cofounders, Johanna Weaver, Zoe Jay Hawkins and Sunita Kumar, said… Read more »
A startup that accredits and verifies workers and volunteers in care, sport and community roles has signed a five-year deal with Tennis Australia as part of the Australian Open. Oho is one of five Australian startups among 12 for the annual AO Startups program, which runs during the grand slam tournament, integrating into the event.… Read more »
The Australian Open (AO) has rolled out facial recognition technology for all visitors under a new addition to its conditions of entry. By purchasing a ticket or entering Melbourne Park for this year’s competition, which runs January 6-26, visitors acknowledge security cameras “that may incorporate facial recognition technology” are used to “enhance security and patron safety”… Read more »
Social media giant TikTok is preparing to shut down its app in the United States this Sunday – the day that legislation signed by President Joe Biden last year banning the app takes effect. There is a slim chance this dramatic development might not happen if the US Supreme Court accepts a last minute legal… Read more »
Early stage investment company Antler in Australia recently backed a new cohort of startups as part of its ongoing residency that builds great local tech companies. Startup Daily is sharing the details of each venture in the “Antler Investor Memos” series, which is designed to give you a quick, sharp understanding of the startups and… Read more »
A mining tech startup spun out of Monash University has raised $27.5 million in a Series A. The round for ElectraLith was led by CSIRO-backed deep tech VC Main Sequence, with existing investors Rio Tinto, IP Group and Monash Uni also participating along with Chevron Technology Ventures, Hostplus, Fathom Fund Vista Energy, Marathon Petroleum, CIA-backed US… Read more »
A medtech startup developing the world’s first arthroscopic (joints) surgical robot has raised $5 million in a Series A to crack the US market. Convergence Medical was backed by US investor Avicella Capital, at a valuation above $30 million. The funds will support plans to commercialise the robot, expand into the US to grab a… Read more »
Telecommunications giant Telstra plans to spend $700 million – $100m annually – over the next seven years to ramp up its data and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in a joint venture with its long-time partner Accenture. The US consultancy firm is already pouring $3 billion into its own AI capabilities and will own 60% of… Read more »
Sydney cultivated meat startup Vow, creator of the “woolly mammoth meatball“, has been forced to slash staffing by nearly a third, with 25 jobs being made redundant as it seeks a new round of investment. Vow has been developing lab-grown cell-based animal products being served in high-end restaurants in Asia. It is still awaiting regulatory approval… Read more »
A who’s who of Australian investors have backed a new sports VC fund by Tennis Australia’s AO Ventures, committing around $49 million to its first close. They include Mark Nelson from Caledonia, Tanarra’s John Wylie, Melbourne-based businessman Mark Healey, Ashok Jacob from Ellerston Capital and Robyn and Victoria Denholm’s family office, Wollemi Capital Group. International… Read more »
The federal government will make another $3 billion equity investment into the National Broadband Network (NBN) to national fibre-to-the node (FTTN) network as Labor and the Coalition begin campaigning ahead of an election due by May. NBN Co will contribute more than $800 million to the plan to upgrade around 622,000 homes and businesses nationally… Read more »
CES, the annual trade show packing some of the latest – and often strangest – new technologies, returned to Las Vegas this week for its 2025 iteration. Dominated by the continued rise of artificial intelligence and some interesting visions for consumer electronics, the event offered a glimpse of what we can expect to see on… Read more »
Small business HR and payroll platform Employment Hero has spent $112 million acquiring a Canadian rival as part of ambitions to expand into the North American market. The scaleup’s founder and chief economist, Ben Thompson said Canada has been in our expansion plans since their Series A, eight years ago “Humi is Canada’s leading employment… Read more »
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