People Archives

ACS says closing the digital skills gap could be worth $25 billion – and workers are hungry for training

Tom Williams - July 31, 2025 3 MIN READ

Closing digital skills gaps could create a $25 billion economic boost for Australia according to the 11th Australia’s Digital Pulse report, released this week by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) — the professional association of the nation’s technology professionals. A survey commissioned for the report and carried out by consultancy firm Deloitte found 77% of… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Australian startup Build Club teams up with AI unicorn Lovable to launch their Learning Academy

Simon Thomsen - July 29, 2025 2 MIN READ

One of the world’s fastest growing AI startups, Swedish “vibe-coding” unicorn Lovable, with A$2.75 billion valuation just eight months after its launch, has teamed up with Australia’s Build Club to launch Lovable Learning Academy. It’s a platform of Lovable’s hands‑on curriculum and designed to help anyone go from zero to launching a live vibe-coded app,… Read more »

Events

NEVER SHARE US APART: Social enterprise startup Disinfluencer releases its top 100 disability advocates

Simon Thomsen - July 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

INXS topped Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian songs of all time with Port Adelaide’s unofficial anthem, Never Tear Us Apart – this writer is devastated TISM’s Whatareya? and Joe Dolce’s 1981 anthem Shaddap You Face failed to crack the ton – on the weekend, but it’s not the only top 100 in town. Tweed Heads… Read more »

ASX

WiseTech Global has a new, cheaper, CEO who’s a long-time supporter of founder Richard White

Simon Thomsen - July 28, 2025 2 MIN READ

WiseTech Global (ASX:WTC) has named Zubin Appoo, a long-time collaborator with founder Richard White as the logistics software company’s new CEO. He takes over, effective immediately, from interim CEO Andrew Cartledge, WiseTech’s former CFO, who had to step into the role following the resignation of White last October amid claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour, which… Read more »

Life hacks

Startup 360: Pedestrian founder’s big raise, Startup Daily and SmartCompany joined at the hip, and Australia’s most in-the-know investor

Startup Daily - July 25, 2025 < 1 MIN READ

Usually the one doing the reporting, Startup Daily and its parent company Pinstripe Media is in the spotlight this week, having been acquired by SmartCompany’s Private Media. AJ Koch fills in for Simon to share how it came together. We also keep the celebratory theme going with two phenomenal guests behind some significant raises from… Read more »

Life hacks

Do women really need more sleep than men? A sleep expert weighs in

Amelia Scott - July 25, 2025 4 MIN READ

If you spend any time in the wellness corners of TikTok or Instagram, you’ll see claims women need one to two hours more sleep than men. But what does the research actually say? And how does this relate to what’s going on in real life? As we’ll see, who gets to sleep, and for how… Read more »

People

Tech workers scored a 10% pay rise last year – and there’s more to come

Denham Sadler, Information Age - July 25, 2025 3 MIN READ

Salaries in the tech sector increased by nearly 10% in the last year and IT workers are among those most likely to land a “transformational” pay rise in the coming year, according to a new study. Recruiter Hays released its F25/26 Salary Guide this week which also reveals the highest paying tech roles in Australia and those… Read more »

Business strategy

Winning without a safety net: How I bootstrapped and grew without VC

Michael Ripia - July 24, 2025 3 MIN READ

Most people think if you’re not backed by venture capital, you’re not playing in the big leagues. That you’re hustling in the shadows, scraping by until some investor finally gives you permission to scale. But for people like me, who started with no handouts, no blueprints, and no pitch deck, the game has always looked… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Can we stop AI going rogue? The Grok Nazi drama and the impact of models based on their creator’s worldview

Aaron J Snoswell - July 24, 2025 4 MIN READ

Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks. The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias… Read more »

Business

Startup Daily acquired by the publishers of SmartCompany

Startup Daily - July 22, 2025 3 MIN READ

Two leading Australian business publishers are joining forces to expand their coverage of startups and the SME sectors. Melbourne-based Private Media, publisher of SmartCompany, has acquired the assets of Sydney-based Pinstripe Media, which includes 4 media brands – Startup Daily, Business Builders, Flying Solo, and consumer finance focussed Your Money & Your Life – as… Read more »

Events

South Australian government backs _SOUTHSTART for 3 more years

Startup Daily - July 22, 2025 2 MIN READ

The future of the annual 3-day _SOUTHSTART gathering in Adelaide has been assured until 2028 with three more years of funding from the South Australian government. The new three-year $2 million commitment supporting the delivery of _SOUTHSTART, starting next year, will take the innovation festival to a decade under its current custodianship, with Craig Swann… Read more »

People

Dame Alison Stewart joins NZ’s Unruly Partners as scientific partner

Startup Daily - July 21, 2025 < 1 MIN READ

Unruly Partners has tapped newly honoured plant scientist Dame Alison Stewart DNZM as scientific partner. She’ll help the Kiwi investment firm spot and scale biological crop-protection breakthroughs, including work with portfolio company Cellora.

Life hacks

Startup 360: Startup v cancer, the power of mum, AI for due diligence & the best sci-fi

Startup Daily - July 18, 2025 2 MIN READ

Kish Modi had a rule with friends and family once he was out of intensive care and began his treatment for leukaemia: no crying when they came to visit. His mum , a 157cm (5′ 2″) powerhouse, laid down the law to everyone who came to visit Kish in hospital. “She’s like, no tears, zero… Read more »

Advice

If you’re a non-technical founder hiring your first – and maybe only – dev, here are 12 traits to look for

T Guthrie - July 17, 2025 8 MIN READ

It’s been a few months now since WhyHive wrapped up. And I was talking to lead engineer, Simon Grant, recently about what his next mission might be. This got me reflecting on a core question I often got asked by other founders – what do you look for in your first dev hire? Whyhive may not… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

Birchal cofounder is back with a new AI startup

Simon Thomsen - July 15, 2025 2 MIN READ

Matt Vitale, cofounder of equity crowdfunding platform Birchal, has returned to startup life after a six-month recharge with a new venture, using AI in regulated sectors. New Dialogue is an enterprise AI platform for organisations to deploy open-source large language models (LLMs) in secure environments. Vitale and founder Tod Pedler have spun out New Dialogue… Read more »