The short term rental management market is seeing some consolidation, with Sydney-based Hometime acquiring fellow Sydney player Hey Tom. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, however Hey Tom cofounders Joel Cacciotti, Phillip Rose, and Luke Baker will continue to work in the business as part of the Hometime management team. William Crock, cofounder… Read more »
Now managing director for OpenLearning in Australia, Cherie Diaz has had an interesting career trajectory: after starting out as a classroom teacher, she made the move to the corporate world with Ernst & Young, before progressing through a series of roles and then taking on the OpenLearning gig this past July. It’s an interesting one:… Read more »
Sydney-based investment management firm Quintet Partners has acquired a “significant” stake in specialist technology recruitment company Talent International. Richard Earl, founder and executive chairman of Talent, will remain the company’s largest shareholder, while Quintet founder and managing director Douglas Farrell will join the board of directors. Quintet investor Thérèse Rein, founder of employment services business… Read more »
On this episode, Gina and Tricia chat about customised apparel. We sat down to talk with Mick Spencer, founder and CEO of OnTheGo. A mass customisation platform for apparel and accessories, OnTheGo is used by everyone from local businesses through to the likes of Microsoft and professional sports teams for the design, development, and production… Read more »
Australia is to soon become home to another blockchain hub, with the NEM.io Foundation to open a new space in Melbourne. NEM is a peer-to-peer smart asset blockchain, built to enable startups and businesses to integrate its system through a ‘plug and play’ approach, with XEM its own cryptocurrency. The NEM.io Foundation, a non-profit organisation,… Read more »
Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith, an astrophysicist based at the CSIRO, has been named Australia’s first Women in STEM Ambassador. The role was announced by the government in the Federal Budget this past May, part of a wider $4.5 million package aimed at boosting the number of, and support for, girls and women in science, technology, engineering,… Read more »
Australian not-for-profit Smiling Mind has partnered with Virgin Australia to see its wellbeing and mindfulness meditation resources integrated into the airline’s onboard offering. Smiling Mind’s guided meditations will be provided to passengers via the inflight entertainment system, while Virgin Australia will also early next year launch a service allowing passengers to identify as having feelings… Read more »
Square has extended its range for local merchants, launching its gift card program into Australia. Merchants can set up and run a gift card service from their point of sale, with Square allowing for the creation and distribution of both eGift and physical cards; the physical cards can be customised, or used with off-the-shelf designs.… Read more »
By Jim Plouffe South Australian SME Makers Empire will provide its 3D printing software and teaching packages to United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education. The Adelaide-based company was approached by education consultancy company Ibtikar to supply its 3D technology for a countrywide rollout into more than 200 UAE primary schools next year. Makers Empire will… Read more »
By Andrew Spence The South Australian government last week granted permission to trial autonomous vehicles in the central business district of Adelaide. The authorised trial period runs until 30 June 2020 and will be limited to a defined city block in the heart of the CBD. Under the conditions of the gazetted notice, the cars… Read more »
Melbourne is set to get a coworking hub focused on helping residents expand into Indonesia. Opening on Collins St later this year, the space, named The 11th, will aim to act as a “gateway” between key markets across the Asia Pacific, helping entrepreneurs connect to mentors, networks, investors, and support systems overseas. Founded by Ivan… Read more »
As one might have thought, the more funding a startup raises, the more its staff are paid. The finding has come from the Australian Startup Salary Guide, compiled by recruitment firm Think & Grow and StartupAUS. Remuneration packages, comprising salary, equity, and other benefits, of more than 2,500 staff were analysed to compile the guide,… Read more »
Now program manager for the muru-D accelerator in Sydney, Nicola Farrell has been working with startups for almost a decade. Originally from Ireland, she led startup and accelerator engagement for the Web Summit conference before moving to Sydney and starting at early stage startup incubator Pollenizer. She then found her way to AGL Energy before… Read more »
ASX-listed property development company Stockland has partnered with BlueChilli to launch the Stockland Accelerator for startups working in the property technology – or proptech – space. Fifteen startups will be chosen to take part in the six month program, which will provide startups with $38,000 in upfront investment in exchange for 15 percent equity, and… Read more »
AgriFutures is calling for young innovators passionate about the future of Australian agriculture to apply for the evokeAG Future Young Leaders Program. Ten participants will be chosen to present their ideas and solutions relating to the themes of food, farm, or future at evokeAG in Melbourne, an event bringing together the agrifood tech ecosystem to… Read more »
Unicorn dehorned: Nasdaq-listed Brisbane EV charging venture Tritium collapses into receivership 
‘Have I gone too far?’ How founders can beat their startup demons 
Tassie carbon accounting startup banks $5.3 million Seed round 
The lessons from Uber, Ola and rideshare’s disruption is that in the end, the consumer still pays 
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
