Atlassian Scott Farquhar
Business

Atlassian cuts 500 jobs in a ‘rebalance’

- March 7, 2023 3 MIN READ

Workplace software giant Atlassian is cutting around 5% of its workforce – 500 staff – with co-CEOs Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes say they “are deeply sorry”. The job losses comes just four months after Farquhar embarked on a high-profile national tour last October to recruit more than 1000 people for new R&D roles. In… Read more »

Steve Smith, Bamboo
Cryptocurrency

Cricketer Steve Smith is the latest celebrity to get into the crypto touting business

- March 7, 2023 2 MIN READ

Concerns about the cryptocurrency, including pending Australian regulation, have not deterred cricketer Steve Smith from wading into sector, taking a minority equity stake in Perth crypto app Bamboo, and also becoming its brand ambassador. The move by Smith comes as US sports stars including NFL legend Tom Brady, NBA star Stephen Curry and tennis champion… Read more »

Darts game. Dart and target.
Business strategy

4 key trends in startup names

- March 6, 2023 2 MIN READ

Google, now perhaps the most ubiquitous brand in the world, didn’t start out with that name. Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched their search engine on the Stanford University servers as BackRub – play on the fact that their nascent project was scouring back links on websites to index their importance. But within 12 months,… Read more »

Ian YIp
Women in tech

The founder of cybersecurity startup Avertro has a timely reminder about equality for men ahead of International Women’s Day

- March 6, 2023 2 MIN READ

We’ve all seen it – and then probably heard the reaction whispered cross the audience – and probably hashtagged on social media. “Sausagefest.” Another all-bloke panel. Ian Yip, founder and CEO of cybersecurity startup Avertro has seen them too, and most importantly he’s conscious of being complicit in it. Yip took to LinkedIn ahead of… Read more »

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean
Climate Tech

NSW puts $64 million into two green hydrogen hubs amid $1.5 billion in incentives now on the table

- March 3, 2023 2 MIN READ

The NSW government is investing $64 million into the state’s the first two green hydrogen hub projects, in the Illawarra and Moree, as it also opens up applications for $1.5 billion in concessions for large-scale green hydrogen producers. The initial recipients are the BOC Illawarra Hydrogen Technology Hub and Sundown’s Keytah cotton farm near Moree.… Read more »

Sullivans Cove whisky
Food and drink

Sullivans Cove, the Tasmanian distillery that’s won world’s best whisky 3 times, is releasing Australia’s oldest dram

- March 3, 2023 3 MIN READ

Tasmanian distillery Sullivans Cove is one of the pioneers of modern Australian whisky (Australia’s first legal distillery opened in Tassie in 1822) setting up shop down on Hobart’s waterfront in 1994. Its early years were a bit of a struggle, not without controversy, and the business changing hands twice. Then Patrick Maguire, who’d learnt the… Read more »

Dr Kate Cornick
Accelerator

LaunchVic has $300,000 grants for organisations to run female-focused pre-accelerator programs

- March 1, 2023 2 MIN READ

Victorian startup agency LaunchVic’s ongoing support for female founders is continuing with a new grants program for organisations to run pre-accelerator programs for women entrepreneurs. Grants of up to $300,000 are available to support programs offering women founders with the advice, support and networks required to build a minimum viable product and find their first… Read more »

Leonardo di Caprio/Catch me if you can
AI/Machine Learning

CrapGPT: OpenAI’s chatbot is a fantastic place to embellish your CV

- February 28, 2023 2 MIN READ

Amid concerns about students using artificial intelligence and programs like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to do assignments, we feel obliged to warn kids doing homework not to rely on it for biographical research. It seems one thing on the internet that the chatbot hasn’t bothered to scour for information is LinkedIn profiles, if the responses offering professional… Read more »

Kite Magnetics team
Climate Tech

Aerospace startup Kite Magnetics has developed the world’s most powerful & lightest electric engine for planes

- February 28, 2023 2 MIN READ

Melbourne aerospace startup Kite Magnetics has revealed its 120 kW air-cooled electric motor, the world’s most powerful for planes, at the Avalon Air Show. The lightweight motor, made from a unique new magnetic material called Aeroperm, is more powerful than a small car engine but only weighs as much as  a full suitcase. Kite Magnetics… Read more »

Jaala Pulford
People

Former Victorian innovation minister Jaala Pulford takes on chair role at MTPConnect

- February 28, 2023 2 MIN READ

Former Victorian innovation, medical research and digital economy Jaala Pulford,  has joined the board of medtech, biotech and pharma growth centre MTPConnect, replacing Sue MacLeman as chair. Pulford left politics after 16 years at the 2022 state election, and had a strong focus on medical innovation, having established mRNA Victoria and also playing a key role… Read more »

Mike Cannon-Brookes
Climate Tech

Mike Cannon-Brookes backs new battery investment fund through his family VC Grok

- February 27, 2023 2 MIN READ

Atlassian cofounder and renewables advocate Mike Cannon-Brookes has backed a new fund to finance grid-scale battery projects via his family fund, Grok Ventures. Canberra-based specialist fund manager Infradebt announced that Grok, JANA Diversified Infrastructure Trust and several existing family office clients had participated in the first close of its Infradebt Energy Transition Fund (ETF). The… Read more »