Politics

Australia’s Rickard report into tech’s ‘digital duty of care’ recommends $50 million fines for failing to act

- February 6, 2025 4 MIN READ

Large social media companies should have to proactively remove harmful content from their platforms, undergo regular “risk assessments” and face hefty fines if they don’t comply, according to an independent review of online safety laws in Australia. The federal government this week released the final report of the review conducted by experienced public servant Delia… Read more »

Other tech

Steve Baxter’s new defence-focused VC fund locks and loads $10 million in first close on $60m target

- February 6, 2025 2 MIN READ

Brisbane-based specialist defence technology venture capital firm, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, has secured more than $10 million in commitments, to call first close on the fund. The figure takes the fund to its final condition for ESVCLP (Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships) status, with its first capital call underway this week.   Founder and… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

‘It’s the constitution, it’s Mabo, it’s the vibe…’: Australian lawyer’s false ChatGPT legal citations come a cropper

- February 6, 2025 2 MIN READ

AI can be useful, but it’s a long way from being as useful as a paralegal or associate when it comes to case law, as a NSW immigration lawyer found out recently, to his detriment. The lawyer, who cannot be named, has been referred to the complaints watchdog, the Office of the NSW Legal Services… Read more »

Jamie Hall and Steve Hind
AI/Machine Learning

AI customer support startup Lorikeet banks another $14 million

- February 5, 2025 2 MIN READ

SydneyAI startup Lorikeet has raised another US$9 million (A$14m), just four months after pocketing a $7.3 million Seed round. This time Blackbird led the round, joined by existing investors Square Peg and Kim Jackson’s Skip Capital. The raise values the business at $100 million. Lorikeet was founded in mid-2023 (originally as Optech) by US-based former… Read more »

Business

Westpac invests $10 million in Lawpath to offer customers legal services

- February 5, 2025 2 MIN READ

Westpac hit the EFT button on $10 million for the online legal services scaleup Lawpath, and plans to entice business customers by offering them subscriptions to the legal compliance platform. The bank’s acting business and wealth boss Peter Herbert, said the exclusive partnership will give startups and small-to-medium sized businesses access to affordable legal services,… Read more »

DeepSeek
AI/Machine Learning

Chinese gen AI app DeepSeek has been banned from Australian government devices

- February 5, 2025 2 MIN READ

DeepSeek, the hedge fund-backed Chinese version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has been prohibited on Australian government-issued systems and devices following a risk assessment by the Department of Home Affairs. Department secretary Stephanie Foster issued a Protective Security Policy Framework direction on Tuesday saying “the use of DeepSeek products, applications and web services poses an unacceptable level… Read more »

DeepSeek.
AI/Machine Learning

Chinese AI DeepSeek has big privacy and security problems – here’s what it knows about you

- February 5, 2025 3 MIN READ

The Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek has rattled the tech industry with the release of free, cheaply made AI models that compete with the best US products such as ChatGPT. Users are rushing to check out the new chatbot, sending DeepSeek’s AI Assistant to the top of the iPhone and Android app charts in… Read more »

Ariella Heffernan-Marks
Funding

Women’s health app raises $1.7 million to ramp up AI focus

- February 4, 2025 2 MIN READ

A health app focused on tracking the menstrual cycle to deal with issues such as endometriosis has raised $1.7 million to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) health assistant for women. The round for Ovum was led by impact VC Giant Leap, supported by Antler, Victoria and Robyn Denholm’s Wollemi Capital, Nakatomi Venture Studio, LaunchVic’s female… Read more »

Breaking Bad, money pile
Business

Techboard’s 2024 Australian startup funding review reveals NSW startup investment is plummeting

- February 3, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australian investors poured $4.106 billion into 477 private investments last year according to data analysed in Techboard’s Australian Startup Funding in Review – 2024.  Techboard cofounder and CEO Peter van Bruchem said he focused on  additional ASIC-sourced data last year, after publishing The Fintech Funding Project 2023 Report: Shedding Light on Investment into Australian Fintechs,… Read more »

Funding

The Australian government is getting local startups to head to Mars for $3.6 million

- February 3, 2025 2 MIN READ

Five Australian startups have scored $3.6 million in Moon to Mars supply chain capability grants as part of NASA’s ambitions to explore beyond the chunk of rock orbiting 384,400km from Earth. South Australian company entX scored $1 million to develop a radioisotope heater unit. The unit will help payloads withstand the extreme low temperatures on… Read more »

Mike Cannon-Brookes
Business

Atlassian had a kick-arse quarter and is now generating more than $8 billion in annual revenue

- January 31, 2025 2 MIN READ

Atlassian ‘s share price is up more than 26% in the first month of 2025, with the software company’s December quarter results thrilling investors as subscription revenue beat forecasts, growing by 30% in 12 months. Cofounder and CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes has effectively seen his personal wealth double in just six months as the tech stock’s… Read more »

Diag-Nose
Funding

Respiratory care biotech Diag-Nose sniffs out $3.15 million Seed round

- January 31, 2025 2 MIN READ

Diag-Nose.io, a Melbourne, biotechnology startup using artificial intelligence (AI) to help people breathe more easily, has raised $3.15 million in Seed funding. The round was led by state government investment fund Breakthrough Victoria, which chipped in $800,000. Other investors include Radar Ventures, Specialty Physician Associates, an international syndicate of physicians from leading hospitals including Houston… Read more »