Global tech

NOT API JAN: How social media’s throttling access to news is reshaping democracy

- December 5, 2024 3 MIN READ

Just days out from the United States presidential election last month, X (formerly Twitter) suddenly crippled the ability of many major media and political organisations to reach audiences on the social media platform. Without warning, the platform, under tech billionaire Elon Musk’s stewardship, announced major changes to the main pathway these organisations use to disseminate… Read more »

Cryptocurrency

The story behind the day bitcoin made pizza the most expensive meal in the world

- May 20, 2022 2 MIN READ

Well before bitcoin’s coronation as an alternative asset class or getting the attention of institutional and celebrity investors, it lived in swamps and deserts. It was only an experiment between cypherpunks & cryptographers without any market value or any real world applications. On May 18, 2010 – after 14 months from Bitcoin genesis block –… Read more »

Musk, twitter
Business

Elon Musk’s wrong about free speech on social media – the problem lies in the algorithms

- May 19, 2022 4 MIN READ

Imagine there is a public speaking square in your city, much like the ancient Greek agora. Here you can freely share your ideas without censorship. But there’s one key difference. Someone decides, for their own economic benefit, who gets to listen to what speech or which speaker. And this isn’t disclosed when you enter, either.… Read more »

Data

ANZ’s venture arm, 1835i, backs data collaboration startup DataCo Technologies

- May 18, 2022 2 MIN READ

A data sharing startup DataCo Technologies has emerged out of ANZ Bank’s VC and innovation arm, 1835i, to help businesses organisations safely test and realise the value of collaborating on data.  The DataCo Collaboration Platform allows organisations to connect and collaborate on customer data, leveraging the latest privacy enhancing and data protection technologies to remove… Read more »

Politics

Here’s what the major parties and key independents are saying about their commitments to tech and science

- May 18, 2022 2 MIN READ

Peak industry body Science & Technology Australia has asked the political parties and independents standing in this Saturday’s federal ballot for their positions on 10 election priorities for the sector. The sector’s priorities identify major science and technology policy settings and investments needed for Australia to seize crucial opportunities. Whether the pledges of current and… Read more »

Woman ethereal
Other tech

How Victoria is unlocking the power of startups for public health

- May 18, 2022 2 MIN READ

Victoria’s youth health and wellbeing has been a state priority for decades – but with roughly a quarter of the state’s children overweight (Australian Bureau of Statistics), there’s more that can be done. While schools, parents and government bodies have all been focused on education programs and supporting healthy lifestyle choices, we believe Victoria’s brightest… Read more »

Funding

A Cloud Guru founder Sam Kroonenburg signs on as a partner in SecondQuarter Ventures

- May 17, 2022 2 MIN READ

A Cloud Guru co-founder and CEO Sam Kroonenburg is pouring some of the proceeds from his London-based startup’s $2 billion exit last year into local tech companies after signing on as venture partner with SecondQuarter Ventures. Kroonenburg, who founded his online learning business with his brother Ryan in 2015, landed one of 2021’s biggest M&A… Read more »

Funding

AI voice bot startup raises $7 million pre-Series A

- May 16, 2022 2 MIN READ

Sydney-based voice communication platform, Curious Thing has raised $7 million in pre-series A funding. The round led by private investment firm Hawkstone, supported by Blacksheep Capital and January Capital, with existing investors, Westpac’s VC fund Reinventure, and Qualgro, returning after backing a $1.5 million round in 2019. The cash injection will be used to help the… Read more »