If you’ve ever had a meal at di Stasio’s Citta in Melbourne, or watched the Matildas play Japan last week, you’ve seen the work of Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie. Rennie’s 8-minute video, OA_RR, driving a Rolls Royce in burnouts in the desert country of his grandmother, plays behind the bar at the Italian restaurant, and… Read more »
Wisetech Global’s former CEO, Richard White, finally has a new job at the logistics software company he founded 30 years ago – executive chairman. The appointment follows the resignation of former chair Richard Dammery and three other non-executive directors, Lisa Brock, Michael Malone and Fiona Pak-Poy, on Monday in a battle for control of the… Read more »
Sydney advertising and electric vehicle charging startup Jolt has eschewed VC funding for its latest global expansion, instead striking a $214 million (C$194m) loan agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to fast track its charging network across the top of North America. The funds will see Jolt install 1,500 fast and free kerbside chargers… Read more »
South Australian satellite exploration startup Fleet Space has partnered with US startup Koloma in the hunt for natural hydrogen around the world. Fleet’s space-based mapping platform, ExoSphere, will be used by Koloma, which has raised US$400 million in venture funding, to generate real-time 3D subsurface imaging of prospective hydrogen-forming geological formations. While many tech companies… Read more »
A Sydney call centre startup is being acquired by US global services platform Zendesk for a reported $100 million. The deal for Local Measure comes 14 years after it was founded by CEO Jonathan Barouch. Zendesk CEO Tom Eggemeier said the acquisition accelerates his company’s expansion into larger, more complex service environments, enhances its AI… Read more »
Federal authorities have finally given the green light for Gold Coast rocket builder Gilmour Space Technologies to launch Eris, the first Australian-designed and built rocket for orbit. The space tech startup said the weeks after March 15 are the window for its inaugural flight. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Airservices Australia signed off on… Read more »
Four independent non-executive directors (NED), on the WiseTech board, including chair Richard Dammery, have resigned and will depart from the company when its half-yearly results are released on Wednesday. The other NEDS stepping down are Lisa Brock, Michael Malone and Fiona Pak-Poy. Joining as a new director of the ASX-listed logistics software business is Shearwater… Read more »
Corporate and and financial services the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) is seeking feedback on its new regulatory guidance for the buy now pay later (BNPL) sector New laws offering increased protections for consumer users of BNPL kick in from June 2025, treating BNPL as a credit product. That means BNPL providers will need… Read more »
WiseTech Global shares were placed in a trading halt on Thursday morning at the logistic company’s request amid undisclosed governance concerns. Trade is not expected to resume until at least Monday, February 24. An update on the review was expected when the company reports on Wednesday. “The trading halt is requested to enable the Company… Read more »
Zeller cofounder Ben Pfisterer knows better than most what it’s like to deal with banks. The fintech’s CEO, who’s spent his career in payments, including six years building Square in Australia for Jack Dorsey, went on to build a banking alternative that became a unicorn (valued at more than $1 billion) in just two years… Read more »
 LaunchVic, has selected 11 new scaleups to be part of the ongoing 30X30 program, which helps fast-growing get their organisational ducks in a row on the path to unicorn status – a $1 billion+ valuation – by the end of the decade. The Victorian government’s startup body developed the fully subsidised four-month program to connect… Read more »
A week after Atlassian announced it would be lead sponsor of the Williams Racing Formula One team, ASX-listed Airtasker is slapping its name on the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) F1 team. It’s not that VCARB is going to be post “Wanted: someone to change 4 tyres in under 2 seconds” on the casual… Read more »
Brag Media cofounder and former CEO Luke Girgis has launched legal action in the NSW Supreme Court against the company that bought his business, ASX-listed Vinyl Group. The acquisition deal dates back to December 2023, when Vinyl (ASX: VNL) announced it would pay $8 million in cash to acquire 100% of The Brag Media and… Read more »
ASX-listed Seek’s venture fund is selling a $95 million portion of its holding in unicorn HR startup Employment Hero to US investment firm KKR. The deal was announced as part of Seek’s (ASX: SEK) half-yearly results today, which saw ANZ revenue declined by 4% to A$416m, reflecting a 14% drop in job ad volumes. Total… Read more »
Car subscription startup Carbar could be a little more public after nine years, having made a takeover bid for ASX-listed rival Carly. The non-binding agreement to merge was announced just before market close on Friday. It will see Carbar acquire all of Carly Holdings Ltd (ASX:Â CL8) for $160,000 in cash and around $3.64 million worth… Read more »
US-Australian cybersecurity startup hacks $4.75 million Seed round 
ASX-listed accelerator Scalare Partners buys VC marketplace Inhouse Ventures for $1.73 million 
Private equity firm Quadrant takes a $50-100 million slice of startup veteran LegalVision 
Planes, pains & automobiles: Mike Cannon-Brookes defends owning a private jet & backing F1 racing 
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