Build Club Launches a Free Virtual AI School, Campus
Australian‑born Build Club has launched Campus, a free virtual school that teaches practical AI skills through courses, hands‑on projects and certifications. The platform consolidates tools such as OpenAI, Claude, Microsoft and the company’s own Manus, and is already powering its enterprise programs and the Women in AI Accelerator. Campus builds on Build Club’s community of more than 70,000 members in 60 cities, following the rapid uptake of its earlier Manus Academy, which logged 20,000 sign‑ups in days.
Amber Scores $13.6 Million for Vehicle-to-Grid Residential Energy Plan
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing AUD 13.6 million (≈US$9 million) to Amber to scale its vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) program to 1,000 homes. The pilot, built on a 50‑charger trial with BYD, lets EV owners export stored electricity to the grid and...
Elon Musk’s X Goes to War with Australia’s Online Safety Commissioner, yet Again
Elon Musk’s X Corp has taken the Australian eSafety Commissioner to Federal Court, alleging the regulator replaced the existing social‑media code with a stricter electronic‑services standard without proper consultation. X’s legal team argues the new rule oversteps statutory requirements and...
The NSW Government Has Changed the Laws to Seize and Crush High-Powered E-Bikes
The New South Wales Parliament passed the Road Transport Amendment (Non‑registrable Motor Vehicles) Bill 2026, granting police and authorised officers the power to seize and destroy illegal high‑powered e‑bikes. The legislation lowers the permissible motor assistance to 250 watts and caps speed...
GAMING: Sony Didn’t Choose Nintendo’s Game Exclusivity Model, AI Forced Its Hand
Sony scrapped plans to bring PlayStation Studio exclusives such as Ghost of Yotei and Saros to PC, despite acquiring Nixxes Software to handle high‑quality ports. The reversal follows two consecutive price hikes that pushed the Australian console price to about...
Sam Altman Thinks Using AI in Emails and Slack Is ‘Dehumanising’ – and Revenue Will ‘Take a Bit Longer to...
Sam Altman told Australian business leaders that delegating emails and Slack messages to AI feels dehumanising, prompting him to avoid such use. He cautioned that while AI adoption is accelerating, revenue streams are still nascent and will take longer to...
Ordermentum Lands $55m From Five V Capital
Sydney‑based Ordermentum secured $55 million from Five V Capital, lifting its valuation to over $150 million after a competitive global process led by Barrenjoey. The funding will accelerate AI development and fund acquisitions to broaden a platform that now connects roughly 50,000...
Google’s AI Search Overhaul Could Crush Startup SEO
Google unveiled an AI‑driven overhaul of Search at I/O, adding an AI Mode interface, background information agents, and integrated booking tools. The new experience will read, summarise and organise web content, shifting results from a list of links to AI‑generated...
How Australian Devs Are Rethinking Game Marketing
Over 21,000 games launched on Steam in 2025, dwarfing the 18,000 released in 2024 and highlighting a crowded marketplace. Australian indie studios are turning to unconventional marketing, such as TV adaptations, niche creator collaborations, and physical card tie‑ins, to cut...
Arkeus Banks $25M Series A as Its Drone Sensors Win Pentagon Contracts
Melbourne‑based defence tech startup Arkeus closed a $25 million Series A round, valuing the company at roughly $100 million. The funding, led by QIC Ventures and joined by R+VC, Folklore Ventures and Dyne Ventures, will finance a new Queensland manufacturing hub and expand...
“It’s Absolutely Critical”: How BlueRoom Simulations Is Saving Lives Through Mixed Reality
BlueRoom Simulations has turned mixed reality into a lifelike training platform for emergency medics, enabling them to rehearse complex procedures—from aeromedical rescues to battlefield trauma—without exposing anyone to real danger. Backed by a 10 million‑AUD (~$6.6 M USD) Australian government AI fund and...
Cheque In: 2 Aussie Startups that Raised $19 Million This Week
Australian construction procurement platform ProcurePro secured $15 million in a round led by QIC Ventures, with French builder Bouygues joining as an investor and customer. The six‑year‑old startup, now valued at over $110 million, plans to add 100 staff and launch its...
Andrew Leigh: Only 7% of Australian Businesses Broadly Use AI. That Should Worry Us
Only 7% of Australian small and medium enterprises say they are making broad use of artificial intelligence, a gap that threatens the country’s productivity surge. Research from France shows AI‑using firms hire more and sell more, underscoring the competitive advantage...
Double Tax Relief for Startups in the 2026 Budget
The 2026 Australian budget revives loss‑carry‑back for companies with less than $1 billion AUD turnover (≈$660 million USD), letting them offset losses against tax paid up to two years earlier, a move projected to reduce revenue by about $2.3 billion AUD (≈$1.5 billion USD)...
The Government Wants More VC Investment
The 2026‑27 Australian federal budget proposes expanding venture‑capital tax incentives. From 1 July 2027, the VCLP asset‑value cap will rise from A$250 million (≈US$165 million) to A$480 million (≈US$317 million). Early‑stage caps will increase to A$80 million (≈US$53 million) and the tax‑exempt return threshold to A$420 million (≈US$277 million), while...