March
Labor bets $15m on using quantum technology to fight cyberattacks
The government’s National Reconstruction Fund is the lead investor in a funding round for Canberra-based QuintessenceLabs, which is also backed by Westpac.
NSW plans investment funds to boost innovation and productivity
Strategic investment and emerging technology commercialisation funds will be considered for June budget, innovation minister Anoulack Chanthivong reveals
PsiQuantum targets $9.5b valuation, handing Labor a potential windfall
The Silicon Valley-headquartered quantum computing start-up is heavily backed by the federal and Queensland governments, and is raising about $1.2 billion.
Labor reveals its plan to regulate crypto
Crypto exchanges will have to meet the same basic governance requirements as banks under a long-delayed policy to regulate the local sector.
Bank innovations a slow and steady process
The big four know they must respond to the rapid changes introduced by start-ups, but modernising respected financial institutions is a tall order.
14 venture capitalists unpack the year ahead
More than a dozen of the country’s biggest tech investors say floats will return, there’s no AI bubble, and Donald Trump may be good news for local firms.
One in 80m: Australia’s first astronaut awaits her moonshot
Katherine Bennell-Pegg has always dreamt of going into space. And now after intense training, she’s flight ready and waiting for the call.
Scott Farquhar to succeed Robyn Denholm as Tech Council chair
The Atlassian co-founder is taking his first major role since stepping down from his company and will become Australia’s top tech lobbyist.
‘CEOs can get away with it’: Why Australia’s R&D is in 13-year slide
Australia’s booming start-up ecosystem has funnelled billions into software makers. But investment in R&D is in decline.
February
Westpac works with Accenture to deploy AI agents
The bank has already used agentic AI to assist its engineers move code to new cloud-based systems. Triaging mortgage applications could follow.
Aussie entrepreneur beats huge odds to launch VC-backed AI firm
Jamila Gordon escaped poverty thanks to the kindness of an Aussie backpacker. Studying here transformed her life – and now she’s changing the food industry.
Labor is throwing money at quantum but drowning AI in regulation
The unanswered question is how can any country effectively regulate a fast-changing emergent technology and expect to be competitive in the global digital economy.
Bigger story behind Sanjeev Gupta’s faltering empire
Readers’ letters on the need for a new model of capitalism; improving students’ literacy; culture wars hurting innovation; CBA’s share price; and robot dogs.
Tech heavyweights back ‘tenacious’ unlikely social entrepreneur
Airtree Ventures, Canva and OIF are among supporters of Forever Projects, a charity started by Wollongong maths teacher Mark Dombkins that is running like a start-up.
Australia’s critical slide in R&D is now a national emergency
In a world reshaping through emerging technologies, the nation needs to put innovation at the centre of its competitive DNA to set up its fortunes for decades.
‘National emergency’ as Australia falls $25b short in R&D
Tesla chair Robyn Denholm and Industry Minister Ed Husic say Australia risks falling behind unless big business spends more on inventing new products and ideas.
Quotas won’t produce more female founders in VC. Here’s what will
Filling innovation funding gaps will boost female founders, suburbs and regions, former Tech Council chief executive Kate Pounder says.
January
CBA to offer loans for prefab homes, a sector it once shunned
Banks, long reluctant to lend for prefab home purchases, are now embracing the sector, which CBA expects to more than triple in value over the next decade.
Is big tech’s AI future really what we’re looking for?
The race is on to build the fastest, most efficient AI models and hopefully tech companies will start developing the products we want to use.
Crypto’s richest man turns firm into family office
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, out of prison and worth more than $110 billion, is turning the former venture capital arm of his Binance Holdings into a family office.