Yesterday
Dovetail’s hard-charged workplace created a recipe for disaster
The software start-up was on a high with a billion-dollar valuation and high-profile investors. Then a senior lawyer made alarming allegations against her boss.
- Amelia McGuire
- Exclusive
- Software
Employment Hero hits profitability, but steers clear of listing plans
In an interview, the billion-dollar start-up’s chief executive, Ben Thompson, defended the company’s culture and described why he looked up to Elon Musk.
- Paul Smith
This Month
Dovetail executive alleges the start-up’s CEO repeatedly assaulted her
The senior female lawyer has detailed a workplace where staff were often drunk. The company denies her claims and says the relationship had been declared and was consensual.
- Amelia McGuire
AI boom leads start-up funding recovery in $4b year
New data lifts the lid on private tech investment in Australia, with a quarter of the money going to firms building products based on artificial intelligence.
- Tess Bennett
- Exclusive
- Company tax
Teal MP wants $20k tax-free threshold for small business
Sophie Scamps said she would also push for an extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off for small businesses, which expires on June 30.
- Ronald Mizen
January
- Analysis
- AI
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.
- Paul Smith
What Australia’s tech leaders think of DeepSeek’s AI
Prominent technology chiefs offer their views on the sudden rise of DeepSeek: it’s a game changer, competition is good and expect more market gyrations.
- Paul Smith, Joshua Peach and Amelia McGuire
What Atlassian has quietly done to attract top talent
The Nasdaq-listed productivity software giant has quietly allowed staff to begin selling shares after just three months. Critics say they may as well pay cash.
- Updated
- Tess Bennett
Blackbird leads fundraising round for EV ultra-fast charging start-up
NZ start-up Kwetta is chasing global growth after banking equity cheques from Blackbird, Virescent Ventures and Icehouse Ventures.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Travel fintech Mint Payments gears up for $20m secondary round
Perennial Value Management, Duncan Saville’s ICM Allectus Capital and Kelly Partners Investment Office may seek to part with their minority positions.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
These founders with nothing to lose are coming back for a second act
A chance at being part of tech’s next wave was too great an opportunity for founders Sam Kroonenburg and Leigh Jasper to resist, even though they’ve already staged billion-dollar exits.
- Yolanda Redrup
Rokt soars to $5.6b as employees cash out, Barrenjoey cashes in
The Aussie tech firm has closed a $US300 million acquisition and secured a $538 million secondary offer, delivering a $US1.1 billion valuation boost.
- Yolanda Redrup
Atlassian backs British start-up that creates AI avatars for CEOs
Synthesia’s $290 million fundraise will help it build a presence in Australia, and dovetail its products with Atlassian, which joined a series D funding round.
- Paul Smith and Hans van Leeuwen
How this reluctant CEO sold his company for $600m
When Payapps co-founder Geoff Tarrant was selling his software company early last year, he was given some sage advice: ‘it’s not Canva’.
- Yolanda Redrup
High-profile lab-grown meat start-up makes staff redundant
Vow, which raised over $80 million from investors including Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg and Hostplus, shocked employees by slashing headcount.
- Paul Smith
Linktree concocted ‘nonsensical’ claim to sack me, staffer claims
The high-profile social media start-up has rejected the allegations, including that a friend of its co-founder was given special treatment.
- Max Mason
- Updated
- Software
Employment Hero makes $112m acquisition to break into Canada
Like the Australian software start-up, Humi makes cloud-based software which handles hiring, payroll and employee benefits for small and mid-sized businesses.
- Updated
- Tess Bennett
How VC-backed founders in China end up blacklisted
Once on the debtor list, it is nearly impossible for individuals to start another business. They are also blocked from a range of economic activities.
- Ryan McMorrow, Wenjie Ding and Nian Liu
Sydney entrepreneurs build $35m crypto-backed loan book
Deep in the private credit universe, some lenders have warmed to the idea of accepting cryptocurrencies bitcoin and ethereum as collateral for personal and business loans.
- Tess Bennett
Culture Amp accounts reveal start-up’s big growth – and a sea of red
One of the country’s biggest private software companies, with a valuation of more than $2.4 billion, has lost $155 million over the past two years.
- Tess Bennett