After three years, SXSW’s Sydney outpost is shutting down, in a move that has drawn mixed reactions from Australia’s startup community.
Bronwen Clune
VC and startup correspondent
Bronwen joined Capital Brief after working across the media and startups the last 15 years. She has also worked for both state and federal government helping foster innovation. She was part of the founding team at Culture Amp.
Contact Bronwen via email.
Australia’s only dedicated secondaries fund has put a figure on the venture liquidity gap — and wants super funds to help close it.
The Sydney fund manager has accused an American company of misrepresenting its finances during due diligence before a merger with Sendle, which ceased operating this week.
The post-COVID consensus that global tech companies could be built from Australia is under threat, with the AI boom and American exceptionalism luring local founders back to the US.
Australian Max Marchione runs one of Silicon Valley’s hottest AI health startups and greets everyone with a hug. He also regularly injects his employees with experimental compounds.
From solo founders raising millions overnight to incumbents struggling to keep pace, our coverage this year shows how AI rewarded velocity and stripped incumbency of its usual advantage.
VC firm Brandon Capital has taken the unusual step of informing staff of an internal relationship involving one of its most senior executives and a departing employee.
Jewish members of the Australian tech ecosystem say their warnings over rising antisemitism went unheeded.
A week after facing scrutiny over China ties, Airwallex's CEO took to social media to stress the company’s Melbourne origins. It was as much about repositioning as reminiscing.
From Werner Vogels’ off-script predictions to new silicon and a sharpened startup pitch, AWS re:Invent was both theatre and intent.
While many Australian corporates have struggled with VC, the $200 billion resources giant is generating returns through its bets on critical minerals, decarbonisation and AI-enabled mining.
A good old-fashioned Twitter rant by a prominent US venture capitalist has dragged long-simmering questions about Airwallex’s ties to China into the open.
The Australian unicorn faces slowing growth and persistent losses as AI sweeps tech and workplaces shift from culture and DEI. But Didier Elzinga insists he has a plan.
King River Capital is turning away from Australia’s SaaS legacy, arguing the nation’s disciplined valuations and deep AI talent are forging the next investment frontier.
Blackbird’s valuation adjustments for Culture Amp and SafetyCulture show how shifting markets shape venture values, and why write-downs aren’t always bad news.
At a closed door briefing for its own investors, the nation's largest VC has provided a glimpse into the performance of the country's top startups.
The VC firm has given one of the clearest signals yet that Canva is ready for an IPO next year, telling investors the design giant’s revenue and valuation continue to surge.
New research claims red tape is costing retirees $20,300 each as the super funds under-invest in venture capital, yet major funds insist they're backing startups despite the constraints.
Culture Amp’s layoffs reflect a broader shift as pre-AI unicorns race to rebuild around automation, new product strategies and mounting pressure to stay competitive.
Block is doubling down on Bitcoin, aiming to transform it from a volatile asset into a practical payment system for everyday transactions.
The Melbourne-based HR tech company cuts 60 jobs globally as it focuses on its new AI products, marking its second round of layoffs since April 2023 amid broader sector challenges.
Sydney startup Gega Elements wants to challenge China’s dominance in gallium and germanium refining, aiming to secure Australia’s foothold in critical minerals.
The AI giant has not been put off by a recent copyright decision and has indicated it hopes to further expand its presence in Australia.
Two women-led groups are seeking a suspension of all work and an independent audit into the federally funded FemTech program amid a dispute with a union over unpaid work.
While wearing a jacket designed using AI, Canva's co-founder Cameron Adams rejected claims AI hampers creativity, and says he wants Australia to become Southeast Asia's AI computing hub.
The government says “equity is foundational”. For the women who built a program to prove it, it’s become another disappointing lesson in who really holds power.
The founder of collapsed medtech StrongRoom AI has appeared in court as liquidators examine the startup's demise and raise questions about an acquisition it made before things went south.
The Sydney startup has built a slow-release capsule that can reach the 70% of livestock methane emissions from cow flatulence and belching ‒ where most other solutions can't go.
Canadian VC firm Inovia Capital led the raise into the SF-based, Australian founded startup with participation from Y Combinator, Character Capital and Singapore's January Capital.
Backed by Blackbird, Sydney’s Vexev has clinically proven a world-first autonomous ultrasound robot, performing specialist scans at the press of a button.
A key witness in legal proceedings over the collapse of medtech startup StrongRoom AI repeatedly invoked privilege in court as ATO tax debts and urgent messages were discussed.
Two women-led groups have been dumped from a $4.9 million FemTech initative they helped found following a dispute with Professionals Australia over unpaid work.
