Asia-Pacific (APAC) Tech News

773 stories · Updated every 5 minutes · Page 9 of 20

1. Pinch Payments is holding a $50,000 national hackathon

   StartupDaily · 17 Jul 2026, 10:07 IST · Medium severity

   Pinch Payments is dangling $50K for builders who can make its API sing—join the national hackathon before July 22.

2. Why the PM’s Office of AI plan needs to put women at the table

   StartupDaily · 17 Jul 2026, 07:32 IST

   Albanese’s Office of AI risks hard-coding gender gaps unless women shape it from day one, Women in Digital's Holly Hunt argues.

3. Canva wants your vibe-coded sites to not look vibe-coded

   SmartCompany · 17 Jul 2026, 06:23 IST

   Canva has unveiled its updated vibe-coding system, which it says can help users avoid generic vibe-coded aesthetics. The post Canva wants your vibe-coded sites to not look vibe-coded appeared first on SmartCompany .

4. Three ANZ startups that raised $3.6 million this week

   SmartCompany · 17 Jul 2026, 06:07 IST

   All of the fresh capital is flowing into AI platforms tackling everything from agent development and ESG reporting to geospatial intelligence. The post Three ANZ startups that raised $3.6 million this week appeared first on SmartCompany .

5. Coles challenges ACCC in first major test of new merger laws

   SmartCompany · 17 Jul 2026, 04:30 IST

   Coles has challenged the ACCC's decision to block its plan for a second supermarket and liquor store in Kalgoorlie, setting up a landmark test of Australia's tougher merger laws. The post Coles challenges ACCC in first major test of new...

6. AI advocates have a big problem with Gen Z’s opposition

   StartupDaily · 16 Jul 2026, 06:25 IST

   Gen Z isn’t anti-tech - but they see AI as a rigged handoff from boomers.

7. Regional food brand Quincey Jones Preserves banks $259,000 for next growth phase

   SmartCompany · 16 Jul 2026, 07:45 IST

   Quincey Jones Preserves has raised nearly $260,000 through equity crowdfunding to expand production, grow its retail footprint and pursue export opportunities. The post Regional food brand Quincey Jones Preserves banks $259,000 for next...

8. Funding women founders: We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect change

   SmartCompany · 16 Jul 2026, 05:26 IST

   Supporting women founders matters, but achieving gender equity in venture capital will require systemic reforms, writes Rachel Yang. The post Funding women founders: We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect change appeared first...

9. Companies could face criminal penalties over modern slavery compliance failures

   SmartCompany · 16 Jul 2026, 04:40 IST

   The federal government plans tougher modern slavery laws, stronger enforcement powers, and new compliance measures to improve corporate accountability. The post Companies could face criminal penalties over modern slavery compliance...

10. Stripe Tour Sydney 2026

    SmartCompany · 15 Jul 2026, 12:23 IST

    Join fellow business leaders and builders at Stripe Tour Sydney to explore the latest in payments and financial technology. Connect with the local business community while learning from industry experts... The post Stripe Tour Sydney...

11. NSW awards $1 million in MVP Ventures grants to 22 startups

    SmartCompany · 15 Jul 2026, 10:38 IST

    NSW's latest MVP Ventures Program round has awarded $1 million across 22 startups with grants of up to $75,000. The post NSW awards $1 million in MVP Ventures grants to 22 startups appeared first on SmartCompany .

12. Meta backs down on letting its AI generator, Muse, steal Instagram images after privacy backlash

    StartupDaily · 15 Jul 2026, 07:12 IST

    Meta killed Muse’s creepy Instagram photo-grab after privacy fury..

13. ChatGPT down? OpenAI confirms “partial outage” as error reports grow

    SmartCompany · 15 Jul 2026, 05:51 IST

    ChatGPT appears to be facing technical difficulties, with users and OpenAI itself reporting problems with more than a dozen key functions. The post ChatGPT down? OpenAI confirms “partial outage” as error reports grow appeared first on...

14. GAMING: From game owner to indefinite renter: your rights as Sony eyes a disc-less future

    StartupDaily · 15 Jul 2026, 05:46 IST

    Sony’s move to digital-only gaming is the future of the games industry. But is it one we want?

15. Expat Startmate startup Gridcog powers up on $14 million Series A

    StartupDaily · 14 Jul 2026, 13:04 IST

    Gridcog grabs $14M from ABB and energy giants to turn renewable project modelling from weeks to hours.

16. Why AI is the new Uber – and what it could cost your startup

    StartupDaily · 14 Jul 2026, 10:44 IST

    AI is pulling an Uber: cheap tokens now, painful lock-in later. Stress-test 10x costs to protect your startup.

17. Frasé Skin raises $1.2 million to expand its tradie-focused skincare into the US

    SmartCompany · 14 Jul 2026, 06:08 IST

    Australian skincare brand Frasé Skin, which focuses on "men in boots", has raised $1.2 million through an equity crowdfunding round. The post Frasé Skin raises $1.2 million to expand its tradie-focused skincare into the US appeared...

18. Brisbane ESG software startup plants $450,000 Seed raise

    StartupDaily · 13 Jul 2026, 13:59 IST

    ESGAgent.ai grabs $450k to torch spreadsheet ESG compliance with AI for heavy industry, turning months of reporting into hours.

19. Kiwi AI mapping startup Hyades raises $910,000

    SmartCompany · 13 Jul 2026, 10:13 IST

    Hyades has secured $900,000 in funding to develop an AI platform that transforms complex spatial data into actionable business insights. The post Kiwi AI mapping startup Hyades raises $910,000 appeared first on SmartCompany .

20. Fintechs face an ‘existential threat’ that excludes them from the CGT fix for startups

    StartupDaily · 13 Jul 2026, 07:34 IST

    Canberra’s startup CGT fix could kneecap fintech, leaving founders in tax limbo. See why FinTech Australia wants the rules rewritten.

21. Why Apple is suing OpenAI

    SmartCompany · 13 Jul 2026, 06:43 IST

    Apple is suing OpenAI over allegedly stealing trade secrets through former employees, as the companies battle over the future of AI hardware. The post Why Apple is suing OpenAI appeared first on SmartCompany .

22. Kiwi AI mapping data startup Hyades plants $910,000 pre-Seed

    StartupDaily · 13 Jul 2026, 06:38 IST

    Hyades turns messy satellite, drone and radar data into AI-ready risk models after a $910k pre-seed—watch this Kiwi geospatial bet.

23. Smart50 stars Michu Pet Supplies and TernX take spotlight at global design awards

    SmartCompany · 13 Jul 2026, 05:57 IST

    Smart50 alumni Michu Pet Supplies and TernX have won prestigious Red Dot Design Awards, while Sydney startup Bound also earned international recognition for its innovative Looplock product. The post Smart50 stars Michu Pet Supplies and...

24. Australian arm of Prime energy drink falls into administration with only $85,000 left in the bank

    SmartCompany · 13 Jul 2026, 04:51 IST

    Prime burst onto the scene in 2022 and quickly gained popularity due to endorsements from social media influencers, including Logan Paul and KSI. The post Australian arm of Prime energy drink falls into administration with only $85,000...

25. Creditors vote to put food waste startup Goterra in liquidation

    StartupDaily · 10 Jul 2026, 12:56 IST

    Goterra heads to liquidation after funding dried up, with creditors likely wiped out and fees eating assets. Here's why maggot robots ran out of runway.

26. ChatGPT can now work across Slack, Gmail and Google Drive

    SmartCompany · 10 Jul 2026, 06:43 IST

    OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Work, an AI agent that connects with workplace apps including Slack, Gmail and Google Drive to automate tasks. The post ChatGPT can now work across Slack, Gmail and Google Drive appeared first on SmartCompany .

27. Three Aussie startups that raised $19.5 million this week

    SmartCompany · 10 Jul 2026, 05:35 IST

    Three Australian startups raised more than $19 million this week, which was led by Gridcog's $12.5 million Series A round. The post Three Aussie startups that raised $19.5 million this week appeared first on SmartCompany .

28. Sydney mortgage fintech LendUs banks $5 million Seed round

    StartupDaily · 08 Jul 2026, 11:43 IST

    LendUs grabs $5M to shove AI home-loan broking into partner apps, comparing 30+ lenders in minutes.

29. Australian job losses are not yet an AI thing, government report finds

    StartupDaily · 09 Jul 2026, 09:09 IST

    AI isn’t gutting Australian jobs—yet. With youth work resilient and software roles up 25%, watch where the real reshuffle starts.

30. Science and deep tech startups plead for consultation with Treasurer before RDTI changes cause more damage

    StartupDaily · 09 Jul 2026, 06:21 IST

    Deep tech warns Labor’s RDTI tweak could kneecap biotech before payday, seeking consultation before jobs and IP bolt offshore.

31. Meet the 8 South Australian space startups accelerating to the stars

    StartupDaily · 08 Jul 2026, 12:22 IST

    From managing menstruation during space missions to using AI to better understand climate risks, meet the startups thinking beyond orbit.

32. Telstra warns scammers are already exploiting nationwide outage

    SmartCompany · 08 Jul 2026, 13:53 IST

    Telstra is warning customers about scammers exploiting the nationwide outage after receiving reports of fraudsters posing as the telco. The post Telstra warns scammers are already exploiting nationwide outage appeared first on...

33. Telstra says software defect caused nationwide outage after payments and trains disrupted

    SmartCompany · 08 Jul 2026, 03:49 IST

    Telstra says a software defect caused the nationwide outage that disrupted payments, trains and mobile services before being fully restored. The post Telstra says software defect caused nationwide outage after payments and trains...

34. Two-person Sydney startup wins global design award for bag resealing innovation

    SmartCompany · 08 Jul 2026, 11:29 IST

    Bound, which produces the Looplock food packaging closure system, claimed a product design gong at the Red Dot Award ceremony overnight. The post Two-person Sydney startup wins global design award for bag resealing innovation appeared...

35. GAMING: This grassroots games festival puts Queensland on the global stage

    StartupDaily · 08 Jul 2026, 05:45 IST

    There's something special about the Queensland Games Festival that's unlike any other gaming event. This guest post by The Video Game Storyteller:

36. Hello Clever nabs former Bolt exec for global AI-payments push

    StartupDaily · 06 Jul 2026, 19:57 IST

    The Sydney startup is entering the global AI payments race — and now it has a seasoned sprinter to lead the charge.

37. Xero launches Ultra, its ERP alternative for growing Australian businesses

    SmartCompany · 08 Jul 2026, 09:37 IST

    Xero says Ultra will fill the gap between basic accounting software and enterprise-scale solutions for growing businesses. The post Xero launches Ultra, its ERP alternative for growing Australian businesses appeared first on SmartCompany .

38. Hacking, blackmail and deception: Australian government minister sounds alarm on AI as new safety institute takes a closer look

    StartupDaily · 08 Jul 2026, 08:30 IST · Medium severity

    AI models are already cheating, hacking and blackmailing in tests as Australia probes safety gaps as the government acknowledges regulators must move faster.

39. COSBOA rallies against trust tax reforms amid $50,000 restructuring fee warning for small businesses

    SmartCompany · 07 Jul 2026, 11:05 IST

    Trust tax reforms could force mum-and-dad entrepreneurs into restructures they can ill afford, says the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia. The post COSBOA rallies against trust tax reforms amid $50,000 restructuring fee...

40. Australia just became the world’s biggest Claude user

    SmartCompany · 07 Jul 2026, 10:35 IST

    New data from Anthropic shows Australia now ranks first globally for Claude usage on a population-adjusted basis. The post Australia just became the world’s biggest Claude user appeared first on SmartCompany .