Tegan Jones

2 weeks ago | smartcompany.com.au | David Adams |Tegan Jones

From increasing wage bills to energy rebates, Australian businesses can expect significant updates and reforms to take effect from July 1, 2025. Here are a few of the key changes businesses should keep in mind before the end of the financial year. The National Minimum Wage will lift 3.5% to $24.94 an hour. Related Article Block Placeholder Article ID: 317583 Minimum pay under the modern award system will also lift by 3.5%.

2 weeks ago | smartcompany.com.au | Tegan Jones

Brand tracking startup Tracksuit has raised $38 million in a Series B round to expand its presence in the US and globally. The oversubscribed round was led by consumer brand investor VMG Partners, with participation from existing investors Blackbird, Icehouse Ventures, Altos Ventures and Footwork. It marks the third raise in three years for the New Zealand-founded company, which secured $6.8 million in seed funding in 2023, followed by a $20.5 million Series A in early 2024.

2 weeks ago | smartcompany.com.au | Tegan Jones

Welcome back to Neural Notes, a weekly column where I look at how AI is affecting Australia. In this edition, Icetana CEO Kevin Brown takes us through the startup’s Japanese robotics deal with Softbank. While much of the AI world continues to obsess over generative AI chatbots, one Australian startup has quietly landed a strategic deal to embed its anomaly detection software inside next-generation robots, starting in Japan.

2 weeks ago | smartcompany.com.au | Tegan Jones

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has opened applications for its 2025 Global Generative AI Accelerator. The program is aimed at early-stage startups developing foundational generative AI technologies. Up to 40 companies will be selected globally, including 10 from the Asia-Pacific and Japan. Each selected AI startup will receive up to US$1 million in AWS credits, mentorship, go-to-market support and access to AWS’s AI infrastructure.

3 weeks ago | smartcompany.com.au | Tegan Jones

A multi-award-winning journalist, Tegan has been reporting on technology, telecommunications and gaming for the past 10 years. She regularly appears on mainstream media channels as an expert tech commentator. Her previous roles include editor of Gizmodo Australia and global reviews editor at Finder. She has also served as a reporter and editor across Business Insider, Lifehacker and Kotaku Australia. Tegan is also the co-host of one of the top technology podcasts in Australia, Weird Tech.