News

Innovation dropped from WA public service

Innovation and science have been excised from the Western Australia public service, with the government dropping the words from the title of a key department as part of a...

OpenAI closes $64bn funding round to boost AI efforts

OpenAI said on Monday it would raise US$40 billion (A$64 billion) in a new funding round led by SoftBank Group at a US$300 billion valuation to advance AI research,...

AUKUS innovation challenge hones in on undersea systems

Australia and its AUKUS partners have launched the second trilateral innovation challenge, this time calling for technologies that aid the “synchronisation and teaming” of undersea systems. Defence’s Advanced Strategic...

Quantum outfit QuintessenceLabs lands $15m NRF boost

The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation has ploughed $15 million of fresh capital into Canberra-based quantum outfit QuintessenceLabs as the dominant lead investor in a $20 million round. QuintessenceLabs founder...

NSW launches in-house consultant service across government

The NSW government has launched an in-house Expert Advisory Network (EAN) aimed at reducing public sector reliance on outside consultants and making better use of existing expertise. Set up...

Australia’s renewables can power AI and slash energy costs

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) reshapes everything from healthcare to productivity, it’s triggering a global scramble – not just for data and chips, but for electricity. Can Australia’s renewable...

Fleet Space lifts Defence’s sovereign satcom hopes

Fleet Space Technologies says a sovereign satellite communications system for Australia’s military is still feasible, after delivering a low-Earth orbit satellite project to Defence. As Australia explores a militarised...

AgTech lands $1m from uni commercialisation fund

A Melbourne AgTech spinout that can dynamically space growing vegetables to increase leafy green yields by 40 per cent has secured $1 million in seed funding from La Trobe...

Defence sets up US-style sovereign capability sales office

Australia will follow the United States and set up a new office dedicated to selling sovereign defence capabilities, including high-tech combat drones and radar technology, to international security partners....

Government’s in-house consultants race to self sufficiency

The federal government’s in-house consulting unit’s new funding is only for one year and the total amount of that funding will remain undisclosed, officials revealed Thursday after Budget papers...