Microsoft

Whos Paying Whom in AI Booms Circular Money Machine

Analysis of circular financing among AI companies, using Nvidia's investments in OpenAI, Anthropic, CoreWeave and Australian data centre builder Firmus to question how much of the AI boom reflects genuine demand.

Also Rampersand·Dealroom·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia·Business News Australia·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia

US defence invests $73 million in Diraq with another $357m on the table

Sydney quantum startup Diraq has received an initial US$51 million from DARPA after reaching the final stage of its quantum benchmarking program, with more funding possible; the National Reconstruction Fund earlier invested $20m.

Also Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·This Week in Australian Startups

Quantum startup Diraq lands $73 million as it pushes through US defence program

Sydney quantum company Diraq has reached the last stage of a US defence quantum program, securing US$51 million with more possible, alongside mentions of PsiQuantum, IonQ and Quantinuum milestones.

Also Forbes Australia

Top OpenAI boss on hack apology tour 'can't explain' Australian AI distrust

OpenAI's strategy chief, appearing at an Australian parliamentary hearing after a data breach, said he could not account for local scepticism of AI, while Anthropic, Google and Microsoft also gave evidence on regulation and disclosure.

OpenAI executive Jason Kwon to face grilling at parliament about AI hacking Australians' private data

A federal parliamentary inquiry will question OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Google this week, with its chair warning OpenAI must explain an incident where its AI agent accessed Services Australia Medicare data.

OpenAI's $122B Capital Raise Signals a Definitive Transition to Infrastructure Utility

Analysis of OpenAI's completed $122 billion raise at an $852 billion post-money valuation, covering NVIDIA, Amazon and SoftBank participation, a bank credit facility, retail demand, and a delayed IPO plan.

Also forkast.news

OpenAI's $122B Capital Raise Signals a Definitive Transition to Infrastructure Utility

Analysis of OpenAI's completed $122 billion raise at an $852 billion post-money valuation, examining its mix of vendor compute, contingent commitments, retail participation and debt, and arguing the company now operates as an infrastructure utility.

Also finance.yahoo.com

Motive Secures More Than $1.3 Billion in Growth Financing from General Catalyst

San Francisco fleet-operations AI company Motive announced over $1.3 billion in growth funding from General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund; the investor's managing director joined its board, and Motive withdrew its S-1 filing.

Also cryptobriefing.com

Q2 2026 Global Fund Newsletter

Quarterly report from the Defender Global Fund flagging an 84.7% portfolio return, profits taken on SharonAI following its February Nasdaq uplisting, SharonAI's GPU collaboration with NVIDIA, and fresh investor subscriptions.

Q2 2026 Global Fund Newsletter

Defender's quarterly newsletter reports an exceptional quarter for its global fund, headlined by portfolio holding SharonAI, which surged after a February Nasdaq uplisting and an NVIDIA GPU deployment partnership.

Also Defender AM portfolio·Startup Daily·AFR Technology·Forbes Australia·Forbes Australia·Dealroom

Canva takes the fight to Microsoft and Google for enterprise subscribers

Canva is pushing productivity tools like Docs and Sheets to win enterprise subscribers from Microsoft and Google, while slowing its AI rollout to control costs and trimming its revenue growth forecast.

Adactin acquires Focus Dynamics Group to deepen Microsoft play

Sydney tech services firm Adactin has bought Melbourne Microsoft partner Focus Dynamics Group, keeping all 82 staff and the FDG brand intact to deepen its Dynamics 365 and Azure capabilities; terms undisclosed.

Also CRN Australia

Skalata reveals the 13 new startups it's just backed with seed investments

Skalata Ventures unveils its October 2021 seed intake of 13 startups, among them Ardacious and Strength By Numbers, and notes alumnus Preezie recently secured a $5.5 million Series A.

Founders and false prophets: a pitch to the founders who’ve stopped listening

Skalata Ventures uses its recent accolade as Australia's busiest early-stage investor to pitch founders on its hands-on, seed-specialist approach, arguing most VCs overpromise support and underdeliver.

Topic | Managed funds | Australian Financial Review

An AFR managed-funds topic page: a star small-caps deputy goes solo with a new Sydney firm, Gigacomm buys rival DGtek, Google plans a multibillion-dollar domestic bond, plus fund manager and market stories.

Seven ANZ startups that raised $111.5 million this week

Roundup of seven raises across the Tasman spanning fintech, marine tech, agtech, defence and AI, plus a first close for an ACT venture fund.

CyberHeed Unveils Live Integrations for Aussie Compliance

Melbourne GRC startup CyberHeed has released Live Integrations, which continuously pulls configuration signals from tools like GitHub and Microsoft products to assess compliance controls in context, extending its SmartPrep capability.

Bower raises $2M to bring ambient intelligence to the research lab

Bower, an Australian startup, has closed a $2 million pre-seed round led by TEN13 with Admiralty Capital Group, Edale Capital and angel backers, funding ambient AI that captures laboratory work as structured research records.

Our Investment in Bower | The AI Research Partner for Scientists

Ten13 led Bower's A$2m pre-seed round for a voice-first AI assistant that helps scientists capture lab observations hands-free, founded by a four-person team with backgrounds at Microsoft, Google and Atlassian.

Also Startup Daily

Meet our Winter 26 Accelerator cohort

Startmate unveils its incoming Winter '26 accelerator intake, profiling AI, aerospace, legal tech, construction and healthcare startups founded across Australian cities, with others based in San Francisco and Christchurch.

Australia doesn’t need copyright change to win data centre billions, AI boss says

The head of neo-cloud firm Sharon AI argues no copyright change is needed to attract data centre investment; the piece recalls its Nasdaq listing raise and a large new financing.

Also AFR Technology·Forbes Australia·Dealroom

Business Kitz raises $3.3M pre-seed to automate SME back offices

Business Kitz, a Sydney document platform, has secured pre-seed backing from angel investors to grow its SME software and expand overseas.

IREN co-founders score $1.14 billion pay packet amid AI bonanza

IREN's board has signed off on long-term share awards worth roughly US$788 million for co-founder chief executives Daniel and Will Roberts, as the Sydney-based green data centre operator capitalises on AI demand.

Amal Clooney on empowering female entrepreneurs and CWI's global impact

Forbes Australia interviews Amal Clooney at the Cartier Women's Initiative 2026 celebration in Bangkok, where she mentored female founder fellows, including three Australian award winners, and discussed her justice foundation's legal-aid work.

Diraq strikes $53m agreement with US Government – and is eyeing up to $420m more

Quantum chip venture Diraq has struck a US$38m deal with America's Commerce Department to build out its supply chain there, much of it becoming equity; Australia's NRF backed it with $20m in February.

OpenAI's $122B Raise at $852B Valuation: IPO Rehearsal [2026]

Analysis of OpenAI's record Series F close, its investor lineup, revenue climb, valuation scepticism, earlier rounds, employee share sales, and its path toward a possible public listing.

Bret Taylor's Sierra raises nearly $1 billion months after last capital push

Sierra, the enterprise AI agent firm started by Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, has banked a $950 million Series E with Tiger Global and Google Ventures at the helm, plus Benchmark, Sequoia and Greenoaks.

Also TechCrunch Venture·aivy.com.au·cmswire.com·theaiworld.org·faq.com.tw·groundy.com

Manifest raises $2 million to help ad agencies eliminate timesheets

Adtech startup Manifest has launched with a $2 million pre-seed round, led by Brand Fund with Antler, Icehouse Ventures, Techstars, family offices and industry angels taking part, aiming to replace agency timesheets.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #158, 26th April 2026

Weekly roundup noting AirTrunk's completed purchase of India-based Lumina CloudInfra, alongside items on Heidi Health's ARR milestone, Techboard's analysis of unannounced 2025 funding rounds, and Microsoft's planned Australian AI investment.

Also TechCrunch Venture

OpenAI announces $110 billion funding round backed by Amazon, Nvidia - CNBC

OpenAI has raised a record private financing of $110 billion, with Amazon, Nvidia and SoftBank investing, lifting its pre-money valuation sharply, alongside an expanded cloud partnership with Amazon Web Services.

Also cnbc.com·tech-insider.org·forkast.news·finance.yahoo.com·finance.yahoo.com·benzinga.com·The Guardian Australia - Technology

Sharon AI ponders ASX listing after $1 billion Nasdaq debut

Australian AI infrastructure company SharonAI Holdings has debuted on Nasdaq at a valuation above $1 billion, with a December pre-IPO round, backing from Digital Alpha and USD.AI, and an April ASX float planned.

AgriFood Signals: SAP & Syngenta partner, BASF buys biocontrol startup, Microsoft's record deal with Indigo

Weekly agtech and foodtech roundup: several startup raises, BASF's purchase of AgBiTech, three new funds, a Bühler CEO appointment, Microsoft carbon-credit deals, and company shutdowns.

Also SmartCompany·Startup Daily

AgriFood Signals: GoPuff nets $250m, Microsoft, Land O' Lakes partner on AI, M&A for carbon markets, COP30 protests

Weekly agtech and foodtech roundup: multiple venture raises, Carbon Direct's purchase of Pachama, two food-focused funds closing, board and C-suite appointments, and an Australian delivery firm shutting down.

Entag acquires Rubicon 8, sparks next wave of services innovation

IT services firm Entag has bought Rubicon 8, creating a combined 145-person business backed by Anchorage Capital Partners, with both companies recently recognised at the Telstra Partner Awards.

Heidi Health's $98 million raise skyrockets its valuation to $704 million

Melbourne AI medical-notes startup Heidi Health has banked a $98 million Series B led by Point72 at a $704 million valuation, adding two senior clinical and commercial hires to its leadership.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia

Cheque-in: 8 ANZ startups banked $53.46 million in funding this week

Weekly roundup of eight Australian and New Zealand funding rounds totalling about $53.5 million, led by SwarmFarm Robotics' $30 million Series B for its farm robots.

Eight ANZ startups that raised $53.56 million this week

Funding roundup: eight trans-Tasman startups together secured $53.56 million, topped by SwarmFarm Robotics' Series B, with Amber, Javln, Enhance Labs, Indi, Wych, Lift Women and Ambra Spirits also raising capital.

TEN13 wins first institutional mandate under the $130m Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund, managed by QIC

Ten13 announces its appointment as a manager under Queensland's $130m VCDF, run by QIC, and its first investment through it: co-leading a $2.5m seed round for OneMRI, a Brisbane healthtech company, alongside OIF Ventures.

Neural Notes: Why Atlassian joined the AI browser war

Column on Atlassian's $935 million takeover of the Arc and Dia developer, arguing the deal fits its workplace software strategy amid intensifying competition in AI browsing tools.

Also Forbes Australia·Startup Daily·Forbes Australia·Tech Funding News - Australia·TechCrunch Venture

Why Canva may be undervalued at $65 billion

Opinion column argues Canva's fresh $65 billion valuation from a recent raise looks cheap against Figma's listing multiples, with looming competition from Microsoft, Adobe and Google shaping the design software market.

Also Tech Funding News - Australia