Startup ecosystem stories

SOUTHSTART 2026 returns to Adelaide, uniting founders, investors, and innovators across Australia’s startup and technology sectors in March.

ACTivate Capital launches a AUD $50m venture fund to support Canberra startups, aiming to retain talent and boost local innovation over the next decade.

MaRS relaunches its Capital Programme to connect global investors with top Canadian tech startups, boosting early-stage funding and market access.

Liza Noonan will become CEO of Cicada Innovations in November 2025, aiming to boost Australia's deep tech sector and grow its global presence.

Gaming firms often raise equity early on, but cohort financing offers a smarter, less dilutive way to fund predictable growth stages.

Nebius launches global awards with USD $100,000 in AI Cloud credits for startups advancing robotics and physical AI across Asia, Europe and the US.

Peak XV launches Surge 11 with 23 startups across AI, fintech, consumer brands, and infrastructure from India, APAC, and global markets.

Cloudflare will recruit 1,111 interns globally in 2026, expanding its programme to support students with hands-on tech experience and mentorship worldwide.

ASME hosted IMECE India 2025 in Hyderabad, marking the first time the event was held outside the US, with record student participation and diverse engineering initiatives.

Southeast Asia’s startup funding fell to USD $1.85 billion in H1 2025, a six-year low, amid economic uncertainty and stricter governance standards.

Sam Kroonenburg wins the 2025 Pearcey Victorian Entrepreneur Award for his tech leadership and global impact with ventures like Cuttable and A Cloud Guru.

RevisionSuccess concludes its inaugural RevIntern 1.0 programme with nine interns, ahead of launching the expanded RevIntern 2.0 this September in Thailand.

Givvable won Best of the Best at River Rival 2025 for its platform automating supplier diligence, adopted by Microsoft, AWS, Flight Centre and TikTok.

Wellington’s Taiawa Tech Hub has boosted the economy by NZD $11.9 million GDP and created 127 jobs in its first year, supporting 20 startups and innovation.

New Zealand startups pitching at Icehouse Ventures' Showcase have raised nearly USD $2 billion in funding over 15 years, boosting local innovation and jobs.

Cognition has acquired Windsurf's core assets post-failed OpenAI and Google deals, reshaping the competitive AI coding tools market in July 2025.

Singapore unveils Southeast Asia’s first hybrid quantum AI testbed at BDx’s SIN1 data centre, blending quantum computing with AI to boost innovation.

Accel launches fifth Atoms programme, offering Indian founders up to USD $1 million funding and support in AI and LeapTech innovation.

Tim Dacombe-Bird has been named Head of Google Cloud New Zealand, leading local AI and digital transformation efforts from Wellington.

Alibaba Cloud expands in APAC with new data centres in Malaysia, the Philippines, and an AI Global Competency Center in Singapore to boost AI innovation.