Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator

You see the shiny lights, 1,200 people in the audience, perfect slides, and a founder who’s charged up and ready to keep growing. You see the transformation as we turned Zipline AI into Xillions AI and expand across the US and AUS. BTS is the relentless work of three very special humans who ran Techstars this year, Christie Jenkins, Gwen Masonsong 🪴 and Grace Kessels. An all-female, all-star crew who were small in number but Olympic-level mighty in reinventing the entire program for our cohort of 12 companies. They built something bespoke, and veered FAR away from the generic accelerator template to ensure the program was tailored to the DNA of each founder. They knew how to blend inspiration, education, and old-school grit. They understood every founder personality, leadership style, product build, sales cadence, and future thinking strategy, and somehow elevated all of us to peak performance. And they had the wisdom to know that by Week 7 we’d all be fried… so they planned a full recovery day of cold plunges, saunas, and restorative care to bring us back to life. Being relentless isn’t about burning out, it’s about knowing exactly when to sprint and when to repair. They were the leaders we're all now trained to be. To Christie, Grace, and Gwen: thank you for being relentless for us, with us, and behind us. The impact you’ve made on 12 founders and our companies is immeasurable. Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator NSW Government Shayne Gary David Calone Kirk Simmons Amy Stevens David Stephen Sta.Maria Silven E. Michael (Rahulan) Ragavan Hugh Le Mohammad Tavakkoli Yaraki, Ph.D. Jad Al Masri Joni Pirovich Ant Arena 🐶 Mitch Sigley Nathan Croxton

Your next user isn't human. This week at Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator, I heard a pitch from Sedso that stuck with me: brands have zero clarity on how AI perceives them. When someone asks ChatGPT "what's the best Christmas gift?" what does it say? Why? Can you influence it? Here's the shift we're missing: We've spent decades optimizing for human users (curious, distractible, emotional). We charmed them with microcopy, guided them with visual hierarchy, converted them with psychology. AI agents don't work that way. They show up with a mission: "book X", "compare Y", "find Z under $50." No wandering. No impulse clicks. No being charmed by "Grab your slice of sunshine" CTAs. The fundamental shift? The agent isn't the interface. It's the user. And that changes how we design. - Instead of clever copy, we need clear pathways. - Instead of brand voice, literal labels. - Instead of visual storytelling, structured data. "Grab your slice of sunshine" means nothing to an LLM. "Order lemon cake $12" does. Here's where it gets interesting: If you've designed for accessibility, you're already halfway there. Screen readers and AI agents need the same thing: structured clarity, semantic HTML, descriptive alt text, logical hierarchy. Accessibility isn't just ethics anymore. It's infrastructure. This doesn't mean abandoning human-centered design. It means expanding who "user" includes. The journey now looks like: Human → AI Agent → Service. You're designing for both, the human who asks and the agent that executes. Two things you can do now: 1. Audit for accessibility — If a screen reader can navigate your site, an AI agent can too. Check your semantic HTML, alt text, ARIA labels. 2. Track agent traffic differently — Agent behavior ≠ human behavior. Different users need different metrics. The designers who figure this out first won't replace human-centered design. They'll just know what "human-centered" means now, designing systems that work for humans, executed by agents, at scale. Sedso is onto something. The question is: are we paying attention? #ServiceDesign #Accessibility #AI #UX #ProductStrategy

I had the privilege of attending TECH STAR Central Sydney, powered by the NSW Government , an outstanding event built on the theme “Demo The Future: 12 Companies. 12 Industries. 120 Minutes.” The event was filled with energy, connection, and inspiration. It was a great opportunity to build my network, learn from emerging innovators, and meet several startup founders and CEOs who are creating real impact across multiple industries. After the event, I deep-dived into each startup to better understand their vision and impact. Here’s a details of what I found: • Zipline AI – “Automate the repetitive. Accelerate the meaningful.” AI-powered workflow automation for faster, smarter operations. • Sedso – “Designing better experiences, one process at a time.” Experts in service design and digital transformation. • VetNotes – “Smarter notes. Better care.” A modern clinical notes and patient management platform for veterinarians. • Crystal A OS – “Clarity in data. Confidence in decisions.” AI-driven business intelligence operating system. • Juxtabyte – “Turning data into direction.” Specialists in data engineering, analytics, and cloud automation. • OncoRevive – “Reviving hope through science.” Biotech innovating targeted cancer research and treatment approaches. • Musa AI – “Creativity enhanced by intelligence.” Generative AI tools for creators and digital teams. • BriefCase – “Experience that opens doors.” Talent platform connecting students with real-world industry opportunities. • Slice – “Simplifying payments for modern business.” Fintech solution for seamless payments and subscription management. • Onsite – “Efficiency where work happens.” Field service and workforce coordination made smarter. • Our Leg Up – “Helping small businesses rise.” Support platform offering resources, mentorship, and growth tools. • SurfLAB – “Where ideas become products.” Innovation lab for rapid prototyping and AI-driven product development. A big thank you to the NSW Government, Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator, Christie Jenkins and all the startup leaders for organizing such a valuable event and fostering innovation across industries. Events like these truly highlight the strength of Sydney’s startup ecosystem and the importance of learning from and connecting with emerging technology leaders.

✨ What a Night — Techstars Sydney Demo Day! ✨ On Monday night, Sydney witnessed the largest Demo Day in Australia, and we were honoured to be one of just 12 startups selected to present on stage. Standing in front of 1200+ people — founders, investors, clinicians, innovators, and everyday people passionate about new technologies — was an unforgettable experience. Sharing our mission — detect cancer, for everyone, everywhere — on a stage of this scale was deeply meaningful. Early and accessible cancer detection is not just a technology challenge; it’s a human one. Families everywhere feel the impact of delayed diagnosis, and we are building a solution to change that. A heartfelt thank you to the Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator team (Christie Jenkins, Gwen Masonsong 🪴and Grace Kessels), mentors, and this incredible community for pushing us forward every single day. We’re just getting started — and the future of equitable cancer care is within reach 💙 #Techstars #DemoDay #Sydney #AustralianStartups #OncoRevive #CancerCare #Innovation #EarlyDetection #HealthTech #LiquidBiopsy #EquityInHealthcare #FutureOfHealthcare #WomenInSTEM

The founders I worked with at Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator carry more weight than most politicians. Sounds dramatic. It's not. Technology doesn't follow institutions. In her incredible opening, Christie Jenkins reminded us that Governments, laws, and education systems follow technology. Often clumsily. Usually too late. That means the decisions made in that room will ripple further than any vote. The founders who grew the most during the program were both great leaders and highly coachable. Open to hard feedback. Sharp about what to take and what to leave. Ego at the door. We love to talk about Uber and Airbnb now, but often forget they started as a limo app and air mattresses, ideas "serious" investors laughed at. The gap between founders and everyone else is imagination. The ability to see a future that doesn't exist yet and have the audacity to build it anyway. So, the three traits that make great founders are: 1. Leadership 2. Coachability 3. The size of their ambition Amy, Ant, David, Jad, Joni, Kirk, Hugh, Michael, Michelle, 🐶 Mitch, Mohammad, Nathan, To those 12 incredible humans, tomorrow's leaders: the world doesn't see it yet. I do. Keep building 🚀 To everyone else: ♻️ Share this with your network. There is undoubtedly someone saying "this is too small," but cannot see the wild visions brewing in small steps. PS - Gwen, Lewis, Grace, Christie, what a pleasure working with you these months! Looking forward to our paths crossing again.

Great to see a terrific line-up of #startups pitching at the Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator “Demo The Future”, with #AI featuring prominently Xillions AI powering brand-safe AI co-creation, fan engagement, and preference data Our Leg Up creating new asset classes through home equity Briefcase building a clearer, faster justice process Onsite for property management Crystal aOS automating global crypto compliance Sedso. (Techstars ‘25) for brand perception MuseAI an AI powered workplace to create and organize music Juxtabyte which automates data governance OncoRevive with a same day cancer blood screening Slice with propoerty ownership SurfLab with sports instruction VetNotes.com the future of veterinary care Thanks to Christie Jenkins for a fantastic cohort and fun after party harbour cruise Also, always good to see friends in attendance: Sinéad Fitzgerald, Laura Ramos, Zeeshan Siddiqui (MSc), and Maggie Ng