Gaurav Cheema

I am immensely proud of the team at Wiise. We've just launched a true industry-first. Wiise is now the only ERP platform in Australia with a direct, real-time integration to the NDIS. For NDIS providers, this means: ✅ Instant claim submissions ✅ Real-time funding visibility ✅ Automated compliance & payroll ✅ Drastically reduced admin & audit risk This is a major step forward in helping providers build financial resilience and focus on their critical work. See the full details: https://lnkd.in/gGpzT3yN #Wiise #NDIS #ERP #NDISProvider #AustralianTech

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🇦🇺 Thrilled to share this piece in the The Australian Financial Review by Tess Bennett about Sovereign Australia AI and the journey we're embarking on to build Australis - Australia's own foundational language model. I couldn’t be prouder to be building this alongside my mate and Co-Founder Simon Kriss This isn't just about building another AI model. It's about ensuring Australia maintains its digital sovereignty and voice in an increasingly AI-driven world. We shouldn't be dependent on decisions made in Washington, Silicon Valley, Beijing or Europe about how AI understands and represents our Australian culture, values, and way of life. Yet to achieve this isn’t easy and it takes scale to compete, so we’ve made a massive investment in compute and have acquired 256 NVIDIA Blackwell B200 GPUs hosted in NEXTDC's secure Australian data centre in Melbourne, and managed by our colleagues at SHARON AI What makes me particularly proud of what we’ve done so far: ✅ Ethical from the ground up - We're committing $10M to compensate copyright owners, working WITH creators rather than against them ✅ Built for Australia, by Australians - From the ground up, built, trained and inferenced onshore, here in Australia, and compliant with our privacy and copyright laws ✅ Customers & Partnerships In Place - We partnering with some amazing Aussie organisations to help them solve some of Australia’s AI challenges. The partnerships we can speak about include ACS (Australian Computer Society), UNSW Canberra & GT Systems Australia, with more to follow! The path to digital sovereignty doesn't require billions, it requires vision, ethical principles, and the determination to ensure Australia's voice isn't lost in the global AI conversation. We're proving that sovereign AI can be built responsibly, affordably, and with respect for the creators whose work makes it possible. Australia's digital future should be in Australian hands. Let's build it together. 🚀 Special thanks to Craig Scroggie, Andrew Leece, Kieran Habojan, Dan Mons, Sudarshan Ramachandran, Rhod Brown, Brett Bonser, Melissa Hamilton, Josh Griggs, Rhett Sampson and so many more. #ai #sovereignai #llm #gpt #innovation #australia #australian https://lnkd.in/gnF8N3mR

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The NZ government and NZ tech cut their internal tech teams. Globally, things are broken AF. 🤦🏽‍♀️ 🚨 The problem? When the shit hits the fan, who fixes it? You can’t just throw new hires into overworked teams and expect things to work. 💡 If you were part of these cuts or you’re a skilled tech worker looking for a role—comment below. 💡 If you’re hiring or realizing you suddenly need expertise, keep an eye on this thread. 🔹 Systems, processes, and institutional knowledge take time to rebuild. 🔹 You need to know how, why, and who—before you can fix what’s broken. 🔹 Tech isn’t an OpEx drain—it’s a CapEx investment. Cutting internal expertise looked like a cost-saving move. Now, they’re about to scramble to patch the gaps they didn’t even know existed. 🤦🏽‍♀️ The talent is here. The question is—will NZ move fast enough to bring them back before things start breaking? I give it a month. #NZTech #CyberSecurity #DataSovereignty #Resilience #TechGov #HiringBackTheExperts #NZJobs

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We saved this migration agency 30+ hours per week. And transformed their entire business 👇 Every day, I speak with business owners who say: "Our process is too complex for automation" but is it? This Australian visa agency thought so too: ↳ Growing volume they couldn't handle ↳ Dozens of complex visa types to manage ↳ Small team drowning in administrative tasks ↳ Time-consuming data entry for each application ↳ Manual document collection across multiple channels The situation? → Slow response times → Overwhelmed team → Endless paperwork → No path to scaling So we transformed their process. And automated everything. Not just parts of the process. Not just the "easy stuff." Everything: ✅ Smart document collection & storage - no more chasing files ✅ Fully automated client journey - from inquiry to application ✅ Instantly extracts key data from files - zero manual input ✅ Syncs with their Pipedrive CRM for real-time updates ✅ Auto-generates invoices directly in Xero The Result? → 60% faster visa processing time → 30+ hours saved per week on applications → 20% more leads converted - no additional staff But the numbers only tell half the story: From constantly chasing paperwork → To focusing on complex visa cases From repetitive data entry → To pure operational efficiency From administrative overload → To high-value client interactions Think about your business: ↳ What if you could reclaim 30+ hours weekly? ↳ What would that mean for your growth? ↳ What would you focus on instead? The bottom line? AI Automation doesn't replace expertise. It amplifies it by eliminating the chaos. Running a process-heavy business that's holding you back? Let’s talk PS: Found value here? Repost ♻️ to your network and follow me for more.

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Sydney-based Lorikeet has raised $35 million USD in a Series A funding round to deliver its AI-powered universal customer concierges. Lorikeet helps businesses create universal AI concierges that solve real problems, not just answer questions. Unlike traditional chatbots, Lorikeet's omnichannel concierges can make judgment calls and take action to resolve complex issues across chat, email, and voice, focusing on high-consequence actions in regulated industries like financial services and healthcare. The round was led by QED Investors, with participation from Blackbird, Square Peg, Airtree, and the founders of Airwallex and Canva, making Lorikeet the first company since Canva to receive backing from all three of Australia's top VCs. The funding will be used to accelerate product development and support global go-to-market efforts in the second half of 2025. Congratulations to co-founder & CEO Steve Hind and the Lorikeet team. PR Newswire: https://lnkd.in/dnBBH2pT #AI #CustomerExperience #CX #Automation #VentureCapital #Funding #SeriesA #FinTech #AussieTech

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Signal beats slogans every time. CreditorWatch is Australia’s innovative bureau with real adoption and real outcomes: ATO tax defaults, Tradeline, Invoice and full credit suite integration that finance teams actually use. What makes the difference is not just features. It is the customer and member network behind them. Every month our customers look up over 500,000 businesses and monitor over 2.4 million businesses. The ATO state there is about 2.7 million active businesses in Australia, which means our coverage now spans almost the entire market. Here is the truth about defaults: Lodging a default only matters when you have customers. If no one is watching, the network effects do not travel. In our network, those signals are seen, shared and acted on. That is the compounding power of CreditorWatch: * More customers participating means stronger signals and less noise * More monitoring means earlier warnings and faster decisioning * More real data in means better outcomes out Some talk about data. We partner with customers who create it, share it and act on it at scale. Join the bureau where network effects really matter. When your risk decisions ride on reality, not marketing, CreditorWatch delivers. #CreditorWatch #Innovation #NetworkEffects #CreditRisk #Fintech #Australia #B2BData #B2B #RiskManagement #DataStrategy

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Meet the Ignite+ Scale Excel Cohort! 🔥 Advance Queensland’s Ignite+ Scale program is helping some of Queensland’s most promising scaleups accelerate their growth with tailored support, expert coaching, and exclusive opportunities. 💡 Two specialised streams: ✅ Aspire – Early-stage scaleups refining their strategies with coaching support. ✅ Excel – The Top 10 most scaleup-ready businesses receiving deep-dive coaching, masterclasses, and exclusive growth opportunities, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic & Paralympic Games Webinar! Meet the Excel Cohort 👇 🏥 Five Faces – Revolutionising consumer experiences in healthcare, education & government. ♻️ Handel Group Pty Ltd – Transforming waste management with SaaS innovation. 👛 Luxe.It.Fwd – Leading the way in luxury re-commerce. 🗺 Mangoesmapping – Geospatial tech specialists driving regional innovation. 🔩 National Plastics & Rubber Pty Ltd – Industrial manufacturing for global industries. 🧺 The Laundry Lady – Mobile laundry service across AU & NZ. 📊 Truii – Data-driven web applications for government & natural resource management. 🌱 Verterra Ecological Engineering – Regenerative development for a sustainable future. 💰 Wagepay – Giving employees access to earned wages before payday. 🔥 Wildfire Energy – Game-changing waste-to-energy technology. Projected impact from this cohort 👇 💰 $88M+ revenue 👥 172 full-time jobs currently operating in `16 regions globally 🌏 Expanding into the UK, USA, Europe & the Middle East 💡 Did you know? 4 of these scaleups are female-founded, with many leading the way in sustainability, waste management, and renewable energy. Queensland’s future is scaling up - and we’re here for it! 🚀 #IgniteScale #AdvanceQueensland #ScaleupSuccess

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Very excited that Monash University is setting up a world class AI supercomputing infrastructure to significantly accelerate AI research and innovation in Australia! https://lnkd.in/gh2baEEV "MAVERIC will give Australian researchers the computational firepower to work on vast data sets in health, medicine and climate change, with the aim of speeding up drug discoveries and understanding of hugely complex global problems. Examples include warming in the Antarctic, the impact of heat on populations, and how climate change drives the spread of infectious diseases." #monash #ai #aisupercomputer

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Visa calling for a ban on surcharges? That's a bit rich. Visa NZ is calling for a ban on the surcharge some merchants apply when customers pay by card, claiming it’s unfair to consumers. Meanwhile, here’s the reality: Visa and Mastercard process $95 billion of card payments in New Zealand annually. NZ businesses spend around $1 billion annually to process those payments. Despite this, neither Visa nor Mastercard books significant profits in NZ. They route operations through Singapore, where Mastercard paid an effective tax rate of just 1.1%, and Visa even received a tax credit. Now, Visa says the Commerce Commission’s proposed cuts to interchange fees (by up to 75%) would "compromise innovation investment", but expects Kiwi merchants to absorb the costs as "part of doing business." This is a real opportunity to ensure that Kiwi businesses and consumers get a better deal, whether through lower fees or fairer tax arrangements. Whatever path we take, the goal should be a payments system that is simpler, fairer, and truly works for New Zealand. https://lnkd.in/g_8sEEEB #nzbusiness #payments #visa #mastercard #tax #commercecommission

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Cool to be quoted in The Australian talking about something I care deeply about, making sure AI stays accessible for startups. Every founder I know is integrating AI into their business, but if access gets locked behind massive price tags, we’re just making it harder for the next wave of Aussie startups to compete. Open AI levels the playing field and keeps innovation moving. At Hyper, we see firsthand how founders use open-source AI to build, scale, and create real impact. This isn’t just about tech, it’s about keeping Australia competitive globally. Keen to hear thoughts from others in the space, how do you see AI shaping the future for startups? Article link: Musk playing ‘three dimensional chess’ with $155bn OpenAI bid https://lnkd.in/g39VgQ-D

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Looking forward to seeing the full details from the Productivity Commission later this week but it has the potential to be a game-changer for Aussie deep tech companies. If you're in deep tech you know how much it needs serious upfront capital for R&D and specialised gear. instead of slowly depreciating costs over years, getting a bigger upfront tax deduction means better cash flow now. Better cash flow means faster reinvestment into what matters most – innovation, scaling up, and getting those amazing new technologies out there. Oh and that includes employing the talent you need when you need them. I like the phrase "sharpening the incentives for investment" which is exactly what deep tech needs to thrive and boost Australia's productivity. The devil is always in the detail and it seems not everything will be included. But here's hoping for a recommendation that will support our scaling deep tech businesses. https://lnkd.in/gWY-vNN2 #DeepTech #Innovation #TaxReform #BusinessInvestment #Australia

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Knee jerk hot takes from the #xerocon Keynotes - Celebrated 17 years of Xero in Australia and a thank you to Australian accountants for " running the world" - 8,000 people registered online to watch, finally challenger to the ChangeGPS webinars!! - The gold jacket maybe a message to shareholders who knocked down the remuneration recommendation - she's worth it! Reminds me of former CEO Steve Vamos sporting the leather jacket and coming onto AC/DC. Sukhinder chose KPOP Demon hunters - probably the best way to get kids into accounting. - AI is changing client and accountant expectations. hard to argue with this but I never like these general statements. COVID probably the biggest expectation change I've seen because firms over serviced clients ..and surprise surprise..clients loved it. - "technology is nothing if it can't deliver value for customers" damn straight. - A big attempt to remind accountants that we are the leaders others need to follow. Accountants lead the cloud adoption in apac...but I don't think we'll lead AI. it's penetrated so much of the market already Onto CPO Diya Jolly's Keynote The Xero vision is " the most trusted and insightful platform for small business and advisors" A deeply embedded ecosystem experience was a key ask from customers. Almost hinted firms are frustrated with the amount of apps they need to login, and recognise accountants use more than just xero. Supports my view that we are returning to the dream of the suite. Accountants often miss the new features released because we're so busy. Great that Diya is creating awareness for new things many aren't using yet. Innovation is adoption for accountants. righto....big JAX expectations now they want to automate 90% or routine tasks, Personally, I thought Xero already had AI bank recs. As the accountant next to me said " I need to check it" -From just ask to just done. This feels like a pitch to turn it into agents - the future is not about more software but less..one intelligent platform that doesn't help do the work, it does it for you. - I did not like the AI advice at all. it asked if the client could afford a new van. The AI looked at the cash balance and said yes. Good luck getting those ATO debts paid! This feels like an overstretch AI use case for me and I would not want my clients getting advice from this and bypassing me. - Now we're reimagining accounting through AI Automated actions will give control and oversight. TASA rules will require this and it's great to see it considered. New features... I love a customisable dashboard. I'm a fan of business on a page info sharing. Tax manger looks great to manage due dates. Big round of applause for Workpapers with BGL. I reckon firms will still need the ChangeGPS workpapers to do the work, not just manage it for now. OpenAI integrated into JAX is great. Good Thing our members have had it in Evo for months! How'd I go? What did you think?

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