Sam Saltis

TOP PROMISING STARTUPS IN ANZ (RECON LIST) Looking to join a rocket ship before it takes off? ANZ doesn't produce many unicorns, but when we do, they tend to be exceptional: Canva, Atlassian, SafetyCulture, Xero, RocketLab, Halter, Crimson Education. Here are 27 of the most promising startups in Australia/New Zealand: Relevance AI – AI-native platform for building agents and workflows (AUS)​ Instant – One‑click checkout and retention for ecommerce brands (AUS)​ Zepto – Real‑time payments infra for account‑to‑account transactions (AUS)​ Neara – 3D digital‑modelling software helping utilities map (AUS)​ Myriota – Satellite IoT connectivity for ultra‑low‑power remote sensors (AUS)​ Minikai – AI software layer to streamline disability and workflows (AUS)​ Shopfront – AI‑driven re‑commerce infrastructure for listings (AUS)​ Kardinia Energy – Deep‑tech developer of lightweight, printable solar film (AUS)​ GOTERRA – Automated insect systems turning food waste into function (AUS)​ VXT – AI VoIP Phone System for Law Firms (NZ) Harrison.ai – Health‑AI platform providing decision tools with hospitals (AUS)​ Sendle – Carbon‑neutral parcel‑delivery service for ecommerce merchants Linktree – Link‑in‑bio infrastructure for creators and brands (AUS)​ Go1 – Corporate learning platform aggregating online training content (AUS)​ Partly – Auto‑parts data and ecommerce infrastructure (NZ)​ LawVu – Legal‑operations software platform for in‑house legal teams (NZ)​ SurfLab – AI‑powered personalised surfing‑coaching platform (ANZ)​ VetNotes.com – AI scribe and workflow assistant for veterinary practices (AUS)​ Spacium App – AI agents to help manage household and startup tasks (ANZ)​ AreaSpec – Platform matching workforce rosters with childcare capacity (ANZ) Zipline AI – Platform to build AI and ML‑powered products in days (AUS)​ Chattrly – AI patient‑intelligence for insights from electronic health records EngageNow – B2B marketplace using AI to match companies with services Tracksuit – Brand tracking and performance analytics platform (NZ) Auror – Retail crime intelligence and prevention platform (NZ) Let me know if I’m missing any below!

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When our team at Anatta - Shopify Platinum Partner led the 90-day transformation for BuyBuy Baby, it wasn’t just the engineering that pushed us to success. It was two simple rules we put in our project manifesto: One of the most effective? Deliberate the difficult. If a decision had a lasting, downstream impact, we addressed it on the spot. No “we’ll figure it out later.” No deferrals. No kicking the can down the road. Why does it matter? Because every problem you avoid today becomes a blocker tomorrow. Another favorite? Default to default. Stick to what already works unless there’s a seriously good reason to change it. If a Shopify-native feature already solved the problem, we used it. No reason to build custom unless it created real customer or ops value. Sounds simple, right? But with 30+ stakeholders, eight streams of work, and a 90-day timeline, these principles kept us grounded. Clear principles like these keep teams aligned, cut through noise, and help you actually get things done. Because without principles, all you’re left with is process. And transformation isn't about perfect processes. It's about giving your team clear principles to navigate complexity. What principles would you add? #DigitalTransformation #TechLeadership

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How do you find a $107 billion market opportunity that your competitors are too scared to talk about? You look for the taboo. Up to 40% of Australian adults deal with digestive issues, but it's a conversation often had in whispers. My latest Handpicked podcast guest, Rudi van der Vlies, turned his personal battle with Crohn's disease into a thriving business by stepping directly into this uncomfortable space. He co-founded the scientifically-backed gut health brand TUMME, and our conversation is a masterclass for any entrepreneur looking for a competitive edge. In this episode, you will learn: * The playbook for taking a "taboo" topic and making it mainstream. * Why your traditional SEO strategy is dead (and how to optimise for AI language models instead). * Guerrilla growth tactics for a saturated e-commerce market when you can't afford a massive ad spend. * The critical mindset shift required when moving from distributor to a direct-to-consumer brand builder. This isn't just a chat about gut health; it's a deep dive into finding opportunity where others see awkwardness. Listen to the full episode now (link in comments) and get the insights. Plus, Rudi generously offers a discount on Tumme products for all my listeners. What "taboo" industry do you think is ripe for disruption next? #Handpicked #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #Marketing #DTC #StartupStrategy #HealthTech #Innovation #NaomiSimson

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SXSW last week: Christina (Vanta CEO), Jacky (Relevance.ai CEO), and James (Partner at Airtree) debated US market entry. The question that framed everything: "Where are your people, and why aren't you building around them?" Australian founders seem to approach US expansion with a compliance-first mindset—Delaware incorporation, banking setup, state registrations. Founders spending months on legal structures. Focus on finding the right people on the ground. Founders should outsource the compliance work so they can focus on what actually constrains growth. To quote James: "Find a really (!) good lawyer". The real constraint isn't regulatory; it's human capital and local networks. A couple of other things I found interesting: 💡 Geographic pragmatism beats strategic perfection: "If you have somebody really good in New York, start there. If you got somebody in Colorado, start there. Benefit from their network on the ground." 💡The Silicon Valley premium is real: Investors pay 10-15% more for SF-based teams vs. other cities 💡US presence is non-negotiable: Every founder must spend significant time in the US, feeling the market energy firsthand 💡Founder location can be beneficial: Ideally, one founder should be based in the states—especially early on, this drives market credibility 💡Hire in clusters: When starting a sales team hire 3-4 sales reps simultaneously to A/B test performance (hiring one makes it impossible to distinguish internal vs. external factors) 💡US dollar revenue commands global premium: Worth 2-3x the valuation impact of other regional revenue 💡SOC2 (and similar) are your entry ticket into serious revenue in the US; without its going to be hard It is a shift from Australia's relationship-based business culture to US market mechanics. In general founders underestimate how much local context, networks, and market presence drive early success. Being physically present isn't just about meetings—it's about understanding customer behavior, partnership dynamics, and competitive landscapes. Map your human capital strategy: Who do you know in which US cities? What's your network strength? What is your network's network strenght? Start there, then expand systematically. Outsource the legal complexity so you can focus on people and presence. The regulatory structure should follow your people strategy, not drive it. Shoutout to Claire for brilliant moderation—asking open questions, letting panelists debate, and steering back on track when needed. Job well done.

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Melbourne-based AI creative agency Cuttable | Good Ads, Instantly has raised an additional $4.5 million, bringing its total seed funding to $10 million. Cuttable is the world's first AI creative agency built specifically for growing online businesses. The platform helps brands that lack resources for traditional agencies create powerful ads that drive sales through platforms like Facebook and Instagram, combining AI development with advertising expertise in a fully automated solution. The latest round was led by Square Peg, with support from existing investor Rampersand and new investor Brand Fund by Previously Unavailable and Icehouse Ventures. The new funding will support the company's mission to reshape the future of advertising and help growing brands scale their creative production. Congratulations to co-founder and CEO Sam Kroonenburg and the Cuttable team. Capital Brief: https://lnkd.in/dewdizDi #CreativeAI #AdTech #AI #VentureCapital #Funding #SeedRound #Marketing #AussieTech

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Got a special one because it's our first Founder Fridays Episode from New Zealand 🥝 🇳🇿 Love when a “simple” workflow headache turns into a 100M+ user product. This week, I sat down with Max Ferguson, Founder & CEO of Lumin — the New Zealand‑born platform powering collaborative PDF editing, e‑signatures, and agreement workflows for teams around the world. We got into the real builder stuff: 👷🏻 How a frustrating paper markup process on Christchurch construction sites became Lumin’s first “must-fix” use case 🖇️ The PLG loops behind embedding deeply into Google’s ecosystem (Drive, Classroom, Gmail, Chrome) 🤯 Bootstrapping to tens of millions of users on ads, then flipping to subscriptions in ~60 days ⚙️ Running a distributed, completely bootstrapped team across Christchurch, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila (and beyond) without slowing product velocity 🔐 How AI can simplify critical workflows and raise the bar on privacy and security As someone working with founders across APAC every day, I’m especially inspired by how Lumin has stayed proudly bootstrapped, built a global product from New Zealand, and still made room for impact initiatives like free tools for K‑12 and developing markets. If you’re building from outside the usual hubs, or trying to turn a “boring but universal” problem into a global SaaS, this one will resonate. 🎧 Watch the full Founder Fridays episode with Max here: https://lnkd.in/gcugAYE2 Thanks for your time, Max!!

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This month in our Informed Decisions newsletter, I wrote about the paradox Australia faces that should concern every leader across business and government: we're capable of achieving unprecedented productivity gains through AI while simultaneously undermining our capacity to develop the next generation of leaders and innovators. Australia imports more than we create—particularly in technology, innovation, and ideas. While our education sector remains a strong export, we're essentially training talent that creates value elsewhere rather than building domestic capability. This "brain drain plus" model leaves us increasingly dependent on others' innovations. The Disappearing Learning Curve is real. Generative AI is eliminating the entry-level tasks that have traditionally built workforce capability. At .id, we've moved beyond using AI as a personal assistant to deploying it for rapid prototyping, code refactoring, and complex land use analysis. The productivity gains are substantial—but they work because our experienced teams have built the foundational skills. Here's the critical question: What happens if the next generation never develops those foundations? The stakes extend beyond individual career development. If Australia wants to transition from net consumer to net creator, we must invest in young people not just as workers, but as future producers, founders and leaders. This requires deliberate action from today's leaders and investors. Forward-thinking organizations are already addressing this challenge by: Creating "learning laboratories" where junior employees tackle real problems alongside AI tools Establishing mentorship programs that transfer tacit knowledge before it becomes obsolete Redesigning career progression to emphasize problem-solving over task completion The companies that crack this code won't just develop better talent—they'll build competitive advantage in an AI-driven economy. It's your move. The choices you make today will determine whether your industry remains dependent on imported innovation or becomes a source of it. How are you and your organization balancing AI-driven productivity with capability development?

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Applications for the 2nd cohort of our AI 1st startup accelerator program, funded by the Google Australia Digital Future Initiative, are now open. This is a 10-week equity-free accelerator program for Seed and Series A stage Australian startups building AI and ML-driven platforms and products. The accelerator connects founders with the best people, products and practices to help them grow, with Google’s AI and ML technical expertise and global networks to support startups succeed. Selected startups can expect: 🤝 Mentorship: Hands-on guidance from Google AI experts to address unique challenges. 👨‍💻 Technical Support: Deep dives into AI tools and infrastructure, including free access to cloud credits for eligible startups. 🌐 Founders' Network: Connect and collaborate with a cohort of top-tier AI startups from across the country and globally. 📈 Workshops: Practical bootcamps on UX/product design, marketing, sales, leadership, and setting effective objectives. We had an amazing 2024 cohort comprising Fetch 🐾, Springboards.ai, Asseti, BuildShip, Gigabuddy, Marqo, Sauce and Mana (previously LoveHeart). Join us for 2025 ! For more info and the application form link head to https://lnkd.in/gW2ZmFrh Georgie Healy, Kristine Song, Mike Langford

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