Every constraint that should have stopped Australia building software companies became a selection mechanism. Why a small market, long distances and scarce capital produced unusually disciplined businesses.
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Tech Startups & Unicorns
Expert guides, analysis and tool comparisons on Tech Startups & Unicorns from the kurums.com Startup desk — written for business decision-makers and updated as the market moves.
- 5 guides
- Updated Aug 1, 2026
Latest in Tech Startups & Unicorns
Airwallex: Building a Global Payments Company From Melbourne
Airwallex raised at around US$11 billion in May 2026 with roughly US$1.5 billion in ARR. How a Melbourne startup built regulated payments infrastructure across dozens of jurisdictions.
Afterpay and the End of the BNPL Regulatory Gap
Afterpay listed at A$100 million and sold to Block for around US$29 billion by operating outside consumer credit law. From June 2025 that gap closed – and the sector changed shape.
Canva: How a Rejected Founder Built a US$42 Billion Design Company
Melanie Perkins was rejected by more than a hundred investors. Canva now has 150 million users and around US$4 billion in ARR. The product decision that made it possible, and the AI threat to it.
Atlassian: The Sydney Software Company That Sold Without Salespeople
Atlassian priced Jira low enough that engineers could buy it without procurement, and grew to US$5.22 billion in revenue. Why product-led growth worked, and why it eventually was not enough.
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