Three Australian companies have been awarded AUD500,000 to help get their AI-powered prototypes to market under the AI Sprint program.
Over 190 startups participated, with the winning prototypes being Dragonfly Thinking’s complex decision navigator, Kindship’s NDIS guidance system, and Empathetic AI’s tax co-pilot.
Dragonfly Thinking was awarded AUD300,000 worth of research and development support from a leading Australian research institution and facilitation services from CSIRO’s SME Connect, while Kindship and Empathetic AI will receive AUD100,000 worth of support.
Dragonfly Thinking develops AI tools that make it easier for teams to think less rigidly and more inclusively about difficult business and policy problems. An ANU spin-out founded by Professors Anthea Roberts and Miranda Forsyth, Dragonfly Thinking’s tools analyse problems from different angles to provide users with clear insights to enhance decision-making.
Kindship’s Barb is an AI-powered personal assistant providing 24/7 guidance and support on navigating the NDIS, offering instant advice on budgeting, provider selection, and therapy options.
Empathetic AI’s tax co-pilot Luna provides scenario analysis, real-time ATO private ruling updates, and automated legislation reference checks.
Australia’s AI Sprint program is a collaboration between the National AI Centre, Stone & Chalk, and Google Cloud.
Winners will also be eligible for a range of support services from Stone & Chalk to help them secure the essential capital, customers, expertise and talent for the most successful launch of their business.
National AI Centre Director Stela Solar said Dragonfly Thinking, Kindship and Empathetic AI had demonstrated remarkable potential to solve a critical market need. “They were chosen for their ability to scale an innovative, responsible, and competitive AI business in today’s market,” she said. “They all have exceptionally bright futures ahead of them, and we’re proud to have provided the opportunity to help them transform their AI concepts into real-world impact.”
“Google Cloud is proud to support the AI Sprint, fostering innovation and empowering startups to build a stronger digital future by addressing critical national challenges through AI,” added Google Cloud’s Michael Langford.
