Venture capital invested in Australian startups hit a record US$1.23 billion in the 2018/19 financial year, with the potential of start-ups to change the shape of Australia’s future economy, according to a new global report.

Digital design platform InVision has appointed former vice-president at US software firm Acquia, Tom Richardson, as its first Asia-Pacific managing director.

Australians may not have learnt much from the on-again, off-again election campaign that began on 11 April, but one thing has been made abundantly clear: the technology sector in this country is made up of wimps who are afraid to make anything, even an encryption law which they claim could destroy their industry, into an election issue.