Australian Startups Touch Down in the U.S., Bringing Innovative New Technologies

The Australian Landing Pad in San Francisco, delivered by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), announced today its ninth cohort, featuring eight Australian tech startups that are expanding their operations to the U.S. market. This latest class reflects Australia’s rising profile as a global leader in cultivating innovative technologies, and the growing trend of Australian startups scaling to the U.S—with the total number of companies that have entered the San Francisco Landing Pad now at 68.

“It’s my pleasure to welcome the ninth class of Australian startups to the Australian Landing Pad in San Francisco. These companies, Australia’s best and brightest, are ready to have a go in the U.S. and show how Australian tech is transforming the world in industries like cyber security, edtech and future transport,” said the Hon. Joe Hockey MP, Australian Ambassador to the U.S.

The San Francisco Landing Pad provides crucial support to the wave of Australian tech startups whose world-class solutions have put Australia on the map as a hub for technology and innovation. An alum from the San Francisco Landing Pad’s first cohort in 2016, Rosterfy built strong momentum through the program. Its volunteer management solutions platform has powered two Super Bowls and will be used to manage more than 10,000 volunteers at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. In addition, Rosterfy’s platform was used to support the Aspen Ski World Cup, Tough Mudder competitions, and has been selected to support Expo 2020 Dubai. From the San Francisco Landing Pad’s current class, Unleash Live has already generated recognition and traction, being featured as a leading example of a platform using 5G capabilities by Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg at CES 2019.

The San Francisco Landing Pad’s new class includes eight established Australian tech startups:

• Amplify, an enterprise software solution for strategy execution;
• Cybermerc, a provider of cyber intelligence analyst training;
• Datasec, a provider of cyber security and information management end-point solutions;
• Kindergo, a suite of educational and literacy apps for kids based in story;
• Liftango, a corporate rideshare and demand-responsive technology provider;
• Rheology Solutions, a technology solution that measures and delivers the flow properties of a liquid in a pipe in real time;
• Unleash Live, a cloud-based software platform that leverages live A.I. analytics to optimize business operations across industries;
• ShellProtect (by Vertex), a cloud-based cyber security manager.

“Being in the Landing Pad is a huge leg up for Kindergo. It gives us a chance to run as fast as we can for three months, leverage Austrade’s deep networks and gain a comprehensive understanding of the biggest market in the world, to see what it really takes to make it in America. The kick-off with Ambassador Hockey really set the tone—Aussies can make it here. We have the skill, the innovation and the tenacity. We just need somewhere supportive to land while we scale our businesses,” said Kristen Souvlis, Co-Founder of Kindergo.

To welcome its new participants, the San Francisco Landing Pad hosted a kick-off event featuring high-profile guests Ambassador Hockey and the Hon. Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia, as well as seasoned Australian entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated the U.S. business landscape. Hosted on January 21 at the WeWork Montgomery Station campus in San Francisco, this event provided a key opportunity to showcase the San Francisco Landing Pad, introduce its ninth cohort of participants and discuss the Australian government’s role in supporting the internationalization of Australian technology companies.

The San Francisco Landing Pad helps Australian startups expand operations to the U.S. through four key offerings: a 90-day residence, business development assistance, access to Austrade’s established business networks and post-program support. As part of the program’s 90-day residence, startups have an operational base at a leading technology campus. This immersive environment provides comprehensive resources, workshops and support to position startups for rapid growth. Worldwide, Austrade has Landing Pads in five key markets: San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Berlin and Singapore. Each Landing Pad assists market-ready Australian startups and scaleups to access some of the world’s most renowned innovation ecosystems.

About the Australian Trade and Investment Commission
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion and investment attraction agency. It delivers quality trade and investment services to businesses to grow Australia’s prosperity by generating and providing market information and insights, promoting Australian capability and facilitating connections through its extensive global network. To learn more, visit: austrade.gov.au