Emesent — Emesent is an Australian company specializing in drone autonomy, SLAM-based LiDAR mapping, and data analytics. Founded in 2018 by Dr. Stefan Hrabar and Dr. Farid Kendoul, Emesent emerged from over a decade of research at CSIRO's Robotics and Autonomous Systems group. Their flagship product, Hovermap, is a versatile mobile scanning unit that enables autonomous data capture in challenging, GPS-denied environments, such as underground mines and complex industrial facilities. Hovermap's advanced autonomy and mapping capabilities have been utilized in over 3,000 autonomous flights across more than 30 mine sites worldwide, including operations by industry leaders like BHP, Barrick, and Newmont. Emesent has experienced significant growth since its inception, expanding from a startup to a mid-sized enterprise with nearly 40 employees and the production of over 100 Hovermap units within its first 18 months. The company continues to push the boundaries of drone autonomy and data analytics, providing innovative solutions for industries requiring precise and efficient mapping of inaccessible areas.
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Leadership Change · Oceania
Knight Frank →Knight Frank appointed Natasha Barron as managing director of South Australia, replacing long-serving state leader Bobbette Scott. Part of broader leadership team strengthening.
Ma Activity · Oceania
Aware Super →Aware Super increased its ownership stake in Keyton (Australia's largest retirement village operator) from ~50% to 75% by acquiring Lendlease's 25.1% interest.
Restructuring · Oceania
Judo Bank →Judo Bank issued a warning on provisions, signalling increased loan losses. Share price tanked significantly, reflecting strains in the economy and concerns about multi-sector loan deterioration.
Restructuring · Oceania
Elastic →Elastic announced a 7% workforce reduction (~280 employees from 4,019 total) while maintaining customer-facing sales growth. CEO cited AI and automation enabling leaner operations. Engineering reorganized into three core areas reporting to CEO. Company expects net headcount growth this fiscal year despite layoffs.
Capital Raising · Oceania
Airwallex →Airwallex raised $320M Series H at $11B valuation (up from $8B six months prior), with $1.3B annualised revenue (74% YoY growth). Capital targets AI-native finance automation products (T:0, Airi) to enable autonomous finance operations.
Capital Raising · Oceania
Canva →Robinhood Ventures Fund invested $25M in Canva as part of a broader AI-powered tech investment strategy
