Unicorn Day, the annual AWS-led gathering of founders, buyers and startup operators, took over Sydney lately – and the message was loud and clear: Australia is likely to be a small market, however our startups are taking part in on a worldwide stage.
From a powerful lineup of audio system spanning AWS heavyweights to big-name clients and VCs, listed below are the ten of crucial takeaways for bold startups and scaleups:
1. AI will remodel each trade
The occasion was opened by the AWS MD for Australia and New Zealand, Rianne Van Veldhuizen, who shared that 83 per cent of startups imagine AI will reshape their trade throughout the subsequent 5 years.
On the threat of stating the apparent, the chance is huge. The problem, nonetheless, is transferring from hype to real-world influence, and standing out in an more and more saturated AI market.
2. New packages are fuelling Australia’s AI spring
AWS used Unicorn Day to highlight its Generative AI Accelerator, which has already supported startups like Splash and Leonardo.ai. In 2024, 80 corporations globally participated within the eight-week hybrid program, which provides generative and agentic AI startups mentorship from program companions like NVIDIA and Mistral AI, and the prospect to obtain as much as US$1 million in AWS credit. The most recent cohort might be introduced on September 24, 2025.
There’s additionally AI Spring Australia, the brand new initiative AWS has launched to strengthen nationwide AI functionality. This system will give startups and enterprises the instruments and experience they should adapt throughout particular sectors and industries.
Unicorn Day 2025 was hosted by the the AWS ANZ Startup Staff on August 11 at Illumina, Sydney.
3. The best way software program is constructed is altering — quick
Luke Anderson’s keynote hammered residence a fact many founders are already grappling with: mannequin reasoning and AI brokers imply we have to shift how we take into consideration software program. It’s time to replace how we construct, deploy, and work together with software program.
It’s a shift from static code to techniques that absorb information to behave, determine and execute on our behalf.
4. However the fundamentals nonetheless matter
Identification, safety, information foundations and cost-optimised infrastructure aren’t going wherever. As Anderson put it, the foundations don’t disappear — they get extra necessary.
5. Belief and resilience matter greater than ever
AWS leaned closely on its credentials: government-grade cloud safety, 99.54 per cent uptime throughout APAC, and a pair of.7 occasions fewer outages than rivals. As AI-driven purposes scale, reliability isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s existential.
6. Sustainability is a part of the startup playbook
From AI-powered irrigation initiatives lowering water utilization by 40 per cent to a $467 million dedication in renewable vitality initiatives by way of 2025, AWS framed sustainability as core infrastructure for startups constructing the longer term.
7. Canva says constraints are a superpower
Canva’s Head of Design Expertise, Alli McKee, argued Australia’s dimension has compelled founders to assume world from day one — which explains why the nation punches above its weight with unicorn creation.
And he or she’s somebody that may know – having constructed and bought her personal AI design startup to Google earlier than becoming a member of Canva and transferring Down Underneath.
Canva’s Head of Design Expertise Alli McKee shares the corporate’s 3-step take a look at for startups. Picture: Startup Every day.
8. A 3-part take a look at for each startup
Alli shared Canva’s framework for scaling merchandise which ought to act as a litmus take a look at for anybody constructing with world ambitions:
Who’re you constructing for? Don’t simply prioritise the loudest markets or clients, construct for a worldwide attain that may have the best long-term influence.
Is it easy sufficient? Canva lives by the precept of “three steps to done.” Can a consumer do every little thing inside three steps?
Can it scale? AI now makes enlargement sooner and cheaper than ever. Opening new markets, and localising in overseas languages, has by no means been extra achievable.
9. Amazon Bedrock and Q Developer are the brand new must-watch instruments
AWS highlighted Bedrock because the quickest approach to construct and scale generative AI apps safely, alongside Bedrock AgentCore for runtime environments and Amazon Q Developer for AI-powered growth lifecycles.
Translation: anticipate a really completely different software program stack in 2025.
10. AI is greatest when it feels invisible
Whereas AI dominated the day, Canva cautioned towards chasing it for its personal sake.
The actual magic? “When AI disappears into the background, solving problems and elevating user experience without fanfare.”
Bonus: The Australian benefit
Earlier than the champagnes flowed, AWS Heads of Startups/Scaleups NZ John Kearney closed out the day with a reminder that Australia’s startup ecosystem is already confirmed on the worldwide stage.
With packages like AWS Activate, GTM Accelerator and the AWS International Market, the pathways to worldwide scale are wider than ever.
Discover out extra about AWS packages for startups in Australia and New Zealand right here.
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