Latest updates for ANZ sales professionals
For decades, the fix for slowing growth was simple: hire a better VP Sales. A great sales leader could double revenue in 90 days without changing the product. That playbook still works, but the underlying assumption has collapsed. Products are no longer static.
Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh says Australia's AI adoption sits at 7%, concentrated in big banks and enterprise. The gap between large firms and SMEs is widening. For sales teams, that means the buyers with budget for AI tools are still mostly the majors: CBA, Macquarie, NAB, Westpac, ANZ.
SaaStr's flagship event lost 48 of its 2025 sponsors, nearly all legacy B2B SaaS companies. The trade show rebuilt with 63 new sponsors, mostly AI-native vendors chasing AI-first buyers. If your customer base still looks like 2023, here is your warning.
Two Australian startups closed funding this week: Harrison.ai raised $179 million for healthcare AI expansion into US and UK markets, while insurtech UpCover secured $19 million ($8m debt) at a $45 million valuation. Both are hiring, but the sales motion looks very different.
Atlassian fell off Australia's best tech workplace rankings after cutting 1,600 roles in May 2026, about 12% of its global workforce. The Sydney-based company also disappeared from LinkedIn's career growth list, marking a sharp reversal for the former employer brand leader.
Reevo closed $80M from Coastal Ventures and Kleiner Perkins to build an AI-native revenue operating system targeting mid-market GTM teams. The company is betting fragmented sales stacks, averaging 10-15 tools per team, will give way to unified platforms. Founder team from DoorDash, Stripe, and Square.
Only 7% of Australian businesses broadly use AI, according to Federal Treasurer Andrew Leigh. For sales teams targeting SMB and enterprise segments, that is 93% greenfield opportunity with significant education friction. AI adoption remains concentrated among tech incumbents: Amazon, Optus, Telstra, Splunk.
SaaStr is running 21+ AI agents in production, including two 'AI VPs' that cost $257 combined last month while replacing what used to be 5 full-time roles. The company swung from minus 19% to plus 47% revenue growth YoY. Here is what the actual bills look like and why cost is no longer the constraint.
Jason Lemkin's SaaStr is hiring a Director of Digital Marketing with a twist: you'll report to 10K, their AI VP of Marketing. Six-figure salary, mostly remote. The AI already ships campaigns, builds audiences, and writes copy without human input. This is what reporting structure inversion looks like in practice.
Kim Teo says ending the 50% CGT discount will push startup founders out of Australia, making government support measures pointless. The 2026-27 Budget replaces the discount with inflation-adjusted gains taxed at minimum 30%, hitting employee equity and founder exits. Airwallex, valued at $5.5B with 100+ ANZ sales roles, built its team on equity comp structures now under threat.
Former Up Bank CPO Anson Parker and payments exec Sam Mendelsohn closed a $4 million pre-seed for XMO, an AI-native consumer finance startup. The Melbourne team is building product, applying for licences and hiring before a 12-month Australian launch. No sales org yet: this is founder-led pilot territory.
Budget 2026 tweaks R&D tax offsets while Ireland boosts credits to 35% and the US restores immediate expensing. Australian deep tech founders argue the changes miss early-stage hardware startups burning capital before revenue. Trust taxation changes add pressure.