Technology
Venture Funding Surge Powers Gold Coast Tech Expansion in AI and Productivity Tools
Local startups draw $120 million in deals this quarter as investors back household and workplace applications.
How we reported this
Gold Coast AI firm FamilyForge secured a $28 million Series B round on July 10, led by local backers and international funds focused on household tech.
The round follows OpenAI’s push into family-oriented products and comes amid broader investor interest in tools that skip cameras for productivity gains. Gold Coast companies now compete directly for capital that once flowed mainly to Sydney and Melbourne operations.
Local programmes and venues driving deal flow
FamilyForge operates from a co-working floor on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise and recently joined the Gold Coast City Council’s Tech Accelerator at the Robina Innovation Centre. Both sites host weekly pitch sessions that have drawn 14 venture firms since March. The accelerator’s intake this year includes five startups working on slushie-style cooling hardware and smart glasses without recording features.
Investors cite the city’s lower operating costs and direct access to Griffith University’s engineering labs as reasons for increased activity. A separate $15 million seed pool announced in April by the council targets exactly these hardware and AI household products.
Numbers behind the growth
State government figures show Gold Coast tech companies closed 22 funding rounds worth $120 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 38 percent from the same period last year. Average deal size reached $5.4 million. FamilyForge’s valuation hit $112 million post-money, according to documents filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Founders say the capital will fund a 40-person hiring push and a new pilot with the Gold Coast University Hospital for productivity glasses used by administrative staff.
Companies that want to participate in the next accelerator round can submit applications through the council’s website before August 15; accepted teams receive six months of free space at the Robina centre plus introductions to the same investor group that backed FamilyForge.