Small Business (SMB) stories
Mid-market firms could gain enterprise-grade AI defence without replacing existing systems, as SonicWall rolls out GPT-5.5-Cyber through partners.
Verified customer feedback has put Avalara among the top-rated tax compliance tools as businesses grapple with complex rules across jurisdictions.
Its growth mirrors the shift of UK private equity from a niche source of finance to a mainstream market, with ECI now managing around GBP £3 billion.
The tie-up could speed customer service automation for regulated sectors, with first joint deals already closed and roll-outs due in weeks.
Short outages can now be covered for home offices and retail tills, as the compact range targets small devices across EMEA.
Banks could gain a single AI system for customer requests, as Backbase folds Kasisto's tools into its software and boosts its US reach.
The tie-up gives Australian businesses more access to indoor mobile coverage tools as demand rises for connected buildings and sensor systems.
Tourism operators could capture more bookings as an AI receptionist now answers missed calls, checks availability and takes payments automatically.
Employee feedback and gender-equality data helped propel the lender to the top of Australia's finance and insurance workplace rankings for 2026.
Security teams and IT departments are being pulled closer together as access control becomes part of wider digital infrastructure.
Adoption alone may not lift output, with only 5% of Australian small firms fully using AI despite two-thirds already experimenting with it.
The Montreal startup's software aims to close a coaching gap by showing managers how reps handle calls, not just whether they happened.
Landmark Credit Union has turned a digital overhaul into growth, lifting business profiles above 7,800 and adding USD $150,000 in fee income.
The deal gives Inflite greater control over electricity costs and decarbonisation planning after a 2.5-year switch from the airport tariff.
Insolvencies in the industry are now more than three times the national average, as diesel, landfill levies and debt costs squeeze margins.
The top London rating has sparked enquiries from buyers in four countries, as the Tauranga distiller weighs an export push for its gin.
Small firms are being squeezed as payroll gets harder and skilled staff near retirement, leaving software to fill the gap.
Lenders in Australia can now score borrowers without moving data out of Snowflake, as the app targets faster, simpler underwriting.
The cloud-based app could cut setup time for small merchants and intensify pressure on Square, Shopify and Lightspeed in Australia.
Home services operators could cut back-office headcount as the New York software firm expands after backing from Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital.