SMB Weekly — 23 June 2026
This week saw major policy movement for Australian small businesses, with both NSW and Queensland handing down budgets containing targeted SME support, while federal tax reforms cleared a parliamentary hurdle. Meanwhile, startup funding continued to flow — $72.4 million across three deals — and a warning on fuel costs as the excise discount expires.
💻 Tech & Digital Tools
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Melbourne healthtech Everlab raises $65m to fix fragmented healthcare
Everlab has closed a $65 million Series A led by Airtree Ventures, with participation from Plural, Left Lane Capital, and Test cricket captain Pat Cummins. Founded in 2023, the platform unifies diagnostics, clinician consults, specialist referrals, prescriptions, and wearable data into a single system — aiming to replace the disjointed experience of navigating separate providers. The raise follows a $15 million seed round less than a year ago and will fund international expansion.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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Queensland fintech Flyweel raises $2.41m to rewire ad spend infrastructure
Flyweel, a Brisbane-based fintech building the financial plumbing underneath digital advertising spend, has secured $2.41 million in pre-Seed funding. The startup operates in the intersection of adtech and finance, a space that has drawn growing investor interest as businesses demand better transparency and efficiency in their digital marketing budgets.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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Women's health startup Ovum lands $4m seed round after tripling valuation
Ovum, an AI-powered women's health platform, has raised $4 million in seed funding after more than tripling its valuation. The raise underscores growing investor appetite for femtech and healthtech startups in Australia, a category that has seen significant deal flow over the past twelve months.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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⚖️ Regulation & Compliance
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Labor secures Greens support to pass CGT and negative gearing reforms
The federal government's capital gains tax and negative gearing reforms are set to pass Parliament after the Greens agreed to back the package. For small business owners, the changes carry significant implications — particularly around asset sales, succession planning, and investment property holdings commonly used as wealth-building vehicles outside the core business. The reforms represent the most consequential tax changes for SME owners in over a decade.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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The small bookkeeping mistake that became a six-figure tax problem
A cautionary tale for SME operators: what began as a minor bookkeeping oversight snowballed into a six-figure tax liability after an ATO audit. The case highlights the compounding risk of small compliance gaps — misclassified expenses, inconsistent GST reporting, and poor record-keeping — and serves as a timely reminder with EOFY approaching.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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💰 Grants & Funding
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NSW budget reveals $37 million for Business Connect successor
The NSW government has committed $37 million in the 2026-27 state budget to fund the successor program to Business Connect, the long-running advisory service for small businesses. The new program will continue to provide free, independent business advice to NSW SMEs, though details on the service model and eligibility criteria remain forthcoming.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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QLD budget 2026: Targeted SME support but little for startups
Queensland's 2026-27 budget, handed down by Treasurer David Janetzki, includes a suite of small business support measures — payroll tax relief, energy bill subsidies, and regional investment incentives — but drew criticism for lacking specialist startup support. The government traces a multi-year path back to surplus while maintaining core SME programs.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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📈 Business Growth & Trends
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New Energy Transport secures $5m to accelerate electric truck fleet
Twenty electric prime movers will hit Australian roads sooner than planned after New Energy Transport secured a $5 million investment from Jekara Group. The funding pulls the fleet's operational launch forward from mid-2027 to late 2026 and will also fund mobile charging stations. The announcement carries extra weight as diesel costs climb and the fuel excise discount is set to expire on 30 June, pushing up transport expenses for logistics-reliant businesses.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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Fuel prices set to rise as government winds back excise cut
Australian businesses face higher transport and logistics costs from July 1 as the temporary fuel excise reduction ends. The excise will return to its full rate of 49.6 cents per litre, adding an estimated 25 cents per litre at the pump. For SMEs in transport, delivery, trades, and regional operations, the increase represents a material cost pressure entering the new financial year.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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Sephora to roll out 'quiet hours' across Australian stores
Beauty retailer Sephora Australia will introduce sensory-friendly quiet hours in all stores, reducing lighting, music, and fragrances to create a more inclusive shopping environment. The initiative reflects a broader retail trend toward accessibility and inclusive design — a growing consideration for bricks-and-mortar businesses looking to differentiate their customer experience and demonstrate social responsibility.
🔗 Read more | Source: SmartCompany
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