Not on the Panel
Unpacking what works when building in ███ ██████, GovTech, and the █████████ market.
👋 Welcome
Welcome to issue #3 of Not on the Panel, your unofficial guide to building and scaling in government.
We aim to track activity in Australia's $80B business-to-government market each week and report on contract spending and the actual mechanics of selling into the public sector.
Australia's $80B business-to-government market is one of the country's most stable and overlooked revenue streams. Sadly, many founders and investors are not even aware it exists. Not on the Panel tracks weekly contract reporting, highlights who is winning deals, and explains how we think startups and investors can break in.
📰 This Week in Gov
🛡️ Cyber threats escalate as AI enters the fray
New data from Armis reveals that 56 per cent of Australian organisations have experienced cyberwarfare activity, well above the global average of 43 per cent. The report highlights the role of AI in accelerating threat sophistication, with both state and non-state actors deploying machine learning to bypass traditional defences. Despite this, 58 per cent of organisations still operate reactively, leaving critical systems exposed. The takeaway is clear. AI is now both the threat and the tool required to stop it.
Source: Armis Cyberwarfare Report 2025
🧠 NSW trains public servants in applied AI
The New South Wales Government has partnered with Databricks to deliver data and AI training to at least 100 public servants. This move shifts the AI conversation from innovation hype to practical, operational capability. The aim is to embed machine learning and analytics into daily public sector decision-making and service design.
Source: itbrief.com.au
🆔 Queensland Introduces Enhanced Digital Identity System
The Queensland Government transitioned from the QGov platform to the new Queensland Digital Identity (QDI) system. QDI offers improved security features, including multi-factor authentication and support for a broader range of identification documents. This change aims to streamline citizen access to government services while bolstering data protection.
Source: qld.gov.au
🖋️ Adobe Acrobat Sign Achieves IRAP Certification
Adobe's Acrobat Sign has completed the Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) assessment, ensuring its compliance with Australian government security standards. This certification facilitates secure digital document workflows within public sector agencies.
Source: securitybrief.com.au
💼 This Week in B2G
Week 16 (ending 18 April)
📄 $749.12m in total reported contract spend
🖥️ $58.36m in software + digital services
Breakdown by Service:
💾 Software: $11.34m
☁️ SaaS (Cloud): $1.79m
🛠️ Software maintenance & support: $44.28m
🧱 Platform SaaS: $40k
⚙️ Software/hardware engineering: $909.8k
Breakdown by Procurement Method
📢 Open Tender — $5.97m
🗃️ Prequalified Tender — $0.0m
📩 Limited Tender — $53.39m
GovTech Flex
Rocket Software Inc. locked in a 6-month, $17.74m limited tender with Services Australia for mainframe DBMS support. Since 2021, they’ve racked up ~$150m in mainframe contracts — all via CPR Exemption 10.3.e 🖥️🔒
AWS (Australia) scored a 3-year, $23.38m extension with ASIC for cloud services. Their previous 3-year deal was $19.21m — both awarded under the same CPR Exemption 10.3.e 🖥️🔒
Athena AI, fresh off an acquisition, awarded two new DoD contracts worth $80k. Since 2021, Athena AI has been awarded ~$11.5m in Government contracts— incl. $4.09m from the Defence Innovation Hub 🔍🤖
QLD-based Askable bagged its first $40k gig with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 🌱📈. Since 2019, Askabale has secured ~$2.09m in government contracts, with $990k landing in 2024 alone (👇more on this below👇).
🧱Build Better
We’re taking a short break from our “5 Myths about Selling to Government” series to focus on something that caught my eye in this week’s Austender data.
Askable (a user research startup) quietly picked up a $40,000 contract with the Department of Agriculture.
Usually, this sort of deal flies under the radar, but it was a reminder to revisit their broader trajectory. What’s unfolded over the past few years is one of the clearest examples I’ve seen of a startup using government procurement pathways to build steady, compounding revenue.
Most startups never get this far because they look in the wrong place. When they think about government, they start with Requests for Tender, not minor procurements. However, Askable’s pathway shows what happens when you start with smaller, low-friction contracts. If I were advising a startup today, this is where I’d tell them to begin.
Askable: From $16k to $2M
You saw the number: $990k in 2024 alone. That is just one part; I followed Askable’s trail through AusTender to understand how a Brisbane-based startup quietly built a $2 million pipeline inside the Commonwealth.
The early work
Askable’s first federal contract, from the ATO, was awarded in 2019. It was only worth $16,500, but it was followed up in 2020 with a second contract from the same agency for $11,000. By the end of 2021, Askable had delivered five federal agreements worth a combined $132,500.
Each engagement fell under the $80,000 threshold, placing it in the category of minor procurement, which is exempt from Division 2 of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs). An exemption from Division 2 means that buyers do not need to go to tender or publish detailed documentation. However, all Commonwealth procurement must still comply with Division 1, which requires a demonstration of value for money.
Value for Money includes not just the price and quality, but also the internal cost of running the procurement. Staff time, governance effort, and process overhead all factor in. For smaller procurements, the most efficient option is often a supplier who is already known and easy to engage.
This is where most startups fall short. Government buyers want low-friction options that still deliver value. Askable made themselves a known quantity early. That kind of strategic visibility builds compound credibility.
A structural shift
The nature of Askable’s contracts changed in 2022. A $137,000 engagement with the Digital Health Agency appears in AusTender. It includes a reference to the Digital Marketplace panel. Based on timing and structure, this is likely when Askable was accepted onto the panel.
That shift removed the $80,000 constraint. Panel arrangements allow agencies to request quotes from a shortlist of suppliers and award contracts of any value. Panel membership means that the compliance work is done upfront; therefore, once a supplier is onboarded, buyers can move faster with less administrative cost, and administrative overheads do not burden sellers.
Panel membership changes the conversation. It doesn’t just remove the $80K value cap; it gives buyers a mechanism they can use when they need something from someone they already trust.
From repeatability to scale
In 2022, Askable signed four contracts worth $575,000. Two of those were with Services Australia. One began at $77,000 and was uplifted to $231,000. The other started at $100,000 and increased to $150,000.
In 2023, Askable signed six more contracts, worth a combined $356,000.
By April 2024, they had already secured eight additional contracts worth $909,000.
At the same time, Askable's agency footprint expanded. Since 2022, Askable has delivered work for at least eight federal entities, including:
Services Australia: $606,000 since 2022
Bureau of Meteorology: $322,900
ATO: $270,000 since 2019
Department of Health: $243,000 in 2024 alone
What began as two small contracts with one agency has become a stable presence across multiple departments. This was not a lucky win or a one-off. It was built through consistency, timing, and a clear understanding of how the Commonwealth buys.
The shift from one or two contracts to five is the signal I look for. It shows that buyers are returning and that internal procurement friction is starting to fall away. Panel access helps, but it does not create momentum on its own. The supplier still needs to be visible, credible, and ready when the opportunity presents itself.
What others can take from this
Askable did not scale by chasing open tenders. They started with small, low-friction contracts. They made themselves easy to engage. They delivered reliably. That opened the door to panel access, which allowed contract values to grow and repeat work to flow more easily.
Askable’s trajectory is not surprising. The pattern is familiar to anyone who understands how the Commonwealth buys. Small, low-friction contracts build credibility. Panel access removes barriers. Structured procurement pathways make repeat business easier to secure. When used correctly, these mechanisms deliver scalable results.
I do not just watch this happen. I study it, track it, and, in many cases, coach it. Week by week, I follow the data not for headlines but for signals. Behind every contract award is a decision, a pathway, and a lesson. If you understand how the system works, growth like this is not an outlier. It is possible, repeatable, and often hides in plain sight.
Askable’s broader growth trajectory
While this piece focuses on Askable’s contracts with the federal government, it is only one part of the picture. Askable has a strong commercial customer base and continues to grow its B2B footprint alongside its public sector work.
In December 2024, Askable raised $22 million, backed by AirTree Ventures, to expand its presence in the market research and user testing space. The raise was reported to value the company at $100 million. This capital positions them to accelerate both product and market expansion, with public sector delivery already proving to be a reliable and repeatable growth channel.
The takeaway is simple. Askable did not treat government as a fallback. They treated the Government as a customer and built trust, access, and delivery capability over time.
📣 Are you a Startup Selling to the Government, or want to?
Each week, more than 1,500 federal contracts are published on AusTender. We track what we can, but we cannot review every supplier to identify which companies are startups.
If you’re:
Tendering for government work
Already delivering to a government customer
Recently awarded a contract
We want to hear from you.
You do not need a press release or a comms team; leave a comment below or get in touch.
We are always looking for stories that help explain what is actually happening in the B2G and GovTech markets.
📄 Method and Scope
Each week, we track reported contract data from AusTender, the Commonwealth government’s procurement reporting system. Our focus is on contracts classified under software, SaaS, and digital services, as these categories are most relevant to technology founders building with or for government.
AusTender publishes thousands of contract notices each week across a wide range of categories. While we rely on this data as our primary source, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of individual listings.
We do not attempt to cover every sector or supplier. However, if a startup is awarded a contract and we can verify it, we will include it, regardless of classification. These stories help surface where momentum exists and where future opportunity may lie.
✍️Meet the Editor
Hi, I'm Mat, a Startup advisor, former bureaucrat, investor, and lifelong procurement tragic.
Across my career, I’ve worked on four of the most significant non-defence contracts in the Commonwealth. I’m still frustrated that early-stage companies are largely shut out of the government market.
This Substack is part of how I’m building in public. I work with founders and investors who see the $80 billion business-to-government opportunity in Australia.
We also support founders with the essential but often overlooked areas like governance, risk, and strategy.
If you’re a founder trying to break into government or an investor who sees the chance to back generational companies in this space, feel free to reach out. I’m always up for a coffee.