OpenAI backs Australian founders with more than A$5.5 million in startup credits

From school students to AI-native founders, more than 150 builders gathered in Sydney for OpenAI Founder Day.

OpenAI has provided more than A$5.5 million in API credits to Australian founders and entrepreneurs, supporting a new generation of local businesses building with artificial intelligence.

The milestone was marked at OpenAI’s Sydney Founder Day, where more than 150 founders, entrepreneurs and builders gathered to share how they are using AI to develop products, grow their businesses and compete globally.

Attendees ranged from established founders including Relevance AI co-founder Jacky Koh and Ignition co-founder Dane Thomas, to two Sydney Year 12 students Peter Starodubtsev and Steve Zhu, who are building AI-powered startups before they have even graduated high school.

Peter founded Petrex, a gaming and advertising venture with six-figure pre-seed backing that uses OpenAI’s Codex to develop immersive branded experiences on gaming platforms.

“Traditional advertising interrupts the experience; we build brands into games in a way that feels natural and adds to the fun. I started working on the idea three years ago, and since then we’ve partnered with brands like Samsung and NBC Universal Studios. Raising funding was a huge learning experience, but what I enjoy most is building the product, testing new ideas and growing our team,” Peter said.

Steve Zhu, alongside Peter, is building Workwise, an AI-native operations platform designed to help Australian small businesses coordinate complex workflows across their existing tools.

“Watching my mum build her e-commerce business, I saw how easy it was for founders to get lost in the minutiae. We’re building Workwise so running a business doesn’t require the owner to constantly hold the whole business in their head, giving them more time and space for the decisions that actually move the company forward,” Steve said.

In Sydney for Founder Day, Wulfie Bain, OpenAI’s International Applied AI Lead, said he was blown away by the talent of the next generation of Australian founders using AI to turn ambitious ideas into real businesses.

“Australian founders have always built with global ambition. What’s changing is how quickly a great idea can become a real product. Whether you’re an established founder or still at school, AI is lowering the barriers to building and giving Australian entrepreneurs new ways to compete on the world stage,” he said.

“For Australian founders, that opportunity also depends on getting more useful work from every dollar they spend. OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 family gives startups the flexibility to choose the right model for their needs, from complex tasks to fast, cost-effective work at scale. Recent improvements in efficiency have also reduced API pricing for GPT-5.6 Luna by 80%, helping founders stretch their budgets further as they build and grow.”

Australia is already among OpenAI’s top 10 markets globally for developers building on its platform. Earlier this year, OpenAI expanded its startup program, offering eligible Australian companies up to US$50,000, or approximately A$70,000, in API credits, alongside 10 complimentary ChatGPT Business seats and access to Codex.

The event included live demonstrations, product updates and practical sessions with founders building across sectors including legal services, financial technology, customer support and AI-powered automation.