NAB backs Australian AI innovators

• NAB joins the Buy Australian AI Partnership as a Founding Enterprise Partner 

• Partnership connects homegrown AI companies with major financial services organisations 

• Selected startups and scaleups will receive support to build commercial readiness and navigate enterprise adoption 

NAB has joined the Federal Government’s newly announced ‘Buy Australian AI Partnership’ as a founding partner, to create stronger pathways between Australian AI innovators and the large organisations that can help turn promising ideas into trusted, commercially viable solutions. 

Launching the program today, the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Dr Andrew Charlton, said the national initiative will connect Australian AI startups and scaleups with organisations across banking, insurance and superannuation. 

“The purpose of this program is to make sure that Australia remains competitive in the world of artificial intelligence,” Dr Charlton said, likening Australia’s nascent AI industry to a garden bed of seeds, ready to germinate.

“It’s time to sprinkle some water on those seeds, make them blossom and build the next generation of AI companies that can drive our prosperity, drive future jobs and create a strong position for Australia in this AI future,” Dr Charlton said.

 The initiative responds to a persistent challenge in Australia’s AI ecosystem: strong local capability does not always translate into enterprise customer wins. Australian AI companies can struggle to gain visibility with large organisations and navigate complex assurance and procurement processes, while enterprises need greater confidence that emerging Australian AI solutions can meet their technical, regulatory, security and operational requirements.

NAB Group Executive, Digital, Data & AI Pete Steel said the partnership would help strengthen Australia’s homegrown AI capability.

“NAB is proud to join the Buy Australian AI Partnership as a founding partner,” Mr Steel said.

“Initiatives like this play an important role in building Australia's AI capability for the future.”  

“This feels like a real ‘Team Australia’ moment, where we can come together and invest in the builders of the technology in Australia, but also help connect with Australian organisations and role model what we want to see more of, so we at NAB are really excited to be part of this.”

The partnership will support a national cohort of Australian AI startups and scaleups with expert advice, industry practices and engagement opportunities. Selected companies will complete an intensive eight-week accelerator focused on commercial readiness, including AI assurance, regulatory requirements, procurement navigation and technology implementation. 

Australian Banking Association CEO Simon Birmingham welcomed the opportunity to connect financial services organisations with Australia’s developing AI industry. 

“We welcome this partnership and the opportunities it presents to better connect financial services organisations with Australia’s rapidly developing AI industry,” Mr Birmingham said. 

“The use of AI across the financial services sector continues to evolve and this partnership can help banks leverage the innovation and new technologies being built by local companies.” 

Expressions of interest are open to Australian startups and scaleups with AI solutions for financial services and close on 24 September 2026. The partnership will run from early October.