Tech billionaire Cannon-Brookes backs climate jobs platform

Save articles for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

An online platform backed by the green philanthropic fund of Atlassian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is aiming to shift 100,000 Australian workers into clean economy roles by 2027 amid warnings that without adequately upskilling the workforce, the nation risks failing to meet net zero targets.

Terra.do was founded in 2020 and launched locally this week, with about 4500 clean energy jobs available including senior climate change analyst for Qantas Freight, climate lead at the ABC and research technician at the CSIRO.

Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes.Credit: Olive + Maeve

Clean energy represents a bigger economic opportunity than the internet boom of the 1990s, according to Terra.do chief executive and cofounder Anshuman Bapna.

Bapna, a former employee of Google and Deloitte, said Terra.do was aimed at mid-career professionals who could use its training modules to reskill, upskill and take advantage of its job board to apply for open roles. His company has a stated goal of getting 100 million people working in climate roles globally by 2030, and Bapna said mid-career workers would be crucial to achieving that outcome.

“Australia is at an inflection point where it could help lead the world’s clean energy transition, having everything it takes to lead as a renewable energy superpower,” Bapna said.

Terra.do chief executive and co-founder Anshuman Bapna.

“It not only has some of the world’s best solar, wind and critical mineral resources, it also offers a wealth of talent across all fields – from technicians to project managers – to power a greener world.”

Atlassian cofounder Cannon-Brookes, ranked as Australia’s sixth richest person with an estimated net worth of $19 billion, has made an undisclosed investment in Terra.do through his climate fund Boundless Earth.

Cannon-Brookes is in Melbourne on Thursday for the inaugural Careers for Net Zero Fair, led by the Clean Energy Council and Energy Efficiency Council, and is expected to use his speech to call for more Australians to enter climate jobs.

“The scale of ambition that Boundless has and that Mike Cannon-Brookes has, has been a personal inspiration to me as an entrepreneur,” Bapna said.

Loading

Other speakers at Thursday’s event include Engineers Australia chief executive Romilly Madew and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.

After a protracted tussle with fellow billionaire Andrew Forrest, Cannon-Brookes last month took charge of the $30 billion Sun Cable solar power project, a solar farm roughly four times the size of the current Snowy Hydro scheme. He also launched a guide for businesses to navigate the net zero economy and report their climate impacts, titled Don’t @#$% the Planet.

Just over a year ago, Cannon-Brookes and then wife Annie announced they would invest $1.5 billion into climate projects by 2030.

“On the philanthropic side, this is a huge raise in our ambition, and just seeing the scope of the problem and the amount of things that need to be addressed and changed,” Cannon-Brookes said at the time.

“My suspicion over the next eight years is that we’ll need to do a lot more than a lot more, so we’re going to go out and do that.”

Cannon-Brookes recently reiterated his commitment to leading enterprise software outfit Atlassian, which he co-founded with Scott Farquhar 20 years ago, despite his increasing commitments to climate and environmental activism.

Boundless Earth chief executive Eytan Lenko said on Wednesday that the degree to which Australia could harness its talent would determine its success in becoming a renewable energy superpower.

“There have never been more Australians in employment, so where our skilled workforce choose to work today will define the direction of our economy tomorrow,” Lenko said.

Loading

“While we’ve made huge strides in the past year, true progress cannot be achieved without the 100,000 more people Australia needs in the clean energy workforce by 2027. That’s just 50 months away, and it’s these 50 months that will shape Australia’s next 50 years.

“Terra.do’s mission and platform to get more people in climate jobs aligns perfectly with ours.”

Lenko said Boundless’ next priority was to help reduce Australia’s methane emissions, then tackle clean exports over the next 12 months.

David Swan is the Technology Editor for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously Technology Editor for The Australian newspaper.

Most Viewed in Business

Loading


Football news:

<!DOCTYPE html>
Kane on Tuchel: A wonderful man, full of ideas. Thomas in person says what he thinks
Zarema about Kuziaev's 350,000 euros a year in Le Havre: Translate it into rubles - it's not that little. It is commendable that he left
Aleksandr Mostovoy on Wendel: Two months of walking around in the middle of nowhere and then coming back and dragging the team - that's top level
Sheffield United have bought Euro U21 champion Archer from Aston Villa for £18.5million
Alexander Medvedev on SKA: Without Gazprom, there would be no Zenit titles. There is a winning wave in the city. The next victory in the Gagarin Cup will be in the spring
Smolnikov ended his career at the age of 35. He became the Russian champion three times with Zenit

3:18 Hollywood’s biggest names split over the Israel-Hamas war
3:15 Brisbane star fights ‘uncertain’ future to become first Paris 2024 Olympian
3:12 Lilie James, found dead at Sydney school, a young woman with the world at her feet
2:45 Three years after the death of Anthony Van Dyck, his trainer finally has a horse back in Australia
2:08 At least 22 dead, 50 wounded in mass shootings in Maine, US
1:53 At least 16 dead, 50 wounded in mass shootings in Maine, US
1:48 CCC report accuses hero Cleo Smith cop of misconduct in ‘relationship’ with journalist
1:45 China’s $217 billion attempt to stimulate a sluggish economy
1:43 Shing faces fiery questions in Games inquiry
1:36 All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from attending formal 
1:28 Active shooter reported in Lewiston, Maine, police probing multiple scenes
1:21 ASX declines, weighed down by rate concerns and losses on Wall Street
1:18 ‘Why do they think this is OK?’: The latest fashion copycat row
0:59 Should I let my girlfriend’s husband kiss me on the lips?
0:59 Hands off Moore Park Golf Course. Giving public courses to developers is rough
0:57 Britney Spears shows how much a woman can bend before she breaks
0:54 Prosecco over champagne, mince over steak: Coles shoppers trade down, down
0:51 Facebook followers could get Super League clubs relegated. What if the NRL did the same?
0:50 Brisbane News Live: Teen girl allegedly assaulted at King George Square; Brisbane unit prices at record high; Shark nets removed from Qld beaches
0:50 ‘Oh dear’: The Rest Is History’s hosts on how Englishmen express deep feelings
0:45 Federation Square at 21
0:45 ‘We were seeking an opera house’: Melbourne’s quest for a monument of its own
0:45 Loved, hated, soon to be updated: The next chapter for Federation Square
0:34 Lilie James identified as woman found dead at Sydney private school, police searching for male colleague
0:32 Murderous emus to slasher classics: What I learned from a week of horror films
0:32 Murderous emus to slasher classics: What I learnt from a week of horror films
0:32 World is at ‘tipping point’ after global debt binge, warns HSBC boss
0:30 This author crossed paths with the Princess of Wales three times. It inspired a novel
0:30 Before Wendy Harmer agreed to marry her partner, there was one obstacle he had to clear
0:30 This author crossed paths with Princess Diana three times. It inspired a novel
0:25 The cheaper way to stay at one of Australia’s iconic outback destinations
0:22 Where can you find the world’s best Danish pastries? Start with the capital
0:13 Bullock opens door to rate rise as RBA assesses inflation threats
0:00 ‘There had to be change’: Why Molloy had to leave Collingwood
23:35 Adam Liaw’s stir-fried cabbage with turmeric
23:11 Adam Liaw’s chicken jalfrezi
23:00 Nuance lost as All the Light We Cannot See fails to make leap from page to screen
22:58 Facebook parent Meta posts bumper result, but outlook is ‘uncertain’
22:42 Woman’s body found in Sydney CBD school, death treated as a homicide
22:14 Apple raises prices for Apple TV+ subscriptions, Arcade games and News
21:48 Crown Resorts posts $199m loss as massive expenses wipe out profits
21:48 Crown Resorts posts $199m loss as $3b expense bill wipes out profits
21:24 Israel-Hamas conflict live updates: Israeli ambassador says Gaza humanitarian situation is ‘fair’ as death toll continues to rise
21:15 Haaland and Mbappe star as Man City, PSG win big in Champions League
20:59 New House Speaker Mike Johnson played leading role in effort to overturn 2020 election
20:12 Torres, Lopez on target as Barcelona secure home Champions League win
20:08 ASX set to fall, weighed down by rate concerns and losses on Wall Street
19:54 Australia news LIVE: Biden welcomes PM to White House for state visit; Australian households taking on more financial risk
19:54 Woman’s body found in Sydney CBD school, death treated as suspicious
19:31 ‘Trust but verify’: Biden warns Albanese on risks of dealing with China
19:15 ‘Blatant’ violation: Donald Trump fined $US10,000 for violating gag order
19:00 Giant seagulls and a new, low-cost blues festival headed to Sydney
19:00 Manufacturers and schools to buy energy directly from revived SEC
18:54 Israel bombs southern Gaza as world leaders seek pause in fighting
18:30 The smart money is on this real-life revenge-of-the-nerd story
18:30 I dreaded seeing Miss Saigon again. Then I realised things had changed
18:30 The Melbourne regions set to grow up to 141 per cent as population booms
18:23 Feeling ill, sleepless, and over-stimulated Maxwell smashes World Cup record
18:11 Trump ally elected new US House Speaker, ending weeks of wrangling
18:00 The graphs that show households are putting themselves at financial risk
18:00 Paradise found: The world’s seven most beautiful islands named
18:00 Local heroes: Australian-made fashion labels that deserve your money
18:00 Perth smashes house price records, crosses $700k median for first time
18:00 Joint replacements could become day surgeries to cut down on backlog
18:00 Spread too thin: What we’re losing as Perth sprawls
16:19 Maxwell masterpiece turns match into rout as Australia demolish Netherlands
15:27 Cricket World Cup 2023 LIVE updates: Australia v Netherlands
14:00 Tech billionaire Cannon-Brookes backs climate jobs platform
13:04 Regulator takes to big screen to spread smart word on ‘dumb money’
13:01 Albanese quotes Biden’s dead son in White House speech
13:00 What to read: A meditation on grief and Dawn French’s life of mistakes
12:59 Superquiz and Target Time, Thursday, October 26
12:00 Chinese gangsters accused of laundering $228m through business spruiked by ex-minister
8:14 Judge ticks off Amorosi mother’s lawyer over ‘outrageous’ late move
8:00 ‘Career or baby’: Why women in the tech sector still face an impossible choice
8:00 Sarah Jessica Parker: ‘Men my age are never asked about ageing’
6:32 ASX drops as inflation surprise raises risk of interest rate rise
6:09 Tabcorp shareholders protest against ‘excessive’ executive pay
5:00 Was Bennelong Australia’s most misunderstood Indigenous man?
11:20 Night Feast, Oktoberfest and more: The best things to do in Brisbane this week
11:16 Wallabies will bounce back, like all good teams do
11:14 Happy Boy crew open a buzzy French bistro in the Valley
11:11 Why Reece Walsh should frame a photo of Stephen Crichton standing over him
10:57 Broncos’ bane: Four things we learned from Brisbane’s heartbreak
10:50 Dynasty: Panthers’ stunning fightback makes grand final history
10:49 NRL grand final player ratings: How Panthers and Broncos fared
10:48 This is Penrith’s world and we’re all just living in it
10:44 No Luai, no problem for three-peat Panthers
10:38 NRL grand final 2023 - Penrith Panthers v Brisbane Broncos
10:22 I still can’t believe it, but we did it!
10:00 Wordle cheats should be left to their own devices
9:34 Victorian fire season looms as out-of-control blazes hit Gippsland
9:27 Is cheese actually good for your health? You better brie-lieve it
9:00 We must be inclusive for all pupils
8:57 Come Fly the friendly Pies
8:30 The first-date snapshots that saved a slice of Melbourne history
8:30 Shout it out loud: Proud parents watch kids rock with Kiss at the MCG
8:16 ‘Teams can wilt, and we didn’t’: Upton magic leads Knights to back-to-back NRLW titles
7:40 Mirror moment: Everything old is new again at Collingwood
7:36 Spacewalk set to blast off in three-horse sprint showdown