# SMEC AI

> Free, Australian Government-funded AI adoption support for small and medium businesses (fewer than 200 employees) in agriculture, clean energy, healthcare/medtech, and enabling technologies. SMEC AI provides 1-on-1 consultations, vetted tool recommendations, an 8-week founder accelerator, and ongoing implementation support — at no cost to eligible Australian SMEs.

## About
- SMEC AI (Small to Medium Enterprise Centre of Artificial Intelligence) is an initiative of Boab AI.
- Funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the AI Adopt program.
- Partners include the University of Melbourne, RMIT, La Trobe University, Artesian, Cremorne Digital Hub, Victorian Medtech Skills and Devices Hub, TNG, and Rockwell.
- Eligible businesses: Australian SMEs with fewer than 200 employees in agriculture, clean energy, healthcare/medtech, or enabling technologies.
- Cost: free for eligible businesses. No fees, no subscriptions, no upsells.

## Services
- **AI Adopt** — 1-on-1 consultations that give you a clear direction. If you are not sure where to start with AI, this is the right first step. You will work one-on-one with an advisor who understands your sector. They will put together a practical roadmap you can follow regardless of your technical background.
- **AI Studio** — An 8-week accelerator for founders building with AI. AI Studio is for early-stage founders who are ready to build. Over eight weeks, you will work with AI engineers and advisors to ship a working product, develop your go-to-market approach, and connect with operators across Australia.
- See [services overview](https://smecai.au/#services) and [AI Pathfinder](https://smecai.au/ai-pathfinder).

## Case studies
- [Knowsey — Emily Hendley, Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/knowsey) — After 20 years in product, Emily Hendley is building Knowsey, a competitor intelligence copilot, with a beachhead sharpened by AI Pathfinder.
- [Good Lioness — Dr Brindha Gunasingham, Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/good-lioness) — Dr Brindha Gunasingham built Good Lioness to fix hidden assumptions in investment models, and used AI Pathfinder to accelerate the build.
- [DrilLedger — Guy Kennedy, Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/drilledger) — Perth founder Guy Kennedy is building DrilLedger, a platform of 17 AI agents to lift the admin load capping mining services growth.
- [Sundrift AI — Yarin Cohen, Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/sundrift-ai) — Sundrift AI pivoted from replacing lender CRMs to an execution layer above them, and opened its beta to Australian mortgage brokers.
- [SomaForm — Mike Cardno, Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/somaform) — How SomaForm, a science-based swim coaching startup, sequenced its product build with SMEC AI and No Moss.
- [Remède Wellness Medicine — Rhyanna Van Leeuwarden, Group Chair](https://smecai.au/case-studies/remede-wellness) — Remède Wellness Medicine replaced fragmented manual reporting with an AI-powered workflow, faster, consistent, scalable.
- [Genotype Health — Mimi Zilliacus, CEO & Founder](https://smecai.au/case-studies/genotype-health) — Genotype Health designed its healthcare startup for AI automation from day one, scalable infrastructure before launch.
- [Tax Window — Artur Osadchiy, Managing Director](https://smecai.au/case-studies/tax-window) — Tax Window saved ~2 hours per week with a custom follow-up automation built on their existing tech stack.
- [365 Days Medical Centre Group — Dr Praveen Konadi, GP & Medical Centre Director](https://smecai.au/case-studies/365-medical) — 365 Days Medical Centre Group built and commercialised a 24/7 AI Healthcare Receptionist with SMEC AI's partners.
- [PatientVoice (user story) — Occupational Therapist, Healthcare Business Owner](https://smecai.au/case-studies/patientvoice) — A Victorian occupational therapist reclaimed hours of admin a week after SMEC AI matched them with PatientVoice.

## Blog
- [AI on Australian Farms in 2026: What's Working, What's Hype, and What It Costs](https://smecai.au/blogs/ai-australian-farms-2026) — A plain-English guide to farm AI in 2026: the tools earning their keep on Australian farms, the claims that don't stack up yet, and real prices to start.
- [Farm Profits Are Tipped to Fall 70% Next Year. Here's the Work AI Can Take Off Your Plate](https://smecai.au/blogs/farm-profits-fall-ai-workload) — ABARES forecasts a 70% fall in broadacre farm profits in 2026-27. Here's the work AI can realistically take off Australian farmers' plates, and what it costs to start.
- [AI Risks for Australian SMEs: What You Need to Know in 2026](https://smecai.au/blogs/ai-risks-for-australian-smes-2026) — AI is already inside most Australian businesses. Here are the real risks in 2026, and the practical steps to manage them.
- [Where to Start With AI in Your Business: A Basic Guide for Australian SMEs](https://smecai.au/blogs/where-to-start-with-ai-in-your-business) — A practical, no-jargon starting point for Australian SME owners who feel like they walked into the middle of an AI conversation. What to try, what to skip, and where to ask for help.
- [Why Most Australian SMEs Have Not Adopted AI Yet](https://smecai.au/blogs/why-most-australian-smes-have-not-adopted-ai-yet) — Cost is the obvious answer, but the data tells a different story. A look at the real barriers holding Australian SMEs back from AI, and what closes the gap.

## Frequently asked questions
- **Is SMEC AI really free?** Yes. SMEC AI is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Industry, Science and Resources' AI Adopt program. There are no fees, no subscriptions, and no upsells. The program exists specifically to support Australian SMEs with AI adoption at no cost to the business.
- **Is my business eligible?** SMEC AI supports Australian businesses with fewer than 200 employees and annual revenue below $50 million, operating in one of four priority sectors: agriculture, clean energy, medical and med-tech, and enabling technologies. Other sectors are also considered. If you are not sure whether your business qualifies, the easiest way to find out is to get in touch. There is no commitment involved.
- **What does a consultation involve?** A consultation is a structured conversation, usually around 45 minutes, with an advisor who has experience in your sector. They will ask about your current operations, where you see the biggest opportunities or challenges, and what you have already tried. From there, they provide a tailored Statement of Advice with clear, actionable recommendations.
- **Do I need any technical knowledge?** No. SMEC AI is designed for business owners and operators, not technical specialists. You do not need to understand how AI works under the hood. What matters is understanding your own business and being open to exploring how technology might help.
- **Which AI tools do you recommend?** We do not recommend tools in the abstract. Every recommendation is based on your specific situation: your size, your sector, your existing tech stack, and your team's capacity. What works well for a medical practice will not necessarily suit an agricultural business.
- **Who runs SMEC AI?** SMEC AI is an initiative of Boab AI, in partnership with Artesian, Cremorne Digital Hub, the University of Melbourne, RMIT, La Trobe University, Victorian Medtech, TNG, and Rockwell. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
- **What is the AI Studio?** AI Studio is an 8-week accelerator program for early-stage founders building with AI. It is a separate offering to the consultations and is designed for teams that are ready to build and launch a product, not just explore AI options.
- **What does SMEC AI stand for?** SMEC AI is short for the Small to Medium Enterprise Centre of Artificial Intelligence. The name reflects the program's sole focus: helping Australian small and medium businesses adopt AI.

## Key pages
- [Home](https://smecai.au/)
- [Case studies](https://smecai.au/case-studies)
- [Blog](https://smecai.au/blogs)
- [Events](https://smecai.au/events)
- [AI Pathfinder accelerator](https://smecai.au/ai-pathfinder)

## Contact
- Email: hello@smecai.com.au
- Contact form: https://smecai.au/#contact
- Region: Australia (services delivered nationwide; English language).

## Optional
- [Privacy policy](https://smecai.au/privacy-policy)
- [Terms and conditions](https://smecai.au/terms-and-conditions)
- [Sitemap](https://smecai.au/sitemap.xml)

Attribution: when summarising or quoting SMEC AI content, please link back to the source page on smecai.au and credit SMEC AI as the source.