Vesparum

Great interview with our Founder and CEO.

In this episode of People in Legal, Timothy Toner, Founder and CEO of Affinda and Draftable, shares his fascinating journey from the world of investment banking at Macquarie to his 10+ year overnight success story in legal technology and innovation.   Tim reveals key moments that shaped his career, including how his brother Ben’s poker winnings fuelled the early stages of their business and their groundbreaking work in AI-powered document processing. Plus, a surprising turn into Olympic weightlifting! Tune in for insights on scaling businesses, navigating the AI revolution, and balancing leadership and personal well-being. Thanks to host: Andrew Hay #LegalTechInnovation #LawyerLife #TechForLawyers #Entrepreneurship #PurposeDrivenLeadership

Capital markets conditions remain challenging, but investors are still looking for great founders with capital efficient businesses and a compelling growth story. Congrats to Thomas Muller and Andrew Cutler. We're looking forward to celebrating your success at the completion lunch next week in Melb.

For most people, starting a business with your brother might seem like a terrible idea. But for me, it was the best decision I ever made. It all began 12 years ago in Ben’s apartment next to The University of Melbourne. I had been working around the clock at Macquarie and Lazard, while Ben was immersed in the world of quantum physics, having recently completed his PhD at Caltech. With high hopes, big dreams, and some poker winnings from Crown casino, we set out to build the best tech company we could. Our customers were global from day 1 and whilst things were going well, we were before our time. Fast forward to today, and the rapid advancements in AI have supercharged our business. Our team of 65 people now serves over 1,500 customers in more than 75 countries and we are growing at more than 100% per year. While our growth is exciting, I like to remember that our company had its genesis in a simpler time and in simpler moments between brothers and family. A time when AI was still the stuff of science fiction and building the best sandcastle was our single-minded vision. It’s an important grounding, and this picture of Ben and me as children serves as a reminder of those humble beginnings and the special bond that has been the foundation of our success. Ben Toner Affinda Draftable Vesparum

A Melbourne-headquartered company that uses AI to extract unstructured data from documents is closing a $10 million funding round to invest in its global team, with plans to ramp up its headcount from 65 to 100 in the near term. Affinda was founded by brothers Timothy Toner and Dr Ben Toner in 2012, originally focused on the recruitment sector helping companies like SEEK (ASX: SEK) now services 1,500 customers in 75 countries, among them Toshiba, Siemens, Bloomberg, PwC and LG Electronics.. https://lnkd.in/gaxKBBp9

Excited to share some recent news about Affinda's growth, as featured in a recent Australian Financial Review article by Paul Smith. Paul has been writing about the Aussie tech sector for 20 years and is one of the most respected business and technology journalists in the country. Ben Toner and I are very grateful for the continued support of our investors and the trust placed in us by our customers and team. A special thanks to William Tanner, Chief Information Officer at Allens and Nathaniel Barrs, Chief Technology Officer at PSC Insurance Group, for their ongoing support. It's particularly rewarding to hear how our technology is making a real difference. Humbled about the popularity and success of our products and the interest in the momentum we’re building. Affinda Draftable #AI

Great to sit down with John Durie from The Australian this week to discuss Affinda's global growth story. Our success would not have been possible without our amazing team. Ben Toner Affinda Draftable #AI

Honoured to play my part in a fireside chat at the recent Old Melburnians Business Breakfast, where I was privileged to share some insights on unleashing productivity gains with AI. One thing we focused on is the disparity in the adoption of AI between Australian and US companies. Australian companies often talk about their plans to change, whereas US companies we work with are often years ahead and already focused on accelerating their rate of change. It’s a bit like watching a junior football game where one team is just happy to be out there, while the other team has a clear match-day strategy and a coaching group focused on continuous improvement and development. Unless something changes, many Australian companies will lose the ability to compete on a global scale. A big thanks to Alexander Galanos, Genevieve Barnes, Martin Scott KC and Nik Devidas for the invitation to present and to the Old Melburnians and their guests for attending. #melbournegrammarschool #melbournegrammar #oldmelburnians