StartGiving is proud to launch the Australian Tech Giving Report. A collaboration between StartGiving and the Centre for Social Impact UWA, the study is the first comprehensive benchmark of personal philanthropy in Australia’s tech sector.
Our research discovered that the tech sector is uniquely positioned to unlock a new era of giving in Australia. This community is more likely to give, give more and give differently.
The report’s key findings show:
- Growing impact: In just a few years, tech founders’ contribution to major philanthropy has grown from 1% to 21% of total grants made by Australia’s Top 50 givers.
- Higher giving rates: 67.8% of survey respondents said they donate their money, compared to 27.5% of Australian taxpayers.
- Significant untapped potential: The 30 wealthiest people in Australian tech could easily contribute well over $25 billion to philanthropy, with nearly $19 billion already committed by a handful of this group.
Displaying a different relationship to wealth than those in the traditional economy, many interviewees cited luck as a noteworthy factor in their success. Windfall liquidity events also play a key role in catalysing giving earlier in life, with many motivated to start their philanthropy now, not decades down the track. In addition, tech givers exhibit a distinctive giving style, often applying entrepreneurial principles to their philanthropy.
Importantly, this movement isn’t just about the ultra-rich. The opportunity is to encourage the hundreds of wealthy individuals in tech to start or scale their giving journey now, growing the number of people actively participating in philanthropy in a thoughtful, proactive way.
Please get in touch if you’d like StartGiving to help get you giving.
Media assets
Press release [PDF]
Social media assets [Google drive]
