Millionaire investor Ed Craven stakes fortune on an Australian AI venture akin to OpenAI
In the heart of Melbourne, a world-class team is hard at work on a groundbreaking project. Led by CEO Dave Lemphers, the team at MainCode is on a mission to create Australia's first sovereign Large Language Model (LLM), a significant step towards technological sovereignty and AI innovation.
The project is backed by billionaire investor Ed Craven, who has invested multi-millions of dollars to build the AI model entirely within Australia. Lemphers, a Swinburne University and Monash University graduate, brings over 20 years of experience as an applied data scientist, inventor, and systems builder specializing in large-scale distributed AI to the table.
The MainCode team boasts some of the brightest minds in AI, including Dr. Amanda Baughan, a computer science PhD and former researcher at Google and the Allen Institute for AI, currently based in Seattle. The rest of the team, including Dr. Fabian Waschkowski, Dr. Lukas Wesemann, and Dr. Sara E. Rodríguez Gómez, are based in Melbourne, contributing to Australia's local AI talent pool.
MainCode's vision is to develop a sovereign AI foundation model from scratch, using Australia’s own infrastructure and data. This model aims to be adaptable across various industries and use cases, reflecting a commitment to build sovereign AI capabilities that are on par with those originating from the US or China. The long-term goal is to foster brain gain by providing Australia's top emerging AI talent with opportunities for significant career impact, high agency, and real ownership of their work.
The importance of sovereign AI is emphasized by the name MainCode, according to Lemphers. By owning every line of code and building from first principles, MainCode aims to provide a secure and transparent way to access the power of LLMs without relying on overseas platforms. This approach mitigates the risks of data privacy breaches and potential model contamination associated with relying on platforms like OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepSeek.
Lemphers aims to lead a homegrown LLM into the blue ocean, creating an environment for top talent and being at the ground floor of the first net new industrial revolution in Australia since the mining boom. He wants Australians to have a choice on what AI system they plug their information into over the coming years.
By the end of the year, MainCode expects to release the first fully trained-from-scratch, sovereign large language model built entirely in Australia. This milestone will mark a significant leap forward in Australia's AI capabilities and position the country as a global leader in AI innovation.
The groundbreaking project at MainCode, led by CEO Dave Lemphers, involves the creation of Australia's first sovereign Large Language Model (LLM), a testament to technological sovereignty and artificial-intelligence innovation. With the support of billionaire investor Ed Craven, this AI model will be built entirely within Australia using Australia's own infrastructure and data, demonstrating a commitment to artificial-intelligence advancements that prioritize local talent and data privacy.
