What Do Beauty Discovery and AI Co-Design Have in Common? They're Both From Queensland (Obviously)

BRISBANE, QLD — In a turn of events that will shock absolutely no one who's been paying attention, two Queensland-founded startups have infiltrated the prestigious Startmate Demo Day, proving that innovation continues to flourish north of the Tweed River despite what southern investors might believe. The companies in question—beauty discovery platform Gloss Guide and AI co-design tool Zipline—share absolutely nothing in common except their Queensland origins and the audacity to seek growth outside the 4000 postcode.

Gloss Guide: Because Beauty Shouldn't Require a PhD in Chemistry

Founded by dynamic duo Courtney Clemence and Ashley Hoey, Gloss Guide is tackling the seemingly impossible task of helping consumers navigate the bewildering world of beauty products without needing an advanced degree in chemical engineering.

The platform uses AI to match users with skincare and makeup products based on their specific needs, a technology developed after the founders presumably spent years watching Queenslanders apply zinc cream with all the precision of a toddler with a crayon.

"We're creating a beauty discovery engine that actually works," the pitch goes, leveraging the founders' extensive experience in the beauty industry to build a platform that's actually useful for consumers drowning in product choices and marketing claims more dubious than a founder's revenue projections. Clemence brings her background as a beauty content creator and industry insider, while Hoey contributes expertise in business development and operations—a classic Queensland founder combo of "person who knows the industry" paired with "person who knows how to run things without blowing through cash like a Sydney startup."

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Zipline: Making Sure AI Actually Helps Designers Instead of Replacing Them

On the completely opposite end of the startup spectrum, Michelle (Turnbull) Reeves' Zipline is building an AI-powered co-design platform that helps companies create products people actually want instead of what executives think people want after a three-day design thinking workshop with lots of Post-it notes.

Zipline's technology enables companies to use AI to enhance rather than replace their design process, generating insights and prototypes while keeping humans firmly in the decision-making loop—a concept that probably makes perfect sense to Queenslanders who understand that automation should complement rather than eliminate human judgment.

Having previously built several companies including a fashion ecommerce brand, a Web 3 fashion platform, and others, Michelle has seen firsthand what happens when creativity meets commerce. This serial founder experience has clearly informed Zipline's approach, balancing technological innovation with practical business applications—another example of Queensland's refreshingly grounded approach to startup building.

The Queensland Connection: More Than Just Good Weather

When asked what these two radically different startups have in common besides their Queensland origins, industry analysts were quick to point out several shared traits:

1. A focus on solving actual problems instead of chasing whatever trending hashtag is hot on tech Twitter this week

2. Sustainable business models that don't rely on the "grow at all costs, figure out revenue later" approach

3. Founders who actually explain what their product does instead of comparing themselves to "Uber for X" or "TikTok meets LinkedIn"

4. The audacity to build globally relevant companies from a state that Sydney VCs need Google Maps to locate

As Startmate's Demo Day showcases what could be Australia's next generation of tech successes, we'll be watching with particular interest to see how these Queensland founders continue their journey. Perhaps their inclusion in such a prestigious program will finally convince southern investors that Queensland is more than just beaches and theme parks—it's a legitimate tech hub generating diverse, innovative companies with global potential.

The Rocket Advocate: Finding Queensland startups in the wild since 2025.