Manuka AI launches ANZ operations amid AUD $28m annual AI spend
Manuka AI has launched in Australia and New Zealand, growing its data and AI consultancy into the region. The move follows its earlier UK entry and is supported by venture builder Tquila through its Fund of Founders. It also aligns with Tquila's broader global push, including recent investment in Arcbricks in Japan and plans for Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
Why this matters for Operations
Local enterprises are spending big without clear returns. ADAPT reports Australian organisations now invest an average of AUD $28 million per year in data and AI, yet 72% have not achieved measurable ROI. The Governance Institute of Australia found 93% cannot effectively measure AI ROI, and 88% struggle to integrate AI with legacy systems. Only 24% of organisations have AI-ready data architectures.
- AUD $28m average annual AI/data spend (ADAPT)
- 72% report no measurable ROI
- 93% can't measure AI ROI effectively
- 88% face legacy integration challenges
- 24% have AI-ready data architectures
Manuka AI's approach
The Databricks Data Intelligence Platform sits at the core of Manuka AI's delivery model. Databricks is used by 20,000+ customers and has been recognised by analysts including Gartner, IDC, and Forrester for its integrated approach to data, analytics, and AI. Manuka AI plans to help ANZ enterprises move beyond pilots, build data foundations that scale, and generate measurable outcomes from high-value use cases.
Leadership perspective
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Stephen Aitken says enterprises are pushing AI agendas but struggle to move past isolated pilots. He notes that spend is high while data architectures remain a limiting factor, and that Manuka AI's role is to close this execution gap using the Databricks platform and an AI-first delivery model.
Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder Jeff Clark points to capability constraints as the main blocker. He highlights that many organisations lack experienced practitioners, which makes ROI measurement and legacy integration difficult. The firm is bringing its "Manuka Way" methodology to ANZ to embed AI across process flows and turn strategy into execution with clear, tracked value.
Backed by venture investment
Tquila is supporting Manuka AI's regional growth via its Fund of Founders. Partner Michael McCannon emphasises the team's track record of building and exiting technology services ventures, and the benefit of extending the pure-play brand into ANZ. Customers gain access to experience from the UK&I, Germany, and related offshore resource centres, reinforced by Tquila's network and Databricks' market position.
What Operations leaders should do next
- Define an AI ROI framework: set business KPIs, baselines, and time-to-value for each use case.
- Prioritise a small set of production candidates using value, data readiness, and integration effort.
- Modernise data foundations on a single platform such as Databricks to standardise governance, features, and observability.
- Close the skills gap by pairing internal upskilling with external squads; for role-based enablement, explore Complete AI Training.
- Institutionalise MLOps: CI/CD for data and models, automated testing, change management, and value tracking by use case.
Impact for Ops and P&L
Moving beyond pilots reduces duplicated spend and cycle times, while improving forecast accuracy through reliable data products. For operations, that means fewer handoffs, clearer ownership, and a direct link between initiatives and business performance.
Sources and context
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