New national initiative gives Australian businesses a practical way to find the right automation opportunities, test whether they stack up, and connect with suppliers - locally, independently and with far less guesswork.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - 1 September 2026 - Australian manufacturers and other businesses looking to automate now have a new way to cut through the uncertainty, with the launch of AutomationFinder.com.au.
Launched by Robotics Australia Group in partnership with HowToRobot, AutomationFinder gives Australian businesses a vendor-agnostic local starting point to work out what is worth automating, build a stronger business case and find suppliers who can deliver it.
For many businesses, the hardest part of automation is not finding technology - it is knowing where to begin. Projects can stall because teams are unsure which process to tackle first, what a realistic solution should cost, whether the idea will stack up, or which suppliers to trust. AutomationFinder is designed to help answer those questions before major money is committed.
“The biggest barrier for many businesses isn't whether automation exists - it's knowing where to start and having enough confidence to invest. Is this the right process to automate? What should it cost? Who can actually deliver it? AutomationFinder is designed to make those first decisions much easier for Australian businesses.”
Paul Mason, CEO, Robotics Australia Group
A simpler path from problem to project
Businesses start locally at AutomationFinder.com.au, with Robotics Australia Group supporting the Australian side with independent experts available when hands-on help is needed. The service is powered by Denmark-founded HowToRobot's AI-assisted platform, which draws on more than 600 real automation projects and a network of 20,000+ vetted automation suppliers worldwide, including a rapidly expanding base of automation suppliers in Australia.
Through that process, Australian businesses can:
• identify processes where automation could have the biggest operational or financial impact;
• turn a production problem or automation idea into a clear, supplier-ready project brief;
• get early market input on feasibility, likely costs and possible solution approaches before committing major capital;
• compare suppliers, proposals and quotes through a structured, vendor-neutral process; and
• bring in independent Australian automation experts for site assessments, scoping and hands-on support when needed.
The service is vendor-neutral. Robotics Australia Group is Australia’s national peak body for robotics, automation, and physical AI and on a mission to lift Australia’s productivity and GDP output through increased robot and automation adoption. HowToRobot does not sell automation equipment and has no commercial preference for which supplier a business ultimately selects. The Australian partnership is its first country-wide licensed deployment.
Why it matters for Australia
Australia needs more of these projects to get moving. The latest ABS National Accounts show GDP per hour worked fell 0.6% in the March 2026 quarter and was only 0.3% higher than a year earlier - a reminder of the country's persistent productivity challenge.
At the same time, the Australian Government's National Robotics Strategy points to a huge opportunity. It identifies robotics and automation as a way to lift productivity, strengthen manufacturing and help businesses respond to labour shortages, citing estimates that automation technologies could add between $170 billion and $600 billion per year to Australia's GDP by 2030.
AutomationFinder is about turning some of that national opportunity into real projects - one business, one process and one investment decision at a time.
“If we want the productivity benefits of automation, we need to make it easier for more Australian businesses to actually adopt it,” Paul Mason said. “That means helping companies make better decisions before they spend the money - finding the right opportunities, building a sound business case and getting the right solution providers around the table.”
“Most businesses don’t have the time or specialist expertise to work through all of this alone,” said Søren Peters, CEO and founder of HowToRobot. “A structured way to validate what to automate, what it should cost and who can deliver it helps businesses move forward with much more confidence.”
Australian businesses can start at AutomationFinder.com.au
About Robotics Australia Group
Robotics Australia Group is the national peak body for robotics, automation and physical AI in Australia, connecting industry, research and government to grow adoption and strengthen Australia's robotics and automation ecosystem.
About HowToRobot
HowToRobot is a Denmark-founded independent automation platform helping businesses work out what to automate, what it should cost and who can deliver it, supported by a global network of 20,000+ automation suppliers.
References
• Productivity figures: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product, March 2026 (released 3 June 2026). ABS source
• GDP opportunity: Australian Government, National Robotics Strategy - Australia’s robotics opportunity. Government source
• HowToRobot describes the partnership as its first country-wide licensed deployment and states the platform draws on 600+ automation projects and 20,000+ vetted suppliers globally, including up to 500 in Australia. HowToRobot announcement
Media contacts
Robotics Australia Group
Paul Mason, CEO | paul.mason@roboausnet.com.au
HowToRobot
Elías Lundström, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs | el@howtorobot.com
