From surf to software: How a Noosa startup is reshaping AI in creativity

When you think of Noosa, artificial intelligence probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The Southeast Queensland coastal town is famous for its surf breaks, caravan parks and the stunning hinterlands of Noosa National Park.

A breeding ground for AI-driven creativity? That’s not the Noosa most people imagine.

But tucked away from the waves and holiday homes, Springboards - a startup founded by former agency strategists Pip Bingemann and Amy Tucker - is proving that innovation can thrive in unexpected places.

Backed by a new AU$5 million round of seed funding from Blackbird Ventures and a growing user base of more than 120 agencies, the company is taking a bold stance on AI’s role in the creative process.

The company's journey started not in a boardroom, but in the wake of career upheaval.

When the pandemic hit, Bingemann and Tucker moved back to Noosa to get help with their first child, thinking it would be a three-month stint. Instead, they found themselves freelancing, learning to code (badly, as they admit), and eventually, getting laid off within weeks of each other.

What began as an experiment to streamline their own creative workflows quickly turned into a product agencies were eager to adopt.

“After we built the basic raw code, we started showing friends in the industry,” said Bingemann. “It was rough, but it resonated. Then strategist Zoe Scaman leaked it, and we woke up to about 200 agencies wanting to see what we had.”

The momentum didn’t stop. Their co-founder, Kieran Browne - an ex-creative turned PhD in machine learning - joined the fold, and within six months, the team ballooned from three to 25, spanning London, New York, Sydney, Melbourne and, of course, Noosa.

A creative sparring partner

Despite being an AI company, Springboards is taking a surprisingly contrarian stance on AI’s role in creativity. While many in the industry see AI as a tool to streamline production and cut costs, Bingemann and Tucker argue that expecting AI to generate finished work is a mistake.

Springboards co-founders Pip Bingemann, Amy Tucker and CTO Kieran Browne.

“Our belief is to use AI as a sparring partner,” said Tucker. “If we trust AI for answers, we run the risk of a sea of sameness - everything looking better, but nothing standing out. Creativity has always been about breaking patterns, and AI should help spark ideas, not dictate them.”

This philosophy is embedded in Springboards’ design. Unlike traditional AI tools that aim for the most probable answer, Springboards deliberately breaks large language models (LLMs) to generate unexpected creative leaps. The platform offers a suite of AI-powered tools - from uncovering insights to validating ideas - designed to enhance human imagination rather than replace it.

“We’re kind of anti-AI despite being an AI company,” admits Bingemann. “Believing you can click a button and get great creative work is a fool’s game. The early adopters experimenting with these tools now will have an edge, but only if they use AI to enhance, not shortcut, creativity.”

Shifting perceptions

AI’s influence on the creative industry is undeniable, but its adoption is unfolding at different speeds. Holding companies remain cautious, figuring out their strategies, while freelancers and independent agencies are moving fast, seeing AI as a way to win more work and refine their craft.

“It’s a tale of two speeds,” added Tucker. “The big players are still in ‘wait and see’ mode, while indies and freelancers are already embedding AI into their processes. That early experimentation will pay off in the long run.”

And what does all of this mean for creativity itself?

“Creativity has always been about breaking patterns,” explained Bingemann. “That won’t change. But AI will shift our perception of what creativity is. Just like the camera changed art, AI will lower the barriers for people to experiment with creative thinking and force us to explore new ways of making things.”

From Noosa to SXSW

Springboards’ rapid rise has now landed them on a global stage. It was the only Australian company to be shortlisted for SXSW Pitch in the last five years - and the only one representing the creative and marketing sector.

“To be recognised among the best startups in the world is mind-blowing,” said Bingemann.

“SXSW is such a melting pot of ideas, and it’s a huge opportunity for us to see how our philosophy resonates beyond Australia.”

With a growing team, major funding, and a mission to challenge AI’s role in creativity, Springboards is proving that groundbreaking ideas don’t have to come from tech hubs like San Francisco, Shenzhen or Singapore.

For Noosa, this might just be the beginning of a new story.

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