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The sci-fi fantasy kid who built a $1.26b start-up

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) •
October 25, 2026 • 05:50 PM
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Inspired by Iain Banks novels, Melbourne founder Thomas Kelly has built Heidi into an AI health assistant used in 3 million patient consultations every week.

The sci-fi fantasy kid who built a $1.26b start-up

Thomas Kelly grew up reading science fiction novels about a world in which super-intelligent machines and humans peacefully co-exist. He’s now doing his part to make that vision a reality.

Kelly, 33, is the co-founder and chief executive of Heidi, a health tech start-up that uses AI to make doctors more productive. In September, the company raised $140 million at a valuation of $1.26 billion. Kelly, with an estimated personal fortune of $169 million, debuts on this year’s Young Rich List in 45th place.

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