Australian-born entrepreneur Tania Yuki has spent the past two decades building businesses at the intersection of technology, media, and consumer insights. From leading digital media ventures and product innovation at ComScore to founding Shareablee—later acquired by ComScore—she has built a career around identifying what’s next before the rest of the market catches up. Now based in Austin, Texas, and serving on the Board of the American Australian Association, Tania remains deeply connected to the Australian and Kiwi community while continuing to build at the forefront of AI and consumer intelligence. Ahead of AWNY Tech Week, we sat down with Tania to discuss entrepreneurship, resilience, AI, and the opportunities available to Australian women building careers in the United States.
For those who haven’t met you yet, tell us a little about your journey from Australia to the United States. What first brought you here?
Like many Australians, I originally came over thinking it might be a temporary adventure. I had been working in media, internet law and digital business in Australia at a time when technology was evolving incredibly quickly. The US felt like the center of gravity for innovation, particularly in media and emerging technology, and I wanted to be closer to where so much of that change was happening.
What started as a career move turned into something much bigger. Over time, I built businesses, developed an incredible network and found opportunities that simply wouldn’t have existed if I’d stayed in one market.
You’ve built a career across digital media, measurement, analytics and entrepreneurship. Looking back, were there any pivotal moments that changed the trajectory of your career?
One of the biggest was joining ComScore and helping build Video Metrix ® during the early days of online video. It gave me a front-row seat to how data was transforming industries and how measurement shapes entire markets.
The other defining moment was realizing that social media was becoming one of the most important communication channels in the world, yet there was no reliable way to measure performance across platforms. That insight ultimately became Shareablee.
Many people know you as the founder of Shareablee. What inspired you to start the company?
I became fascinated by the gap between how much time consumers were spending on social platforms and how little data existed to help brands understand what was actually working.
At the time, social media was generating enormous amounts of information, but most organizations couldn’t turn that information into meaningful business intelligence. I believed social data would fundamentally change how companies communicate, market and make decisions.
So I started Shareablee to solve that problem. What began as a small team grew into a global platform serving many of the world’s leading brands, publishers and agencies.
Building a venture-backed company is never easy. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced scaling Shareablee?
Every stage brings a different challenge.
In the early years, it was product-market fit and convincing people that social measurement would become a major category. Later, it became about scaling teams, expanding internationally and maintaining growth while building a sustainable business.
Fundraising was certainly part of that journey. Raising both Seed and Series A capital requires resilience. You hear “no” far more often than “yes,” and you have to keep going regardless.
You spoke candidly about fundraising as a female founder. How did you navigate those experiences?
I tried not to focus too much on what might be working against me.
Of course there were moments where I was one of very few women in the room, and certainly one of very few Australian women founders. But I’ve always believed that great businesses ultimately win attention.
One of my favorite phrases is that ‘greed overpowers discrimination’. Investors are looking for opportunities, and if you can demonstrate value, traction and vision, those things matter.
That’s not to say the challenges aren’t real, but I found it more productive to stay focused on building than dwelling on barriers.
After successfully exiting Shareablee, you’ve moved into a completely new area. Tell us about what you’re building now.
I’m currently focused on synthetic populations and AI-powered consumer intelligence.
The traditional research industry relies heavily on surveys, which can be slow, expensive and often limited in scale. Advances in AI now allow us to create synthetic populations that can help model consumer behavior and generate insights in entirely new ways.
We’re still in the early stages of what’s possible, but I believe it has the potential to fundamentally change how organizations understand customers, test ideas and make decisions.
AI is everywhere right now. What excites you most about where the technology is heading?
I’m most interested in practical applications rather than hype.
The biggest opportunities are in helping people make better decisions, uncover insights faster and solve problems that previously required enormous amounts of time and resources.
The technology is moving incredibly quickly, but the real value will come from applying it thoughtfully and responsibly to real-world business challenges.
You’ve recently made the move from New York to Austin and become a parent. How has that chapter of life influenced your perspective?
It’s been a significant transition in the best possible way.
Moving to Austin offered a different pace of life and a growing technology ecosystem, while becoming a parent has changed how I think about time, priorities and impact. Building companies teaches you a lot about resilience and problem-solving, but having a child gives you an entirely new perspective on what matters most.
I’ve found that both experiences have reinforced the importance of being intentional—about where you live, how you spend your time and the kind of future you’re helping create.
Having worked extensively in both Australia and the United States, what differences stand out to you?
Scale.
The US market operates on a completely different scale—whether that’s capital, customers, talent pools or growth opportunities.
Australia produces incredible talent, but the US often provides a larger platform for ambition. At the same time, Australians tend to be adaptable, resilient and resourceful, which can be a huge advantage when building businesses here.
One of the themes of AWNY is helping Australian women build careers abroad. What’s something you wish you’d known when you first arrived?
I wish I’d understood how important networks are.
Talent and hard work matter enormously, but relationships open doors, create opportunities and accelerate learning.
The good news is that Australians are often naturally curious and approachable, which helps. My advice is always to say yes to conversations, build genuine relationships and stay connected to your community.
Finally, for Australian and Kiwi women considering a move to the US, what’s the one piece of advice you’d leave them with?
Don’t underestimate the value of your perspective.
Sometimes people arrive feeling they need to become more American to succeed. I actually think your international perspective is one of your greatest strengths.
Be ambitious, stay curious, take risks and trust that you belong in the room.
How can AWNY members stay in touch with you?
LinkedIn: https://www.