Shows
The Mix Powered By Climate SaladPowering the Future of EVs: How Alchemy Charge is Making EV Charging SmarterEpisode Summary⚡ Dive into the world of EV charging innovation with Mick Liubinskas from Climate Salad as he chats with Yasemin, co-founder of Alchemy Charge. Discover how a “monetised PowerPoint” idea sparked a revolution in EV charging, enabling smarter and more accessible charging solutions across Australia and beyond.Yasemin shares the fascinating journey of launching Alchemy Charge, the challenges of scaling a climate tech startup, and the opportunities in electrifying global markets like Southeast Asia. From addressing Strata complexities to introducing game-changing solutions for two- and three-wheelers, this episode is packed with insights on entrepreneurship, climat...2025-01-2639 min
The Mix Powered By Climate SaladThe Future of Ethical Shopping: Insights from Good On You’s Gordon Renouf🌱 Join Mick Liubinskas from Climate Salad as he chats with Gordon Renouf, founder of Good On You, the global platform revolutionising sustainable consumer choices by rating brands on their impact on people, the planet, and animals!Discover how Good On You empowers shoppers to make ethical decisions while encouraging brands to improve their sustainability practices. Gordon shares his inspiring journey from consumer advocacy to building a social impact business, discusses the challenges of fast fashion, and explores the future of sustainable production and consumption. Learn about their global partnerships, innovative tools like Good Measures, and the pivotal rol...2025-01-1941 min
The Mix Powered By Climate SaladBuilding Big Batteries and a Climate-Positive Future: Thomas Nann on Allegro’s Energy Solutions🌏 Join Mick Liubinskas from Climate Salad as he interviews Thomas Nann, CEO of Allegro Energy, a pioneering Australian cleantech company redefining energy storage with long-duration batteries!Discover how Allegro Energy is tackling the challenges of renewable energy integration with innovative flow battery technology. Thomas shares his inspiring journey from academia to entrepreneurship, discusses the limitations of lithium-ion batteries, and highlights Allegro's global ambitions. Learn about their partnership with Origin Energy, Australia's leadership in cleantech, and the essential role of collaboration in building a climate-positive future.🎯 Key Topics:• The founding story of Allegro Energy• W...2025-01-1239 min
The Mix Powered By Climate SaladRevolutionising Energy Transition: A Conversation with DNA Energy’s Co-Founder Dan Barber🌍 Join Mick Liubinskas from Climate Salad as he interviews Dan Barber, co-founder of DNA Energy, a pioneering startup driving the energy transition through cutting-edge solutions!Discover how DNA Energy is revolutionising energy management with innovative hardware and software that integrate renewable assets, optimise energy efficiency, and monetise demand response programs. Dan shares insights into their journey from startup challenges to scaling, the critical role of economic incentives in sustainability, and strategies for expanding globally.🎯 Key Topics:• The DNA Energy founding story• Overcoming challenges in energy transition• Economic drivers of sustainabili...2025-01-0530 min
The Mix Powered By Climate SaladInnovating Sustainable Textile Dyes: A Conversation with Newera Bio's Co-Founder Lucie Semenec🌿 Join Mick Liubinskas from Climate Salad as he interviews Lucie Semenec, co-founder and CEO of Newera Bio, a groundbreaking startup revolutionizing textile dyes!Discover how Lucie transformed her academic research into an innovative business creating sustainable microbial dyes to replace harmful fossil fuel-based alternatives. Learn about their journey through UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator, partnerships with Main Sequence Ventures, and exciting plans for global impact.🎯 Key Topics:• The founding story of Newera Bio• Challenges and breakthroughs in sustainable dye development• Environmental impact of textile dyes• Startup accelerator experience• Funding...2024-12-2937 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterNavigating Venture Capital: Aligning Incentives and Realistic Outcomes with Georgie TurnerEpisode Summary:In this engaging episode, the hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter are joined by Georgie Turner, a partner at Tidal, to delve into the nuances of early-stage investing, cross-border strategies, and the evolving landscape of venture capital. The episode opens with a lively introduction to Georgie's background and her journey from Bailador to founding Tidal, a fund focused on B2B SaaS and AI. The hosts discuss the challenges and rewards of building a fund, the intricacies of capital management, and the importance of alignment between founders and investors.Throughout the conversation, the...2024-09-1545 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterFrom Scalpel to Syndicate: Paul Kelly's Guide to Navigating Biotech InvestingEpisode Summary:In this episode of First Cheque, hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter sit down with biotech investment expert Paul Kelly. The conversation demystifies the complex world of biotech investing, making it accessible for even those who are new to the field. Paul shares his journey from a practising physician to a pioneering investor in the biotech space, offering valuable insights into the industry's rapid evolution and high stakes.Paul explains the fundamentals of biotech investing, including the typical risks and rewards, the lengthy timeframes involved, and the importance of understanding the science and...2024-08-251h 00
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterUnlocking Tax Benefits for Angel Investors: A Deep Dive into ESIC, ESVCLP, and Investment Strategies with Cheryl Mack and Maxine MinterEpisode Summary:In this episode, Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter dive into the intricate details of tax incentives and structures for angel investors in Australia. Tackling the seemingly dry topic of tax with enthusiasm, they explore how these regulations can substantially benefit early-stage investors. Cheryl brings her wealth of experience to the table, elucidating the complexities of acronyms like ESV CLP and ASIC, while Maxine peppers the conversation with insightful queries and contextual examples.Cheryl explains the criteria and benefits associated with Early Stage Innovation Companies (ESIC) and Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships (ESV...2024-08-1836 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterQ&A: Practical Advice on Secondaries, Valuations, and Building Strong Investor RelationsEpisode Summary:In this episode of the First Cheque podcast, Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter delve into the intricacies of early-stage investing, focusing on the importance of secondaries, the value of strong founder-investor relationships, and how to navigate high valuations. This episode is a milestone as it's entirely driven by audience questions, providing targeted insights and practical advice for investors and founders alike.Cheryl and Maxine kick off by discussing the significance of secondaries in the investment ecosystem. They explore how secondaries can provide liquidity options for founders, early employees, and initial investors, comparing the...2024-08-0452 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterExploring Growth Stage Investing with Ex-Investment Banker with Christina FaTurned VCEpisode Summary:In this episode, host Maxine Minter and co-host Cheryl Mack dive into the world of growth stage investing with guest Christina Fa from NewView Capital. They explore the reasons why ex-investment bankers transition to VC, discuss the nuances of growth-stage investing, and shed light on the importance of secondaries in the current market landscape. Christina shares insights on company scaling in different ecosystems, the impact of GenAI innovation, and the changing dynamics of venture capital.Key topics covered include the unique factors influencing growth stage investments, the difference between primary and secondary investing...2024-07-2149 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterBronwen Clune on Risk Appetite and the Future of Australian StartupsEpisode Summary:In this episode, Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter engage in an enlightening conversation with Bronwen Clune, discussing her journey from journalism to startups and back to media. Bronwen shares insights on the Australian startup ecosystem, the future of journalism, and the intersecting landscapes of politics, markets, and entrepreneurship. Delving into the impact of risk appetite, the tension between traditional markets and startups, and the evolving dynamics of super funds, the discussion provides a comprehensive view of the current landscape.Key themes include the shifting risk perceptions in Australia, the resilience and adaptability of...2024-07-0753 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterPortfolio Allocation: Diversification vs. Concentration Strategies UnpackedEpisode Summary:In this episode, Maxine Minter and Cheryl Mack delve deep into the essential considerations of portfolio allocation, focusing on diversification versus concentration in early-stage investing. They explore the concept of portfolio construction, risk management, power law dynamics, and the importance of strategy in maximizing returns while mitigating risks.Key themes discussed include the spectrum of diversification, the impact of concentrated investments, the role of informational asymmetry in decision-making, the power of outliers in generating alpha, and the influence of expertise and thesis investing on portfolio performance.Key Takeaways:Portfolio construction...2024-06-2336 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterThe Value of Being the First Investor: Insights from Ash FontanaEpisode Summary:In this episode of First Cheque hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter sit down with the distinguished investor Ash Fontana to explore the intricacies of early-stage investing and the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). The conversation delves into Fontana's diverse experiences, ranging from his formative years building web-based marketplaces to his critical role in establishing the AI investment frontier.Fontana shares a captivating narrative of his investment philosophy, advocating for the significance of first-check investments in shaping the trajectories of startups. With an emphasis on determining the long-term competitive advantages of AI...2024-06-101h 03
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterMarvin Liao Shares Insights on Investing and Developing an Edge in Startup EcosystemsEpisode Summary:In this episode of the First Cheque podcast, our co-hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter welcome venture capital trailblazer Marvin Liao to discuss the multifaceted experience of early-stage investing, the evolution of global startup ecosystems, and the profound lessons learned from economic cycles in the tech industry. The conversation kicks off with stories from Marvin's background in Silicon Valley, including his first steps into the startup world, a decade at Yahoo, angel investing experiences, and defining years with 500 Startups.Marvin delves into the intricate dynamics of venture capital, sharing his hands-on approach to...2024-05-261h 00
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterThe Debate Over Follow-On Investments in Early Stage InvestingEpisode Summary:In this thought-provoking episode of First Cheque experienced investors Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter delve into the meticulous world of follow-on investment strategies. The episode serves as a beacon for those who wish to refine their approaches in early-stage investing, especially as they grapple with the decision of whether to follow on or not in subsequent investment rounds. The conversation explores the intricate balance between optimizing returns and supporting growing companies at various funding stages.Cheryl represents the school of thought advocating for doubling down on winners, focusing on reserving funds for follow-on...2024-05-1247 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterThe Art of Getting to Conviction: Strategies for Successful InvestingEpisode Summary:In the latest instalment of our podcast series, Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter delve into the intricate world of early-stage investing, shedding light on the varied approaches to gaining investment conviction. This episode serves as a guide for both novice and experienced investors who aim to refine their decision-making strategies when backing new ventures.As Cheryl and Maxine unravel the decision-making fabric of early-stage investing, listeners are taken on a journey through the critical thought processes that investors employ. From angel investing intuition to fund management rigour, the diverse strategies and considerations are...2024-04-2846 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterUnderstanding Fund of Funds: A Primer on Investing in Venture CapitalEpisode Summary:In this insightful conversation, co-hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter unpack the often misunderstood world of 'fund of funds'—investment vehicles that pool capital to invest in a variety of venture funds rather than in startups directly. Tailored for early-stage investors and industry observers, this talk reveals the nuances of fund structures and investment strategies designed to mitigate risk and maximize returns.Diving into a no-nonsense explanation, Maxine elucidates the two foundational structures of venture funds—management companies and the standalone investing funds—and how funds of funds play into this ecosystem by invest...2024-03-3142 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterElicia McDonald discusses resilience and founder empathy in venture investing.Episode Summary:In this insightful episode of First Cheque, hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter have a raw conversation with Elicia McDonald, a venture capital expert renowned for her remarkable work at Airtree Ventures. Elicia's holistic approach to early-stage investing and her deep commitment to nurturing founder relationships are at the forefront of this discussion.Opening with an introduction that paints Elicia as a superhuman in her work-life balance, the episode delves into the intricacies of venture capital investing. With Elicia's insightful anecdotes and experiences, this podcast provides an intimate look at the dynamics of...2024-03-1756 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterTrang Nguyen on Investing in Ambitious Founders and Building Lasting Venture FranchisesEpisode Summary:In the latest compelling episode, we delve into the investment philosophy and keen insights of Trang Nguyen, a trailblazing figure in venture capital. Nguyen shares her journey from placing an early bet on Tesla to her current efforts in redefining the startup ecosystem. She outlines her criteria for backing emerging fund managers and underscores the importance of founders who aim to build venture firms that transcend personal branding and leave a lasting impression.Nguyen advocates for a platform approach where venture firms offer scalable services to startups, akin to corporate giants like Apple...2024-03-0358 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterCraig Blair Shares Insights on Investing and Building a VC FundEpisode Summary:In this enlightening episode of the podcast, co-hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter engage with venture capital veteran Craig Blair to unpack the intricacies of successful early-stage investing. From sage wisdom to navigating the ever-evolving VC landscape, this conversation is a trove of insights for aspiring and seasoned investors alike.Craig discusses his journey starting from an entrepreneurial venture in the Czech Republic to establishing AirTree Ventures, which has shaped the Australian investment scene. With a particular emphasis on strategic risk-taking and intuition in investment, the episode dissects the balance between data-driven decision-making...2024-02-1850 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterSam Wong discusses building an Ecosystem, Leverage & Investing in New Zealand.Summary:In this insightful episode of the podcast, listeners are introduced to the world of venture capital through the lens of Sam Wong, a seasoned Partner at Blackbird Ventures. Delving into her journey from the early investments to scaling venture funds across markets, this conversation provides an intimate look at what it means to both contribute to and grow within a startup ecosystem. Sam shares her experiences in identifying alpha opportunities, scaling venture fund operations, and the unique challenges and triumphs found in burgeoning markets like New Zealand.As the podcast unfolds, Sam recalls he...2024-02-0446 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterThe Art of Building a Network: How Rayn Ong Became the All-Seeing Eye of the Australian Startup EcosystemSummaryRayn Ong, an angel investor and founder of Archangel, shares his insights on early-stage investing in this episode of First Cheque. Rayn discusses his first investment in Blackbird Fund One and how he built his network in the Australian startup ecosystem.He emphasises the importance of compounding value in both networks and investments. Rayn also talks about his investment strategy, including his focus on breakout companies and his approach to evaluating opportunities.He shares his thoughts on portfolio synergy and competition within his portfolio. Overall, Rayn's entrepreneurial approach to investing has led...2023-12-0347 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterBuilding a Network-Powered Family Office for Impactful Investing with Judy Anderson-Firth Group CEO of EuphemiaSummaryJudy Anderson-Firth, the Group CEO of Euphemia, shares insights into their investment strategy, including their focus on supporting diverse founders and making a positive impact on the Australian startup ecosystem. She emphasizes the importance of transparency and accessibility in the family office world and discusses the value of building a strong network and connecting founders within their portfolio. Judy also explores the concept of gracefully exiting failed startups and the potential for an "anti-accelerator" that rewards founders for pivoting and trying new ideas. She concludes by introducing the Euphemia Syndicate, a platform that provides access to...2023-11-191h 00
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterDan Gavel on Building a Diversified Investment Strategy in Venture CapitalSummaryDan Gavel, founder of Black Sheep Capital Fund and the Flock Syndicate, shares his unique approach to investing and discusses the importance of understanding risk. He emphasizes the need for investors to have the capacity to accept risk and adapt their investment strategies to the changing market. Dan also talks about the benefits of running a fund, a syndicate, and making personal angel investments simultaneously. He explains how he decides which investments go to each channel and the importance of building relationships with founders. Dan believes that being a lead investor is more about post-investment support...2023-11-0558 min
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterInvestor Jessy Wu discusses the importance of bravery and building a personal brand in the VC industrySummaryJessy Wu discusses the importance of having the confidence to speak up and share your opinions. She shares that her confidence comes from being deeply loved and supported by her parents, which instilled in her a strong sense of self-worth. She also discusses the role of building a personal brand as a small fund and how being a lightning rod for certain conversations can align with a fund’s strategy.About The Guest(s)Jessy Wu is an investor at Afterwork Ventures. She is known for her bold and thought-provoking insights on so...2023-10-221h 02
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterYour Warm Intro to First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine MinterSummaryMaxine and Cheryl kick off the First Cheque podcast, a show dedicated to helping early-stage investors become better at their craft. They aim to open source conversations and insights from experienced investors to provide valuable information and education for emerging investors. The podcast focuses on the Australian ecosystem but also explores international perspectives on investing. They discuss the importance of understanding risk, the distinction between betting and investing, and the need for better decision-making processes. They also touch on the current state of the market, noting some green shoots and increased deal flow, but also expressing...2023-10-0228 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPetr Adámek sees the benefits of greater cohesion of the national startup ecosystemPetr Adámek is the CEO of the Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN), a not for profit with the mission of empowering entrepreneurs to create positive change. Peter, originally from the Czech Republic, first entered the startup ecosystem in 2008, working as one of the co-founders of a consulting company in Prague, and has since spent time working in a variety of roles in the startup ecosystems of New Zealand and Australia. In his conversation with Adam, Petr discusses what the ACT’s startup ecosystem looked like when he first arrived in 2014, as well as his belief that while the diversity of...2022-07-2431 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAshley Baxter discusses how UQ Ventures was invaluable for her startupAshley Baxter is the founder of Monty Compost Co, a clean-tech startup building hardware and software technology for monitoring and managing organic waste recycling. With a passion for environmentalism at its core, Ashley had the idea for Monty Compost Co after learning that composting could be part of the solution for various environmental problems, and that there was little innovation happening in the space. In her conversation with Adam, Ashley discusses how UQ Ventures, a program run out of The University of Queensland, was “invaluable” in getting Monty Compost Co off the ground, as well as her opinion that some...2022-07-1924 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPeter Devine discusses his move to research commercialisationPeter Devine is CEO of Uniseed, Australia’s longest running venture fund which works with researchers, businesses and industry to provide the best pathway to commercialise cutting-edge research. Peter has been with Uniseed since 2003, and additionally in his long career has served as Chair or Non-Executive Director for more than twenty organisations, including many technology and biotechnology startups. In his conversation with Adam, Peter discusses how he started his career as a researcher before moving into the business side of research commercialisation, as well as his belief that while there is a significant amount of funding for early stage so...2022-07-1730 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesTim Fung explains why Australia is a great market to test startup ideasTim Fung is founder of Airtasker, a local services marketplace connecting people and businesses who need work done with people wanting to work. He is also co-founder and Director of Tank Stream Labs, a tech startup co-working space in Sydney. In his conversation with Adam, Tim discusses how people work from co-working spaces for a sense of community, not just desk space, as well as why he believes Australia is a great market to test startup ideas locally before going global.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/tim-fungMentioned in this episode:2022-07-1240 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesSimon Thomsen saw technology alter the news and publishing landscapeSimon Thomsen is editor of Startup Daily and host of the Startup Daily show which airs on the business streaming service AusBiz.com.au. He is also an investor in early stage startups, and was previously Associate Editor of Business Insider Australia as well as a range of other roles in journalism and publishing. In his conversation with Adam, Simon discusses how during his time working on a journalist he saw technology alter the news and publishing landscape, as well as what he sees as a common trait among the many successful startup founders he has interviewed over the ye...2022-07-1031 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesRohit Bhargava discusses the benefits of reshaping wholesale investor requirementsRohit Bhargava runs the podcast The Startup Playbook Podcast, where each week he interviews successful entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts. Rohit first entered the startup ecosystem in 2013 when he founded StageLabel, a crowdfunding platform for the fashion industry. Since then he has also had the roles of Community and Events Manager at Startup Victoria, and Startup Business Development Manager at Amazon Web Services Australia & New Zealand. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Rohit discusses how entering the Sydney Startup Weekend competition led to him founding his first company, as well as his belief that reshaping the wholesale...2022-07-0526 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesLouise Nobes: Australian startup ecosystem needs to be brave enough to “think untraditionally”Louise Nobes is the founder and CEO of KIK Innovation, an organisation that aims to end youth unemployment through enterprise. Louise is also the founder of 42 Adelaide, an Australian branch of the global educational organisation founded in France, which provides tuition free IT training that aims to be open to anyone regardless of background. In her conversation with Adam, Louise discusses how her previous career as a social worker helped shape her approach to entrepreneurship, and her belief that the Australian startup ecosystem needs to be brave enough to “think untraditionally”. See full show notes: https://w2d1.co...2022-07-0323 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesDarren Winterford believes Australian Entrepreneurs would benefit from more networkingDarren Winterford is the founder and CEO of EdApp, a mobile focused LMS (learning management system) which allows its users to create learning experiences that can be accessed on mobile devices in bite sized chunks which EdApp calls “microlessons”. Prior to EdApp, Darren founded a digital agency that specialised in building mobile apps for large brands, and it was during his time running the agency that the idea for EdApp emerged. In his conversation with Adam, he discussed how first working to build software products for clients was the perfect learning ground for an aspiring founder, as well as his...2022-06-2833 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesCraig Swann fears complacency may slow innovationCraig Swann is the Event Director for SouthStart, Australia’s first innovation impact festival which brings together entrepreneurs, technologists, creatives, and founders from around Australia. Craig has a long history in startups, including as co-founder of Sqribbles and Looplabs, and currently acting as Senior Advisor in Australia for the Global Entrepreneurship Network. In his conversation with Adam, Craig discusses how he first got involved with SouthStart, and his concern that a degree of complacency in Australia can result in a slower pace of innovation.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/craig-swannMentioned in th...2022-06-2625 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesSerina Bird discusses her inspiration from Taiwan's startup ecosystemSerina Bird is the author of The Joyful Frugalista, a personal finance guide, and runs online courses on money and finance. She also founded The Joyful Business Club which aims to support women pursue their career goals through mentoring, networking and training, and is the author of The Joyful Startup Guide. In her conversation with Adam, Serina discusses being inspired by witnessing the innovative startup ecosystem in Taiwan, as well as her belief that Australia could massively benefit from an increase of women and non-binary led startups.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/serina-bird2022-06-2129 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMoira Were discusses what metrics companies can use to measure "good"Moira Were has been involved in many endeavors in the Australian startup ecosystem throughout her long career, with a focus on projects striving for social good. Moira is the founder of the Hen House Co-Op, an initiative with the goal of closing the gender investment gap, and co founder of Collab4Good, a social enterprise working towards a just economy based on participation, equity, access and rights for all. In her conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Moira discusses her belief that all companies should be social enterprises, as well as various approaches and metrics companies can use in...2022-06-1929 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesTim Boyle sees a bias towards digital technologies in the ecosystemTim Boyle is Director of Innovation & Commercialisation at ANSTO, Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. Tim is also the director and founder of Nandin Innovation Centre, ANSTO’s centre for commercialisation, design innovation and entrepreneurship, which oversees a growing ecosystem of more than 30 startups. In his conversation with Adam, Tim discusses his belief that there is a bias towards digital technologies and web/mobile platforms within Australia’s startup ecosystem, as well as what he sees as unique strengths of the Australian startup ecosystem.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/tim-boyleMentioned in thi...2022-06-1431 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesBill Tai highlights the key similarities and differences between Silicon Valley and AustraliaBill Tai is a global venture capitalist who is based in Silicon Valley and spends part of the year in Perth. Bill has been funding startups as a Venture Capitalist since 1991, and has had 23 of his startups become listed companies. Bill is also an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University, where his focus is innovation and economic development. In his conversation with Adam, Bill discusses how he became one of the earliest investors in Canva after meeting one of its co-founders Melanie Perkins, as well as what he sees as key similarities and differences between Silicon Valley and Australia’s st...2022-06-1249 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesRohan McDougall highlights the current risks to Western Australia's economyRohan McDougall is the director of commercialisation at Curtin University, where his team work to identify business opportunities for new products and services that arise research conducted at the university. Rohan has over a decade of experience working as company director or chairman of a variety of technology startups, including Renergi, a renewable energy technologies company, and Icetana, a company producing AI video analytics tools to assist in security surveillance. In his conversation with Adam, Rohan discusses how the dot com boom and bust affected Australia’s startup ecosystem, and why the Western Australian economy is at risk at ha...2022-06-0732 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesKate Jones explains why the Tech Council of Australia was foundedKate Jones is the former Minister for Innovation in the Queensland government, and has spent the last 20 years of her life working in politics. Currently she is an executive director with the Tech Council of Australia, as well as working for the tech entrepreneur Bevan Slattery who has built a number of businesses that handle data and telecommunications. In her conversation with Adam, Kate discusses why the Tech Council of Australia was founded, as well as her views on what role government should play within the Australian startup ecosystem.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com...2022-06-0522 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesKylie Frazer discusses some common causes co-founders separateKylie Frazer is co-founder and partner of Flying Fox Ventures, an Australian investment firm with a focus on early stage tech companies. Flying Fox is notable for being a rolling fund, a business model aims to optimise for flexibility with investors not locked into long term commitments. In her conversation with Adam, Kylie discusses her belief that in order for Australia to have more female founders we need more female investors, as well as some of the common causes she has witnessed first hand for co-founder break ups.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/kylie-frazer2022-06-0227 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesJames Tynan shares his unpopular views on startup acceleratorsJames Tynan is Principal at Square Peg, which is currently Australia’s largest independent Venture Capital firm with $1.6 billion under management and offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Tel Aviv. Prior to taking this role, James was CEO at Startmate, an organisation of investors and mentors that runs two accelerator cohorts a year. In his conversation with Adam, James discusses his experiences being exposed to the startup ecosystem in Silicon Valley, and shares his opinion that, with some notable exceptions, startup accelerators are generally terrible business ventures.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/james-tynan...2022-05-3132 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPete Horsley explains why diversity is so important in the ecosystemPete Horsley is the founder of Remarkable, a tech accelerator for early stage startups in the disability tech space. Starting his career as a landscape architect, Pete now has more than 10 years’ experience working in the not-for-profit sector. In his conversation with Adam, Pete discusses how an idea for a solar powered wheelchair led to the founding of Remarkable, and why diversity within Australia’s startup ecosystem is so important.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/pete-horsleyMentioned in this episode:This episode is sponsored by NTPThis episode is s...2022-05-2928 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMick Liubinskas: Australia's startup ecosystem would be stronger with a single city leading itMick Liubinskas is the founder of Climate Salad, an organisation that aims to boost climate tech companies in Australia and New Zealand by providing tools, programs and community support. Mick has a long history working within the startup ecosystem both in Australia and overseas, and notably was co-founder of Pollenizer, one of Australia’s first startup incubators. This is a special episode featuring guest host Alan Jones, an investor and veteran of Australia’s startup ecosystem who has supported Australian startups independently and through BlueChilli, Blackbird Ventures, Pollenizer Ventures and Startmate. In the conversation, Mick and Alan compare notes on t...2022-05-2643 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPete Lead: "You have permission to be awesome and complete freedom to fail"Pete Lead is former Head of Programs at tech startup accelerator BlueChilli, the author of the The Startup Guide, a toolkit designed for startup founders, and GM of Learning and Growth at social enterprise Young Change Agents. With a background in improv comedy, Pete joined BlueChilli in 2018 as a relative outsider to the startups. In his conversation with Adam, Pete discusses his motto, “You have permission to be awesome and complete freedom to fail”, as well as his belief that the skills a person can learn working in a startup are applicable in many professional contexts outside of a star...2022-05-2432 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAlan Noble discusses the contrast between Silicon Valley and Australia in the 2000'sAlan Noble is the founder of AusOcean, a not-for-profit organisation with the mission of helping the world’s oceans through technology. Alan also worked for 11 years as the Engineering Director of Google Australia, during which time he oversaw the hiring of hundreds of engineers to Google Australia’s team and got to know many of the people working within Australia’s startup ecosystem. In his conversation with Adam, Alan discusses the contrast between Silicon Valley and Australia in the early 2000’s, and how the failure of Google’s service, Google Wave, played an important role in the growth of Australia’...2022-05-2236 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesTerry Hilsberg discusses the earliest days of the startup ecosystemTerry Hilsberg is a co-owner and partner in Fork Ventures, an investment firm that primarily focuses its investments in crypto projects. Terry is also a Venture Partner in InnoHub Capital, a global innovation acceleration services organisation based in China. Terry has decades of experience working within the startup ecosystem both in Australia and globally, and in his conversation with Adam discusses his involvement in the earliest days of Australia’s startup ecosystem in the late 70’s and 80’s, as well as his belief that Australia must work to not lose the progress we’ve made in our startup ecosystem when (no...2022-05-1937 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesEmily Rich explains why taking "smart money" is often a better pathEmily Rich is a co-founder and partner at M8 Ventures, a venture fund that focuses on investing in tech startups during their “pre-seed” stage. Emily is also Director of Startups for APAC, where she has been tasked with helping to drive startup growth in the Asia-Pacific region. This is a special episode featuring guest host Alan Jones, an investor and veteran of Australia’s startup ecosystem who has supported Australian startups independently and through BlueChilli, Blackbird Ventures, Pollenizer Ventures and Startmate. In the conversation, Emily discusses how she got her start co-founding a machine learning startup, and her belief that w...2022-05-1554 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPeter Bradd discusses the expectation-shattering progress the ecosystem has madePeter Bradd was the founding director and initial CEO of Fishburners, one of Australia’s first coworking spaces which has been home to a community of startups since its founding in 2011. Peter has also served as Board Member and Chair of StartupAUS, a not for profit organisation with the mission of transforming Australia through technology entrepreneurship. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Peter discusses co-founding his first company, ScribblePics, as well as the expectation-shattering progress that the Australian startup ecosystem has made in just a few short decades.See full show notes: https://w2d1.co...2022-05-1241 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesLeslie Delaforce highlights the unique challenges facing Indigenous foundersLeslie is the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Director at Minderoo Foundation, an Australian not-for-profit organisation seeking effective, scalable solutions to persistent problems. Leslie’s role at Minderoo is part of their Generation One initiative, with the goal of creating employment parity with and for Indigenous Australians. Leslie also founded DreamSpark, a tech, investment and Web 3.0 enterprise, and co-founded Covocate, a HR Tech platform that helps companies identify their best job candidates. In his conversation with Adam, Leslie discusses some of the unique challenges facing Indigenous founders, as well as what he sees as the role of government in the startup ecosystem....2022-05-1034 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAnthony Ferrier offers his advice to startup foundersAnthony Ferrier is an innovation and commercialisation specialist, primarily working within the intersection between startups and corporations. Anthony is the head of Innovation and Commercialisation at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, as well as working independently as an advisor and consultant. Before returning to Australia several years ago, Anthony spent two decades working in the US and Europe, primarily based in New York City. In his conversation with Adam, Anthony discusses how the attitudes of legacy corporations faced with disruption by startups has changed over the last few decades, as well as his advice to startup founders aiming...2022-05-0822 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesColette Grgic explains why diversity is crucialColette Grgic is Head of Startup Ecosystem in Australia and New Zealand at AWS (Amazon Web Service), a role which sees her leading a team that works to enable founders to start and successfully scale startups in Australia and New Zealand. Before joining AWS, Colette was Chief Innovation Officer at BlueChilli, Australia’s largest startup accelerator. In her conversation with Adam she discusses her experience of creating a startup before she even knew the term “startup”, and why she believes diversity is crucial in Australia’s startup ecosystem. See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/colette-grgicMent...2022-05-0540 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesZoe Piper wants to see more non-traditional career approachesZoe Piper has been working at the intersection of industry, research and government for two decades, with a diverse and lengthy résumé. She is the founder of Ethitrade, Delmata and Allaran, cofounder of Ecolour, and Chair or board member of multiple organisations including Young Change Agents and Canberra Business School Advisory Board. In her conversation with Adam, Zoe discusses that despite getting feedback from some in the startup community that she should “just focus on one thing” that her diverse and many-faceted worklife is a positive in many ways, as well as advocating for “non-traditional” career trajectories. See full...2022-05-0317 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPhil Hayes-St Clair: "Take care of yourself"Phil Hayes-St Clair is co-founder and CEO of Drop Bio, a digital health company with a mission of accelerating the world’s transition to personalised health by increasing consumers and clinicians’ access to data. Phil is also Adjunct Associate Professor at UNSW, and has worked with many startups over the years in roles including co-founder and board member. In his discussion with Adam, Phil discusses how his very first introduction to the entrepreneurial world was with a business he helped start at 7 years old, as well as his advice to founders that they should “look after themselves”.See full...2022-05-0125 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesZrinka Tokic on the emergence of modern cloud toolsZrinka Tokic is the director of ThincLab, the University of Adelaide’s business incubator that has its headquarters in Adelaide but also has locations in Singapore and New Zealand. Zrinka is also director of the Australian eChallenge, a pre-accelerator program which aims to take a startup from initial idea to market ready or incubator ready. In her conversation with Adam, Zrinka discusses how her previous experience working as an interior designer helped give her an appreciation for design thinking, and how important the emergence of modern cloud tools have been for enabling startups to grow quickly.See fu...2022-04-2826 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesDavid Burt explains why startups are essential to our standard of livingDavid Burt is the Director of Entrepreneurship at UNSW, where his team helps students, academics, staff and alumni turn their ideas into a startup. He also serves as Non-Executive Director for RapidAIM, an agriculture start up, Planet Ark, a not-for-profit environmental behaviour change organisation, and Cicada Innovations, an incubator for Australian science and engineering startups. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, David discusses how he got started in the startup world, his work with UNSW, and why nurturing the startup ecosystem is essential if the average Australian is to continue to enjoy a high standard of living...2022-04-2630 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesRachael Neumann explores the effects of the pandemic on startupsRachael Neumann is one of the founding partners of Flying Fox Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm backing startups in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to this Rachael has played many roles in the Australian startup ecosystem, including as Partner at Startmate, Head of Startups Australia & New Zealand at Amazon Web Services, board member at LaunchVic and Managing Director of Eventbrite Australia. In her conversation with Adam, Rachael discusses her time in the US startup ecosystem and how it differs from Australia’s, and some effects that the pandemic has had on Australian startups.See full sh...2022-04-2433 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPete Cooper discusses Universities' role in the ecosystemPete Cooper is a serial founder and mentor who has worked in a wide variety of roles in the technology startup space. He is Director of Cooper & Co, an early stage investment firm, founder of The Start Society, a grassroots industry body for Australian tech startup entrepreneurs, and has served as a mentor for many startup organisations including Muru-D, Startmate, and Founder Institute. In his conversation with Adam, he discusses his very first experience learning about building a technology product by helping his father build a pharmacy system for his dad’s business, and what he sees as gaps in...2022-04-2125 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAnna Wright: why "fail fast" is the greatest adviceAnna Wright is the CEO and co-founder of BindiMaps, a smartphone app that helps anybody find their way around complicated indoor spaces such as shopping centres and hospitals. Their mission is to make every indoor space 100% accessible, with the early focus of the company on accessibility for people with vision impairment. In her conversation with Adam, Anna discusses how her rare retina condition brought the importance of accessibility for the vision impaired to the forefront of her awareness, and her belief that “fail fast” is great advice for founders.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/anna...2022-04-1920 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesChad Renando talks definitions of a strong ecosystemChad Renando is director of Startup Status, a not-for-profit which aims to help organisations that support entrepreneurs by mapping and measuring the innovation ecosystem across Australia. He is also Managing Director of Global Entrepreneur Network, and Research Fellow at University of Southern Queensland, where he’s working on a PhD on the topic of the role of innovation hubs in developing resilience in regional communities. In his conversation with Adam he discusses what he sees as the gaps in Australia’s startup ecosystem, and what he sees as defining a particularly strong ecosystem.See full show notes: http...2022-04-1738 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAnnie Parker finds inspiration working with startup foundersAnnie Parker is a startup investor and advisor with 20+ years experience in the digital startup, technology and consulting sectors. Currently, Annie is the Executive Director for Tech Central, a community for tech startups which is part of the Greater Sydney Commission, an organisation overseen by the NSW Government. Annie sees her role at Tech Central as helping to put Sydney on the global map as an innovation ecosystem. In her conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Annie discusses why she finds working with startup founders so inspiring, as well as her frustrations that the startup ecosystem in Australia and...2022-04-1331 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesBrendan Hill examines the war on talent in AustraliaBrendan Hill is an angel investor and startup mentor and advisor. He is Syndicate Lead at Logan and Wayne, a firm that invest in early stage tech startups. Before becoming an investor, Brendan founded and ran an online football marketplace, which was acquired in 2016. In his conversation with Adam, Brendan discusses how Australian technology startups often struggle to hire talented engineers due to them being relatively scarce in Australia, and his unpopular opinion that Australian startups should raise venture capital from the US as early as possible.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/brendan-hill2022-04-1218 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesLucinda Hartley discusses the barriers she overcame when starting outLucinda Hartley is an urban strategist and serial entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of Neighbourlytics, a social analytics platform for neighbourhoods that aims to solve the human data gap for the property sector by providing access to information and insights about urban life. She also co-founded CoDesign Studio, a not-for-profit with the mission of improving social connection and resilience across Australian Communities. In her conversation with Adam, Lucinda discusses how Australia’s startup ecosystem has evolved over the past five years, and some of the barriers she faced when first becoming involved in the ecosystem.See full sh...2022-04-1021 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesBaden U'Ren on the importance of teaching our youth entrepreneurshipBaden U’Ren is an entrepreneurship educator and innovation professional who has worked in a variety of roles within the Australian startup ecosystem. He is the co-founder of both The Unconventional Group and Script-Ed, and had a nearly 20 year career as an academic as the head of entrepreneurship at Bond University. In his conversation with Adam, he discusses the importance of the education sector for the growth of Australia’s startup ecosystem, and how the ecosystem has evolved over the past 20 years.Mentioned in this episode:This episode is sponsored by NTPThis epis...2022-04-0733 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesDaniel Flynn explains why leaders are learnersDaniel Flynn is co-founder of Thankyou, a social enterprise that was founded in 2008 and sells consumer products to help end extreme poverty. In 2015 Daniel’s book, Chapter One, became a bestseller and generated $1.4 million in sales in its first month using an unorthodox “pay-what-you-want” model. In his conversation with Adam, Daniel discusses his belief that “leaders are learners”, and how working with a psychologist to come to terms with some of his personal challenges helped him grow into the leader he is today.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/daniel-flynnMentioned in this episode:2022-04-0527 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAaron Birkby discusses the gaps in the Australian startup ecosystemAaron Birkby is the co-founder of The Unconventional Group, and has over two decades experience working as a founder, advisor, board member, investor and facilitator in the Australian startup ecosystem. He has worked in a variety of roles building and supporting technology startups to grow into global companies, including as CEO of Startup Catalyst, and Entrepreneur In Residence at Queensland University of Technology, James Cook University and Split Spaces. In his conversation with Adam, Aaron discusses how the Queensland startup ecosystem has evolved over the past couple of decades, and what he sees as gaps in the Australian startup...2022-04-0323 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMark Pesce discusses the organic growth of our ecosystemMark Pesce is the host of This Week In Startups Australia (TWISTA), a podcast which has charted the growth and maturity of Australia’s startup ecosystem since 2014. Born in the US, Mark first worked for a startup in 1982, and in the years since has worked in a variety of roles, including co-inventing VRML, which became a foundational format for displaying 3d graphics on the internet, founding Ono-Sendai, a first-generation virtual reality startup, and working for Apple as a consulting engineer. In 2003 Pesce relocated to Australia, and became a judge and panelist on the ABC TV program The New Inventors, as...2022-03-3121 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMalcolm Turnbull discusses innovation in the political sphereMalcolm Turnbull was the 29th Prime Minister of Australia between 2015 - 2018, in which time he launched the National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA), which aimed to drive innovation and Australia’s startup ecosystem. Malcolm also has a long history of investing in and founding companies, having established an investment banking firm in 1987, as well as becoming a partner of Goldman Sachs in 1998. Since leaving parliament in 2018, Malcolm has returned to the world of business, and has joined the board of directors of Kasada, an Australian cybersecurity company. In his conversation with Adam, Malcolm discusses his belief that innovation has be...2022-03-2928 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesJodie Fox highlights the contrasts between the Australian and US EcosystemsJodie Fox co-founded Shoes of Prey, an innovative shoe retail company which at its peak was a global business, with more than 200 staff, six million shoes designed and US $27 million in funding raised. After Shoes of Prey ceased trading in 2018, Jodie wrote a memoir, Reboot. In her conversation with Adam, Jodie discusses what the startup ecosystem looked like when she founded Shoes of Prey in 2009, and the challenges and opportunities that came from moving the headquarters of Shoes of Prey to the US. See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/jodie-foxMentioned in this...2022-03-2727 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesJames Alexander shares his thoughts on Governments' roles in startupsJames Alexander is the co-founder of Galileo Ventures, which focuses on investing in young, first time startup founders. Prior to this, James founded Incubate, an accelerator program run out of the University of Sydney. An experienced investor and advisor, James has supported over 200 founders launch tech startups across various industries in the previous decade. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, James discusses what he sees as government's role to play in the startup ecosystem, and why giving general advice to startup founders can be tricky as every startup is unique.See full show notes: https...2022-03-2428 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesSusan Oliver discusses what investors look for in a founderAn Angel Investor and co-founder of multiple startup ventures, Susan Oliver has also served as a board member on over a dozen organisations in her long and rich career, including The Wheeler Centre, Fishermans Bend, The Smith Family and Fusion Retail Brands. Susan is a co-founder and recently retired Chair of Scale Investors, Australia’s first network of Angel Investors committed to investing in and supporting exclusively female founders. In her conversation with Adam, she discusses what she looks for in a founder when investing, and her belief that Australia should invest more in the technology products of Australian st...2022-03-2224 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPhil Morle explains the struggles that incubators often facePhil Morle is a Partner at Main Sequence Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by the CSIRO which invests in early stage technology companies with science at their core. Prior to this role Phil co-founded and was CEO of Pollenizer, one of Australia’s earliest startup incubators. In his conversation with Adam, Phil discusses how the experiences in a previous career as a theatre director have helped him in the startup world, and why incubators like Pollenizer often struggle to find a sustainable business model.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/phil-morleMentioned in...2022-03-2045 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesSilvia Pfeiffer discusses her first startup and the lessons it taught herDr Silvia Pfeiffer is CEO of Coviu, a video telehealth company which provides software to healthcare providers. Originally from Germany, Silvia moved to Australia and worked for CSIRO exploring video technology applications before developing the idea that would become Coviu, which became an organisation independent of CSIRO in 2018 and grew rapidly during the pandemic. In her conversation with Adam, Silvia discusses the founding of Coviu, as well as her first failed startup venture and what she learned from the experience.See full show notes: https://w2d1.com/silvia-pfeifferMentioned in this episode:T...2022-03-1719 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMurray Hurps discusses the barriers to growth in the startup ecosystemMurray Hurps is the Director of Entrepeneurship at UTS, tasked with growing the number of student-founded startups coming out of the university. With a long list of credentials in the Australian startup ecosystem, including former CEO of Fishburners, Co-founder of Startup Muster, and founder of Ad Muncher, Murray strongly believes that Australia’s future relies on innovation and entrepreneurship. In his conversation with Adam, Murray discusses starting his first company at 16 years old, his work with Fishburners, and what he sees as barriers to growth in the Australian startup ecosystemSee full show notes: https://w2d1.co...2022-03-1522 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesRachel Yang explores diversity and social issuesWith a background in management consulting and corporate finance, Rachel Yang is a partner at Giant Leap, Australia’s first venture capital fund which exclusively backs founders using business as a force for good in the areas of health and wellbeing, sustainable living and empowering people. Rachel is also the Co-Chair of Startup Victoria, a non-profit, grassroots organisation supporting startup founders. In her conversation with Adam, Rachel discusses how startup businesses don’t have to sacrifice growth to make a positive impact in the world, the importance of diversity within the startup ecosystem and potential strategies to encourage further dive...2022-03-1323 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesIan Gardiner discusses his passion for nurturing startup communitiesIan Gardiner is an Investment Partner at Jelix Ventures, a firm which invests in early stage tech startups in Australia and New Zealand, and a co-founder of Innovation Bay, which works to create and nurture supportive communities for investors and founders. Originally from Scotland, Ian previously founded and acted as CEO in his own startup, Viocorp, for over a decade, before taking the role of Head of Startups for Amazon Web Service (AWS) Australia and New Zealand where he was responsible for establishing and managing AWS’s relationship with the startup communities in Australia and New Zealand. In his co...2022-03-1030 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesNicole O'Brien: The startup ecosystem is overwhelmingly positiveNicole O’Brien is CEO of Fishburners, a not-for-profit co-working space and community hub for tech startup founders with a rich history of supporting Australian tech companies since its inception in 2011. For over a decade Nicole has also been the Director of Corporate Services for ACON, a community health organisation. In her conversation with Will Tjo, Nicole discusses why her outlook on the Australian startup ecosystem is overwhelmingly positive, and how technology has helped bridge the geographical divide between Australia and the world.See full show notes here https://w2d1.com/nicole-obrienMentioned in th...2022-03-0814 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesDean McEvoy on egos and startupsDean McEvoy is a seasoned startup founder and angel investor, having founded three startups including Spreets.com, Australia’s first group buying site, which launched in February 2010 and sold only 11 months later for around $40 million. A founding mentor and investor at Startmate, Dean has advised and invested in over 96 startups. In his conversation with Adam, Dean discusses the origin story of Spreets.com, co-founding Tech Sydney, and how important it is for founders to not get too much of their ego involved in their startup.See full show notes here https://w2d1.com/dean-mcevoyMe...2022-03-0633 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesGeorgie Turner discusses the next steps for Australia's ecosystemGeorgie Turner is Principal at Tidal Ventures, a seed-stage focused venture capital investment firm which is based in Australia and has an office in the US. Tidal Ventures invest primarily in B2B software startups. Georgie also acts as Board Director or Advisor for multiple startups, including Operata, Socialsuite and Shippit. In her conversation with Adam, Georgie discusses what the Australian startup ecosystem looked like when she entered it around 2012, and what she sees as the important steps to take in order to take the ecosystem to the next level.See full show notes https://w2d1...2022-03-0322 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesColin Kinner discusses the key missteps first time founders often makeColin Kinner is founder and CEO of Startup Onramp, a training and mentoring program for first time startup founders. With a long history of entrepreneurship, Colin has supported countless startups in a variety of roles, including as Entrepeneur-In-Residence at both Slingshot and The Studio Au, and as an Advisory Board Member at Surepact, Hoops CRM and Explorate. In his conversation with Adam, Colin discusses some of the key missteps that first time founders often make, and the advice he would give to someone considering embarking on a startup. See full show notes https://w2d1.com/colin-kinner2022-03-0128 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAlan Jones: Can we talk about smartphones?With experience founding and co-founding tech startups since 1995, Alan Jones is a veteran of Australia’s startup ecosystem. An angel investor and advisor, Alan has supported Australian startups independently and through BlueChilli, Blackbird Ventures, Pollenizer Ventures and Startmate. In his conversation with Adam, Alan discusses how the internet’s disruption of media companies made possible Australia’s first tech startups, and how the advent of wifi and the smartphone dramatically impacted Australia’s startup ecosystem.See full show notes https://w2d1.com/alan-jonesMentioned in this episode:This episode is sponsored by NTP2022-02-2754 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPaul Bassat examines the evolution of the ecosystemAfter practicing as a lawyer for six years, Paul Bassat co-founded Seek with his brother Andrew in 1997, which in 2005 was floated on the Australian Securities Exchange with a market cap of $587 million. Paul moved on from Seek in 2011, and in 2012 co-founded Square Peg, a global investment firm which today has over US $1 billion in assets and has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Tel Aviv and Singapore. Paul is also a Commissioner of the Australian Football League, and a director of Wesfarmers LTD. In his conversation with Adam, Paul discusses what it was like founding an internet startup in the early...2022-02-2442 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMelissa Widner discusses the huge progress of startupsMelissa Widner is the CEO of Lighter Capital, an investment firm that is based in the US and launched in Australia in 2020. Their novel model involves lending to early stage startups and linking repayments to revenue, without requiring founders to relinquish equity. Melissa has a long history in the startup world, having been CEO or board member of many companies. In her conversation with Adam, she discusses Lighter Capital’s new model, and the ways in which she believes the Australian startup ecosystem has made huge progress in the last 5 or so years.See full show notes ht...2022-02-2228 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesHamish Hawthorn discusses the evolution of the ecosystemHamish Hawthorn has been deeply involved in the development of the Australian startup ecosystem. A qualified mechanical engineer with postgraduate training in business and technology, Hamish is particularly focused on supporting founders of technology startups. Currently the Chief Operating Officer of Curious Things AI, a voice-based conversational AI company, Hamish co-founded Sydney Angels, a Sydney-based investment group. Hamish also acted as Chief Operating Officer for UpGuard, a digital security company based in the US. In his conversation with Adam, Hamish discusses what the startup scene looked like in Sydney in 2005, and how much it has changed in the years...2022-02-2034 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPeta Ellis on the importance of innovationPeta Ellis is the founder of EverydayEntrepreneur365.com.au, and an entrepreneur who’d founded 4 companies before 30, and has gone on to spend much of her career in a community building and mentor role. She has supporting hundreds of startup founders and teams in a variety of roles, including as CEO of River City Labs, an Innovation Strategist at The Unconventional Group, Entrepreneur In Residence at Ipswich Girls’ and Junior Grammar School, and as co-founder of Tribe Global. In her conversation with Adam, Peta discusses her time with River City Labs and the importance of innovation.See full...2022-02-1725 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAlfred Lo compares startup ecosystems in different nationsAlfred Lo is co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Harvest B, a tech startup developing a plant-based meat ingredient system. Previously Chief Investment Officer at Cicada Innovations, an incubator for Australian tech startups, Alfred has more than a decade experience acting as an advisor, mentor and board member for many early-stage technology businesses. In his conversation with Adam, Alfred discusses how Australia’s startup ecosystem compares to other nations, and why he believes “What role should government play in the startup ecosystem?” is a tricky question to answer.See full show notes https://w2d1.com/alfred-loM...2022-02-1538 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesSarah Pearson on the importance of cooperation and competitionDr Sarah Pearson has a wealth of experience from a wide variety of roles within the science, technology and startup sector. Previously Global Head of Open Innovation at Cadbury, founding CEO of the Canberra Innovation Network, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Scientist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Sarah is currently on the investment committee for Main Sequence Ventures, a Director of RACQ and a Paul Ramsay Foundation Fellow. Sarah was awarded a PhD in particle physics from the University of Oxford, and has published research in the areas of particle physics, medical physics, artificial intelligence...2022-02-1336 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMichael Batko discusses the four prevalent business models of acceleratorsMichael Batko is the CEO of Startmate, an accelerator that has invested in 170+ startups across Australia and New Zealand with a collective portfolio value of two billion dollars. Originally from Austria, Michael had his first exposure to the startup world when he moved to Australia and became the first employee at Mad Paws, a marketplace for pet sitters. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Michael discusses how working in a startup contrasts to a corporate environment, and what he sees as the four prevalent business models of accelerators and where Startmate fits in.See show...2022-02-1026 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesJulie Trell discusses the importance of diversityJulie Trell is an American woman who moved to Australia in 2017 to pursue two opportunities in the Australian startup ecosystem: working as head of the now defunct accelerator Muru-D, and to bring SheEO to Australia. SheEO is a global organisation founded by Vicki Saunders with a unique model: women and non-binary “Activators” contribute a monthly payment which is pooled together and given as a 0% interest loan to women-led “Ventures” selected by the Activators. As well as contributing capital, Activators also act as mentors, lending their expertise, Mentioned and networks to help the Ventures grow and succeed. In her conversation with Ada...2022-02-0822 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesPeter Davison: All it takes is guts and a visionWith no experience but a lot of guts and vision, Peter Davison moved to Silicon Valley and started a Venture Capital firm with a friend in 1998. They had several early successes, most famously as early investors in PayPal, in which Peter was a key advisor to Peter Thiel on business and product strategy. Since returning to Australia Peter has founded, built and sold several internet businesses, and founded Fishburners, a not-for-profit co-working space and incubator which has played a key role in the growth and development of the Australian startup ecosystem. In his conversation with Adam, Peter tells the...2022-02-0651 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesMaxine Sherrin discusses the importance of building a community of innovatorsMaxine Sherrin is the Program Director of Spark Festival, a not-for-profit festival that aims to grow entrepreneurship in Australia by bringing together people from all corners of the startup world: founders, investors, small/medium enterprises, big corporates and policy makers. Before taking her current role, Maxine co-founded Web Directions in 2004, Australia’s first event for web designers and developers. In her conversation with Adam, Maxine discusses the importance of building and growing a community that celebrates and supports Australian founders and innovators.Mentioned in this episode:This episode is sponsored by NTPThis ep...2022-02-0323 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesCameron Adams on the importance of community and connectionCameron Adams is a co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Canva, an online design platform with over 20 million users. After starting his own design agency and then working for Google, Cameron founded Fluent with two other Google alumni. While Fluent, which endeavoured to reimagine email, was ultimately unsuccessful, while working on the project he met his Canva co-founders and ultimately came on board as a founder. In his conversation with Adam, they discuss some of the turbulent early times of Fluent and Canva, and the importance of community and connection within the startup ecosystem.See full show...2022-02-0142 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesLauren Capelin and the importance of nurturing diversityLauren Capelin is a community strategist and disruptive innovation specialist passionate about the development and application of new business models, corporate social innovation, impact investment and fostering entrepreneurial capacity, particularly in women. She is currently Principal at Startmate, an accelerator that aims to support tech startups in Australia and New Zealand. In her conversation with Adam, Lauren tells the story of how she came to be involved in Startmate, and shares her views on the importance of nurturing diversity in the Australian startup ecosystem.See the full show notes https://w2d1.com/lauren-capelinMentioned...2022-01-3030 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesBruce Tulloch on some of the key challenges the Australian startup ecosystem facesBruce Tulloch is the co-founder and managing director of BitScope Designs, which creates IOT (Internet of Things) and cloud computing tools for industrial and educational use. Bruce is also chair of The Studio Limited, Australia’s first media tech incubator based at the Sydney Startup Hub. And as if that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Bruce is also Director of New Technologies at JetPack Aviation, which was the first company to develop a working jet pack which was flown around the Statue of Liberty in New York in 2015. In his conversation with Adam, Bruce discusses the origins of T...2022-01-2731 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesNiki Scevak is optimistic about Australia's futureNiki Scevak has a long and diverse background in the Australian startup ecosystem. From his entrepreneurial beginnings co-founding two software companies, Niki would go on to co-found Blackbird, a venture capital firm which manages over a billion dollars, and found Startmate, an accelerator that has helped 170+ startups since its inception in 2011. In his conversation with Adam he discusses what he sees as gaps in the Australian startup ecosystem, as well as the reasons for feeling optimistic about the future.See the full show notes https://w2d1.com/niki-scevakMentioned in this episode:...2022-01-2344 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesKate Cornick on ways to support Australians to begin their startup journeyKate Cornick is the CEO of LaunchVic, the Victorian Government’s initiative to accelerate startups and create new jobs in Victoria. Before taking this position, Kate worked in a variety of roles in startup land, including leading the development of a human resources technology startup through a listing on the Australian Stock Exchange, as well as acting as General Manager at NBN Co. In her conversation with Alex Carpenter, Kate discusses Australia’s low number of startup founders per capita relative to other countries, and potential ways of supporting Australians to begin their startup journey.See the full...2022-01-2333 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesAndrea Gardiner says disruptive, scalable tech startups are criticalAndrea Gardiner is the founder of Jelix, an investment firm which focuses on early stage technology startups in Australia and New Zealand. In her conversation with Adam, she shares her conviction that disruptive, scalable technology startups are critical for the future economic prosperity of Australia, and highlights the supportive and collaborative of Australia’s startup ecosystem as a key advantage.See the full show notes https://w2d1.com/andrea-gardinerMentioned in this episode:This episode is sponsored by NTPThis episode is sponsored by NTP
NTP is the technology recruitment co...2022-01-2336 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesCheryl Mack on building communities and her passion for supporting foundersCheryl Mack is passionate about supporting founders and has done so in a variety of roles over the years: as a mentor for programs including Startmate and Founder Institute, as CEO of StartCon, as an angel investor with over 10 investments and counting, and most recently as the CEO and founder of Aussie Angels. In her conversation with Adam, she discusses the importance of building communities, and what she sees as the current gaps in the Australian startup ecosystem.See the full show notes https://w2d1.com/cheryl-mackMentioned in this episode:This...2022-01-2328 min
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem: Interview SeriesThe History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem3 interviews will be released each week starting in January. The audio documentary that will tell the story of the Australian startup ecosystem will be released in June 2022. Sign up to the newsletter https://dayone.fm/newsletter and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:Standard LedgerStandard Ledger is your all-in-one finance team for startups. From bookkeeping and payroll to R&D claims and fractional CFO support, they help founders stay on top of their numbers and make smarter decisions. Ready to scale?
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