Kate O'Keeffe

Startup founders and supporters Startup Muster the only comprehensive survey of Australian startups and their supporters. The survey reaches throughout the ecosystem to count every person that contributes to supporting founders and startups 🎉 Calling all diverse founders - we need you and your voices and experiences to be seen and heard 📣 We can’t measure what we can’t see and we can’t change what we don’t know - this survey is so important ✊🏼 Fill in the survey today 📝https://startupmuster.com #startup #diversity #entrepreneur #founder #culturaldiversity String Nguyen Mikaela Jade FTSE Dor Akech Achiek Nirary Dacho 🌏 Usman Iftikhar UNSW Founders UTS Startups

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Did you know that Australia is the home of 2.3% of the world's tech unicorns ($1b plus valuation companies). Deep tech is clear strength of Australia and it is why Japanese corporates are looking at Australia. The Australian Japan Business Cooperation Committee (AJBCC) is lifting the lid on what is driving Japanese businesses and Australian startups. If you are interested, then this webinar could be for you. Richard Andrews, Cristina Merino Ishizuka, Jonathan Raju, Annie Jiang, Emily Doran, Takero Izuhara, Tim Mclennan, Ken Jefferd, Invest Victoria

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I’m always inspired seeing Australian consumer tech founders doing great things. Lucy Mort is no exception – as the co-founder and CEO of Sunroom, a consumer app that provides a space for women to earn money by creating content and connecting with their communities, Lucy has used product and design to create a space that feels unique, and caters to their specific community. Building a product that can sometimes confuse people (wait - I can only talk on Wednesday?!), I loved these product design insights from Lucy’s interview with Natasha Gillezeau: 📈 Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable: Pioneered by Raymond Loewy, product design should be innovative, whilst accessible and familiar. In essence, as advanced as your target customer is willing to accept. The iPhone is a great example of this, providing incremental changes over time, whilst maintaining enough of the previous design so that it is familiar. ⬇ Less is More: Build on the assumption that your users have no idea what your product is. The more features, the more complexity, the greater the barrier to adoption. Strip things back, listen to your users and your metrics, find your 1-2 key features driving value and stickiness and double down. 👌 Selective perfectionism: Work smarter. Some features will require significant A/B testing and iterating and others won’t. Have a framework to understand the demand, value and ROI you are creating to guide what will move the dial and where to invest your time. Via Missing Perspectives

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Scaling isn’t just about resources—it’s about networks with “boots on the ground” insight. Startup ecosystems like French Tech Australia (FT AU) connect founders to mentors, resources, and markets, offering local knowledge that is crucial for expansion. These networks lend credibility, open doors, and provide on-the-ground insights to navigate new markets with confidence. From strategic partnerships to market access, ecosystems are invaluable in a startup’s journey from local success to global presence. Tip: Use your ecosystem’s resources proactively—growth is faster with the right boots on the ground. How has your network helped you scale? Share your experiences below! 👇 https://lnkd.in/gmuYeYDB #StartupGrowth #ScaleUp #BusinessNetworking #GlobalExpansion #StartupCommunity #EcosystemSupport #InnovationHub #EntrepreneurTips #MentorshipMatters #CrossBorderBusiness Resumption - Sales, Marketing, and Operations Consulting

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The Australian VC landscape is thriving, but gender disparity still casts a long shadow. As revealed by Cut Through Venture's Cut Through Quarterly Q3 report, women-led startups are gaining traction but face an uphill battle as they mature through funding rounds, with participation dropping dramatically from 50% at pre-seed to just 14% at Series A. In our latest Antler article, we explore how persistent barriers are widening the funding gap and why it’s critical to support women founders from day zero - supporting them from the start and providing continued backing throughout their journey. https://lnkd.in/gZds-cyk We're dedicated to pushing forward for a more inclusive and resilient ecosystem and invite all ambitious founders to join our February 2025 residency in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

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The cap on international students means fewer startup founders and less employee talent for early stage startups in Australia. The risk appetite it takes to uproot your life and move to another country to study is exactly the mindset that drives people to take the risk to start (or join) a new company. I talked about this in a recent podcast with Will Richards where we discussed the impact of the controversial cap on international students and what it could mean for Australia’s startup ecosystem, universities, and economy. Full conversation from the ~24 minute mark here: https://lnkd.in/gNsH46VN UNSW Founders #entrepreneurship

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This month's Aussie Founders Club meet up on Community Building is one you don't want to miss!! Date of Event: Thursday the 15th of August! Building a community can be a huge driver in differentiating your startup from the others in the mix. It can be the joy of your founder life to pull together passionate advocates, connected by the purpose of your business, and the reason it becomes clear to investors that your business could achieve 10x / $100 million dollar status. SO, I've pulled together some of the best community builders in the Ecosystem to share their wisdom with us. Let me introduce the panel: Alan Crabbe co-founder of Birchal & pozible. These are some of the original platforms that saw Australian Founders bypass traditional investors to allow their communities to directly support AU Startups and Businesses in their raise. And now he's back to work building Frontcover - a platform we personally use to centralise our community and recently secured funding from Antler!! 🎉🎉🎉 Paz Pisarski co-founder of The Community Collective, a community for community builders in the startup space. The CC runs THE community cohort that has been behind leveling up some of Australia's best community builders. They have just opened applications for Cohort 5 and if you haven't already seen, Paz has managed to secure Seth Godin as a speaker!! Frances Goh, Head of Community of One Roof, go-to business community for women entrepreneurs. If you're a female entrepreneur in Victoria, you'd be hardpressed to not have heard of One Roof. With Frances at the helm of the community front, One Roof has built a space for Women to connect, learn, and grow together - something we are looking to emulate with the wider Founder Community in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to hearing our panels insights on the role Community can play in the growth of Startups and Businesses alike. If you are too, secure your seat via our event on Luma or Meetup! Also, if you think I pulled this panel together so I could learn from them myself, no I didn't... 😂 Rick Giner EverestEngineering Tom Webster Craig Brown

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Truth, right here. I am elated to have just hired See Me Please's first full-time employee. He just retired from a career as a professional athlete. I hired him because he has grit and works hard. He tells me, if given an opportunity, he will eat bricks for lunch. By choice, I'm bootstrapping See Me Please. At least for the first year. I'm of the view that proven demand and growth, based on the exceptional value we deliver to our early partners, is in the best interest of the business's long-term success. It provides choice, flexibility and negotiation leverage when (if) the time comes to explore potential investment partners. Time will tell if See Me Please will move at the velocity I'd like it to. But if it does, I care too much to give my business away. I have my eyes wide open, this approach means working VERY hard to get it out of the gates. There is absolutely nothing wrong with flexible work and work-life balance depending on your priorities. At the same time, there's immense value in hard work. Hard work can give a sense of purpose and direction, helping a team feel like they are contributing meaningfully to something larger than themselves. Richard Joffe you're singing to me. Thanks for sharing Claudia Levi Pat Jensen

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We have two strongly-held values at Something New ✨ — reinforced at the start of each dinner. 1) confidentiality: this is all totally "off the record" .. we run these events under chatham house rules / cone of silence, safe space for folks who aren't yet "open" about their plans to leave and start something new (i.e. with current employer, colleagues) 🤫 👀 2) spirit of service: don't come in asking "what's in it for me" ... join us and ask "what can I do for someone else here." The chances the exact person you need (co-founder, early believer, etc) is in the room at that moment is ultimately fairly low... but the chances someone in that room knows someone outside it they can introduce you to are much higher. Rising tides lift all boats 💪 ✨

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For nearly two decades, New Aim has been quietly revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape in Australia. Today, I'm excited to pull back the curtain and reveal our true identity: we're not just an e-commerce company, but a cutting-edge technology innovator at our core. This collaboration with Google Cloud is a testament to our tech-first approach. It's allowing us to streamline our operations, strengthen our cybersecurity, and most importantly, accelerate our AI and big data initiatives. As Australia's largest private e-commerce technology company, we're not just adapting to the future of retail - we're actively shaping it. Our recent launch of AirOxy.AI is just one example of how we're leveraging our enhanced capabilities to drive innovation in the industry. I'm incredibly proud of our team's relentless pursuit of technological excellence Jason Hu, Carrie Hu, Terry Lau, Guang Xu, Nader Chmait, Ryan Wu. Also special thanks to Nerissa Penfold, Courtney McWatt, Matthew Zwolenski and the entire Google Cloud team for their support and partnership in this transformative journey. This is just the beginning of a new chapter for New Aim as we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in e-commerce technology. #NewAimTech #GoogleCloudPartner #AustralianTech #EcommerceTechnology #AIinRetail

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🎬 New Episode Alert! 🎬 This week on The Growth Cartel's Weekly Wrap, we dove into the latest insights on startup investments and the importance of diversity in leadership. 📊 The release of the Cut Through Venture's report and its impact on the Australian startup ecosystem 👩‍💼 Why diversity in leadership is not just important but essential for driving innovation and success in the startup world. 🚀 Watch the full conversation for even more on AI, Quantum tech, and major investments shaping the future! We cover the biggest developments of the week, what we have coming up and you won’t want to miss it. 👉 Catch the full episode here and stay up-to-date with all things startups, funding, and leadership: 📺 YouTube - https://lnkd.in/gV3vb3cb 🎧 Spotify - https://lnkd.in/gzUMQVH7 🍎 Apple - https://lnkd.in/gg_wuMQ3 #InvestmentTrends #Diversity #Leadership #GrowthCartel #StartupCommunity #Innovation #CutThroughVentures

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At the Launch Vic Awards Nights, there was a lot of talk about the VC’s in our ecosystem, and quite a bit of mention of Angel Syndicates, but no mention of Venture Studios. In fact when people ask me what I do, I often have to explain what a Venture Studio is. So let me make the Venture Studio pitch. Firstly, what is a Venture Studio? Venture Studios give life to startups in two main ways. 1. Ideas are incubated and validated within the Venture Studio, once validated, the team finds the external resources/ people needed to bring the idea to life. 2. External founders brings ideas to Venture Studios, in which the Venture Studio provides services and resources to the founder in exchange for equity. So who is a Venture Studio good for? High Quality Founders, with scalable ideas: The success of a Venture Studio relies on the success of the startups they work with so naturally Venture Studios are looking for the highest quality founders / startups. Early stage founders who are missing a technical partner: During the early days of your startup, if you don’t have a technical partner, you generally require investment or you need to take significant financial risk to fund your MVP build. While most investors won’t want to invest until you have a functional MVP, this is the exact stage many Venture Studio’s like to play in. Why choose a Venture Studio over a development agency? Your developers will have skin in the game The app development process often goes wrong, because building apps is hard. If things go wrong, it’s easy for relationships to sour, and shortcuts to be made. Since Venture Studio’s success is so heavily tied into the success of their startups, by choosing a Venture Studio you have the peace of mind that your developers are so heavily incentivised to deliver an awesome product. Support beyond development Again because the success of the Venture Studios are so heavily tied to the success of the startup, it’s in the our best interest to ensure you are supported beyond your product build. So when it comes to GTM, capital raising and beyond, we aim to provide support and introductions where we. De-risk your financial position So this is the obvious benefit, get to launch without paying or paying a lot less. All of this is not to say, VC’s, Angel’s, Dev Shops all don’t play an important role in this ecosystem, I just feel the Venture Studio voice needs to be heard a bit louder.

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🇦🇺 The State of the Australian VC Market Heading into 2025 📈 🗓 Date: 28th November | ⏰ Time: 12pm-1pm AEDT 🎟 Tickets on sale now! After a challenging few years in the startup funding landscape—with reduced funding rounds and extended runways—we’re beginning to see promising signs of market recovery. Recent boosts in US investment and steady local deals under $50M could signal positive changes on the horizon. Join us along with our expert panel from Aussie Angels, Tractor Ventures, Rampersand, and Five Capital as we share insights into market trends and what investors are watching closely for in the year ahead. We’ll end with a live Q&A, so bring your questions and get the inside track on what to expect in 2025! Don’t miss out—tickets on sale now! #VCMarket #Investment #AusStartups https://hubs.li/Q02XsdTb0

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This is INSANE 🔥 news! Calling all Australian innovators - startups, scaleups, ecosystem enablers, operators, investors and corporate innovation leaders. We are thrilled to announce that Jumpstart Studio & Press Play Ventures are co-hosting the Australian Delegation to the world's most powerful tech event - CES - along with Capgemini! In January 2025, CES - the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50+ years and the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace, is coming back to Las Vegas . . . . and this time, Australian Innovators, you are invited 💌 Powered by the Consumer Technology Association, and with a social media reach of 28.5 BILLION in 2024, CES connects innovators, decision makers, media, influencers, visionaries, and potential customers across the entire tech ecosystem. This is where brands get business done, meet new partners and where the industry’s sharpest minds take the stage to unveil their latest releases and boldest breakthroughs. With 138,000+ attendees and 4,300+ exhibitors, this is the place to be if you want to: - Globally showcase your technology products - Stand side-by-side with the world's most disruptive innovators - Promote your brand through curated opportunities to connect with influencers and prospective partners This year, the event hosted some of the biggest household and industry brand names . . . like Amazon, Walmart, Microsoft, Lenovo, Best Buy, Costco, Siemens, Verizon, L'Oreal, Snap, Intel, Qualcomm, Belkin, Autodesk, Moderna, Hyundai, Pinterest, TikTok. . . . you name it. If you are looking to partner with any of them or looking to get a foot in the door to do business . . . .then this is where you should be next year. 42% attendees reported were from the B2B space and 20% in the B2C, with the biggest industries being AI, Vehicle Tech, IoT, Smart Homes, AR/VR, Robotics, Energy Tech, Advertising/Marketing, Digital Health, Cloud Computing, Fitness, Cybersecurity, AudioTech, Gaming, 3D Printing & Sustainability. In 2025, thanks to Chris H., Australian innovators and ecosystem enablers can access CES at a subsidised rate - this includes access to the show floors, 6-nights accommodation and exclusive closed-door meetings and events. More info here: https://lnkd.in/g-6b2n4u At Press Play Ventures and Jumpstart Studio we are keen to see more women founders and migrant founders become part of this trade mission. If you are or know a woman/migrant founder who would love to be part of the Australian Delegation to this global event, please nominate them here: https://lnkd.in/gd9WsegF Applications and nominations close on 26th October, and the delegation to Las Vegas will be from 6th-12th January 2025. Super excited to co-host this delegation and we can't wait to take Australia to the world ❤️ Dheeren Vélu Isaac Jeffries Poonam Advani Preethi Mohan Chris H. #entrepreneurship #startups #australia

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Navigating Seed Funding: The Essential Go-to-Market Strategy Unlock the secrets to successful seed funding as we dissect the importance of a solid business model and targeted go-to-market strategy. Discover how to effectively reach your audience in Australia and build a profitable venture without the fluff. #SeedFunding #GoToMarketStrategy #BusinessModel #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship #AustralianMarket #FundingTips #Profitability #MarketData #VentureCapital

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If I'm feeling a little low today, how must you all feel? Felt your euphoric high at the confetti canyon moment last night. Just wanted to share some reflections with the cohort of 2024 Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator. 1. Cohort empathy and care - I've been on your floor most weeks, over the last 13. Sometimes mentoring and others just sat in the corner working. I witnessed cohort care like I've never seen before. More than just having each other's back's but often going out of your way to lift each other up! 2. The diversity & culture work paid off - most people just play a better game when they know others care - again we saw this happen in real-time - pivots, new growth models, co-founder splits, deals falling apart, new product wobbling - through it all you supported each other 3. Huge kudos to 🍇 Kirstin Hunter & team (Teala Stephens & Gwen Masonsong) - you enabled a more connected culture (year on year) - in 13 weeks! You showed immense calm whilst managing various degrees of chaos. 4. All the founders were truly genuine. I took a strategy to lean into one start-up in particular this year but I got to see you all in action in some way. Love it when there is purpose as well as profit. 5. I enjoyed seeing you all find your strengths & superpowers by Demo Day and playing to them both functionally and emotionally. I could list them but you all know. Don't you? You should list each other's! 6. As Kirstin said, "this is just the beginning", the springboard to help you leap into the chasms and canyons of start-up land. 7. Look forward to seeing you ride the waves - the smooth and the rough 8. As a mentor, you kinda become vested in the startups you have chemistry with. So if you get stuck or just need a ''friendly'' & curious sounding board, please reach out. We want and need you to win! #givefirst ''I'm just like my country. I'm young scrappy and hungry." #takeabreather PS My photo sucks - I was too engaged to take photos!

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Aussie Founders Club has always been about building an open-source community where founders, investors, and supporters can connect, grow, and thrive together. Recently, a few awesome people reached out to me, wanting to share some exciting opportunities – like workshops (with special discounts for AFC members!), news about grants, and open accelerator programs. It got me thinking: how can we better spread this information to benefit everyone? So, I’ve set up a dedicated submission space where you can easily share valuable opportunities, events, jobs, cofounder openings, and resources with the AFC community. This way, we can keep each other in the loop about all the things that can help founders get ahead. Here’s what we’re looking to share in the AFC newsletter: 🎉 Events – Whether it’s workshops, networking sessions, or panels, if it’s helpful to founders, we want to know about it. 💼 Job Openings – Let’s connect great talent with exciting roles in the startup world. 💸 Funding & Grants – Got tips on grants or funding opportunities? Share them with the community! 🚀 Accelerator Programs – Let founders know about accelerator programs with open applications. 🤝 Cofounder Opportunities – If you’re searching for a cofounder or business partner, share it here. 📚 Free Resources – Guides, templates, and other tools that help startups thrive. If you’ve got something to share, head over to the submission page on Aussie Founders Club or through my Linktree (via my LinkedIn profile). If you want to sign up to recieve the newsletter, you can sign up via our website too! Looking forward to seeing what you all have to share!

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We can’t manage what we don’t measure and we can’t grow what we don’t fund. While the sucking sound of Aus super and VC investment going to US companies is becoming deafening, the Australian Business Growth Fund backing an ambitious cohort of innovator companies has flown under the radar. If Aus has a sovereign future, as opposed to vassal state dependence writ large and irreversible, we need 10 more commercially and globally funds to acknowledge a long forgotten asset class.

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That there is a face of hopeful gratitude! 😊 The trust from these leaders at Canterbury Tech (Louisa Taylor and Henry Lawson), Argus ManuTech (James McKenna), CORDE (Mitchell Rogers) and The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC) (Safe Wongsunopparat) have helped iterate a programme to make sustainability much more affordable, collaborative and efficient. A quick update on lessons learned across the three cohorts: 1) Visioning work is always step 1 The fastest moving cohort was the one which had the extra time to 'load-in' on where they wanted to be, even if they had limiting beliefs on whether it was possible 2) Foreigners are enthralled by Maori concepts to business like Kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga - bringing holistic perspectives and guidance to sustainability 3) Sustainability collaboration outside of your organisation sparks ideas and pathways much faster AND it's so much more fun! 4) The original model I proposed doesn't work. Version 2 will be out next week from these learnings!

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