Nearly 50% of women have considered not attending their workplace Christmas party because of concerns about safety, poor behaviour, or harassment, according to a recent survey by Male Allies UK. Given that Australia is the worst-developed nation for workplace bullying and harassment, statistics here are likely similar or higher. If you don’t have your own… Read more »
Why is it so difficult for women entrepreneurs to get funding? As a leader in Australia’s startup ecosystem and someone who has seen the transformative power of innovation up close, I grapple with this question every day. The statistics are stark: in 2022, just 0.7% of private startup funding in Australia went to female-led companies.… Read more »
Founders by their very nature see things others have yet to realise. Their challenge is to then get others to see that vision, believe in and back it. And then convince their customers to use a solution they didn’t know they need. Seven years ago, Dr Elliot Smith’s Maxwell Plus was just such a startup.… Read more »
The federal government has deprioritised 218 occupations while escalating some 456 others – including a range of cyber security and ICT roles – as it works to boost flagging national productivity by focusing its evolving skilled visa program on the areas of highest need. Designed “to replace complex, out of date and inflexible occupation lists… Read more »
Building a successful and sustainable business as a startup or scaleup goes beyond developing great products or services. Your people are arguably the most critical success factor for growth, and having strong HR strategies in place is essential. Overlooking HR can lead to significant long-term issues, including high employee turnover, misaligned team goals, legal and… Read more »
It seems like almost every week, another woman entrepreneur publicly shares her story about being under the neurodivergent umbrella. Inspiring leaders like Celeste Barber, Steph Claire Smith (KIC), Mamamia’s CEO Mia Freedman, and The Digital Picnic founder Cherie Conan are proof that neurodivergence is not an obstacle to achieving success, when working in an inclusive… Read more »
Earlier this month, the tech world was abuzz with debate following comments from Craig Blair, a renowned VC and partner at Airtree Ventures, at a Tech Council of Australia (TCA) event. Whilst his comments around founders’ “greatly flawed characters” being what “makes them special” sparked concern he was perpetuating toxic leadership in tech, I do have… Read more »
Raising capital using SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) notes has become a go-to tool for Australian founders. SAFEs streamline the fundraising process by postponing valuation debates until a future funding round. However, understanding the distinction between pre-money and post-money SAFEs is critical, as it directly impacts founder dilution and investor ownership. In this article,… Read more »
The Federal Government’s proposed ban on social media is both dangerous to free speech and risks dooming a generation of Australia’s children to digital illiteracy. It feels good to ban something; it sounds decisive. “Kids addicted to social media? No problem, it’s banned!” Yes, there is a problem with how some children consume internet media.… Read more »
More than one in three Australian women will face physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. It’s an appalling statistic that shows just how urgent it is to break this cycle. Today marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women so it’s the best time to learn how you can take action, support… Read more »
Innovation means different things to different people, but the most important thing when it comes to product development is to have a clear vision, according to Canva’s Head of Design, Andrew Green. “‘We think pretty deeply about our roadmap, and for all the founders out there, I think that one interesting aspect of [Canva cofounder… Read more »
Bitcoin is now above US$90,000. While many view the surge in the context of the US elections, shifts in monetary policy and everything in between – the real story runs somewhat deeper than graphs, Paul Quickenden argues. Here’s his view on why this bull run unique and the lessons for tech innovators. An institutional and… Read more »
Australia’s gender pay gap has been shrinking year by year, but is still over 20% among Australia’s private companies, a new national report card shows. But that gender gap is even bigger at 25% among chief executive officers, according to figures collected for the first time in 2023–24. And the widest gap of all is among… Read more »
From artist Picasso to director Woody Allen, actor Kevin Spacey, athlete OJ Simpson, record producer Phil Spector and rapper Jay-Z, the idea of flawed genius is not new. But its prominence in the startup sector has been front of mind in recent months, most notably with WiseTech’s billionaire founder Richard White. Many have noted that… Read more »
Australia wants to ban children from social media. The proposed legislation would make platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, off limits to anyone under sixteen, and put Australia at the forefront of regulating social media access for children. While backed by social change movements such as 36 Months which delivered a petition to Prime… Read more »
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