Startup West

We talk with all of the 2019 Plus Eight tech accelerator cohort in Perth: Trent & Dan (Absolute VR), Stephen (The Art of Comms), James (Arisave), Dylan (Idle) and Ryan & Rob (Cordially). Now in its third year, Plus Eight is Perth’s most prestigious tech accelerator, investing a total of $400k in the selected companies each year, taking them through its 6 month program. These are some of the most p...

Startup West talks with Andrew Outhwaite, founder of WA's first co-working space in Geraldton - CityHive - recent Chair of Startup WA and Incubator Support Facilitator for the Australian Government. Over the past year, Andrew's visited most of the 100 of so early stage incubator spaces and programs spread across Western Australia. What does he see out there, how is the startup support network trav...

Startup West talks with Cath Resnick, founder and CEO of Kinchip Systems, a health tech startup connecting parents with health care providers and support services. The TED talk referenced in the conversation is Dana Kanze's 'The real reason female entrepreneurs get less funding': https://www.ted.com/talks/dana_kanze_the_real_reason_female_entrepreneurs_get_less_funding For more on KinChip: http://...

Startup West talks with Kevin Forcier, co-founder and CEO of Storekat, who is building oneVASTwarehouse in the UK just in time for Brexit (maybe, if and when it happens…, but otherwise). Kevin’s story is one of sheer grit and determination, to never give in and try new things. In 2017, he was contacted by a UK-based logistics tech accelerator. He not only got onto the accelerator, he was the only...

StartupWest talks with Tim Brewer, co-founder and CEO of Functionally, a brand-new startup which is looking to assist CEOs and companies scale their business. “Poorly designed organisations cost investors a lot of money, and are bad places to work”, he says, “so good work design is crucial.” Launched last month at SaasTr conference in San Jose, California, Tim explains what Functionally is aiming...

We talk with the CEO and co-founder of WA-founded HUMM Tech, Iain McIntyre, who is now based over in Silicon Valley in the US. He explains why the 'flip up' (as its known) occurred, and what HUMM are doing in the neuroscience space. And also, what's an 'almost law graduate' doing in this funky startup anyway? Since developing HUMM, the company has been through Perth’s Plus Eight tech accelerator a...

Moving to Perth from her native Canada 12 years ago to do a PhD in Internet Studies, Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie became an expert in Facebook, social media and the games industry. She has now turned her hand to helping companies use the power of gamification to effect culture change and innovate successfully. To check out her podcast, Fearlessly Playful, you can visit https://kateraynesgoldie.com/fearle...

We talk with Dr Kath Giles, CEO of OncoRes Medical, a medtech startup pioneering a handheld device to prevent repeat surgeries for breast cancer. Kath has an impressive background as a medical doctor, investment manager and startup CEO, plus she recently won the global Pitch@Palace event in London. Startup West podcast is produced in sunny Perth, Western Australia by Startup News and brought to yo...

A special episode recorded during our end of year LIVE SHOW with US-based VC Bill Tai, Noisy Guts co-founder Dr Mary Webberley and Startup News co-founder (now based in S.E. Asia) Marcus Holmes. Among other things the panel discusses the local startup scene, where it’s placed, where it’s going and what they look for in a startup deal. The recording was made at the Startup News/Startup WA End of Ye...

Siobhan Lancaster worked for an ASX-listed company as a corporate lawyer before starting Instatruck in an attempt to solve a friend's problem post mining construction boom. The 'uber of trucks' service has grown over the past few years, and has brought Siobhan recognition including a 40under40 and WA Innovator of the Year awards. For more ~ https://instatruck.com.au Startup West podcast is produce...

In our eighth episode, Startup News' Beth Caniglia and Charlie Gunningham talk with brothers and cofounders of Student Edge Craig and Jeremy Chetty. How did these two build their student discounts site up to more than a million members in Australia over the past 15 years, and where did the initial inspiration and funding come from? Why did they decide to move from a subscription service to free, a...

We talk with Dr Marcus Tan, co-founder and CEO of the impressive health tech business HealthEngine. Established in Perth in 2006, Marcus bought in and took it over in 2009 (having started a similar business - MedLink - previously.) The business has come a long way from his living room to raising over $50M in venture funds and being Australia's #1 health bookings site. For more ~ https://healthengi...

Now in its eighth year, West Tech Fest brings high profile Silicon Valley execs, founders and investors over to Perth for a week long festival of tech, startups and kite surfing. Beth and Charlie talk with two of the festival's co-founders, Rohan McDougall from Curtin University and Paula Taylor from 32 Degrees South, and find out what's on offer this year, including some new events being run for...

If you are interested in the amazing world of blockchain, initial coin offerings (ICOs) and crypto, this is the podcast for you. Power Ledger's ICO was the first in Australia and raised a staggering $34M last year. We talk with Dr Jemma Green, Chair of Perth-based blockchain energy startup Power Ledger. Jemma grew up in the hills of Perth and an influential moment in a school public speaking compe...

We talk with two of Startup WA's board members, Chloë Constantinides and Sam Birmingham. Chloe has worked in digital businesses such as Dapper Apps and RateIt, spent time in New York and is a cofounder of Dapper Apps and founder of Kisanii. Sam set up WeBe in the mid 2000s, then established Perth's first Startup Weekend and PhDo, has worked for Pollenizer, iiNet and is Coordinator at StartupWA. ht...

Set up in 2006 and inducted into the inaugural 'WA Tech Business Hall of Fame' earlier this year, Grant and Sharon Grosser's SEQTA Software business is now the leading learning management system (LMS) across Australia's school sector. 700+ schools in Australia use SEQTA to connect administrators, teachers, students and parents/guardians together. http://seqta.com.au Startup West podcast is brought...

Claire McGregor is just plain awesome - straight talking, tons of experience, really good at what she does. A trained vet, she tells us how she wound up in an online business in London, then back in Perth as Director of the Silicon-Valley run Founder Institute and marketing person at Agworld before forming Appbot with Stuart Hall. Appbot is one of those less well known successful startup stories i...

Welcome to Startup West, the podcast about building great startups in sunny Western Australia with people who've been here and done it, or live here and are doing it! In this first episode, Startup News' Charlie Gunningham and Beth Caniglia talk with Yuuwa Capital director Matt Macfarlane and Spacecubed's Brodie McCulloch. Matt is a well known West Australian early stage VC and angel investor, and...