#10 Fighting the Gender Gap and Presenting Echo Labs
All about Adelaide startups and entrepreneurship in your inbox
What's up, Adelaide founders? Welcome back! I chose the #10 issue to talk about an urgent and crucial topic: the gender gap in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this issue you will also meet Dustin Braband and his company Echo Labs. In addition, learn about plenty of opportunities, grants and jobs for grab in Adelaide and across the country.
Fighting the Gender Gap
Did you know that 77% of Australian high-growth startup founders are male and that women represent only 9% of developers? Read my article Fighting the Gender Gap to learn about the state of gender inequality in our entrepreneurial ecosystem and find out how you can act today to close the gap.
Opportunities:
Here is a call for all founders and innovators. Covid-19 might have severely affected your business, but the good news is that everything is now online. So roll up your sleeves and make sure you do not miss the following deadlines:
ygap’s First Gens 2020 Program — Due Jul 31st
In Australia, migrants and refugees continue to face increased challenges when starting a business, participating in the community and searching for employment. These challenges include: access to funding , access to social networks, access to information, and discrimination. ygap developed the First Gens program to address these challenges by providing funding, world-class training and access to ygap’s extensive network of mentors, investors, advisors and supporters, and a supportive community. Find more
Bridge Hub 2020 Water Challenge — Due Aug 7th
The purpose of the Bridge Hub 2020 Water Challenge is to uncover the best and brightest research, the most innovative ideas and the best startups that positively impact water sustainability within our agrisystem. We have cash prizes on offer for ANZ researchers, startups and students. In addition to cash prizes, there is the opportunity for the winners of the research prizes to receive an investment into the commercial outcome of their solution. Find more
Barayamal Indigenous Accelerator Program — Due Aug 9th
The five innovative Indigenous businesses will receive a funding total of $50,000 in grants with all participants also receiving free co-working space, mentoring and training from industry experts at the Victorian Innovation Hub, Goods Shed North. The Barayamal Accelerator incorporates a competition model to select our innovative Indigenous businesses. Fund more.
Rocket Seeder Accelerator — Due: Aug 14th
Rocket Seeder is an accelerator for startups in the Food and Agriculture sector in Australia. We help innovators and founders take their startups to the next level by providing them with the tools and guidance they need to scale. Find more.
ZeroCO2 Hackaton 2020 — Due: Aug 14th
he ZeroCO2 Renewable Energy & Sustainability Hackathon looks to accelerate this transition to net zero emissions by creating innovative new business solutions for both the domestic and commercial sectors across the ACT. Find more.
Winnovation Awards — Due: Aug 17th
The Winnovation Awards showcases and celebrates the successes of female innovators changing the game in South Australia. These Awards also recognise businesses who support our state's innovative women. Find more.
Founders Institute Melbourne Virtual 2020 — Due: Jul 26th
As the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, the Melbourne Founder Institute can help you:
— Focus on what’s important
— Make smart decisions
— Build a global business. Find more.
Founders Institute Sydney Virtual Spring 2020 — Due: Aug 9th
The Founder Institute is the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator. We help you get to traction and funding with a support network of startup experts that are invested in your success, and through a structured business-building process that has helped our alumni raise over $950M. Find more.
Pitch to EnergyLab’s Cleantech Round 8 — Due: Aug 19th
EnergyLab’s angel group is a unique network of investors who believe in the importance and potential of cleantech startups, can make decisions quickly and will continue to support you well after they’ve invested. Find more.
Global Markets Accelerator Program — Due: Aug 28th
Are you looking to take the next step and expand globally? The Global Markets Accelerator Program, funded by AusIndustry, is your key to understanding and accessing international markets for your start-up. Find more.
Startup Pitch Fest at Australian Healthcare Week 2020 — Due: Sep 3rd
Electing the Australian Healthcare Startup of the Year, the Pitch Fest is your chance to educate both the healthcare industry, and leading technology players, about your organisation and the problems you help to solve. It will feature 8 of the leading health startups in Australia and New Zealand, battling it out to be crowned this year’s champion. Find more.
Y Combinator — Due: Set 23rd
We think founders are most productive when they can spend most of their time building. Our goal is to create an environment where you can focus exclusively on building product and talking to users. Twice a year, we invest a small amount of money in a large number of startups. We have two batches per year — one from January through March and one from June through August. Find more
ICC Venture Catalyst for Regional Startups — Due: rolling basis until October 2020
The General category is open to any industry sector and supports startups with the potential for high growth, who are developing new services, markets or business models that compete in global markets. Accepted applicants will receive a tailored program based on their current needs as well as a $10,000 stipend and other benefits. Find more
Melt Accelerator — Due: Dec 30th
The MELT’s accelerator and incubator programs will revolutionize the way hardware Startups prove, prototype, pilot and produce globally scalable products and companies. Find more.
Pitch to EnergyLab’s Cleantech Round 9 — Due Feb 3rd 2021
EnergyLab’s angel group is a unique network of investors who believe in the importance and potential of cleantech startups, can make decisions quickly and will continue to support you well after they’ve invested. Find more.
Pitch to EnergyLab’s Cleantech Round 10 — Due Apr 28th 2021
EnergyLab’s angel group is a unique network of investors who believe in the importance and potential of cleantech startups, can make decisions quickly and will continue to support you well after they’ve invested. Find more.
Smart Regional Incubator — Due: 4th Tue of month on a rolling basis
The UNE SMART Region Incubator accepts applications from new startups that are scaling up and ready to build the regional economy. Our focus is on startups bringing to market solutions for agriculture, health, environmental services and creative industries. Find more.
Brinc’s Australian Clean Energy Program — Due: open year round
A three month Clean Energy Accelerator Program in Sydney, that is uniquely designed to support Australian startups that have fully developed solutions, have established product market fit, and are ready for commercialization. Find more.
Spark Lab Cultiv 8 Accelerator — Due: open year round
SparkLabs Cultiv8 identifies leading startups working on innovative food and agricultural technology. Our mission is to cultivate growth stage Ag and Food Tech companies with researchers, farmers, investors and global corporate partners, to help digitise agriculture and contribute to a more sustainable future. Find more.
Government-backed Programs
SA Export Accelerator — Due: Aug 14th
The South Australia Export Accelerator grant is a financial assistance program for South Australian businesses who are looking to grow into international markets. Find more.
Business Research and Innovation Initiative — Due: Sep 10th
Each time the Business Research and Innovation Initiative opens, we detail up to 5 challenges that government currently faces in policy and service delivery areas. The grant gives you the opportunity to solve these challenges using innovative approaches. Find more
SA Space Innovation Fund — Due: multiple programs and dates
The South Australian Space Industry Centre is supporting the state’s emerging space industry by providing funding to grow jobs and build South Australia’s space ecosystem through the Space Innovation Fund. Find more.
SA Venture Capital Fund — Due: open year round
To help build South Australian companies to a national and global scale, the South Australian Government has established the $50 million SAVCF that will invest in dynamic and innovative early-stage companies to accelerate their growth to a national and global scale. Find more.
SA Mentor Program — Due: open year round
Through the Office of the Chief Entrepreneur and the Department for Innovation and Skills you are invited to register your interest in an informal mentoring service exclusively for South Australian startups and scaleups. Find more.
CSIRO Kick-Start — Due: open year round
CSIRO Kick-Start provides matched funding for start-ups and small to medium enterprises to help access CSIRO's research expertise and capabilities to help grow your business. Find more.
Accelerating Commercialisation — Due: open year round
Accelerating Commercialisation provides small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers with access to expert advice and funding to help get a novel product, process or service to market. Find more.
SMART Projects and Supply Chains — Due: open year round
The SMART Projects and Supply Chains service provides businesses with access to strategic or high-value projects that increase business capability, meet the specific needs of a market opportunity, or otherwise improve business performance and leadership capacity. Find more.
Research and Development Tax Incentive — Due: open year round
The Research and Development Tax Incentive helps to offset some of the costs you put into eligible R&D, which benefits the wider Australian economy. Find more.
Innovation Connections
Innovation Connections assists businesses to understand their research needs, connect with the research sector and fund collaborative research projects. Find more.
Export Market Development Grants — Due: open year round
Export Market Development Grants reimburse promotional expenses for exporters aiming to increase their international sales. Find more.
Featured Startup
Meet Echo Labs and Dustin Braband
After launching multiple digital businesses, Dustin has now begun to pursue a new venture in Adelaide as part of the SISA program. Dustin’s other startups include an award-winning web agency and a digital company that have generated $1m so far this year.
Startup: Echo Labs Pty Ltd
Year founded: 2020
Founder: Dustin Braband
Stage: MVP
Business description: Echo Labs are launching a range of B2B IoT solutions, bringing KPIs and goals to life by integrating live data from digital systems into physical analogue displays.
Total fundraising: $250,000 (Self)
Incubators and accelerators: eNVIsion, Venture Dorm, New Venture Institute
Location: Tonsley
“I’ve helped hundreds of companies move online with businesses often able to run entirely in the digital space. During this process, I started to witness certain aspects of business that no longer feel as real when taking place digitally, somewhere ’in the cloud’. A common example is a team working together to generate sales for an eCommerce store. When the team achieves their target and an online sale is made, the only alert is staff receiving a new order email or a new entry whilst checking the order dashboard on their individual screens. We’ve found this to be very underwhelming whilst not evoking emotions or recognition within the team.”
“We were convinced that we could improve on this by developing a range of devices to create more of an event, away from the digital space. Our aim is for this to improve motivation, collaboration and awareness of shared goals within a team.”
Echo Labs take some of the core principles of ‘gamification’ and apply them to digitally tracked goals through physical analogue products. Creating a focal point in the workplace with the goal showcased for the whole team to see and follow together through a tangible product.
Over the past few months, Echo Labs launched a cloud-based portal, API and app that sends data to a core range of IoT devices. These products are currently being prototyped, as the company moves towards product trials and testing, before establishing a scalable manufacturing process.
To get in contact with Dustin, you can send him an email or connect via LinkedIn.
Webinars and meetups:
The Startup Playbook: Founder & CEO of Everledger, Leanne Kemp. Tue, Jul 28th | 7:30-8:30am ACST
Leanne is serial entrepreneur with over 20+ years in the tech sector including multiple successful exits to both international and publicly listed companies and is recognised internationally as an innovator and leader. Her company, Everledger, uses Blockchain technology to track high-value assets such as diamonds, art and wine with the aim of increasing transparency and trust with technology. To date Everledger has raised U$40M in funding from leading global funds including Fidelity, Future Fund and Tencent. Register.
Giants by Blackbird: Enterprise Sales with Jindou Lee. Tue, Jul 28th | 7:30am ACST
What is enterprise sales and why is it so important for a SaaS startup? As a startup founder many of us are typically learning on the job and selling to enterprise is a very different beast from selling to small businesses. In this presentation, Jindou Lee, co-founder and CEO of HappyCo will discuss what he's learnt in the last decade on enterprise sales, including when it's right for your startup, how to successfully land your first enterprise customer and more. Register
Startmate & Blackbird: Liminal Conference. Jul 27-31
Fast-track your journey into a startup at Liminal. Dip your toe into the startup world through Liminal — an immersive week-long series of online talks, workshops, and high-energy breakout sessions with leading startup operators and coaches.
Tap into ideas that will lead you to the career you’ve always wanted. Don’t wait, register below. Register
Innovation Bay: a Conversation with Larry Marshall. Wed, Jul 29th | 7:30am ACST
We are excited to welcome Larry Marshall to join us to talk about innovation in Australia. Larry is an Australian entrepreneur and physicist, and Chief Executive of CSIRO. For around a century, CSIRO has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in science and technology. Everything they do is focused on creating measurable economic, environmental and social benefits that better the world and Australia’s place in it. Register
Spark Festival — Australia’s Festival of Innovation Oct 12–23
Spark Festival will be a 12 day online opportunity to learn from and connect into the innovation ecosystem right across Australia. Startups, hubs, accelerators, universities, government, corporates, professional services Spark Festival will be a 12 day online opportunity to learn from and connect into the innovation ecosystem right across Australia. Find more
Jobs:
Wine Australia is Recruiting an AgTech Program Manager
Wine Australia supports a prosperous Australian grape and wine community
—The Program Manager will initiate and manage the AgTech adoption module of the Wine Australia Regional Program
—We are keen to hear from you if you possess demonstrated knowledge of winemaking, grapegrowing, horticulture or the fermentation sector and established networks in the Australian and/or international grape and wine community. Find more
Stone & Chalk is hiring
Stone & Chalk empowers founders to commercialise success and create impact:
—Marketing Manager
—Hub Coordinator
Barbados is hiring an Agronomist or Food Engineer Co-founder
Barbados Nutrition is a new startup working in the food sector:
— Do you have a passion for the future of food? Are you highly ambitious, love to build, and get excited about solving global problems?
—Agronomist or food engineer
—5 years of experience
—Co-founder, terms to be negotiated
Apply here
Chrysos is Hiring
Chrysos provides ore grade analysis to the mining industry:
— Maintenance Engineer
— Physicist/Detector Engineer
— Systems Administrator
Sine in hiring spree!
Sine develops technology for workplace safety, security, and compliance:
— Infosec & Compliance Manager
— Software Tester
— Business Development Manager (Remote, AU)
— Business Development Manager
— Business Development Manager (Remote, NZ)
— Business Systems Engineer
— DevOps Engineer
— Full Stack Javascript Engineer
— Software Engineer
Fleet in hiring spree!
Fleet is an agile, next generation connectivity company:
— Golang Developer
— Technical Customer Support
— Product Owner
— Front-end/UI Developer
— Principal RF Payload Engineer (Adelaide HQ)
ShineHub is hiring
ShineHub is like AirBnB for new solar and battery solutions:
—Community Development Manager
—Solar Sales Consultant
Startup Jobs List
Airtree has created an open-source spreadsheet listing startups currently hiring. It is open for anyone to edit and they are asking all founders who are hiring to add the roles they’re recruiting for. You can access the spreadsheet through the link below.
Venture Funding
Are you seeking venture funding for your startup? If so, consider reading my previous post #6 and have a look at the following database of venture capital firms and private investment groups.
This is all for today! If you like this post, leave a comment and connect with me through LinkedIn! If you would like to just say hi, or publish a story, event or job announcement on this newsletter, please drop me a line. Finally, click subscribe below to receive this newsletter every week by email.
Keep building,
Rob Blum