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 »
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 »
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 »
When Zeller CEO and cofounder Ben Pfisterer raised $100 million in a Series B that valued the then two-year fintech at $1 billion, he was talking to his US investor from behind a $19 IKEA desk. Pfisterer has spent his career in payments, including six years building Square in Australia for Jack Dorsey, and has… Read more »
The startup journey is a rollercoaster – exciting, exhilarating, undeniably daunting and not for the faint-hearted. While social media tends to glamorise the #hustlelife, the reality of scaling a business is far more complex. It’s the point where a company moves from proving its concept to expanding operations, growing its customer base, and increasing market… Read more »
In the world of startups, success is often attributed to a complex interplay of factors ranging from personal characteristics to strategic decision-making. This report analyses 100 of the top startup founders to identify what separates the successful from the rest. By examining their backgrounds, leadership styles, strategic approaches, and other critical factors, we aim to… Read more »
The core of negotiation is about navigating uncertainty, and if you’re in the world of startups, uncertainty is something you’ve already embraced. Unlike traditional business owners with proven business models, products, and services, you’re operating in a space where creativity and adaptability are fundamental to your success. You’re invested in your business on every level,… Read more »
Every business starts with a decision. In the case of Four Pillars, it was the decision to make gin. And from that first decision flowed a cascade of dozens, then hundreds, of other decisions to be made. At its simplest, all business is just decision making, and those decisions come at you thick and fast… Read more »
Imagine walking into a room of investors feeling confident, calm and certain that you’ll put your best pitch forward. When the stakes are high – and one meeting could make or break what happens to your business next – it can be challenging to feel this way. The key to feeling confident is preparation, and… Read more »
A new book offering a comprehensive go-to guide on product marketing has been written by expert Kayla Medica. The Mehdeeka Method aims at demystify product marketing for companies of all stages of growth, providing a bridge between traditional brand marketing and emerging product marketing schools of thought, to build a brand from scratch. Kayla Medica… Read more »
You’ve just come up with the next big thing. You’re excited. You’ve mapped out the basic concept, convinced yourself this is the future, and you’re ready to throw a few years of your life into it. But then, disaster: a quick search or a chat with a startup friend reveals someone else has already built something… Read more »
In recent years, the media has increasingly blurred the lines between true capital raises and secondary sales, distorting the actual amount of new funding startups are receiving. This confusion often misleads founders and investors, making it harder to understand the real financial position of a company. For first-time founders, navigating the complexities of capital raising… Read more »
Less than a month after Amazon announced employees would need to give up their flexible work arrangements and return to the office full-time, new research has reinforced the value of a flexible work culture. The 2024 Employee Benefits Review, by consultancy firm Mercer, found 89% of Australian organisations still offer the option of working from… Read more »
It was 10.54 pm on 9 November, 2021. But at the time, I had no idea what day it was, let alone the time of the day or night, or how long I had been there. I had just given birth to my baby boy. But beneath the sheer joy and physical exhaustion, there was… Read more »
One of the first big questions that many startup founders face is deciding what to offer a potential cofounder as compensation — cash, equity, or some mixture of both. This decision sets the tone for the entire relationship and can have long-lasting impacts on the success of your startup. While this might seem like a… Read more »
How I bootstrapped my startup in just 2 years to 16 million users 
King River Capital is building a $157 million sixth VC fund to back AI 
US-Australian cybersecurity startup hacks $4.75 million Seed round 
Artificial intelligence expert Lee Hickin departs Microsoft to become National AI Centre director 
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