Simon Thomsen, Author at Startup Daily

Simon Thomsen

Simon has been editor of Startup Daily since 2019.

He hosted the Startup Daily show on streaming service ausbiz.com.au from 2020 to 2023.

He was previously associate editor of Business Insider Australia, a national restaurant critic, editor of The Good Food Guide, and newspaper proprietor during a 30-year career in journalism and publishing.

He's also an investor in early stage startups.

Simon chaired the environment committee of industry lobby group Australian Business Ltd's (now NSW Business Chamber) during the Kyoto agreement era, debating cow farts with mining execs.

Topics

Brewery startups are hopping mad about falling through the cracks in the government’s $200 billion stimulus package

Simon Thomsen - April 9, 2020 3 MIN READ

While the Morrison government’s $130 billion JobKeeper package and a range of other measures to help businesses survive the coronavirus crisis have been widely welcomed, Australia’s nascent boutique brewery industry fears it’s been completely overlooked in the stimulus efforts. Parliament passed the massive wage subsidy plan on Wednesday, but the government resisted attempts to expand… Read more »

Topics

The ACS has enlisted more than 2000 people for a hackathon to help fight COVID-19

Simon Thomsen - April 9, 2020 2 MIN READ

Tech association ACS is hosting a major online hackathon over the Easter weekend with one goal in mind – to find ways to help ‘Flatten the Curve’ – reduce the infection rate – in the battle against coronavirus. The #flattenthecurvehack runs for 48 hours from 6pm today, April 9, with more than 2000 competitors tackling 62… Read more »

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Datacom is on a massive hiring spree to help the Australian government respond to COVID-19

Simon Thomsen - April 8, 2020 2 MIN READ

Multinational professional services company Datacom will hire more than 2000 people as part of the ramp up for government support in response to coronavirus. The IT firm is looking to fill thousands of roles to work in purpose-built contact centres across Australiam for federal Government agencies providing frontline services as part of the economic support… Read more »

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MYOB’s guide to everything your business needs to do to withstand COVID-19

Simon Thomsen - April 8, 2020 2 MIN READ

Accountancy software company MYOB has released a Business Preparedness Guide to help small businesses find their way through all the information and tips on how to successfully face the COVID-19 crisis. MYOB CEO, Greg Ellis, says the rapidly changing situation made it challenging for businesses to keep on top of the latest advice and available… Read more »

Topics

BEERS, BETS, BANTAMS & BLEACH: The dramatic shift in what Australians now search for online

Simon Thomsen - April 8, 2020 2 MIN READ

Being stuck at home has Australians rethinking what they’ll do with their time, prompting dramatic changes in what they’re searching for online. Yellow Online has been tracking online searches over the past fortnight, finding a 914% increase nationally in searches for fitness equipment, led by the ACT with searches up 1,442%, Victoria (1,084%) and NSW… Read more »

Topics

Scott Morrison is forcing commercial landlords to share more pain and cut rents

Simon Thomsen - April 7, 2020 3 MIN READ

Landlords will be forced to reduce rents on commercial properties in proportion with the loss of turnover their small business tenants have experienced under new measures announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday. The plan will be backed up by state-based legislation and a mandatory Code of Conduct, building on last Friday’s six-month ban… Read more »

Other

Why sleep is important in the long fight against coronavirus

Simon Thomsen - April 7, 2020 4 MIN READ

Getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult at the best of times. But it can be even harder when you’re anxious or have something on your mind – a global pandemic, for example. Right now though, getting a good night’s sleep could be more important than ever. Sleep is essential for maintaining our… Read more »

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WHO’S ZOOMING WHO: How work in the time of coronavirus will drive remote innovation

Simon Thomsen - April 6, 2020 2 MIN READ

After decades of talk and opinion and vibes about working remotely and job flexibility, COVID-19 has delivered dramatic and rapid change to the way many people work. If you weren’t already using remote communication technologies such as Slack and Zoom, it’s been a crash course in staying in touch, and a University of South… Read more »

Topics

FROM THE FRONTLINE: How food startup Two Hands is responding to the coronavirus crisis

Simon Thomsen - April 3, 2020 4 MIN READ

The economic crisis brought on by COVID-19 is unlike anything the startup sector and broader business community experienced before. The economic rule book has been thrown out the window and Australian government’s response reflects gravity of the situation, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing a massive $130 billion stimulus package, in a bid to keep people… Read more »

Topics

Medtech Atomo Diagnostics lands massive COVID-19 deal, closes $30 million raise early ahead of IPO

Simon Thomsen - April 3, 2020 2 MIN READ

Rapid blood test startup Atomo Diagnostics is playing its part in the fight against coronavirus, signing a deal with French diagnostics company, NG Biotech, to supply up 2.465 million of its rapid, blood-based COVID-19 tests in 2020. The sale landed as the Sydney-based healthtech venture’s $30 million Initial Public Offer was oversubscribed at 20 cents per… Read more »

Topics

Working parents will get free childcare under the Morrison government’s latest coronavirus boost

Simon Thomsen - April 2, 2020 2 MIN READ

Childcare will be free for parents working to keep society functioning through the coronavirus shutdown – as well as those who’ve taken their child out of care but want to keep the place – under new subsidies announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Around one million families in 13,000 childcare and early learning centres… Read more »

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90 DAYS OF SOLITUDE: NSW Police say coronavirus rules will stay in place until the end of June

Simon Thomsen - April 2, 2020 3 MIN READ

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says the state’s tough social distancing and isolation laws will remain in place for at least 90 days, taking the restrictions to June 29. On Monday, the NSW government increased restrictions on freedom of movement in a bid to reduce the further spread of COVID-19, also ramping up the… Read more »

Topics

Seriously smart tech execs are sharing their insights on the future of work in Silicon Block’s weekly lunchtime chats

Simon Thomsen - April 2, 2020 < 1 MIN READ

Right now, a bunch of cool people are sharing their advice to help everyone in business get through the COVID-19. Among them is Melbourne startup Silicon Block, famed for events ranging from intimate dinners to large scale block parties, which has moved online in the work-from-home era. Founder Rhys Hayes has built a community of… Read more »

Topics

Finder’s 18-month hunt for an Australian boss is finally over as Viacom’s Chris Ellis signs on

Simon Thomsen - April 1, 2020 < 1 MIN READ

Finder finally has a new local leader following an 18-month hunt by the comparison site’s co-founders and global co-CEOs Fred Schebesta and Frank Restuccia, with ViacomCBS exec Chris Ellis taking on the newly created role of CEO of Finder Australia. English-born Ellis departed ViacomCBS, owners of the Ten TV network, as VP of Commercial… Read more »

Topics

MYOB says small business needs to step up on cybersecurity as people work from home

Simon Thomsen - March 31, 2020 3 MIN READ

Another threat SMEs need to deal with while focusing on the impact coronavirus is cybersecurity, especially as people work from home. Tech and accountancy business MYOB says cybersecurity is a key risk smaller businesses often don’t pay attention to. MYOB Head of Product, SME, Dale Dixon says companies and their staff need clear guidelines on… Read more »

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