Open The Pod Bay Doors

Sam Kroonenburg is the CEO and Founder of A Cloud Guru, a disruptive online learning platform for cloud certification and training. A Cloud Guru has recently been acquired by Pluralsight, a US company, in the largest-ever acquisition of an Australian software company. The story of A Cloud Guru is an amazing example of product-market fit and successfully getting the product into the hands of the customers who need it most.Sam has an extensive background in software development; he spent years at Microsoft as a Software Design Engineer. Sam also spent time honing his software development skills at Kiandra IT, where he worked as a Software Development Lead and a Software Development Manager.During their chat, Ian & Sam discuss…Sam’s extensive background in software developmentWorking in an ever-changing industryEngaging customers through educationThe natural progression of adding B2B servicesThe process of negotiations that led to the acquisition by PluralsightThe unique set of challenges A Cloud Guru faced

Joined by Paul Naphtali (Rampersand), Sarah Nolet (Tenacious Ventures), and Rachel Yang (Giant Leap), Ian sits down for a deep dive into family offices. The panel discusses a variety of topics related to family offices and provides a wealth of information for potential VC investors as well as those looking to learn more about who is behind VC funds.Ian & the panel discuss…The role family offices play in Australia and how it is evolvingHow family offices can help innovation become a core part of the Australian economyThe differences between a family office and an individualThe intergenerational nature of family officesDeal flow as a determinant of success in first-time fundsThe importance of ESG (environmental, social, governance)Trends among family offices...and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashik Ahmed is the Co-Founder, CEO, and CTO of Deputy, a workforce management software platform. Deputy seeks to simplify shift work for hundreds of thousands of customers around the globe. Ashik is a genuine, open, and honest CEO with a multitude of insights on the founder journey.Ashik is back on Open the Pod Bay Doors to discuss…The difficulties Deputy faced during the pandemic and how they overcame themHow Deputy adapted to place more of a focus on the healthcare industryDeputy’s recent rebranding and how it came to beThe concept of “clocked-in for the customer”The startup landscape in Australia and how COVID-19 has impacted itHow he is largely driven by courage & compassion...and much more!Quickfire RecommendationsBooks: Shoe Dog by Phil KnightPodcast: The Tim Ferriss ShowNew Source: Facebook videoApp: WiZ AppFavourite Tech CEO: Jeff Bezos (Amazon)Productivity Tool: Screen time on iPhone, turning notifications offTV Show: The PlaybookTed Talk Topic: “Being selfless and owning that selflessness”______

Lauren Hall is the Founder and CEO of iVvy, a venue and event management software company. Prior to founding iVvy, Lauren worked across a variety of industries including clothing, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and technology. Lauren is a tenacious founder with an indomitable spirit; her story is one of talent, hustle, resilience, and success.Lauren & Ian discuss a wide array of topics including…How Taekwondo impacts several areas of Lauren’s business and lifeGrowing up in South Africa and how it sparked Lauren’s desire to immigrate to AustraliaThe process of healing post tragedy and traumaLauren’s introduction into the events industry and how iVvy came to beHow Lauren successfully led iVvy through COVIDThe ways in which COVID has impacted the events industryPreparation for iVvy’s upcoming IPOThe existence of hybrid events and the future of the events industry...and more!Quickfire Recommendations:Book: Scale or Fail by Allison MaslanPodcast: The Joe Rogan ExperienceTech CEO: Mike Cannon-Brookes & Scott Farquh

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Tessa Court, IntelligenceBankDanny Gilligan, ReinventureKevin Jochelson, The Tech RooportTopics we discuss:The discussion kicks off with the biggest headline of the fortnight: Square's $39 billion acquisition of AfterPay. The panel dives into the implications of the deal for the BNPL sector, and banking in general. We also discuss the new innovation hub opening up in the new Salesforce Tower in Sydney, Australia's first crypto credit card from CoinJar, the new $270 million VC fund from Airwallex, and new raises by IntelligenceBank and Culture Amp._______Subscribe to The Tech Rooport for a daily dose of headlines from the ANZ startup ecosystem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Boyle is the CEO of Newcastle-based Pegasus, a competency management software and services organisation. Adam joined Pegasus as a General Manager in 2007 and became CEO in 2010, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. Pegasus was recently acquired by U.S. company Avetta; the deal was finalised last week after receiving regulatory approval.During their chat, Ian & Adam discuss many topics including...The transition of Pegasus from a labor hire company to a tech companyPegasus’s recent acquisition by Avetta and how it came to beThe benefits and challenges of running a Newcastle-based tech organisationPegasus operating with a growth mindsetManaging the tension between sales and development...and more!Quickfire RecommendationsBook: t by Andy AllenThe Next ElemenPodcast: How I Built ThisNews Source: The Newcastle Herald, AFR, The AustralianFavourite Tech CEO: Ryan Smith (Qualtrics)Favourite App: HeyYouProductivity Tool: CoffeeFavourite TV Show: Loki, The Footy ShowTed Talk Topic: “How m

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Melissa Widner, Lighter CapitalPeter Dunne, Herbert Smith Freehills & Safety CultureBarnaby Marshall, Icehouse VenturesTopics we discuss:Our panel kicks off with a discussion of the recent call from leading Australian tech investors and founders for a plan to end the lockdown crisis and then transitions to talk about funds, raises, and acquisitions from the Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem. Some major headlines we cover: new funds from ANZ, Tennis Australia, Our Innovation Fund, and Tractor Ventures and raises and exits by Go1, Rokt, Sweat, Invoice2go, and Employment Hero._______Horizon, Innovation Bay's angel investor community, is hosting a number of upcoming pitch events. Apply to pitch here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Ferguson is the CEO and co-founder of Immutable, a platform that provides scalable blockchain infrastructure for video games. James is a driven founder with a growth mindset that has led Immutable to build a staff of 100 and raise $20m. James and his brother/co-founder, Robbie Ferguson, have been featured on the ‘Forbes 30 under 30’ list for their impressive work in growing and scaling Immutable.Ian sits down with James to discuss…His journey to founding ImmutableThe process of recruiting a successful teamBuilding a team culture centred around a growth mindsetThe gaming industry as a wholeImmutable operating in a carbon-neutral wayThe history and future of NFTs...and more!Quickfire RecommendationsBook: The Three Body Problem trilogy by Liu CixinPodcast: The Tim Ferriss ShowNews Source: Stratechery by Ben Thompson, Matt Levine newsletter in BloombergTech CEO: Patrick Collison (Stripe) & Sam Bankman-Fried (FTX Exchange)App: DeliverooProductivity Tool: Polymail (a tool to tackle email)TV Show: Drive to

Matthew Koertge, Managing Director of Telstra Ventures, is an unsung hero of the Venture Capital industry with a portfolio including 78 investments, 28 liquidity events, 12 unicorns, and a staff of 19 globally. He is a passionate and dynamic advocate for the startup industry, where he has been active since 1998. Prior to starting at Telstra Ventures in 2011, Matthew worked across a variety of industries including positions at Accede Capital Venture Partners, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Group, and Fujitsu.In his chat with Ian, Matthew discusses:The GP LP structure of Telstra Ventures and why it worksTelstra Ventures operating as a thematic investorThe Telstra customer network and why it is an asset for Telstra VenturesThe growth of the Australian startup ecosystem over the past 10 yearsThe existence and future of secondary marketsAustralia’s venture capital market in comparison to other countries globally...and more!Quickfire Recommendations: by Yuval Noah Harari, by Ben Horowitz, & by Bill Carr and Colin

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Holly Cardew, CartedHugh Stevens, Galileo VenturesTopics we discuss:Our panel discusses how border closures and lockdowns are holding back Australian startups, as well as recent raises by Gilmour Space, Fl0, Skedulo, and Currus Biologics. We also touch on Wise's debut on the London Stock Exchange and Nextdoor's SPAC.__________________Horizon is Innovation Bay's community of passionate, experienced angel investors. Horizon has a number of pitch opportunities for startups coming up this October. For the opportunity to connect 1-on-1 with an impactful group of angel investors, apply to pitch here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federico Collarte is the co-founder and CEO of Baraja, a rapidly growing startup creating LiDAR technology for self-driving cars. Baraja recently closed a $40m Series B, is scaling globally, and is quickly approaching a headcount of 200. Prior to co-founding Baraja, Federico worked in product development and systems engineering, with experience spanning the industrialisation of high volume telecommunication devices at Finisar, to the end-to-end systems engineering of an implantable hearing solution at Cochlear.In this chat with Phaedon, Federico discusses:The ins and outs of Baraja's most recent raiseAdvice for founders who are fundraisingBalancing the urgency of hiring with finding the right personLessons from building out overseas teamsCreating a culture that attracts problem solversManaging the co-founder relationship...and more!Quickfire Recommendations:Book: From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne & The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben HorowitzPodcast: Lex Fridman Podcast & The Joe Rogan Exp

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Elicia McDonald, Airtree VenturesJohn Croll, TruescopeTopics we discuss:Ian and the panel discuss the new Sydney lockdown, why Andreessen Horowitz is getting into publishing, a new early-stage fund, confusingly called "The Fund" is launched in Australia. Plus a few juicy deal announcements and some good news for employers with technology jobs being added to the government's visa list. Plus much more.__________________KPMG High Growth Ventures surveyed 120 Australian startup founders about their satisfaction, work-life balance & future outlook. The report uncovers important insights into the state of founder health & wellbeing in Australia. Download the report here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darren Miller is the CEO of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Darren Miller has more than 25 years’ experience across a range of sectors including renewable energy, electricity retail, technology, finance, media and entertainment. Prior to joining ARENA Darren was the co-founder and CEO of Mojo Power, an innovative electricity retailer.In this conversation with Phaedon about Australia's renewable energy future, Darren discusses:ARENA’s investment track recordThe future role of hydrogen in Australia’s energy infrastructureThe rise of electric vehicles and the challenges of the charging networkHow startups contribute to the energy systemARENA is co-hosting the upcoming Renewable Energy Founder Forum with Innovation Bay this October. This event brings together clean energy startups, investors and industry stakeholders, opening up future pathways to funding and partnerships. Pitch applications for the event close Friday 25 June. If your renewable energy startup is shaping Australia’s clean energy fu

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Cheryl Mack, Stone & ChalkRichard Lin, AirTreeThis week our panel talks about some of the massive acquisitions and rounds recently raised in the Australian ecosystem, including the $2b acquisition of A Cloud Guru, the $1.7b acquisition of MessageMedia, and new funds from Tenacious Ventures and Investible....Our friends at KPMG High Growth Ventures just published their annual report about startup founder health and wellbeing. The founder journey can be physically, mentally and emotionally draining so it's so important to have data like this available so we can better understand how to support founders. View the report here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Hannah Field, Folklore VenturesAndrew Coppin, FarmbotTopics we discuss:Our panel discusses the newest COVID lockdown in Victoria, Artesian's new report about the growth of Australian VC over the last decade, workplace comms startup Pyn's $8m seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz (the firm's first Aussie investment), and what Anil Sabharwal, Google's Australia-based star product leader, is up to next.__________________Innovation Bay is hosting the Renewable Energy Founder Forum this October in partnership with ARENA. This forum provides a unique opportunity for renewable energy startups to pitch to the Australian investment community and key industry stakeholders. If your startup is shaping Australia's clean energy future, apply to pitch here.__________________KPMG High Growth Ventures surveyed 120 Australian startup founders about their sat

Andrew Nunn is Co-Founder, Chairman and Executive Director of JBS&G Australia—one of Australia’s largest privately-owned environmental consulting companies. Andrew also acts as Director for several companies focussed on property development, private equity investments, and entertainment opportunities. In partnership with his wife Alexandra Dimos, he founded the Nunn Dimos Foundation, a philanthropic fund focussed on supporting key social and arts causes in South Australia. As the South Australian Chief Entrepreneur, Andrew provides high-level, independent advice to the South Australian Cabinet and the business community to enable entrepreneurialism across all forms of business, industry, and the public sector.In this chat with Ian, Andrew discusses:His own entrepreneurial journeyWhat exactly a Chief Entrepreneur doesHow South Australia is growing into a startup hubWhy he is passionate about giving back to his communitySouth Australia's key strengths, including space, defense, agtech, and renewable energyQ

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series analysing the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Danny Kennedy, New Energy NexusImogen Baxter, Square Peg CapitalMatt Pearson. AirspeederTopics we discuss:Our panel discusses the open letter regarding climate change Aussie tech leaders penned to the government, whether or not founders should heed Scott Farquhar warning against bootstrapping, the recent plunge in Bitcoin and SafetyCulture's latest funding round.__________________Innovation Bay is hosting the Renewable Energy Founder Forum this October in partnership with ARENA. This forum provides a unique opportunity for renewable energy startups to pitch to the Australian investment community and key industry stakeholders. If your startup is shaping Australia's clean energy future, apply to pitch here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warrick Cramer was most recently the CEO of Vodafone’s Global Centre for Innovation in Europe, known as Tomorrow Street – a joint venture between Vodafone and the Government of Luxembourg to scale late-stage start-ups, assisting them to reach key global markets and make real change. Warrick sits on the board of a Silicon Valley based venture capital fund and is a Non-Executive Director for Advance.org.Prior to moving to Europe, Warrick was an established entrepreneur in Melbourne. Among the businesses he founded was Micro P, a mobile payment company which developed a highly successful payment security authentication system that still used by several banks today. Since returning to Australia in early 2020, Warrick has been consulting a number of organisations in the start-up sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series analysing the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Mike Zimmerman, Partner at Main Sequence VenturesAndrew Horsley, Co-founder & CEO at Quantum BrillianceSarah Nolet, Partner at Tenacious VenturesTopics we discuss:Our panel discusses Main Sequence Ventures' new $250m deep tech fund, the huge $221m raise by Brisbane-based Octopus Deploy, a $34m raise by seaweed livestock feed supplement maker Sea Forest and the Ingenuity helicopter flight on Mars.__________________If you are a prospective angel investor based in Adelaide interested in joining Horizon Six Degrees, Innovation Bay's new community for angels, email membership@innovationbay.com to discuss your potential candidacy as a founding member. More info here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Dunne is one of Australia’s leading venture capital and private equity lawyers, specialising in private capital raisings and M&A. Peter has advised on multibillion-dollar transactions, including acquisitions, buy-outs, disposals, joint ventures and recapitalisations, involving some of Australia’s largest public and private organisations; his clients include Atlassian, Canva, Deputy, Culture Amp, Linktree, BigCommerce, Campaign Monitor, Expert 360, SafteyCulture, Tyro, Zoox...the list goes on.In this conversation with Ian, Peter talks about...Why he became a lawyer and how early experiences shaped his careerWhy he's more interested in people than the size of dealsKey differences between private equity and venture capitalHow he got involved in Atlassian's first capital raiseHis approach to building a tech practice and choosing clientsHis advice for startup founders who are fundraisingWhat "legal debt" is and how to avoid itQuickfire recommendationsBooks: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez