Funding & Finance

Guest presenters JB Global will talk about the philosophy behind Warren Buffet's successful investment strategy - philosophies that you can then apply to all your investments. JB Global will also share insights into how you can access Warren Buffet's investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and teach you leverage strategies to invest in the share market.

This week, Domenic Carosa's Future Capital Development Fund (FCDFL), Australia's only internet-focused Pooled Development Fund, announced its plans to raise a new round of capital in the lead up to an IPO. It's current portfolio consists of approximately 15 companies, including MP3.com.au, which he bought back from Destra last year.

This week, Domenic Carosa's Future Capital Development Fund (FCDFL), Australia's only internet-focused Pooled Development Fund, announced its plans to raise a new round of capital in the lead up to an IPO. It's current portfolio consists of approximately 15 companies, including MP3.com.au, which he bought back from Destra last year.

Online business trading site BizExchange recently published its 2009 fourth quarter findings Index for Australian Private Business Values. Overall market sentiment surged for the second quarter running – in contrast to the lows experienced nine months previously – and has reached its highest levels since the Index survey began in 2006.

A privately initiated discussion has been gaining some momentum on the Anthill LinkedIn Group over the past week. The discussion was triggered by an announcement from the Office of Senator Kim Carr, Australia's Minister for Innovation, pertaining to the selection of Commercialisation Australian board members.

A privately initiated discussion has been gaining some momentum on the Anthill LinkedIn Group over the past week. The discussion was triggered by an announcement from the Office of Senator Kim Carr, Australia's Minister for Innovation, pertaining to the selection of Commercialisation Australian board members.

Following our recent series of articles on innovation in Australia (our Australia Day series), we received the following note from the Office of Senator Kim Carr, Australia’s Innovation Minister. We were expecting a dressing down. Here's what we got instead.

Following our recent series of articles on innovation in Australia (our Australia Day series), we received the following note from the Office of Senator Kim Carr, Australia’s Innovation Minister. We were expecting a dressing down. Here's what we got instead.

Last week, I was fortunate to be among a small group of people who attended Anthill's Grant Funding by Design Masterclass, in partnership with Design Victoria. In addition to providing an extremely candid explanation of what grant assessors are looking for, AusIndustry's Samara Fitzgerald-Gelnay provided an extremely helpful document on the programs and grants available to growing, innovative Australian businesses through AusIndustry.

“If ever my optimism or motivation wains slightly, I try to picture it all working out in the end, just as planned. And if that doesn’t work, I just imagine how lucky I am not to have to get up each morning and do something really challenging, such as naked bungie jumping. Suddenly, seeking capital, staying motivated, etc., seems relatively simple, not to mention a lot less embarrassing.”

Luke Faccini, Director of Creativity at Sydney-based agency The Sponge, was one of the hundred plus people to attend the Venture Capital by Design seminar co-hosted by Anthill Magazine and MitchelLake in Sydney last week. He thought the insights on offer were sufficiently meaty to warrant this write-up.

Funding and cashflow are the seemingly ever elusive crucial components to running a small business. With the banks being the most obvious source to approach, business owners often find this a frustrating and generally ‘closed-door’ option. David Hechtor looks at the alternatives.

I can never figure out if that Dire Straits song goes “money for nothing and your chicks for free” or “money for nothing and your cheques for free”. Let’s stick with cheques for this post, because everyone knows you don’t get chicks for free unless you play the guitar on the MTV. Plus, getting cheques for free is in context with what I want to talk about.

When business partners launch a new company, all of their attention and energy goes into getting the new venture on its feet. However, it’s not long before questions and difficulties arise over disparate workloads, responsibilities and remuneration. Darren Bourke offers some advice on how to keep all parties walking in the same direction.

Plans by Silex Systems Limited to buy the assets of Solar Systems, the Melbourne-based solar energy company that was placed into administration last September, injects life into a cherished plan, but uncertainty persists. Government support is in the offing and, worse for engineers, the technology remains unproven at utility scale.

We've all seen the "Hitler loses it" mashups, where aspiring Spielbergs have taken the now famous bunker scene from Downfall and replaced the sub-titles. In fact, it's fast becoming a new benchmark for popular culture. If your 'issue' hasn't been expropriated by Hitler yet it can't be that big a deal. That's why we were pleased to discover this clip by YouTuber BleakIsolationist. Okay, it's not as funny as Hitler's Alan Didak eruption or [insert favourite here] but in the context of Anthill it is topical.

We've all seen the "Hitler loses it" mashups, where aspiring Spielbergs have taken the now famous bunker scene from Downfall and replaced the sub-titles. In fact, it's fast becoming a new benchmark for popular culture. If your 'issue' hasn't been expropriated by Hitler yet it can't be that big a deal. That's why we were pleased to discover this clip by YouTuber BleakIsolationist. Okay, it's not as funny as Hitler's Alan Didak eruption or [insert favourite here] but in the context of Anthill it is topical.

Our 'secret-squirrels' have revealed to Anthill that the seven board positions, appointed to analyse and approve Commercialisation Australia funding applications, have been filled and that an announcement is imminent. No-one knows who will be among this 'magnicifent seven' other than those appointed or involved in the decision. In fact, it is a complete mystery to external observers how these important functionaries were selected. Was there some sort of process behind closed doors? Were they vetted? Were the decisions political? Or vaguely political, chosen in the same fashion as a US High Court Judge, to perform the role yet still be 'on-side' with the powers that be?

Limerick-based software startup Goshido recently completed its first round of private fundraising in only eight days. What is more impressive is that it accomplished this feat solely via the social media networking site LinkedIn.

Inconsistency is what most influences an organisation's decision to invest in R&D and the extent of its R&D investment. This is because a company cannot budget and minimise risk if it does now know the extent to which it is likely to be eligible for a tax concession. The proposed reforms to the R&D tax concession not only conflict with their stated purpose but offer no consistency to organisations already engaged in the complex task of commercialising innovation... whether novel or risky.