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Billboards for the ‘Cools’ hit city streets

In case you missed our mobile billboards roaming the busy streets of inner-city Australia to promote our 2009 Cool Company Awards, here's a pic, courtesy of Anthil Twitter follower @Tian_Yang, who captured and tweeted this image late yesterday. For his quick thinking and generosity promoting the Anthill brand, we'll be sending Tian award winning business documentary DVD, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (just 'cause we can).

Is iSnack 2.0 so bad it’s good?

In the good old days when TV spots were cheap and Colgate-Palmolive seemed to have an unlimited budget, a style of advertising emerged under the banner of, “It’s so bad it’s good”.

Leaked Microsoft Courier footage: Is this the Tablet to rival Apple?

According to many, tablets are the future of media and will be the saviour of journalism. While the Apple Tablet remains one of the most hyped (and mysterious) upcoming devices, Microsoft has entered the fray. And guess what? Technology website Gizmodo has somehow scored leaked footage of what Microsoft is calling its Courier.

What this inventor wants from investors

In August, we decided to explore the many facets of capital raising - from angel investment and grants to venture capital and private equity. For want of a better name, we called the exercise Anthill’s Venture Capital month. The theme tossed up plenty of investment advice and discussion. But it also triggered some strong reactions from Australian inventors who think that the investment culture in Australia needs a dramatic overhaul. Trevor Rose was among the most ardent, so we invited him to provide a 'right of reply'.

Open data or bust: the road to the digital public square

All of us would applaud moves toward greater openness and transparency in government, but is the bureaucracy ready to reveal all its cards by making hard-to-find data available in web and mobile device software applications?

Myer float a positive bellwether but will private equity investors be the only to...

The upcoming Myer float is largely being viewed as a positive sign for the Australian sharemarket. It is clearly a win for the Texas Pacific Group-led investors, who put up the money, and Bernie Brookes for delivering the rebirth. It could even be considered a win for the Myer family who could pocket $200 million. But despite the almost blanket glossy coverage, the effervescent smile of Jennifer Hawkins and the broader appeal of owning a small parcel of an Australian retail institution, I have my concerns.

Is there a Tipping Point for Facebook Fanpages and Groups?

It's been six months since we began experimenting in social media and three months since we made the decision to ditch our ailing Facebook Group in favour of Facebook's Fanpage format. What's been most interesting is the apparent development of several unexpected (yet welcome) mini 'Tipping Points'.

New tool for innovators looking for grants

Design Victoria today launched Transform Your Design Business, an online guide that aims to equip designers with the know-how to successfully navigate the grants space and write strong grant applications.

Fund managers forecast blue skies ahead

Australian fund managers believe the worst of the global financial crisis is over and are strongly backing prospects for Australian equities over the coming year, according to Russell Investments' latest Investment Manager Outlook (IMO). The outlook for almost all sectors has strengthened, with the sentiment towards Australian equities at its highest level since the manager survey began in 2005.

Designer mum launches Crowdfunding model to rid the world of plastic bottles

Gretha Oost has adopted an unusual approach to raise capital. The Melbourne mum, designer and Pitch Club contestant has decided to trial a 'crowdfunding' approach to launch her award winning product 321 Water.

Words don’t do this mobile technology justice. Just watch.

Imagine that you are walking down the street with your mobile phone in hand and you'd like to know what is going on in your neck of the woods. You can now hold up your phone and, using your mobile phone's camera, see "tags" overlaid onto whatever you’re looking at. For example, you might observe a "Two for one coffer offer - Joe's Coffee." Or "Art Gallery Opening Today."

Skye Blackburn, 2009 Anthill 30under30 winner

Girls are not known for having a harmonious connection with bugs. However, for Skye Blackburn, insects have been an obsession since childhood. She even built a butterfly release and insect education business, Butterfly Skye, around this passion.

Read the most important books of the year in less than 30 seconds each

"Book Rapper was born out of the idea of earning money from doing the things that I love. I love reading books so I asked myself, how can I get paid to read books? I knew I didn't just want to do reviews because I think what a book is about is almost like the booby prize. I want to know what the big ideas are but more importantly I want to know how to apply them."

How can we stop companies banning social media apps at work?

I don't know about you (dear readers) but, whenever I'm stuck for an answer at work, I either look for an instructional screencast on YouTube, pose my question to fellow Anthilians via IM and Skype, request feedback from LinkedIn Groups or simply blog about it.

What do you do to make your company look bigger than it really is?

Some of the best startup concepts fail to gain funding or traction from customers simply because the entrepreneur behind them doesn’t do enough to present the opportunity in the best light. As a result, the buyer, venture capitalist or distributor sitting across the table doesn’t warm to the idea and it falls over. I learnt this lesson the hard way.

Business expenditure on R&D has jumped by 15 per cent

Business expenditure on research and development (BERD) has jumped by 15 per cent, reaching $14,380 million in 2007-08, according to statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Friday.

Business expenditure on R&D has jumped by 15 per cent

Business expenditure on research and development (BERD) has jumped by 15 per cent, reaching $14,380 million in 2007-08, according to statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Friday.

Forget India. Silicon Valley tech firm outsources to Australia (thanks to vampire-programmers)

Australia’s IT industry received a shot in the arm this week when Silicon Valley firm GitHub spurned its selection of local providers - some of the world’s biggest hosting companies - in favour of Sydney web developers Anchor. Why? Anchor founder Andrew Rogers cites the vampiresque habits of programmers.

Golan Levin makes art that looks back at you

Golan Levin is an artist and an engineer. In this presentation from TED (the Technology, Entertainment and Design conference), he shares some of the conflicts that his two 'callings' have created and the wondrous innovations they have helped him create.

How to crack the US retail mass market

California-based Australian retail export advisor Chad Hetherington has met with hundreds of Aussie entrepreneurs all hoping to crack the lucrative US retail market. Of the products they offer, he says, less than one percent has a realistic shot at making it big in the Land of Opportunity. So what does it take to make it?
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