Startup & Entrepreneurship

Vinomofo has an ambitious mission: to create a new generation of wine consumers far removed from the effete, bourgeois, oloroso –sipping Frasier Cranes with whom the pastime has long been associated. Since its initial launch in 2007, Vinomofo has endeavoured to bring people and wine together as a source of good wines and engaging customer service practices.

Awesomely Australian are the words that spring to mind when it comes to qualify the coolness of Bay & Fyfe. The company takes the artwork of Aussie artist Daimon Downey and applies it to lush silk scarves. The result? An artistic statement to wear round your neck that is basically an Australian exclusive. Cool points? Cha-ching!

Where do I start? How about, it includes two things that I really don't have much time for: Instagram photos and Nickelback. Yes, that about covers it.

Kids at Switch seeks to not only foster financial literacy in students, but to do so in a way that taps their passions and sense of play into a sense of unshakeable purpose. The concept is inspired by the disparate influences of highly successful investors such as Robert Kiyosaki and Warren Buffett, and innovative educationists such as Sir Ken Robinson, besides Finland’s education system.

Since 2000, the American nonprofit has helped 503 women-led companies raise more than $5.5 billion in equity financing, including 10 IPOs. Eight of the companies are listed on the Nasdaq, two on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and 26% merged, acquired or were acquired. Of the companies, 82% are still in business, generating $4 billion in revenues and creating thousands of jobs.

Some of our worst fears about unemployment seem to be coming true. But there might be economic salve in engaging with the employees, rather than letting them go en-masse.

The Australian culture is unforgiving to start-ups, unless it all goes ‘perfectly’. What I love about the approach from Click Frenzy is its refusal to accept the proposition that the event was a failure. In fact, the company was a victim of its own success - there were too many customers.

While that may sound a little disheartening, bear this in mind. If you're in Silicon Valley you've got an 8% chance, or a 6.7% chance if you're in Silicon Alley (New York). But how is the Australian startup ecosystem compared to the rest of the world, and, of course, Silicon Valley?

Venuemob and 121cast were accepted into the 2012 Melbourne Accelerator Program run by the University of Melbourne’s School of Engineering; and last week became the only two (out of 10) to be funded by the Optus Innov8 Seed Program.

The Business Finances topic provides information on a range of common finance issues. From setting up a bookkeeping system to understanding complex financial terminology, preparing financial reports and applying for finance, the topic helps business owners take a leading role in managing their finances.

A survey by Regus , a global workspace provider, has found cash flow to be the top concern of startups and SMEs, amid a broad global slowdown. As much as 57% of Australian business leaders in the online poll listed it as the biggest barrier to their growth.

BuyAustralianMade Direct will be officially launched by founder Stephen Gately and Federal Senators John Madigan and Nick Xenophon on November 13 in Melbourne. Also attending the launch will be the inaugural group of BAM Direct shoppers and a number of manufacturers participating in the BAM Direct initiative.

It’s been a good five years since the iPhone was launched. Today, Apple’s iconic phone and its iOS platform boasts of over 700,000 apps. But you know what Apple forgot to build into its ecosystem? An app to test drive its apps. Enter Kickfolio.

The next Startup Weekend event is happening 16-18 November 2012 in Adelaide. The event will host developers, business personnel and legal experts who will work collaboratively to try and hammer out a new idea over the weekend, with a focus on bringing to bear a new startup. The event is nearly all filled-up, but those of us watching from the side-lines have a whole lot to look forward to. Participants will arrive Friday afternoon and start networking. After dinner and a small round of pep talks, the “Pitchfire” will begin.

54% of Australian workers admit to falsifying sick days in the last 12 months. 73% of those admit they do not feel guilty. Whilst 82% of employees who take sickie days say they will do it again. I bet many of you will be summoned to explain yourselves when your bosses read this.

Once it was horrifying to lose your wallet. Now, it's horrifying if you lose your internet connection. If you're in a startup, and the connection fails, all we can recommend is to watch your back.

We're not asking for a revolution, but there are some really simple things that the government could do to rock the world of startups and entrepreneurs. These five simple things would make a world of difference.

A pair of pigeons has been through starting a nest, giving up on it and building a new one in a potentially dangerous and hostile environment. It has had one of its eggs lost or stolen, too. Still, the pair, undaunted, continues its march to the original goal. Isn't that a lesson worth sharing?

With the prevalence of digital media and online sharing, an Australian company, Veridocx, has launched a cost effective way for people to protect their intellectual property and digital files.

David Janovic left the security of a job at Goldman Sachs to start an online furniture retailer. Most of his friends thinks he's mad. He plans to prove them wrong.