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News, opinions and advice on technology development and the state of innovation.

Microsoft's slippery viral video hit

The use of viral advertising in marketing campaigns is nothing new, however the power of this advertising vehicle appears to continue growing at a phenominal rate.

Five must-sees before Australian VCs will invest

In part three of our series on the capital raising cultures in Australia and the US, San Francisco-based Steve Anderson explores the five things Australian and US venture capitalist must see before they will invest in an early-stage company.

Phillip Kingston, 2009 Anthill 30under30 winner

A serial entrepreneur at only 24, Phillip Kingston is the embodiment of drive and ambition, spurned on by a desire to prove his sceptics wrong. With 3 start-ups under his belt while at university his current success story, Kingston development, is taking the Australian software and website development industry by storm.

Connecting Aussie businesses online: Platform 46 founder Tim Ayling

Anthill contributor Dave Birchall recently caught up for coffee and an interesting chat with Sydney-based Tim Ayling, CEO of Platform 46, an internal online social network for businesses.

iPhone app review: Instapaper

Today we welcome Michelle Matthews, of Deck of Secrets fame, as our new iPhone app reviewer. She is a self-confessed iPhone junkie, with well over 250 apps on her iPhone, so she’s well qualified to give you the inside running. First up: the productivity app, Instapaper.

How to create your own Facebook app to save the world

Spencer Maughan is an Australian expat based in California. When not consulting to Silicon Valley venture capitalists (including Top 10 VC firm Venrock), he spends his time attempting to free the world of Malaria. I caught up with Maughan three weeks ago, just as his Facebook application, Fight Malaria, was entering Beta Testing.

Digital media and print mag spawn love child

The plan to put a paper-thin interactive screen inside subscriber copies of Entertainment Weekly is a creative stunt of impressive magnitude, but hardly likely to be a game-changer for CBS, Time or Pepsi.

How should the CCI deliver funding to startups and research organisations?

A little over one week ago, the Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, issued a call for public comment to help inform the development and operation of the Commonwealth Commercialisation Institute. Over the past seven days, we have been pressing our readers to get involved and provide a 'private sector' perspective (after making the seemingly unpopular suggestion that commercialisation in Australia has been hijacked by public servants with MBAs). Today, we're turning our attention to the last section of SmartForm, which requests suggestions for the delivery of funding.

The hard sells hear some home truths

It's not an easy game standing up in front of a crowd of 120 people and pitch to a panel of hard-to-please angel investors, as 11 brave entrepreneurial souls did recently at the Melbourne Pitch Club event (held 25 June).

The art of magazine cover design

There's no denying the decline of print media and the move to digital publishing.

At last, a Federal grant for IT

The Federal Government has just launched a new grant for third party service providers to help small and home based businesses with: • ‘free or low cost’ IT skills development • training and mentoring services • improved web presence and e-business capability Funding is available up to $500,000.

CSIRO-developed hybrid battery secures US$32.5M, but who profits?

So while this $US32.5 million US Government funding for UltraBattery is certainly a tremendous validation for the technology and the CSIRO researchers who developed it, the international licensing option pursued means that Australia will, in all likelihood, only receive couch change from what stands to be an extremely lucrative venture for the foreign companies (Furukawa Battery Company and East Penn) that are actually doing the commercialisation.

Eureka! The top 5 places people have their best ideas

Do you get your best ideas in the bathroom? If you answered yes, you're in the majority, according to research conducted by thinking expert and occasional Anthill contributor Ken Wall and three colleagues.

You have 90 seconds to pitch. GO!

If you were given the opportunity to stand up for 90 seconds and pitch your company to a panel of angel investors and a raucous, how would you fare?

Under the microscope: Print Advertising vs Social Media Marketing

Which advertising medium – print or social media – provides more reach and more bang for your buck. It’s a complicated equation. Luke Faccini takes a peek under the hood.

Delivery of specialist advice (CCI ‘Call for comment’)

Yesterday, as a continuation of our five part blog series calling on members of the private sector to join me in responding to the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research’s 'Opportunity for Comment', we asked readers to help us respond to the first part of the Department's SmartForm, 'Addressing the Commercialisation Gaps'. Today, we're turning our attention to the second section, which we're calling: 'Delivery of specialist advice'.

Cool Company Awards, 2009 – Nominations Open!

It's on again. Over coming weeks, we'll be scouring the nation for Australia's coolest companies. It's the first stage in Australia's most innovative business awards program - The Nomination Phase.

Branson’s Virgin promotion via pilfered pepper pots

Seth Godin speaks to the Grandfather of entrepreneurs Richard Branson on how he turned the theft of stylish pepper shakers on Virgin Atlantic flights into a great marketing ploy, while also setting a decision-making example to his staff.

Branson's Virgin promotion via pilfered pepper pots

Seth Godin speaks to the Grandfather of entrepreneurs Richard Branson on how he turned the theft of stylish pepper shakers on Virgin Atlantic flights into a great marketing ploy, while also setting a decision-making example to his staff.

Venture Capital by Design: Seminar

This first event in Anthill's upcoming 'Tunnel Talk' series, held in conjunction with Design Victoria, is a two-part initiative developed for business builders, commercial...
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Recorded guerrilla-style in the basement of York Butter Factory, the linked video course is a rollicking, authoritative lesson (with some colourful language, mind you) from someone who has been through it all. In this Cheat Sheet, we cover three hot tips from the lesson, with a focus on helping business owners grow and increase profitability: Why entrepreneurs need to think about “the end," why cash flow is king – no matter what you’ve heard, and why you need to have a vision for success.

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New Zealand’s Xero eyes US IPO, further disruption as subscribers increase...

Xero recently held its annual meeting in Wellington, during which the company revealed some interesting details about its future. As has been widely suspected, the...

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