Invention
The Woz explains how sleep deprivation led to colour displays
Major inventions and technical breakthroughs often happen by accident. Here legendary Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak explains how, while working with Steve Jobs to meet a deadline for Atari, he went four days without sleep, leading to one of his greatest technological breakthroughs.
Silex Systems buys collapsed Solar Systems’ assets, raising solar energy hopes (and many questions)
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.
Would you like to be CEO of Commercialisation Australia?
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?
The proposed Australian R&D tax reforms… Do they walk the talk?
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.
Nike’s ‘No excuses’ ad will get you moving
This compelling ‘No Excuses’ Nike promo — featuring Wheelchair Basketball Player Matt Scott — is about dodging exercise workouts, but the spirit is just as relevant for business. As Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin’s recent series Build a startup in seven days and under $500 reveals, the best way to overcome uncertainty and doubt is to get stuck in. Or, as Nike would say, Just Do It.
Can Australia really claim to be a nation of innovators?
Is innovation a driver of economic development down-under? The simple answer is, yes. But is it a core driver – part of our national psyche, supported by government policy? I personally don’t think that it is. I’m not so sure that ‘necessity’ is a part of life for most Australians. I don’t think that the ‘tyranny of distance’ still forces us to work smarter, not harder. In fact, the only cultural description I believe worth citing as part of this innovation debate is Australia’s reputation as a ‘lucky country’.
Switched-on innovation converts pedestrian footsteps into energy
There’s an interesting post over on Springwise about Pavegen slabs, an eco innovation by UK-based Pavegen Systems, which harvest the kinetic energy from pedestrian footsteps and converts it into electricity.
How Eugene became a porn king in Japan
Eugene Lin wanted to be rich. So, he decided to invent an iPhone application. With nothing but an accelerometer, two dozen naked women, and the nation of Japan, Eugene surprisingly found himself with a ripper story to tell (in under five minutes).
Rethinking entrepreneurship for the next decade
The world is currently eyeball-deep in a period of technological disruption that is unparalleled in human history. This is creating a smorgasbord of opportunities for those entrepreneurs who have the balls to innovate, writes Steve Anderson.
The 10 best strategic business slides of all time: #3 — Creative Development
In the third post in this series, Nigel Malone shares the contents of another of his favourite business keynote slides, drawn from a cross-section of sources that includes some of the great business, brand and military planners of all time.
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