#Innovation
Report reveals blockchain solutions and plant-based proteins as 2021’s major agricultural innovation trends
COVID-19 highlighted the food insecurity of millions worldwide. The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of the current food system, and more specifically the existing weaknesses in every stage of the supply chain. Rabobank’s Foodbytes! platform has shared its predictions in a report titled “From Farmgate to Plate: Top Food & Ag Innovation Trends for 2021”. Sustainable […]
5 ways your business could benefit from open source technology
Here are five reasons why open source technologies are beneficial for businesses looking to stay competitive in digital transformation…
‘Innovate or perish’: Martin Duursma
Martin Duursma is a Partner at Main Sequence Ventures. Prior to Main Sequence Ventures, Martin co-founded Datapac Australasia and then went on to become a senior executive at Citrix after it acquired Datapac. Martin shares his predictions on where Australia’s next breakthroughs in energy, advanced manufacturing and space lie. What are Australia’s biggest industry opportunities […]
Talking innovation culture: Adam Westwood of Roam, shares his experience on creating a culture of creativity
Today our podcast guest is Adam Westwood, who is Head of Operations at Roam – a digital product design studio. Adam’s role focuses on leading and growing the Roam Sydney team. He manages a team of product designers, developers and product managers to deliver for a whole host of clients. Roam generally believes that organisations […]
How a Telstra Business Awards winner spotted a gap in the market and used tech to solve it
At the core of any business is solving a problem. And the bigger the problem, the bigger the business opportunity. Having worked as a GP in the aged care sector for the past 12 years, I’m no stranger to the problems our industry faces. My business partner Dr Sebastian Rees and I built GenWise Health […]
Why innovation mustn’t start with an idea
I met with the head of innovation at a large manufacturing company last week. She had requested a meeting to get some help with her company’s innovation program. I began by asking the innovation head about her company’s current approach. She excitedly told me about how her team had recently put in place an online […]
Avoiding boredom in your business
As an entrepreneur with a very niche business, a specific target market and narrowly defined purpose, Sarah Riegelhuth knows all too well how easy it can be to get bored doing the same things each day – particularly once the exciting startup phase is over. Here she looks at how you can grow your business […]
The Workspace Revolution is Coming
In recent years, disruptive forces have transformed how we think about entire industries. Spotify with music. Uber or Lyft with transport. Netflix with television programmes and films. Technology has changed the way that we think about things that we used to take for granted. Slowly but surely the way in which we think about offices, […]
Can ‘For-Profit’ businesses still have a Social Impact? BenchOn’s founder provides answers
‘You can’t make a profit while you are creating social impact, that would be wrong.’ This was a statement made to me by a Year 11 student taking part in an Entrepreneurial Challenge Week, where the students were challenged to develop a social impact business within 5 days. Taken aback, I asked ‘Why?’. The five girls […]
Why smart devices are making us dumber
I largely abandoned paper notebooks a long time ago, despite being someone that has an unhealthy love of stationary shops. I travel a lot, so anything that adds weight to my bad needs to justify its space. Given I take all my notes on Evernote, I felt that bringing a notebook with me was redundant. […]
A tale of two SMEs: what distinguishes a growing business from a declining one?
What are the attributes of an SME that is growing, and how do they differ from a business with static or declining revenue? [Related: SMEs trading banks for fintechs, poll suggests] Twice a year, when more than 1200 owners or leaders of SME businesses are interviewed for our SME Growth Index, one of the first questions […]
NSW Government offering $250k innovation grants to businesses under Israel partnership
NSW businesses can now apply for matched grants of up to $250,000 under the NSW-Israel Research and Development (R&D) Tech Innovation Program. The program which is jointly run by the NSW Government and State of Israel was established to support innovation and strengthen ties between NSW and Israel. According to Minister for Trade & Industry, Niall Blair, interested businesses must apply before […]
Three critical skills your people need in order to be world-class innovators in your business
What do Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso have in common? They are all thought of as born innovators. Creative geniuses. The myths and stories surrounding these three people support the notion that one is either born an innovator… or not. And if not, perhaps consider a career in accounting. (That’s a joke – […]
Government provides 12 businesses $5.4 million to bring new products and services to market
Twelve Australian businesses have been selected by the Federal Government to receive a combined $5.4 million worth of grants to help them commercialise their innovations. The Accelerating Commercialisation Grants, which provided under the Federal Government’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme, are available to businesses that have novel intellectual property with high growth potential. The aim to is to […]
Government announces grants to help SMEs engage with international experts on projects
The Federal Government is now seeking applications for grants of up to $7000 to help Australian researchers and SMEs work with overseas experts to develop and commercialise their projects. According to Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash, the Global Connections Fund (GCF) Priming Grants empower organisations to collaborate in the global arena, link with […]
StartupAUS calls for ‘swift translation’ of 2030 Innovation plan into ‘tangible policy action’
The Federal Government will “carefully consider” a strategy, prepared by Innovation and Science Australia (ISA), to transform Australia into a “top tier innovation nation” by 2030, Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash has announced. Released this week, ISA’s Australia 2030: Prosperity Through Innovation report contains 30 recommendations for creating a high performing innovation system, […]
Will this be the year of risk or opportunity?
More than 2500 years ago, Greek philosopher Heraclitus declared the only constant in life is change. In the early days of 2018, his words have never been more accurate. But why is it that some organisations thrive in this environment while others wither? What’s the secret to success in a constantly evolving world? On the […]
The National innovation conversation ‘needs a kickstart’: StartupAUS welcomes new minister
Michaelia Cash’s appointment as Minister for Jobs and Innovation is welcome recognition that the two aspects are “closely linked’, according to StartupAUS CEO Alex McCauley. Noting there have been four Innovation Minister in less than two years, he said it was time for Australia to “get back on the front foot with innovation policy”. [See […]
Cabinet reshuffle: new Small Business Minister appointed, Jobs & innovation portfolio created
A cabinet reshuffle has been announced by Prime Minister, with Michaelia Cash named Minister for Jobs and Innovation, and Craig Laundy promoted to Minister for Small and Family Business, Workplaces and Deregulation. Cash, formerly the Minister for Employment and Women, assumes responsibility for a new portfolio focused on jobs creation as part of her reassignment. […]
Why more people should take on a monopoly industry and transform it for the better
Choosing a monopolised market to enter with a new business idea is tough, most people find industries with a major dominant players and high barriers for entry an instant turn off. For instance, the NSW rice industry is the last remaining government controlled monopoly in Australia, meaning rice farmers don’t have control over where their […]
“Most of the time, the tortoise beats the hare” – Five myths about becoming an entrepreneur
Ever wondered what the secret to being a successful entrepreneur is? A quick Google of “entrepreneur” will reveal a plethora of inspiring quotes, leading the casual reader to think, “If only I had a little more confidence – or maybe a flash of genius – entrepreneurial success would be mine”. Thinking of the need for a light […]
Why meetings are killing innovation
The average manager’s workday is divided into one hour blocks. This is not due to humans naturally working best in one hour increments but because meetings, those seemingly necessary events that seem to dominate the days of office workers everywhere, tend to be scheduled in one hour blocks. Diaries covered in meetings have become so […]
Removal of double tax on cryptocurrencies said to support Australia’s own Silicon Valley
Legislation to remove double taxation on digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, has been passed by Australian Parliament, with fintech industry leaders describing the news as a win for consumers and businesses. The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) Bill 2017 was tabled in Parliament, last month, by Treasurer Scott Morrison. He said the reform, which will […]
Monash Uni gamifies graduate recruitment
Monash University is harnessing video games as part of a digital service to help employers hire talented graduates. According to the university, the game-based job and career matching platform, Monash Talent, provides recruiters and hiring managers with a snapshot of a graduate’s unique characteristics, including their key strengths. Each snapshot is based on how a […]