Episode Summary:
Chad Renando is director of Startup Status, a not-for-profit which aims to help organisations that support entrepreneurs by mapping and measuring the innovation ecosystem across Australia. He is also Managing Director of Global Entrepreneur Network, and Research Fellow at University of Southern Queensland, where he’s working on a PhD on the topic of the role of innovation hubs in developing resilience in regional communities. In his conversation with Adam he discusses what he sees as the gaps in Australia’s startup ecosystem, and what he sees as defining a particularly strong ecosystem.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Day One Podcast
00:24 Meet Chad Renando
00:31 Chad's Background and Roles
01:10 The Role of the University in Supporting Innovation
01:44 Overview of Startup Status
02:07 Queensland's Unique Entrepreneurial Strengths
02:45 Chad's Entry into Startup Land
03:14 The Opening of River City Labs
05:00 Unpopular Opinions about the Ecosystem
07:10 Accountability in the Ecosystem
10:07 Defining a Strong Startup Ecosystem
11:43 Characteristics of Successful Ecosystems
14:00 Cultural Differences in Startup Approaches
15:27 The Impact of Fear on Entrepreneurship
18:15 Australia's Strengths and Opportunities
19:35 The Future Drought Fund Initiative
21:04 The Evolution of the Ecosystem in Queensland
23:20 Advice for New Founders
25:42 The Importance of Measurement in the Ecosystem
27:12 Collaborative Approaches to Innovation
29:03 The Next Movement: Social Impact
30:39 Ownership and Accountability in the Ecosystem
32:29 Maturity of the Innovation Ecosystem
34:38 Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Investment
37:32 Closing Remarks
