Hamish Hawthorn has been deeply involved in the development of the Australian startup ecosystem. A qualified mechanical engineer with postgraduate training in business and technology, Hamish is particularly focused on supporting founders of technology startups. Currently the Chief Operating Officer of Curious Things AI, a voice-based conversational AI company, Hamish co-founded Sydney Angels, a Sydney-based investment group. Hamish also acted as Chief Operating Officer for UpGuard, a digital security company based in the US. In his conversation with Adam, Hamish discusses what the startup scene looked like in Sydney in 2005, and how much it has changed in the years since.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Day One Podcast
00:21 Meet Hamish Hawthorn
00:45 Hamish's Background and Return to Australia
02:12 Hamish's Early Involvement in the Startup Scene
03:34 Transition to the Medical Device Industry
04:44 Joining ATP Innovations
06:27 Changes in the Startup Landscape Since 2005
08:39 Density of Activity in the Ecosystem
11:56 Co-founding Sydney Angels
14:14 Current Access to Funding
15:41 Observations on Gaps in the Ecosystem
17:36 Celebrating Early Innovators in Australia
19:43 Changes in the Ecosystem After Silicon Valley
22:14 The Role of Startmate as a Catalyst
25:17 Key Figures in the Startup Ecosystem
26:05 Insights on Other Australian Ecosystems
28:24 The Current State of the Australian Innovation Ecosystem
29:37 Advice for New Founders
Resources
Curious Things AI: https://www.curiousthing.io/Sydney Angels: https://www.sydneyangels.net.au/UpGuard: https://www.upguard.com/
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