Episode Summary:
Niki Scevak has a long and diverse background in the Australian startup ecosystem. From his entrepreneurial beginnings co-founding two software companies, Niki would go on to co-found Blackbird, a venture capital firm which manages over a billion dollars, and found Startmate, an accelerator that has helped 170+ startups since its inception in 2011. In his conversation with Adam he discusses what he sees as gaps in the Australian startup ecosystem, as well as the reasons for feeling optimistic about the future.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Day One Podcast
00:21 Meet Niki Scevak
00:25 Overview of Blackbird
00:52 Relationship-First Investing Philosophy
01:10 History of the Startup Ecosystem in Australia
01:37 Pre-2009 Ecosystem Insights
02:12 Successful Companies Before 2009
03:19 Shift in Ambition and Community Building
04:18 Niki's Early Entrepreneurial Journey
05:06 The Bookmark Box Startup
06:11 Change in Founders' Perspectives
07:00 The Next Generation of Startup Founders
08:26 The Idea Behind Startmate
10:08 Philosophy of Investing in the Hungry
10:22 Origin of the Name "Startmate"
13:08 Meaning Behind "Blackbird"
17:18 Transition from Startmate to Blackbird
19:36 Snapshot of the Startup Landscape in 2010
22:01 Major Changes in the Ecosystem Over the Last Decade
23:39 Importance of Global Ambition
25:30 The Role of Technology Creation in Australia
28:11 Current Gaps in the Ecosystem
30:22 Unique Advantages of the Australian Startup Ecosystem
31:18 Advice for New Founders
34:02 Unpopular Opinions on Startups
36:44 The Future of Technology in Australia
39:00 Learning from the Best via the Internet
