Wayne Gerard says attracting talent into the startup ecosystem is “mission critical”

Wayne Gerard says attracting talent into the startup ecosystem is “mission critical”

Wayne Gerard says attracting talent into the startup ecosystem is “mission critical”

0:00/1:34

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Wayne Gerard is co-founder of RedEye, a tech company which manages engineering information for large, complex asset owners such as councils, hospitals, power and water utilities and mining companies. Wayne is also Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur, a role in which he advises the state government on its startup and innovation strategy. In his conversation with guest host Will Tjo, Wayne discusses what he sees as the government’s role in the startup ecosystem, as well as his belief that attracting talent into the startup ecosystem is “mission critical”.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Day One Podcast

00:19 Special Interview Series Introduction

00:34 Meet Wayne Gerard

01:14 Role as Chief Entrepreneur of Queensland

02:01 Wayne's Background and Journey to Entrepreneurship

03:03 Transition from Army to Boeing

04:54 Building RedEye

05:47 Entrepreneurial Mindset and Key Questions

08:05 Importance of Total Addressable Market

09:01 Evolution of the Startup Ecosystem in Australia

10:43 Catalysts for Growth in the Startup Ecosystem

13:07 Government Involvement in Startup Ecosystem

14:25 Surprises in the Ecosystem's Development

17:02 Role of Government in Supporting Startups

20:30 Distinction Between State and Federal Startup Ecosystems

23:13 Comparison with Global Ecosystems

24:51 Opportunities for Improvement in Australia

27:02 The Impact of Remote Work on Startup Culture

28:07 Importance of Talent Attraction

30:10 Engaging the Migrant Community in Startups

31:05 Key Advice for New Entrepreneurs

32:19 Closing Remarks

Resources

RedEye: https://www.redeye.co/au/Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynegerard/

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Day One® is a registered trademark of W2D1 Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. © 2026 W2D1 Media Pty Ltd.