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Leslie Delaforce

R&D - ESG at Rio Tinto

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Leslie Delaforce

About Leslie Delaforce

Les Delaforce is an investor and adviser focused on growing the Indigenous business sector. He founded the Black Angels Investment Network, which connects First Nations entrepreneurs with First Nations-led investment, and in January 2025 was deputy chair of First Nations X.

He previously led Indigenous entrepreneurship at Minderoo Foundation's Generation One initiative, running sector-wide projects in entrepreneurship, investment, research and education. Before that he built DreamSpark and co-founded Covocate, and raised capital for two ventures, one of which exited in 2019. He was a 2020 40Under40 winner and has served on the board of StartupWA.

He spoke about the barriers facing Indigenous founders on The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem interview series in 2022, and appears in Part 6 of the documentary.

In conversation.

2 episodes

Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem

The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem - Part 6

With Darryl Lyons, Megan Sebben, Wayne Gerard, Nicole O'Brien, Alex Carpenter, Evan Thornley, Baden U'Ren, Tim Fung, Trevor Folsom, Peter Davison, Craig Swann, Moira Were, Colette Grgic, Allan O'Connor, Rachael Neumann, Chad Renando, Annie Parker, Brendan Hill, Aaron Birkby, Malcolm Turnbull, Jodie Fox, Susan Oliver, Silvia Pfeiffer, Yolanda Redrup, Andrew Nunn, Melissa Widner, Alfred Lo, Sarah Pearson, Phil Hayes-St Clair, Colin Kinner, Lauren Capelin, Matt Barrie, Kate Cornick, Cheryl Mack, Andrea Gardiner, Niki Scevak

Go straight to the good bits.

Key moments from Leslie Delaforce highlights the unique challenges facing Indigenous founders.

  1. 0:31Meet Les Delaforce
  2. 1:00Overview of Minderoo Foundation
  3. 1:47Transition from Startups to Non-Profit
  4. 2:05Les's Journey into the Startup Ecosystem
  5. 3:16The Ecosystem Landscape in 2014-2015
  6. 4:07Backdoor Listings and Capital Raising
  7. 5:17Support Organizations in WA
  8. 6:36The Rise of Coworking Spaces
  9. 8:05Current Gaps in the Ecosystem
  10. 9:03Unique Challenges for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

The path so far.

  1. Now

    R&D - ESG · Rio Tinto

  2. Earlier

    Head of First Nations Entrepreneurship and Impact Projects · Minderoo Foundation

Sources: dayone.fm

Rio Tinto on Day One

Rio Tinto is a global mining and metals company that operates in 35 countries with approximately 57,000 employees.

1 person · 2 episodes
Rio Tinto

Across the network.

Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 28 October 2026

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