Hello Australia!
I’m spending the next three months in Melbourne, Australia (the region / state of Victoria). Why? Well, a few simple reasons:
- I really like the region.
- I am really impressed with the community.
- I’m happy here, especially in the winter months of the Northern Hemisphere where I usually am sick and depressed for the coldest months.
- I love travel and viewing the world from a different perspective.
- There are plenty of things I can help out with here.
I’ve visited the region a few times and it ranks as one of my favorites in the world.
“We have a thriving ecosystem that’s starting to mature and develop in an extraordinary way, but we want to connect people together, to make it bigger than the sum of its parts,” Dr Cornick told The Australian. She said she had brought in the world’s best startup ecosystem community builder — Andrew Hyde — for a lengthy stint between December and March.
The photo taken by The Australian was done on one of Melbourne’s famous laneways featuring quite a bit of art. I’m posing with Dr. Kate Cornick, who is the CEO of LaunchVic (the state government’s formal startup support effort). A huge thank you goes out to Philip Dalidakis for making my trip happen.
The minister responsible for LaunchVic, Philip Dalidakis, is bullish about what Dr Cornick and Mr Hyde will be able to accomplish.
“Bringing Kate and Andrew into LaunchVic, but more importantly the broader ecosystem across Victoria, is like us conquering Mount Dandenong, and now we are looking to conquer Mount Everest,” Mr Dalidakis said.
Why do I love the place? The people. There is a deep respect for those who launch / run businesses. There is a culture of knowing what world class is and replicating it with a unique and better twist. The food is regional, fresh and served up by an amazing culture of chefs. When researching a ‘top list of breakfast places’ you can find lists that reach 65. There are great transportation options and fascinating, innovative architecture.
Like I said, I just like it here. It is constantly ranked in the most livable cities in the world for good reason.
The startup community is thriving and it has been fun to watch it grow over the last few years. The toughest issue for a community is feeling like the best leave it. Five years ago, if you really hit it big you moved to SF / NY. That was true. I don’t see that as being true now. The Victorian Government is aggressively showing off what it has to offer and many, many businesses are moving here. It is transitioning from being a place you start to an endpoint for many larger companies as well.
I’m here to help the community reach that next level. It isn’t an action I can do, especially as an outsider, but is something I can coach the community to realize just how special of a place and community they have.
Finally, I’m just happy. I’m here. I get to help out and support a community that is thriving with an amazingly supportive Government which is huge and something I’ve not really been a part of. Expect more posts from me telling more on what I see.
Also: I have a guest room for visiting entrepreneurs. Let me know if I can show you around.
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