Big Problems and Big Opportunities: Event Insights and Highlights

If you are looking for a market to target, which are the biggest and best ones? How and where could you leverage WA’s competitive advantages to launch onto the global stage? StartupWA’s recent quarterly event focused on the big problems and big opportunities at our fingertips.

 

You can watch the video below and read on for relevant links and highlights.

 

The evening began with an introduction from Startup WA Chairman, Andrew Outhwaite, followed by a snapshot on the latest news and quarterly capital raises from Techboard's Peter van Bruchem.

They were followed by panel guests:

 

Our panel addressed topics including:

 

  • The size and scale of the opportunities they work on and have exposure to.

  • Examples of emerging big problems that could be big opportunities for local startups.

  • Recommendations for founders and entrepreneurs engaging in this area, including the distinction between problem-solving vs opportunity identification.

  • Suggestions that could make it easier for local startups or spin-outs to get access and traction in this space.

 

Some of the special insights and conversations that really piqued the crowd's interest were:

 

  • Dave Newman's case study of the recent Ministry of Data event.

  • A challenge for Government - 3% targets for procurement from local ventures under 5 years old.

  • Managing risk across portfolios rather than individual projects or procurement activities.

  • The importance of being open and collaborate - whether it was Bill's serendipitous moments, Andreas and ICRAR's willingness to work with startups, or connecting with researchers who have complementary skills.

  • Shifting mindset about engagement on major projects or within departments - from simply solving the immediate procurement problem, to creating opportunities for local startups and innovators in the process.

  • Thinking BIG, staying focused on the vision, and exploring possibilities across industries.

Insightful events on big-picture topics are just one of the activities StartupWA undertakes in service of its mission to create the local conditions, enabling the global success for the ventures of tomorrow.

 

The next StartupWA event is planned for Tuesday 5th December, as part of West Tech Fest. 

To express your interest in contributing as a partner or sponsor or host, please get in touch.

 

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our email list for occasional updates on events, surveys, advocacy and opportunities. You can also follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates, and even more opportunities to connect with the wider community through spaces, networks and events.

 

Thanks to our event partners who made this possible:

 

Finally, thank you to everyone who came along in person or participated online, it was great to see such an engaged audience and many new faces.