StartupWA's chair, Jason Balchand, had the pleasure of meeting with Minister Stephen Dawson to discuss the WA startup ecosystem on behalf of StartupWA. It’s good to have a Minister in the portfolio who’s so passionate about the sector and wants to support startups to create a thriving ecosystem.

Some of the topics discussed were:

How Government procurement may be able to help advance gender equality in the tech and startup ecosystem.
The CivTech procurement model and how it may be of benefit to the Government.
The increased amount of investment capital available to WA startups through funds such as Quokka Capital, FundWA, BetterLabs, Tractor Ventures, and more.
How we can shine a brighter spotlight on the state’s startup success stories in order to better position WA as one of the world’s best startup hubs.
The importance of supporting startup founders through tailored education programs that give founders the practical knowledge and tools they need to grow their ventures.
StartupWA’s upcoming series of roundtable discussions which seek to better understand opportunities in resources tech, web3, and esports and gaming.
What the role of Chief Entrepreneur could look like.

The team at StartupWA is looking forward to continuing to work with Minister Dawson, Charlie Gunningham, and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation to grow the sector and show the world how awesome and innovative the WA ecosystem is.

Photo (from left to right): Minister Stephen Dawson and Jason Balchand, Chair StartupWA.