The Harvard Business Review (July 19, 2016) said that, if we want to have more successful technology startups led by women, it may not be enough to simply encourage more women to start companies. A crucial step to helping more female entrepreneurs succeed may be to encourage more women to join venture capital firms. A new investment network encouraging female investors for female-led start-ups hopes to level the playing field. www.scaleinvestors.com.auhttps://hbr.org/2016/07/research-the-gender-gap-in-startup-success-disappears-when-women-fund-women
Since Supporting And Linking Tradeswomen (SALT) started in 2009, it has become slightly easier for women to gain apprenticeships but we still have a long way to go until there are equal opportunities for women in the trades. SALT is a non-profit incorporated organization, which provides a support network for tradeswomen, apprentices and women who wish to enter the trades. www.saltaustralia.org.au
Macleay St Bistro, a restaurant noted for fine dining in Potts Point Sydney, partnered with IdeaSpies, a platform of inspiring clever ideas, in offering dining prizes for ideas posted on the platform over a two month period ending September 30. The winning ideas seen and posted on IdeaSpies were: 1. A local community library outside a home 2. A business idea from Evolis preventing hair loss and 3. Water tanks as retaining walls and flower beds. The winners received vouchers for $250 (1) and $150 (2&3). Congratulations to the winners and thanks to the Macleay St Bistro owners and manager for your innovative approach to business.
Sydney-based start-up accelerator BlueChilli has launched a new program called SheStarts to encourage women tech entrepreneurs in Australia. The $1 million program offers 10 female entrepreneurs $100,000 each in pre-seed capital and a spot in an accelerator backed by corporate partners ANZ, MYOB, Sunsuper and UTS. The selected entrepreneurs will also participate in a documentary web series that showcases the development of their respective businesses. Applications open today and close on October 31. www.shestarts.com.au
Research indicates that students learn more when teachers talk for only 50 percent of the lesson. Melbourne edutech startup Stile is helping teachers talk less and students learn more. Launched in 2014 by Australia's now-chief scientist Alan Finkel, Stile looks to replace textbooks with digital platforms for students to engage with content in a way that makes more sense to a tech-savvy generation. The CSIRO, Australia's leading scientific organization, is encouraging use of Stile, particularly for STEM subjects. www.stile.com.au
