Following Australian Startups and Tech Trends

In our ongoing coverage of interviews , with CEO's, Media Personalities, Philanthropists, and VCs, to gauge the innovation and startup landscape in Australia, today we showcase our interview with Freelance Journalist and public Speaker, Mr Brad Howarth , who writes on Australia’s startup industry, digital marketing, dangers of climate change and other relevant topics in this domain. We did this interview to get a holistic view from the Journalism side of the Innovation and startup landscape in Australia. Let us explore what Brad has to say about the state of affairs in this domain in Australia. This is what he has to say: • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? I’ve been a journalist for 13 years now, having completed a degree at RMIT in Melbourne back in 1994. I’ve worked for a wide range of publications, starting with technology trade titles such as ComputerWorld and Australian Reseller News, then moving to spend two years on the technology section of The

Today we showcase the story of another successful entrepreneur, Martin Dougiamas, Founder, Lead Developer and Managing Director of Moodle Pty Ltd Moodle is an open-source course management system (also called a learning management system). It's a completely Free web application that educators can install and use to manage all their online learning. The business model is based on services around the free software. It has 2 portals/sites, the open source community is at Moodle.org the business side is at Moodle.com Let us explore what Martin has to say about his venture Moodle and his thoughts on IT, Education and Innovation coming out of Australia. This is what he has to say: • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? I'm 38, live in Perth with my young family. Until I was 12 I lived in central Australia, learning via School of the Air (in those days we used shortwave radio). This probably had some influence on what I do now. • Who are the people behind

Today we showcase the story of another successful entrepreneur, Che Metcalfe, founder of Podmo from Adelaide, Australia. Podmo Mobile is a free mobile network for end users. Let us explore what Che has to say about his venture Podmo Mobile and his thoughts on Mobile Space and Innovation coming out of Australia. This is what he has to say in a candid interview with me : • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? I grew up in Townsville and left for Sydney when I was 17 to get Guitar lessons. After a year or so I returned to Townsville to form a band, which we took to Adelaide. We won the battle of the bands at our first gig and did a lot of big support gigs for bands like the Angels, Southern Sons and Johnny Diesel. After a tour to Sydney, it dawned on me that I may work my but off in this industry for many years and get nowhere, so I left the band and decided to study. I enrolled in a Building Design and Drafting Diploma at TAFE where I first started using compu

Today we showcase the story of a man who has been a successful angel investor and is now as a VC helping a lot of Australian businesses to realize their dreams. Nick McNaughton who is based in Canberra, ACT, Australia is running a VC portfolio, under the  Blue Cove Ventures umbrella. Let us explore a bit further how Nick is helping others and what he thinks about innovation coming out of Australia. This is what Nick has to say in his interview with me. • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? I am the CEO and Founder of Blue Cove Ventures . Blue Cove was established in 2007. I have a strong heritage in IT Investments and have a long track record of helping to build and grow software and web companies. Before founding Blue Cove Ventures, he was co-founder of the blog marketing company behind Zookoda . In March 2007 Zookoda was sold to PayPerPost Inc. the leading marketplace for Consumer Generated Advertising. From 2002-2004 I was Director - Asia/ Pacific for Wily

Today we showcase a story of a man who is a migrant, an entrepreneur and now a successful VC, helping a lot of Australian businesses to realise their dreams. Rick Anstey who is based in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia is running a VC portfolio, under iQFunds umbrella. Let us explore a bit further how Rick is helping others and what he thinks about innovation coming out of Australia. This is what Rick has to say in his interview with me. • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? Rick Anstey- Started my career in I.T. (data processing at that time) in 1972, with a UK insurance company, doing the normal in-house training from operator, programmer and systems analyst. Got married in 1973 and immigrated to Australia in 1976 – difficult to get in – had to pay our own way and applied 3 times before success. Arrived in Sydney in 1976 with no money one child and my wife. Worked with TNT and then with Comalco before starting my first company in 1983. Naturalised Austr

As part of our expanding coverage in IT, Telecom, Mobile, Green Tech, Media, and Games, today we are showcasing the story of an entrepreneur who has recently migrated to Melbourne from India. Sreenivas Ghatty, the founder and CEO of Tree Oils India, engaged in the manufacture of Biodiesel from non-electric tree Oils such as Jatropha and Pongamia. He was interviewed last week by Suhit Anantula who covers and writes on sustainability, economics, technology and development. Let us explore a bit further how Sreenivas is settling in Australia and his future plans with his venture. This is what Sreenivas has to say in his chat with Suhit. • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I have a Masters in Agriculture and was a corporate banker in India and Dubai for 18 years until I entered the Biodiesel industry in 2003. I live in Melbourne with my wife and two daughters and keep travelling to India and other countries regularly.

Today we showcase the story of a woman entrepreneur, mum of 4 and 3 successful ventures under her belt, Meg Tsiamis , founder of dLook , Obits , Aussie Bloggers from Sydney, Australia. In a candid interview with us, she explained how as a mum and an entrepreneur she is managing and juggling. This is what she has to say in her interview with us : • Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests? I guess I’m a bit of a late bloomer. I married at twenty and had my first child at 23. My s tudies were haphazard, and I finally graduated from Uni when I was 31 and launched straight into graduate studies. A glutton for punishment. My earlier working life consisted of a range of accounting and administrative type roles. In 2000 I set up a finance brokerage which I grew until I started with the internet ventures. Interests? Blogging I guess! • How did you become an entrepreneur, tell us your thought process and how i t began? Quite by accident really! One night my husband was loo