Platform6 Startup House’s Post

A key reflection from the ScaleUp Institute’s Scaleup Annual Review, which was launched last month, was that one of the greatest hurdles for scaleups to overcome is the depth of risk capital. In the report, The Scaleup Institute outlined a number of recommendations to improve UK scaleup businesses’ access to growth capital, including: ✅ Continuing initiatives to unlock institutional capital and ensure a clear focus on how capital is targeted at scaleups ✅ Ensuring diverse founders and areas across the whole of the UK are connected to investment resources ✅ Maintaining and expanding the British Business Bank’s schemes ✅ Expanding the role and scale of Innovate UK  ✅ The UK business taxation system should be consistent and maintained with better awareness raising and flexibility Read the full story here: 🔗https://lnkd.in/eEj6MTkE #TwoZeroLancs #ScaleupInstitute #LancashireBusiness

📢How VoPay Turned Canada's Smaller Market Into A Strategic Global Launchpad. While some might say Canada's smaller market makes it more difficult to scale VoPay CEO Hamed H. Arbabi says it has become our organization's silver bullet 🎯 INNOVATEwest's Stefan Palios shares how and why VoPay continues to shake up the payments world. #InnovateWest2024 #CanadianSuccess #ProductExpansion

The film industry is where real innovation is long dead. 🎬💤 I know, strong words, but look at Remedy's latest move. They’ve teamed up with Annapurna to co-finance Control 2 and adapt Control and Alan Wake into TV and film. This is classic risk aversion masked as creativity. Everyone’s too scared to take a real shot at something new. Why is this so important? Because it reflects an industry trend where safe bets triumph over trailblazing ideas. Control and Alan Wake are both phenomenal games, loaded with potential, but this announcement underscores the industry's dodging of groundbreaking new content. Here's an analogy: Imagine a world where every new app was just a clone of Uber or Airbnb. It’s the same thing, just with a coat of fresh paint. We’d be stuck spinning the wheels on innovation. Think about your own industry. Where are you playing it too safe? Companies like Finotor didn't become game-changers by copying QuickBooks. They went all-in on revolutionizing accounting and financial analysis software. 🚀 Examples of Original Thinking: 1. eBay revolutionized auctions - Not just another retail store. 2. Netflix started streaming when others stuck to DVDs - They had the vision. 3. Finotor disrupts traditional accounting software - Offering unprecedented analytical insight and efficiencies. 🎯 Action Point: Evaluate whether you're genuinely innovating or simply repackaging old offerings. Which partnerships are you forming that propel you into uncharted territories rather than replaying the same old song? Franck BRUNET ---------------------- Liked this post? Want to see more? Ring it on my profile 🔔 Connect with me 🔝 Follow me: #franckbrunet #finotor

The film industry is where real innovation is long dead. 🎬💤 I know, strong words, but look at Remedy's latest move. They’ve teamed up with Annapurna to co-finance Control 2 and adapt Control and Alan Wake into TV and film. This is classic risk aversion masked as creativity. Everyone’s too scared to take a real shot at something new. Why is this so important? Because it reflects an industry trend where safe bets triumph over trailblazing ideas. Control and Alan Wake are both phenomenal games, loaded with potential, but this announcement underscores the industry's dodging of groundbreaking new content. Here's an analogy: Imagine a world where every new app was just a clone of Uber or Airbnb. It’s the same thing, just with a coat of fresh paint. We’d be stuck spinning the wheels on innovation. Think about your own industry. Where are you playing it too safe? Companies like Finotor didn't become game-changers by copying QuickBooks. They went all-in on revolutionizing accounting and financial analysis software. 🚀 Examples of Original Thinking: 1. eBay revolutionized auctions - Not just another retail store. 2. Netflix started streaming when others stuck to DVDs - They had the vision. 3. Finotor disrupts traditional accounting software - Offering unprecedented analytical insight and efficiencies. 🎯 Action Point: Evaluate whether you're genuinely innovating or simply repackaging old offerings. Which partnerships are you forming that propel you into uncharted territories rather than replaying the same old song? Franck BRUNET ---------------------- Liked this post? Want to see more? Ring it on my profile 🔔 Connect with me 🔝 Follow me: #franckbrunet #finotor

This article by Mike "MOD" O'Donnell is very relevant and deeply concerning for the NZ Tech sector Yes, I am conflicted as Chair, but this sends a strong negative signal to the NZ tech innovation, venture, and private capital ecosystem. The Serato founders and board decided long ago not to relocate or put Serato’s head office offshore. The goal was to keep this iconic company, which leads the world in music tech, as a 100% NZ company something we were proud of and passionate about. We did not anticipate that this decision would restrict the ability of founders to exit or block the best long-term home for the company from being sought. Ironically, if we had moved Serato HQ to the US a few years ago, and simply maintained a small R&D centre in NZ, we wouldn't be facing this blockade. While this is not ComCom’s brief or concern, it clearly sends the message to any Kiwi tech company, or any VC or PE company investing in NZ tech, to establish your head office offshore early and relocate quickly before facing restrictions. It's the antithesis of Judith Collins speech at the high tech awards. I am very familiar with most of the VC and PE firms in NZ and many of the General Partners. My advice to them is, as soon as you deploy your capital, put in place a plan to thoughtfully move offshore to avoid restricting your return profile. Many of the General Partners at these firms have spoken to me about this and are incredulous. They see this as nonsensical and are now closely assessing when to move their investee companies offshore far sooner than they originally planned. While the founders and Serato can weather this with no problem, it’s a sad day for NZ tech innovation that due to ComCom risk the clear message is we need to send companies offshore early. 

Modernbanc (YC W20) is a real-time finance platform for startups. Their product combines features from Excel and Quickbooks to help founders gain confidence in their financial metrics and manage their business finances better. With real-time connections to banks and accounting software, founders can track key metrics like revenue, runway, and profitability within seconds and easily drill down to identify unnecessary spending. Congrats to Greg Gevorkyan, Daniel V. and the team on the launch! https://lnkd.in/g_xM9WuB

The world of finance and markets can be a confusing place. But, with Biz Australia at your service, you can escape the confusion. The team at Biz Australia is dedicated to maintaining their independence while offering top-tier financial services that aligns with Australia's rules and regulations. One of our recent noteworthy efforts was creating an online portal – Bizgro- a tool that helps in ensuring compliance with Australia’s Governing Body’s protocol in a much-simplified manner. The main focus of this platform is to enhance ease and access to information about business registration and operations. It’s important to remember that many businesses, established and startups alike, face issues regarding business registrations and operating in compliance with various rules and regulations set by the Registration Office. Hence, it’s crucial that these businesses have the right tools and resources at their disposal to navigate their way out of such complex situations. And that’s where Bizgro comes in. Notably, our platform Bizgro, is not only an informational tool but also helps in facilitating registration of new businesses, a process which is often rather convoluted. We've ensured that every use case, whether it's for a fresh start-up or a well-established enterprise, is catered for by Bizgro to smoothen the registration process. These steps are all in design to let you focus on what you do best – running your business and taking care of your customers. So check out Bizgro on https://register.biz.au, your new one-stop solution for business registration and compliance needs. You’ll be amazed at how much easier running your business becomes when you have the right resources at your disposal. Remember, Biz Australia operates independently of Australia's Governing Body but is committed to helping businesses navigate the labyrinth of compliance. We’re here to help you understand the benefits and implications of both, and guide you through the process, to ensure you can undertake your business endeavours with confidence. #BizAustralia #ComplianceMatters #BusinessRegistration #Bizgro Register your new business name at https://register.biz.au #businessnews #businessaustralia #bizaustralia #biz #businessname #registration

Great post Brian Caulfield. As a startup mentor guiding founders through the initial stages can be quite overwhelming for them due to the myriad of available resources. Here’s a more detailed approach you might consider: Please check out Topic 3: Business grants, funds and supports for startups, found in my feature section on my LinkedIn profile. 1. Initial Assessment: Understand the Founder’s Vision: Begin by discussing their long-term goals and immediate needs. Identify Key Challenges: Determine the primary obstacles they face, whether it’s funding, market entry, or team building. 2. Mapping Resources: Support Networks: Introduce them to local and global startup communities, mentorship programs, and networking events. Grants and Funding: Explain the types of grants available, eligibility criteria, and application processes. Highlight both government and private funding sources. Accelerators and Incubators: Provide a list of reputable accelerators and incubators, detailing their focus areas, benefits, and application timelines. 3. Prioritisation: Immediate Needs: Help them prioritise their immediate needs, such as securing initial funding or building a prototype. Long-term Strategy: Develop a roadmap that aligns with their vision, breaking down the journey into manageable milestones. 4. Action Plan: Step-by-Step Guidance: Offer a clear, actionable plan for the next steps, including key contacts, deadlines, and resources. Regular Check-ins: Schedule follow-up meetings to review progress, address new challenges, and adjust the plan as needed. 5. Continuous Learning: Workshops and Training: Encourage participation in workshops, webinars, and courses to build essential skills. Feedback Loop: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly seeking and providing feedback. By breaking down the process into these steps, we can help founders navigate the complex landscape more effectively and focus on what truly matters for their startup’s success. Keep up the great work you and Martina Fitzgerald are doing. Founders check out Scale Ireland the people who work behind the scenes to make our startup ecosystem great.

After appearing in the media, commissioning a poll with DemosAU and making a submission to the government inquiry on possible changes to the sophisticated investor rules, alongside Cheryl Mack, Will Richards and ⚡️ Michael Batko, it’s a huge relief to see all our hard work was not in vain and the proposed changes have been quietly shelved, as reported by the AFR today. But the work is not yet done: the sophisticated investor test that determines who is allowed to invest in Australian tech startups should be education, experience and skills-based, not wealth-based. The AFR article quotes researchers forecasting that 29% of the population may qualify as angel investors by 2031, as if that would be a bad thing. In my opinion, that would be too small a proportion of the population, and too late. Everyone should have an opportunity to invest in the next Canva and Atlassian, not just a wealthy few. Australia shouldn’t be a nation that reserves access to the industry of the future for just the wealthiest few percent. Australia needs to stop wringing its hands and worrying about all the ‘mums and dads’ out there who might fall prey to an investment scam if they were allowed to be deemed a sophisticated investor. (a) those ‘mums and dads’ probably deserve more credit for intelligence and experience than you’re giving them; and (b) they may even work in the tech startup industry (which is now a major jobs creator in this country) which surely counts for more than millions in the bank. The correct approach is to ensure that all those Australians who would like to build a financial future through investing in startups have a sound, structured, adequate education pathway towards doing so. https://lnkd.in/gcmDhAK4

📊 Why ASC 606 Revenue Recognition Matters for Startups 📊 For startups focused on rapid growth, revenue recognition might seem like just another compliance hurdle. But ASC 606is about more than regulatory adherence- it’s a tool to build transparency, trust, and financial stability. This standard helps startups align revenue with contract performance, offering a clearer picture of financial health while showcasing credibility to investors and stakeholders. By adopting ASC 606, your business can: ✅ Recognize revenue accurately, reflecting value delivered to customers. ✅ Build financial transparency that inspires investor confidence. ✅ Align revenue reporting with operational performance for better planning. ✅ Demonstrate financial maturity, standing out in a competitive market. Compliance doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and expertise, ASC 606 becomes an opportunity to lay a foundation for growth, stability, and trust. 📩 Ready to make your revenue recognition seamless? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gyq2Qx5K #ASC606 #RevenueRecognition #StartupSuccess #FinancialTransparency #InvestorTrust