TechSydney in 2019 - what we're focused on and how you can help

As we gear up for another another intense year, I wanted to provide an overview of what we are focused on at TechSydney and an update on some team changes.

This is also a call for your support as we expand the work we are doing for the ecosystem in Sydney and New South Wales. 

In 2019, TechSydney will be adding new people and initiatives to support our work. We will be focused on:

• Expanding our new TechSydney platform via community and industry collaborations to provide easy, centralised access to information and resources for anyone in the industry,
• Continuing to build our membership base via programs such as the Founder Forums,
• Ongoing representation of the industry in the government's precinct deliberations,
• Expanding our student-targeted programs to ensure the best and the brightest are coming into the tech industry.

We are fortunate to welcome some new advisors and team members. Serial entrepreneur and company advisor Andrea Culligan will Chair our new Advisory Committee, supported by Rod Power, Ben Sharp and Ross Judd, all of whom have dedicated their time to helping expand our founder forum program.  

We'll be welcoming some new faces to the team over the next few weeks. The new team will be working to expand our reach through the TechSydney platform and working on projects to support the Founder Forum program. 

My role at TechSydney will also be changing. I will take on the role as Executive Chair to maintain our relationships across government and industry. The extra time will allow me the opportunity to launch a new startup focused business in Australia, Antler, which I will have more to say about shortly. 

2018 in review 

Last year was a positive one for the nation's startup capital. The NSW Government showed a consistent interest in helping foster the local industry, starting with the successful launch of the Sydney Startup Hub and providing a glimmer of a long-term, visionary strategy in the potential announcement of the TechCentral precinct. 

NSW is already home to the nation's largest number of technology companies, its biggest venture firms and the most revered brands in tech. Nevertheless, our international rankings have been shaky in recent years and it is incumbent upon both the local industry and the government to work together to ensure Sydney starts to climb the international rankings again.  

Last year TechSydney helped promote our local technology scene across a range of program initiatives and advocacy. What we focused on, in brief: 

• Successful ongoing advocacy for the NSW Government to develop a Technology and Innovation Precinct in the Central-Eveleigh Corridor,
• Representation of the industry on the government’s Precinct Taskforce, including an industry-wide analysis of 150 tech companies to inform the design of the precinct,
• Delivery (in partnership with ReInventure and UTS) of the Women in Venture program, a unique series of events aimed and providing information and training to young women about the Venture Capital industry and how to value companies,
• Delivery (in partnership with Text Book Ventures and City of Sydney) of the Student Startup Festival, a unique intervarsity training and pitching competition open to all university students in the city,
• Delivery (in partnership with the City of Sydney and Ramen Life) of an industry-wide information platform hosted on TechSydney.com.au, providing free resources and information to the public about news, events, wins, jobs and other resources for the industry,
• Delivery of a regular, open industry drinks to provide an agenda-free opportunity for the community to meet and network.

Thank you for your support

We are incredibly grateful for the support of the broader community in helping us to deliver this work. There are so many we could mention here, but in particular (and in alphabetical order) Joe Allen, Sherel Alpcaya, Dan Atkin, Fleur Brown, Lauren Capelin, Clinton Chan, Andrea Culligan, Brad Delamere, Kim Heras, Dave Kenny, Dean McEvoy, Victoria Moxey, Rod Power, Soren Trampedach, Margaret Petty, Chantelle Rossiter, Ann Schoefer, Ben Sharp and Glenn Wightwick all deserve a huge thank-you for their commitment to TechSydney and the local industry. We are also grateful to our wonderful Foundation Sponsor, UTS, for their support and the City of Sydney as a program partner.

A quick thank-you also to Dean McEvoy and Brent Harman who helped instigate and develop TechSydney's work on the precinct. If the project comes to fruition the industry will have much to thank them for.

On a final note, I want to say thanks to one of our departing board members, Kim Heras, who was a co-founder of TechSydney and who has been a long-time pioneer of community building with the startup world. Kim has great dedication to our industry's cause. TechSydney will always be in need of those who want to give back to the community and we are grateful to Kim for helping show the way.

 Thanks again for your support of TechSydney. A reminder that you can sign up here. You'll be hearing from us soon with some more announcements for 2019.