Hi Gang, Wanted to bounce something off you and get some serious feedback on what could be a big initiative.
I have had bit to do with New York for work and have been following NYC tech meet up for ages. They do some good stuff and is now the largest in the US I believe, worth you joining just to see startup trends pitching in NY. Most recently, their new chair has supported a new initiative NYC Startup Job Fair http://nycstartupjobfair.com/ led by one guy Alex Horn who has gathered a bit of momentum. As far as I can tell it is very well intended and might actually make a big splash so we should do one here too. Independent event, just learning from a smart idea. Aim is to help startups find talent and help students and others find jobs. I am not a recruiter and this is NOT a recruiters fair, it is for direct contact between talent/students/seekers/employees and entrepreneurs/founders/employers. Of course it might end up matching co-founders too and I think we should do something for that space in particular. Of course big employers have big budgets to do this with their own job fairs and recruiters and startups simply don't. This is one way of levelling the playing field for the startups and giving students a chance to work at a startup and change the world rather than sit in a numbered cubicle in some corporate office. I've done my fair share of corporate work (Rothschild retail technology before it was acquired by Westpac, Australian Stock Exchange setting up the first trading systems, Macquarie Bank setting up two divisions, Standard Chartered Bank running and successfully exit on international financial technology software companies etc. So that is good and very financially rewarding and I don't regret it BUT the stuff you remember as most satisfying is the act of collaborative creation, making something real that succeeds and customers like. So, I thought we could take the next step up the maturity curve as a city and start this. Today. Ideas so far - - host it at Australian Technology Park maybe innovation centre atrium, needs to be independent of any one uni and close to transport. Any other suggestions? I know some people there (already reached out to them) but open for suggestions if anyone knows the exact right contact. Other venues might be along the main train lines. - maybe do it twice a year (once at start of year to raise idea of startup as a career and one late in the year to get people at decision time, same format for both since startups are about starting after all and can be done after hours ) - really really cheap (free or $5 for students/seekers and free or $40 for startups) a bit more for at the door depending on how the costs work. - Aim is to be as close to free as possible so ideas for sponsors much appreciated. - Allow people to be both startup and seeker as well as seeking co-founders. maybe colours on name badges? - Allow specialist tech industry student recruiters or not. maybe limit numbers and have a designated area? - Looking for volunteers to be on the organising panel - Generally have as few rules or bureaucratic constraints as possible and be open to useful extensions that meet or extend the core goal, e.g. consider collecting interest in booking out extra adjoining spaces if mid size companies are interested in running seminars etc... - Other format suggestions e.g. speakers - Have a pitchfest for the business, investors and staff combined or separate - Looking for a good local t-shirt print on demand with web self service (like eventbrite but for tshirts not tickets) We have put up a quick eventbrite page to see how much interest there is from this group, tickets are FREE of course for pre-release registrations. Please mention it to any startup mates or students/jobseekers. sydstart.eventbrite.com www.sydstart.com All feedback/debate learnings from similar events, opportunities for distinctive activities, volunteers etc... Cheers, Peter. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Guidelines on discussion: http://tr.im/ujKF No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself: http://tr.im/ujMm To post to this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en To unsubscribe from this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia+unsubscribegooglegroups.com or reply to this email with the words "REMOVE ME" as the subject.
<<attachment: Screen shot 2010-03-27 at 3.14.49 PM.png>>
