Why is it non-negotiable? The Grad Connections boys -- who now have the sixth biggest recruitment site in Australia and the biggest niche recruitment site -- moved to Sydney from New Zealand two years ago with nothing but some over-sized suits. Mike Casey, one of the founders, told me moving was crucial to their success as it didn't have his mates distracting him. And I'll be honest, it's one of the reasons why I moved to San Francisco. I had such a good life in Sydney that it was actually distracting -- getting out of my environment, even though I've built a new (distracting) life in America, has made a huge difference for my life ambitions in the startup world.
It will make you more focussed, hungrier to be successful, and besides no one said you can't visit home or move the business back. I would say embrace the move and treat it as a three-month retreat. Elias Bizannes http://eliasbizannes.com On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 4:34 AM, alan jones <alan.jo...@gmail.com> wrote: > As one of the Startmate mentors, I'd say: apply, and let's see. > > Startmate is brand-new; we'll be learning as we go, applying what we > learn to making the program work better for applicants and for > mentors. > > Our criteria for applicants aren't carved in stone, they're just > criteria. If you've got a killer startup and an awesome team, who > knows what compromises we might make in order to make room for you? > > Pay no attention to your own opinion of whether your startup is killer > and your team is awesome — joining Startmate is all about finding that > out. > > We've done our best to design a lean application process. I applied > for a new credit card today with a $25,000 limit and the application > paperwork was way more work than applying to Startmate. > > Would we bend the criteria for the right startup and not require them > to relocate to Sydney for three months? Who knows? Unless you apply, > you'll never know and neither will we. > > - Alan > > > On Nov 19, 6:33 pm, Saxon Druce <saxondr...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Hi Matt, >> >> That's a great interview that you guys did with Niki - I saw it a week >> or two ago. >> >> The bit that sparked my interest was near the end where (paraphrasing >> from memory) Niki says "anyone in Australia can apply" (at which point >> I was thinking "great!"), and then he followed up with "if they move >> to Sydney during the programme" (me: "not so great"). >> >> Up until that point, when I'd read about Startmate, I assumed it was >> exclusively Sydney. So actually your interview was what made me wonder >> if there is any scope for negotiation on that part. >> >> I think a lot of the value of Startmate would come from the close >> personal contact with the mentors, but it might be possible to get a >> small (but still worthwhile) part of that benefit from several visits >> to Sydney. I certainly wouldn't expect a full $25k for that, though. >> >> Saxon >> >> On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 3:13 PM, Matthieu Stone >> >> >> >> <matthieu.st...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > at the risk of a plug.. have a look at Niki Scevak's (Startmate >> > Administrator) interview here >> > => http://twistsydney.com/2010/10/29/episode-1-niki-scevak-and-startmate/ >> > he talks about your issue (and other issues mentioned on this thread). >> > He is also very specific about what sort of things startmate are looking >> > for >> > in applications. >> > rgds, >> > - matt. >> >> > On 19 November 2010 17:55, Saxon Druce <saxondr...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> Hi Geoff, >> >> >> Do you think Startmate would be willing to accept a 'partial >> >> participation' from interstate projects (if they were particularly >> >> good projects)? For example flying in to Sydney a few times during the >> >> programme, in return for less cash? >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> Saxon >> >> >> On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Geoff McQueen - Hiive Systems >> >> <geoff.mcqu...@hiivesystems.com> wrote: >> >> > FYI: Startmate is run by volunteers who on the whole are some of >> >> > Australia's most successful (and busy) tech executives. >> >> >> > There's a fair bit athttp://www.startmate.com.au/teamsand >> >> >http://www.startmate.com.au/market. If you've got an internet and >> >> >software >> >> > business/prototype, you're small and looking for seed funding and >> >> > mentorship >> >> > for a fixed amount of equity, and you believe in yourself and your idea, >> >> > apply. >> >> >> > If you want to ask your question here, we'll do what we can to answer it >> >> > ;-) >> >> >> > -----Original Message----- >> >> > From: silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com >> >> > [mailto:silicon-beach-austra...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Isaak >> >> > Sent: Friday, 19 November 2010 2:48 PM >> >> > To: Silicon Beach Australia >> >> > Subject: [SiliconBeach] Re: Startmate Technical Co-Founder >> >> >> > Hi, >> >> >> > I emailed Startmate last week enquiring about eligibility of my >> >> > product but with no response... >> >> >> > Doesn't really give me confidence. >> >> >> > I do like the concept etc with it all, and would love to give it a >> >> > crack! >> >> >> > Cheers, Isaak >> >> >> > -- >> >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon >> >> > Beach Australia mailing list. >> >> >> > Guidelines on discussion: >> >> >http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... >> >> >> > No lurkers! 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