I reckon that ably demonstrates how you only have to have a few successes to shift opinion. I think in those two categories we've got a few high profile companies - Atlassian of course in Business Software and 99Designs, Freelancer.com in marketplaces. Not too hard to list more in both categories, so its not unreasonable for the VC to have that perception, but I think you need to have those home runs like Atlassian for any perception like that to take hold.
Maybe its not so much a question of what she would focus on, but what shouldn't we focus on? I think getting a consumer startup going in Australia is immeasurably harder, because you're a long distance away from the early adopter crowd that tends to give those consumer apps their initial kick along. However if I had to answer the question, I think Australia is best suited to small-to-medium sized business software. There's generally a big enough market here to get to profitability and get a strong product developed and then a lot of those solutions will scale without the need for big on-the-ground sales teams. They're not quite Australian, but Xero is the perfect model I reckon. I don't think very niche suits us either, as those markets tend to best suited by small sales teams on the ground, so far more difficult to scale. On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 10:07 AM, Mick Liubinskas <m...@pollenizer.com>wrote: > This raises an interesting question for me. Does we need to focus on a > particular kind of Technology to get world class cred? > > A VC from New York said to me that Australia is well know for business > software and marketplaces which I thought was interesting. > > What would you focus on? > > On Thursday, 4 July 2013 09:03:00 UTC+10, simran wrote: > >> >> >> >> On Thu, Jul 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM, drllau <drlawr...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> But seriously, the tech boom is just starting with nanoinfotech ... >>> functional fibres, technical textiles, integration of electronics with >>> wearables ... still wide open. >>> >>> >> >> Couldn't agree with you more... communication is becoming a commodity - >> next 5-10 years, it will stop being an "end goal" but will be an assumed >> "infrastructure component" >> >> >> >> >> >>> >>> On Wednesday, 3 July 2013 22:40:22 UTC+12, simran wrote: >>> >>>> i guess there are two types of people, yourself and others (which can >>>> be classified in various groups again)... i think sales/marketing/business >>>> people generally set out to build what "other people want" whereas techies >>>> set out to build "what they themselves want" (really generalising of >>>> course) - i wonder what the jury says on which ones turn out more >>>> "successful"... >>>> >>>> couldn't agree with you more on the validation of what people want... >>>> i've seen people go ask questions like "do you want to earn more money" and >>>> then translate a "yes" to "100% of people are crying out for our website >>>> that will promote short term jobs" - knowing which question to ask and what >>>> you are testing is very important - and i often find, getting feedback >>>> based on final design ends up being more appropriate and relevant as you >>>> don't have to explain most of the product, the user can "see" it for >>>> themselves... >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 1:11 PM, Mick Liubinskas >>>> <mi...@pollenizer.com>wrote: >>>> >>>>> I think everyone sets out to build something people want, it's how >>>>> they go about it and when you decide that they don't. Almost every method >>>>> is imperfect in some way (including manual test, prototype, video, >>>>> pre-selling, building the whole shebang) and there are near infinite >>>>> methods or at least combinations or product/offering/target/**market**ing. >>>>> Therein lies the challenge and why I always say focus is key. >>>>> >>>>> Reading these stories are still useful because being the entrepreneur >>>>> with optimism to pursue a big opportunity it's typically hard to see the >>>>> reality. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tuesday, 2 July 2013 16:12:30 UTC+10, Alex North wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> tl;dr: >>>>>> >>>>>> - 31 counts of not building something people actually want. >>>>>> - 2 counts of founders falling out. >>>>>> >>>>>> Is this you? It might be timely to revise Andreesen from 2007: The >>>>>> only thing that matters is product/market >>>>>> fit<http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee204/ProductMarketFit.html>. >>>>>> (Hint: the market dominates the equation). >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 10:28 AM, Oliver Maruda <o.ma...@gmail.com>wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Good collection from a number of startups that didn't make the cut >>>>>>> (all for various reasons). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://www.businessinsider.**com****/33-startups-that-died-**reveal- >>>>>>> ****why-they-failed-2013-6?**op=1/?**I**R=T<http://www.businessinsider.com/33-startups-that-died-reveal-why-they-failed-2013-6?op=1/?IR=T> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I laughed at #19 "We forgot to sell" - something that comes up every >>>>>>> now and then again. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Kind regards, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Oliver Maruda >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Mobile: +61 425 710 662 | Skype: olivermaruda | au.linkedin.com/in/* >>>>>>> *olivermar****uda/ <http://au.linkedin.com/in/olivermaruda/> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon >>>>>>> Beach Australia mailing list. 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