For Startup Spring 2013, we're organising Tasmania's inaugural Startup Bootcamp.

Startup Bootcamp starts with a day of intense mentoring from some of Tasmania's (and Australia's) recognised experts across a range of topics including technology, management, marketing and pitching. Successful applicants will receive this training, worth thousands of dollars, at no cost... well, nearly. In return, each startup must pitch their idea/product/business in front of a live audience and panel of judges.

Our panel of judges are:

Adam Faulkner
Adam has been working in technology since 2000. He has worked with many inspirational organisations including Sony where he worked in product innovation across APAC. Adam currently works as the Head of Alliances & Strategic Business for BlackBerry where he is focused on bringing local, unique experiences to BlackBerry 10 and as Creative Director at blueegg which is a boutique ICT consultancy. Adam has worked as a mentor to many start-ups and developer agencies as the skills and ideas continue to flourish across Australia and New Zealand.

James Cretan
James is an executive director of a family company which owns and operates Tasmanian Collection Service, Shoreline Hotel, Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village and Swansea Holiday Parks. He is a director of the Plastic Fabrications Group, a manufacturer and supplier of seacages and related products to the aquaculture industry internationally, and is also an owner and director of Intuit Technologies, Tasmania’s largest private ICT company. He was a Director of TAFE Tasmania from 2004 and Chair from January 2006 to May 2008 before becoming Chair of The Skills Institute. He is the Chair of the Tasmanian Industry Group, Board Chair of The Friends School in Hobart, Deputy Chair of the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania and a board member of TasICT, the peak body for the State’s ICT industry.

Troy Trewin
Troy's start-up experience is in web design & development, e-tailing, .au domain registrar, smartphone apps. It also includes a London-based fast-growth IT support business, in addition to a social enterprise. Currently Troy is General Manager of Hobart-based company Experience Consulting which consults on and project manages tourism related projects. He also currently remotely manages The New Zealand Whisky Company. Since 2004 Troy has been providing business mentoring to small businesses in Australia and the UK.

Peter Gartlan
Peter Gartlan has worked continuously in the state's ICT industry since completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree at UTAS in 1986. Early in his career, Peter held a number of technical support and business development roles in the commercial ICT sector. In 1996, Peter became a partner and executive director of Comstra Pty Ltd, an ICT products and services provider with turnover of $2 million per annum. 10 years later, with revenues of $35 million, Peter successfully and profitably engineered the sale of Comstra to national IT services group, Anittel. Peter was chairman of the Tasmanian IT Industry Council from 1999 to 2001, a member of the Intelligent Island Board from 2000 to 2002, and president of TasICT, the peak industry body, from 2006 to 2008. Peter is now a private consultant delivering specialised business development, ICT strategic planning, and project management services to commercial and government clients. Peter is also currently on the CSIRO Research Investment Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Glen Johnson
Exceptional commercial acumen, tenacious and visionary to the core, Glen Johnson is always immersed in discovery and creation. He is quick to inject experience and clarity at exactly the right moment to drive digital projects forward. A digital entrepreneur since the early 90’s Glen has experience from the pixel-pushing coal face (as a graphic and interactive designer) to creative direction and user experience work through the 00’s and then expert digital consulting and business-building executive roles since 2008. Glen has focussed on user engagement, wagering concept builds and businesses transitioning to click-and-mortar models. This has been backed by a strong focus on commercialisation planning and consulting for new product innovations. Leveraging over 8 years of wagering (online gaming) experience, his current focal points are interactive product developments that cross the boundaries from traditional wagering to full social gaming and the effective monetisation of that sector for established wagering organisations.

Simon Tyrrell
Simon Tyrrell has over 12 years experience in the ICT industry having worked within Tasmania, interstate, and internationally. Four years ago Simon returned to Tasmania where he now works from his home office (and a number of cafes!) as the Chief Strategy Officer for a global niche consulting company, nSynergy. Simon is passionate about the potential for digital services in the state and nSynergy are the lead partner in the recently announced Digital Services Innovation Partnership to be based in Hobart.

The following startups were shortlisted at Startup Bootcamp and will be pitching:

Farmware
Farmware is a Farm management application for mobile devices. It's a web App that allows farmers to record all details relating to livestock, crops and storage. This is important for production analysis, decision making and traceability.

Flat Tummy Tea
Ecommerce startup that sells a herbal tea to 18-30 year old females that helps with bloating, digestion and weight loss. Marketed purely online through social media, the startup launched less than 3 months ago and has solid sales and growth. Founders are about to go full time with plans to upscale and branch into a world wide market.

Rounding Fund Australia
Raises micro-donations for charities via credit cards and other forms of electronic payment.

ThreeXFive
A locally printed and published magazine with a focus on Tasmanian art and design, including an open page to the rest of the world. Three issues per year, with five featured artists/designers/creatives per issue. I also envisage limited edition prints/posters to accompany each issue with a long term vision of an annual exhibition.

MyFoodLink
eCommerce platform for small to medium supermarkets.

270 Degrees
Software to save teachers' time in the classroom.

TasIEX
Creates the 'connective tissue' between Tasmania's disparate business, science, technology and innovative sectors.

Jobric
Makes finding a job within the Australian ICT sector easier.

Biteable
Biteable makes creating broadcast quality videos simple for anyone. Just pick a style, add your text & images and bingo you're done.

Spanner
Digital Planned Maintenance System for Small and Medium Sized Ships. Applicable to other industries including mining, manufacturing, plants, etc.

 

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