There’s also Port80, founded in 2002, which hosts meet-ups for web industry professionals. Port80 is an initiative of the Australian Web Industry Association, which is also based in WA.
Paul Shields, a director of Perth-based boutique mining consultancy Oyster Consulting, says the resources backdrop “gives an earthy, outback tinge” to Perth’s start-up scene, helping it to stand out from the technology-centric cities on the Eastern Seaboard.
“The ready availability of cash [means] starting up in Perth is probably easier than any other location in Australia right now,” Shields says.
“The distance issue with Perth is overrated. Technology means that many start-ups could be located anywhere in Australia.”
“The majority of our initial income was internationally sourced and we found being located in Perth no impediment to this.”
Matthew Macfarlane, co-founder and investment director of Yuuwa Capital, says Perth’s start-up scene has become “substantially more vibrant” in the last couple of years.
“It’s picked up dramatically in the last few years as people have seen that they can do things in Perth you couldn’t do before due to the remoteness,” he says.
“Filter Squad is a great example – they’re available in 93 countries.”
Macfarlane points out that there are five universities in Perth, which churn out a huge number of graduates with degrees in computer science and technology.
And while many of these graduates have their sights set on cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, many older, more experienced entrepreneurs are returning to Perth for lifestyle reasons.
“I would rather back a second or third-time entrepreneur than someone fresh out of university,” Macfarlane says.
Macfarlane says there are plenty of business opportunities related to the mining boom, but he’s more interested in helping start-ups in biotech and life sciences.
“It’s pretty mixed. A lot of start-ups are linked to the mining industry but most do so well they don’t need me,” he says.
Perth’s Silicon Valley
Technology Park in Bentley is Perth’s premier location for technology-driven and innovative organisations, while inner city suburb Subiaco is also gaining a reputation as a start-up hub.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Notable start-ups:
StartupSmart will be uncovering the start-up scenes of all of Australia’s capital cities in the coming months to see how they measure up. To see our profile of Adelaide from November, click here.
