Photos from ANZA TechNet’s Gateway to US Workshops in Australia

We’ve just completed our annual Gateway to the US workshops, with Guidewire Group’s CEO Chris Shipley. As a key component of the workshops we rated innovative Australian businesses with global potential on 7 critical dynamics using the Guidewire Group’s G/Score. The G/Score has been used exclusively in the US, Europe and Asia, but this was its first use Down Under. ANZA TechNet is hoping to see many of the companies we scored over the last two weeks in Silicon Valley at the Gateway to the US Summit in November.

Check out some photos from the workshops at this link. Portraits of the entrepreneurs and ANZA TechNet partners are courtesy of Chris Shipley. (Pictured: Greg Boundy, Innovate SA Chief Executive.)

ANZA TechNet Brings Guidewire Group’s G/Score for Innovative Startups to Australia for First Time

We’re excited to be bringing the Guidewire Group’s exclusive startup assessment tool – the G/Score – to Australia for the first time this month as part of ANZA’s Gateway to the US introductory workshops in Australian capital cities, 23 August – 1 September.

Developed by leading global startup advisory firm, Guidewire Group, the G/Score assesses a startup’s progress in seven critical business activities. The G/Score has been used in Europe, Asia and the US – but not Australia. The ANZA workshops mark the G/Score’s debut Down Under, and Guidewire Group CEO Chris Shipley will personally score each workshop participating company. Space in the workshops is limited to just 80 Australian companies ready to explore US business opportunities as part of the ANZA Gateway to the US program.

The G/Score combines the expertise of Shipley and her Guidewire Group team, who have assessed over 20,000 startups worldwide in the last 20 years. Companies deliver a 5-minute presentation, and the G/Score is applied to rate the company on commercial viability, execution, team and business model.

“The G/Score benefits startups because it’s a transparent analysis that focuses on achievement and execution and prescribes a path forward to business performance. Partners and investors trust the unbiased methodology to shorten the upfront analysis and decision-making and accelerate time to engagement. Most importantly, it provides startups with actionable, unbiased feedback about their strengths and opportunities,” said Shipley. (Read more)

Gateway to the US Webinars – Now Available On-Demand

The 2010 ANZA Gateway to the US program kicked off with a series of free webinars in July. Each of our three 60-minute webinars addressed specific concerns Australian entrepreneurs have about commercialization options in the US market, based on a recent survey of ANZA TechNet members. More than 600 Australian entrepreneurs and CEOs took part – which speaks volumes to the number of innovators out there getting ready to bring Australian technology to the world.

The webinars addressed the “myths and realities” surrounding establishing a presence in the US market, the “facts and fears” of doing business in the US and the funding options and opportunities available to Aussie businesses looking to expand overseas. The webinars are available to view on-demand at this link (brief registration required).

ANZA TechNet again extends our thanks to our network members who donated their time and expertise to share valuable information and insight on these webinars – David Evans, CEO Starplayit; Susan Hailey, Partner, CTPartners; Dr. Larry Marshall, Managing Director, Southern Cross Venture Partners; Sidney Minassian, Co-Founder and Chief Liaison, Liaise, Inc.; Doron Ben-Meir, CEO, Commercialisation Australia; Max Shapiro, angel investor, Keiretsu Forum; and Jennifer Zanich, General Manager, Xumii Services. It is the contribution of our network members throughout the year and across the platforms of our programs that is the underlying value and core strength of the ANZA Technology Network. It is why we are the leading independent organization connecting the Australian and American innovative tech sectors.

Our membership is free and you can sign up here to join today.

We’ve also got a great early bird discount of 25% off for our Gateway to the US Introductory Workshops in Australia later this month with Guidewire Group’s Chris Shipley. Chris will be bringing her exclusive G/Score assessment tool for startups Down Under for the first and only time in 2010 as part of these workshops. We encourage any entrepreneur or CEO serious about the US market to sign up for the Gateway workshops today. Spaces are limited and already filling up fast.

ANZA’s 1st Gateway to US Webinar on US Business Opportunities a Hit with Aussie Entrepreneurs

Over 100 Australian entrepreneurs and CEOs of growing companies seeking US market commercialization advice attended ANZA’s first Gateway to the US webinar yesterday.

“Expanding Your Business to the US: Myths and Realities” took into consideration that most Australian entrepreneurs have some idea about US market opportunities, but the ability to explore and execute them from across the Pacific is difficult.

Susan Hailey, a veteran Silicon Valley insider with more than 20 years in elite recruitment for some of the Valley’s biggest tech companies – and most promising startups – talked about the culture of networking in Silicon Valley and how newcomers to the area can begin to immerse themselves in the unique Valley ecosystem. The front-page story from the San Jose Mercury News that she referenced, “Buck’s Café serves up venture capital with the granola” can be found here.

David Evans, CEO and Founder of Starplayit, an Adelaide startup now focusing on a US exit strategy from Silicon Valley, talked about the global opportunity the US offers in contrast with being based in Australia. For several years, David “commuted” between Australia and America, but even his presence in the States for considerable periods every few months was not enough for him to build and maintain the connections he will need for his successful exit. When asked how soon an Australian entrepreneur serious about the US market should relocate to America, David advised, “No reason you can’t start tomorrow.”

The webinar is the first in a 3-part series. There is still time to register for the next two free 1-hour webinars:

• July 21: Sizing Up the US Market: Facts and Fears with Dr. Larry Marshall of Southern Cross Venture Partners and serial entrepreneur Sidney Minassian, Founder and Chief Liaison with Liaise, Inc., an Australian startup that was launched in Silicon Valley.
• July 27: Funding Your Business: Opportunities and Options with Doron Ben-Meir, CEO of Commercialisation Australia; Max Shapiro, Angel Investor with Keiretsu Forum; and Jennifer Zanich, General Manager of Xumii Services.

Companies interested in exploring their US market opportunities in full are encouraged to sign up for ANZA’s Gateway to the US One-Day Introductory Workshops held in Australia, 23 August – 1 September. Early bird pricing is now available. Click here to register.

Growing Globally: ANZA Gateway Programs in US and China

This is an exciting year for ANZA Technology Network! We are growing globally – with programs for innovative Australian entrepreneurs and CEOs in both the US and China.

I just returned from a week in Shanghai, where ANZA TechNet worked with five New South Wales cleantech companies in our Gateway to China pilot program. You can see some photos of our trip here.

The Gateway to China was a very full week for the CEOs of these five companies. They were engaged in a series of one-on-one business meetings and workshops with an experienced group of mentors and advisors from the ANZA and Advance networks. Along with our program partner, the NSW government department of Industry and Investment NSW, the Gateway to China companies were able to attend some World Expo 2010 events.

Meanwhile we have been moving ahead with plans for an expanded Gateway to the US program. This year, the Gateway to the US opens with a series of free one-hour webinars in July. We’ve assembled a fine group of panelists with American and Australian business experience. By signing up for our Gateway to the US webinars today, you will get answers to your questions about what it’s really like to do business in the US, what’s involved in exploring the world’s largest consumer market, what are the risks of expanding your business into the US – can you afford to do this? Can you afford not to?

We’ve got special promotional deals for organizations and businesses who want to work with us to sign up qualified companies and a great opportunity for Gateway alumni companies to come back to Silicon Valley for a chance to pitch again to potential partners and investors. For many of you, a lot has changed since the last time you were in Silicon Valley. And for those of you who have never been here before as part of our Gateway program we welcome you to find out more about your US market opportunities in our Gateway to the US webinars and grow globally along with us in 2010.