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    <title>Microsoft for Startups Australia</title>
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    <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/feed.xml</link>
    <description>Accelerating Success for Today&amp;#039;s most Promising Startups! Feel free to reach us here - msft4startupsau@microsoft.com</description>
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      <title>5 Tips for Starting a Successful SaaS Business in Australia</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/5-tips-for-starting-a-successful-saas-business-in-australia</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2018 10:59:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8845</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Gordan Banjac, Co-Founder of ZippySig.com &amp; Gimm.io

&nbsp;

I often get asked...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em><span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="color: #000000">Guest post by Gordan Banjac, Co-Founder of </span><a href="https://www.zippysig.com/">ZippySig.com</a><span style="color: #000000"> &amp; </span><a href="https://gimm.io/">Gimm.io</a></span></em>

&nbsp;

I often get asked what it takes to build a successful <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_service">SaaS</a> business, and how you can possibly do it from Australia?

The place where the sun shines and the land glows red is quite far from the tech infused, cement laden concrete jungle, known as Silicon Valley. Building a successful SaaS business from Australia can have its challenges due to the limited number of tech entrepreneurs, but it’s certainly not impossible.

I’ve spent years learning what works and what doesn’t. That’s why today I’ll share my 5 most valuable tips when starting a SaaS website from Australia.

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">1.    Split Test &amp; Analyse Performance</span></h1>
Split testing is the most important point in this article (hence being first). Many people will see what other websites do, and simply copy them. Although this works to some extent, don’t stop there.

It’s quite obvious that you would never have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_to_action_(marketing)">call to action</a> button that is red, because red is associated with “stop”. Instead, maybe have it green for “go”. It would be quite silly to split test this specific scenario as there is clear research showing the effects that red and green colours have on customer actions. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t experiment with any colours on your website and how they affect conversion rates.

Quoted from <a href="https://optinmonster.com/which-color-button-converts-best/">OptinMonster.com</a>:

<em>“Psychologically, there’s no doubt that colour can have a profound effect on people.”</em>

When I talk about split testing, I am talking about the more intricate parts of your website like placement of testimonials, the wording on your call to action, user experience, sales funnels, pricing models etc. There are a few split testing apps out there which will help you measure and track your changes, but I prefer to simply use Microsoft Excel to document changes and Google Analytics to track the changes by using annotations.

Although split testing can sometimes feel like you’re going backwards if the test doesn’t work in your favour, you are gaining valuable insight about your customers and how they respond to different offerings. This not only helps you optimise your current website, but can help you in the future when building another web app.

Mark my words when I say this, split testing will <strong>always</strong> work out better for your business in the long term. If you don’t do split testing regularly, you are likely missing out on additional revenue.

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">2.    Marketing, Marketing and more Marketing</span></h1>
This is often a huge hurdle for SaaS founders. We’re so focussed on creating a functional product with a great user experience that we completely forget to create a solid marketing strategy. Make sure you know from the very start, where, how, when and why your customers will come to your website. Is there a benefit to using your product over the competition? Tell your customers about that benefit straight away!

In a world where SaaS businesses are cropping up on a daily basis, there are plenty of unsavoury ones too. They often fall quicker than they rise. However, the point here is that your customers will be less trusting of SaaS businesses, so it is your job to make them comfortable with your website. You need to make sure they know where your website has been featured, any testimonials or reviews you have, any partnerships with other companies and the essential details about your company. Be as transparent as possible and make sure you add a personalized touch to it. This increases trust, which increases customer conversion rates.

Social media was a huge turning point for internet marketing at the start of the millennium. As it gained traction, marketers knew they had an opportunity to engage with their customers on a whole new level. Customer engagement is a marketers dream. Social media also helps you connect with influencers in your field, which can be a huge benefit if you’re working from Australia. <a href="https://tweepi.com/">Tweepi</a> is a great tool that we used to grow our Twitter following for <a href="https://gimm.io/">Gimmio</a> very quickly. Although Gimmio is currently in the last stages of development, we are already engaging with our future customers. When you follow someone on Twitter, there’s a high chance they will follow you back. Using Tweepi, you can also follow your competitors followers and sometimes they follow you back. It’s a foolproof and easy way to build relevant followers for your startup very quickly.

As for Facebook, start by creating a small advertising campaign targeting your audience. The more you can narrow down your target audience, the better. You can find out the demographics of your highest converting customers from Google Analytics and then use that data for your ad campaign. <a href="https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/17-tips-for-successful-facebook-contests/">Running a contest</a> on Facebook is an easy way to get more likes on your page.

With both Twitter and Facebook, you can do audience re-targeting for your ad campaigns. This means, you can import a list of email addresses you collect from your customers and then Twitter and Facebook will display advertisements only to those users who are in the list. You can also target a lookalike audience, which are users that Facebook and Twitter determine are similar behaviourally and demographically to the users on your list.

Don’t be afraid to test the waters with advertising. Although you might think of it as a short term solution, it’s often the opposite. Many of the world’s largest brands use social media advertising as an ongoing marketing strategy to connect with their customers because they see the value in it.

Social media advertising goes hand in hand with creating valuable content, which brings me to the next topic.

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">3.    Create Valuable Content</span></h1>
Gone are the days where you can have a one page website converting customers like crazy. People looking to purchase your product want to see that you are constantly publishing new material on your website. Not only is creating quality content good for customer engagement, Google also likes to see your website producing more content, as it’s used as a ranking signal for search engines. So basically, the more content you publish that is valuable, the more traffic you will get from search engines.

When I talk about valuable content, I don’t mean short articles which don’t go into any detail and are boring to read. I’m talking about well-structured and concise articles like this one about <a href="https://www.zippysig.com/email-signature-size/">email signature sizes</a>. This is a perfect example of a valuable article we created at ZippySig, which still gets a ton of traffic to our website, which in turn converts visitors into paying customers. The post took a couple of days to create and it goes into detail about the effects a large email signature can have on an organisation.

As you probably noticed, the article above also has a video explaining the topic. According to Cisco, video will account for <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35767893">80% of all internet traffic by 2019</a>, up from 64% in 2014. So what are you waiting for? Get your camera out and start creating quality engaging videos!

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">4.     Check What Your Competitors Are Doing</span></h1>
Keep a lookout on your competitors, as they are more than likely checking up on you as well. <a href="https://ahrefs.com/">Ahrefs</a> is a great tool for checking your competitors website statistics, such as how much traffic they are getting, which pages are most popular, what backlinks they have and much more. This tool helps you figure out the best articles to use for the <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/skyscraper-technique-drive-traffic">skyscraper technique</a>.

When doing competitor research, make notes on what could be improved or what you found confusing throughout the whole process of signing up and using their product. This will instantly give you ideas of what you could do better. Remember, the aim here is to create a product and customer experience which is better than theirs. So, taking a look into their product and figuring out where it could be improved is essential.

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">5.     Build Plenty of Contacts</span></h1>
Building a SaaS business doesn’t mean you should completely ignore traditional networking methods. Networking with people, especially other entrepreneurs in your field can provide you a huge leg up when trying to establish your startup.

Before founding my current SaaS businesses, I used to own an IT business and networking with other business owners made a world of difference. Not only did some of them become customers, they also gave valuable advice. If you live in Australia, finding other SaaS founders to communicate with will be tricky, as there isn’t many. Luckily, there are websites like <a href="https://www.meetup.com/">Meetup</a> where you can find groups of people with similar interests and meet with them.

&nbsp;
<h1><span style="text-decoration: underline">Summary</span></h1>
Whether you live in Silicon Valley or Australia, the journey to creating a successful SaaS business isn’t easy. There are many challenges which can often be overcome, but there are also ones which can’t. Be prepared to work smart, not necessarily hard and know when to give up and try again.

Using my tips above will put you miles ahead if you recognise the importance of each step in the process.]]></content:encoded>
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    <item>
      <title>#SheHacks2018 - Get your geek on!</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/shehacks2018-get-your-geek-on</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2018 10:11:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8785</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[This year's Girl Geek Sydney all female hackathon is limited to 80 spots and it's first come,...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://But don't stress, even if you don't make it into #SheHacks2018, we won't leave you hanging. You are invited to our free online workshops. And add links to https://goo.gl/forms/9O9bPS8ZOg5AeG822"><img width="800" height="450" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8805" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/05/GGD-promo-2018-2.jpg" /></a>
<h2 style="text-align: center">This year's Girl Geek Sydney all female hackathon is limited to 80 spots and it's first come, first serve with a twist. We want to make sure every team has at least two developers so hackers get priority. Check your mailbox by Friday, June 1st to find out if you made it in!</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9ij0v5M5S8tp7rxSihoCjycRpm0VcPidc-ZgJx2Z_zXt-KQ/viewform">REGISTER HERE!</a></span></strong></h2>
<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center"><span style="margin: 0px;color: #333333;font-family: 'Segoe UI Light',sans-serif;font-size: 22.5pt">But don't stress, even if you don't make it into #SheHacks2018, we won't leave you hanging. You are invited to our free online workshop.</span></h2>]]></content:encoded>
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    <item>
      <title>7 Tips for Coaching Your Startup Team, Remotely</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/7-tips-for-coaching-your-startup-team-remotely</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2018 09:49:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8775</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst &amp;...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<i><span>Guest post by Jane Hurst, </span><a href="http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst">http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst</a><span> &amp; </span></i><a href="https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst"><em>https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst</em></a>

Just because your startup team works remotely, it doesn’t mean that they don’t need you to be there to coach them. In fact, it is even more important that you are there for them, because it isn’t like they can just walk into your office for a chat. So, you need to come up with ways that you can coach your team remotely, and be able to keep in contact with them. They need to know that the lines of communication are always going to be open. With this in mind, let’s take a look at seven tips to help you to coach your startup team remotely.

&nbsp;

1)      <strong>Be Proactive</strong> – You need to let it be known that you are always available to help your startup team, and that you want to share your expertise so you can give them the support that they need. It is a good idea to approach each member of your team individually to let them know that you are always there if they need you for anything, and that you want to help with their professional development.

2)      <strong>Talk about their Challenges </strong>– Each week, get team members to submit emails detailing their <a href="https://www.square2marketing.com/blog/solutions-to-the-6-biggest-sales-challenges-facing-sales-teams-today">biggest sales challenges</a>. This is a great way for you to see where there are problems, and come up with ways to help your team with difficult situations. This is going to help you to see a huge increase in sales, because they are going to be able to overcome hurdles more easily since you know where they need to be coached.

3)      <strong>Be there When You are Needed </strong>– It is not enough to make yourself available. You also need to make sure that you are available when you are truly needed. You never know when someone on your team is going to be having issues with an aspect of the job, and you need to be available when they really need you. You might be surprised at just how important this is, and how much it will mean to your team.

4)      <strong>Communicate a Lot </strong>– If you aren’t communicating with your team, they will never really know what it is that you want from them. You need to be willing to provide feedback so they know what they have accomplished, and what they need to do to continue accomplishing things. Give the feedback on call recordings, and make sure that you always have an open dialogue with each member of your team. <a href="https://www.gadgetsalvation.com/sell-laptop">Sell laptop</a> computers that are older and upgrade to make this easier.

5)      <strong>Try Virtual Ride-Alongs </strong>– You may have team members from different parts of the globe, so you can’t actually work with them in person. But, you can do virtual ride-alongs, such as listening to live sales calls (with or without the knowledge of your reps) so you can give them feedback about their performance, in real time. You can also do joint calls, to be there to help if they are having any difficulties.

6)      <strong>Hold Regular Meetings </strong>– Just because you can’t get together for in-person meetings with your remote team, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3061260/three-rules-for-holding-virtual-meetings-that-people-dont-hate">holding regular meetings</a>. There are several ways that you can do this, such as telephone meetings and conference calls, video chats, web calls, webinars, etc. Any of these are great for helping to coach your team, and be able to interact with them regularly.

7)      <strong>Set Up Leaderboards </strong>– Everyone has a bit of competitiveness in them, especially those who are in sales. You can set up leaderboards that will let them compete for recognition within the startup. Don’t forget about dashboards, which will help everyone to see their progress, and identify and strengths or weaknesses that need to be worked on. This lets them help themselves before they have to be told to do so.]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Join startup founders and business angels for the 10th edition of Startup&amp;Angels Sydney!</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/join-startup-founders-and-business-angels-for-the-10th-edition-of-startupangels-sydney</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2018 11:59:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8755</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[We are excited to invite you to the 10th edition of Startup&amp;Angels in Sydney, sponsored by...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/05/startagnel.png"><img width="512" height="256" class="aligncenter wp-image-8765 size-full" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/05/startagnel.png" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We are excited to invite you to the 10th edition of Startup&amp;Angels in Sydney, sponsored by </span><b>Microsoft</b><span>! </span><span>
</span><span>An exclusive and relaxed networking event between startups and angels hosted by Australiance &amp; Emerging Classifieds Ventures on </span><b>Thursday, 10 May </b><span>at </span><b>Stone&amp;Chalk </b><span>(Level 4, 11 York Street) from 6pm to 9pm.</span><span>
</span><span>
</span><span>It will be once again the perfect opportunity to discover the founders of </span><b>promising startups</b><span> while networking with fellow investors and entrepreneurs and tasting amazing products.</span></p>

<h3 style="text-align: center"><strong>Use MICROSOFT18 for $5 off your ticket!</strong></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center"><strong><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/startupangels-sydney-10-tickets-44821121180">REGISTER HERE</a></strong><strong><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/startupangels-sydney-10-tickets-44821121180">!</a></strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>
</span><span>If you want more info, check our website at </span><a href="http://www.startupandangels.com/new-homepage/startupangels-melbourne-1-thursday-15-february-2018-bluerock/"><span>www.startupandangels.com</span></a><span> and follow us on our </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/startupandangels/?fref=ts"><span>Facebook page</span></a><span>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We look forward to meeting you there!</span></p>]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Helpful Tips for Your Office Start-up Design</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/helpful-tips-for-your-office-start-up-design</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Apr 2018 07:17:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8735</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst &amp;...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em><span style="text-align: left;color: #333333;text-indent: 0px;letter-spacing: normal;font-family: 'Segoe UI',Tahoma,Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size: 14px;font-variant: normal;font-weight: 400;text-decoration: none;float: none;background-color: transparent">Guest post by Jane Hurst, </span><a href="http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst">http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst</a><span style="text-align: left;color: #333333;text-indent: 0px;letter-spacing: normal;font-family: 'Segoe UI',Tahoma,Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size: 14px;font-variant: normal;font-weight: 400;text-decoration: none;float: none;background-color: transparent"> &amp; </span></em><a href="https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst"><em>https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst</em></a>

When you are creating a new start-up, there are many things that you will need to consider. Many people tend to think about all of the little things that they need for their start-up, but often they tend to neglect the overall design of the office. If you are considering your own start-up, you need to be as meticulous about the office design as you do with every other detail. Let’s take a look at the things that you should be considering while designing your office.

&nbsp;
<ol>
 	<li><strong>Use Open Floor Plans</strong></li>
</ol>
Just a few short years ago, people were confined to working in small cubicles. Not only was this claustrophobic, it also didn’t foster a social and collaborative environment for employees. Today, more and more start-ups are adopting <a href="http://www.volarisgroup.com/blog/article/4-reasons-why-open-concept-floor-plans-are-awesome">open floor plans</a>, so there are no walls separating employees. They can talk while they work, which is going to foster better relationships between employees, and encourage them to do more collaborating, because they have more accessibility to each other.
<ol start="2">
 	<li><strong>Choose a Flexible Layout </strong></li>
</ol>
When you are planning an office layout, it should be flexible, so that it can grow as your business grow. There should be separate meeting rooms (which could be turned into offices later on if necessary), and some rooms where people can work or collaborate with no distractions. The layout should be flexible enough that you are able to redo things once in a while when changes are necessary. Make sure that there is plenty of space to add extra work stations as your company grows.
<ol start="3">
 	<li><strong>Provide Social Opportunities </strong></li>
</ol>
Employees can have fun and collaborate when they are given the right social opportunities. Give them an area where they can play games, have a bite to eat, etc. Set up a couple of <a href="https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/pool_tables/">pool tables</a> and other game tables where they can interact. Not only is this going to foster a friendlier work environment, it is also good for team-building, helps to foster creative thinking, and it gives them a chance to take breaks when they need them. Don’t limit breaks to lunch hours. Studies show that <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3034928/why-you-need-to-stop-thinking-you-are-too-busy-to-take-breaks">frequent breaks encourages</a> better productivity.
<ol start="4">
 	<li><strong>Use Versatile Furniture </strong></li>
</ol>
Office furniture can be expensive, so it is a good idea to invest in furniture that is versatile. You are likely going to need a fair amount of furniture, depending on the size of your start-up and the number of employees. Look for pieces that can expand (such as standing desks), that can be used for multiple purposes, etc. This is going to help you to save money in the long run, which you can use in other areas of your business.
<ol start="5">
 	<li><strong>Set Up a Creative Corner </strong></li>
</ol>
No matter how much someone loves their job, it is bound to become tedious once in a while, especially when they do it for several hours each day, and it can have an effect on one’s overall health. To combat this problem, try <a href="http://www.theappbusiness.com/insights/unpacking-creative-spaces-creative-corners">setting up creative corners</a>, where employees can relax and enjoy themselves. Put in a few yoga mats, some adult colouring books, and other items that they can just have fun with and relax. This will help to rejuvenate them and increase productivity.
<ol start="6">
 	<li><strong>Go With a Hip Décor </strong></li>
</ol>
No one wants to work in an office that is bland and boring. This is not going to help to get anyone’s creative juices flowing. When designing the colour scheme of your office, look for colours that are going to make your employees feel more energetic. Brighter colours, such as primary colours (red, yellow, and blue) can be the colours for the walls, and then look for furniture and décor that has the same bright, cheerful look.

&nbsp;

Now that you’ve been given further considerations for when you’re creating a start-up, you should be able to better plan for improving both your office workspace and your employee productivity. If you’ve got any further thoughts on how to improve the office space, why not share them in the comments below?]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Now Boarding Startups And Scaleups For Qantas Innovation Program</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/now-boarding-startups-and-scaleups-for-qantas-innovation-program</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Apr 2018 12:13:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8665</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Slingshot.



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3 APRIL...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em>Guest post by <a href="http://www.slingshotters.com/">Slingshot</a>.</em>

<a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/04/qantas1.png"><img width="185" height="150" class="wp-image-8715 size-full alignleft" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/04/qantas1.png" /></a><a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/04/slingshot.png"><img width="191" height="191" class="wp-image-8725  alignright" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/04/slingshot-150x150.png" /></a><a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/04/qantas.png"></a>

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<strong>3 APRIL 2018 – </strong>Qantas Group is inviting the world’s most innovative startups, scaleups and digital disruptors to apply for its second AVRO Accelerator program.

The AVRO Accelerator, run in partnership with <a href="http://www.slingshotters.com/">Slingshot</a>, gives entrepreneurs the chance to work with Qantas Group to develop, incubate and scale their businesses.

The program, launched in 2017, helped participants build products to trial with Qantas customers, people and operations, as well as commercial and investment deals to grow their businesses.

This year, Qantas is looking to continue that momentum and invest in emerging businesses that can help Qantas continue to diversify and grow, while offering its customers new and improved experiences, and its people smart solutions to transform how they work.

Qantas Group Executive of Strategy, Innovation and Technology, Rob Marcolina, said that Qantas is looking to discover more talent this year.

“The aim of the AVRO Accelerator is to find the next generation of businesses that can benefit from our unique assets to help identify new growth opportunities for Qantas, while helping to build their businesses at the same time,” he said.

“Through our 2017 cohort we discovered ideas that we have implemented to help improve our customers’ experiences. For example, with our help, Volantio launched its Yana platform, enabling airlines to give customers more flexibility when they travel. The dynamic technology is currently being trialled here at Qantas, along with several other airlines around the world.”

Slingshot CEO Karen Lawson said the aim of this year’s program is to continue to drive commercial outcomes for Qantas and startup founders.

“Australia is now recognised by the Global Entrepreneurship rankings as 7th in the world. There is a wealth of talent in this country that we want to work with. Our search and cohorts are often global in nature representing strength in diversity in all its forms,” she said.

AVRO Accelerator participants will receive funding – with the opportunity to secure additional, next round funding from Qantas – and work with industry-leading mentors and technology partners to accelerate their product development and customer traction. Supported by a structured curriculum and mentorship program, businesses will also have unique access to the scale and global reach of the Group’s brands, its domain expertise and anonymised data and insights.

“When you give agile startups and scaleups access to resources like these, the sky really is the limit”, added Ms Lawson.

Applicants wanting to join the program should reflect one or more of the following themes:
<ol>
 	<li><strong>Personalised, seamless experiences:</strong> Revolutionise our customer journey. Streamline it, personalise it, and give the customer complete control.</li>
 	<li><strong>Live well, feel well:</strong> Help us enrich the lives of our customers and our communities.</li>
 	<li><strong>Connecting to customers:</strong> Help us better understand, engage and reach each of our customers, personalising and optimising the interactions we have with them.</li>
 	<li><strong>Smarter, safer operations:</strong> Transform our processes and platforms to make us safer, faster, simpler and more efficient.</li>
 	<li><strong>Innovating without limits:</strong> Challenge us with original thinking and show us new ways to use our unique assets.</li>
</ol>
More information can be found at <a href="https://avroaccelerator.qantas.com/">qantas.com/avro</a> along with details of the roadshows in Melbourne and Sydney.

&nbsp;

Applications can be made <a href="https://avroaccelerator.qantas.com/">here</a> and will close at 11:59pm AEST 30 April 2018.

&nbsp;

Read more about Slingshot <a href="http://www.slingshotters.com/">here</a>

<strong> </strong>

<strong>Media Enquiries</strong>

Qantas Media +61 418 210 005 qantasmedia@qantas.com.au

&nbsp;

Slingshot Media

Susannah Binstead

Media and Capital Partners

+61 497 858 651

<a href="mailto:susannah.binsted@mcpartners.com.au">susannah.binsted@mcpartners.com.au</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Join startup founders and business angels for the second edition of Startup&amp;Angels in Melbourne!</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/join-startup-founders-and-business-angels-for-the-second-edition-of-startupangels-in-melbourne</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Mar 2018 12:54:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8635</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[We are excited to invite you to the 2nd edition of Startup&amp;Angels in  Melbourne, sponsored by...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center"><a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/03/8oRNGqwwPl0D_Apg30suE2egn9ndV0brLf1KcBqV9Elzj4fzStvzTk5AQhC0LwKWg6tbARPcKdcfxv9gsrR43hPa8Vv9glbySms4fEGeUfTHbwM6TGBer0o2EDBUlnD6xA.png"><img width="1600" height="800" class="aligncenter wp-image-8645 size-full" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/03/8oRNGqwwPl0D_Apg30suE2egn9ndV0brLf1KcBqV9Elzj4fzStvzTk5AQhC0LwKWg6tbARPcKdcfxv9gsrR43hPa8Vv9glbySms4fEGeUfTHbwM6TGBer0o2EDBUlnD6xA.png" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We are excited to invite you to the 2nd edition of Startup&amp;Angels in  Melbourne, sponsored by </span><b>Microsoft</b><span>! </span><span>
</span><span>An exclusive and relaxed networking event between startups and angels hosted by Australiance &amp; Birchal on </span><b>Thursday, 3 May</b><span> at </span><b>WeWork Bourke Street </b><span>(152 Ellisabeth Street) from 6pm to 9pm.</span><span>
</span><span>
</span><span>It will be once again the perfect opportunity to discover the founders of </span><b>promising startups</b><span> while networking with fellow investors and entrepreneurs and tasting amazing products. </span></p>
&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center"><span><span style="font-size: 14px"><strong><span style="text-align: center;color: #333333;text-indent: 0px;letter-spacing: normal;font-family: 'Segoe UI',Tahoma,Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-style: normal;font-variant: normal;text-decoration: none;float: none;background-color: transparent">Use 'MICROSOFT18' for $5 off your </span></strong></span><a href="https://samelbourne2.eventbrite.com.au/"><strong>ticket!</strong></a></span></p>

<h3 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/startupangels-melbourne-2-tickets-42660891876"><strong><span>REGISTER HERE</span></strong></a></h3>
&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center"><span>If you want more info, check our website at </span><a href="http://www.startupandangels.com/new-homepage/startupangels-melbourne-1-thursday-15-february-2018-bluerock/"><span>www.startupandangels.com</span></a><span> and follow us on our </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/startupandangels/?fref=ts"><span>Facebook page</span></a><span>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We look forward to meeting you there!</span></p>
&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>The Most Popular Funding Sources for New Startups</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/the-most-popular-funding-sources-for-new-startups</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Mar 2018 08:55:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8615</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst &amp;...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em>Guest post by Jane Hurst, <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst">http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst</a> &amp; <a href="https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst">https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst</a></em>

One of the things that has held many people back from starting their own businesses is funding. Today, there are numerous funding sources for <a href="https://www.business.gov.au/">small businesses</a>, and more and more people are setting up their own startups. If you are interested in starting your own business, but you don’t know if you have enough money, there are several options available to you, and you aren’t necessarily going to be in debt to a bank for the rest of your life. Let’s take a look at five of the most popular funding sources for new startups.

1)      <strong>Personal Credit </strong>– Before you go and take out any high interest business loans, see what you have available to you in your own personal credit. For instance, if you have a low-interest credit card, you may want to use it for some of your startup funding. You can also talk to your banking officer to find out if you can add a line of credit to your bank account, which you can borrow against when you have business expenses. Another option is to ask about a personal loan, which may have a lower interest rate than a business loan or other type of financing.

2)      <strong>Seed Funding </strong>– If you don’t need a lot of money to start your business, <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/advice/startupsmart-funding/top-10-tips-for-getting-seed-funding-for-your-startup/">seed funding</a> may be your best option. In most cases, seed funding is for businesses that are still in the idea stage, and a small amount of capital is needed until the business actually starts earning money. It can also help to attract other investors, because they will see that someone else is interested in what you are doing. In many cases, seed funding will come from someone you know, such as a friend or a family member.

3)      <strong>“Bootstrap” Funding</strong> – If you have any means to fund part of your business yourself, don’t hesitate to use your own funds. It may mean that you can’t enjoy a lot of little luxuries for a while, such as going out for dinner, but the more you can cut back, the more money you can save and use for your new business. You can even sell all of the stuff that you no longer use, and put that money towards your new business. For instance, if you need better tech for your business, <a href="https://www.gadgetsalvation.com/sell-iphone-7">sell iPhone7</a> devices you don’t need and upgrade to newer models.

4)      <strong>Angel Investors </strong>– There are many wealthy people who are looking for small businesses to invest in, and they are willing to give small loans in order to help fund a variety of startups. There are different types of <a href="https://angel.co/australia/investors">angel investors</a>. Some simply want to have a certain percentage of return on their investment. Others want to be more hands-on, and will demand to have part ownership of the business. These are often informal deals that are based more on gut feelings than actual statistics, and they are perfect for startups that can’t seem to attract financing from other investors.

5)      <strong>SBA Loan </strong>– It is always a good idea to apply for loans through the <a href="https://www.sba.gov/">Small Business Administration</a> (SBA), as they tend to have lower interest than traditional bank loans, and they are guaranteed by the SBA. This doesn’t mean that if your business fails, that you don’t have to repay the loan. Repayment is still your responsibility. What it means is that the financial institution that you deal with is not going to be on the hook for the money if your business fails. The SBA offers loans for many different types of small businesses, and is often the best resource for startups.

&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Work from Anywhere with these 8 Tips</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/work-from-anywhere-with-these-8-tips</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Mar 2018 13:27:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8585</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst &amp;...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<span style="float: none;background-color: transparent;color: #333333;font-family: 'Segoe UI',Tahoma,Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: italic;font-variant: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-align: left;text-decoration: none;text-indent: 0px">Guest post by Jane Hurst, <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst">http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst</a> &amp; <a href="https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst">https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst</a></span>

&nbsp;

Who says you have to work from an office in order to be able to get anything done? Things are changing rapidly in the workplace, and many people are choosing to work remotely rather than being stuck inside a stuffy office all day. They are also choosing to work at non-conventional hours, and thanks to modern technology, they are able to do so easily. If you would like to be able to work from anywhere and not have to be in a traditional office setting, read on to learn eight tips that can help you to be able to work from pretty much anywhere.

1)      <strong>Find Local Hot Spots</strong> – You are going to need to have an Internet connection when you are working remotely, and if you are not planning on working in a home office, you need to find out where you can connect. So, take a trip around town and find out <a href="https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-find-free-wi-fi-hotspots-with-facebook-locator/">where all of the hot spots</a> are located.

2)      <strong>Create a Work Bag </strong>– When you are working from locations other than the office, you need to know that you have everything that you need to work with, the same things that you would use in your office. Set up a work bag that has all of the most necessary items for your job, including a laptop, laptop plug, phone, phone charger, pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.

3)      <strong>Upgrade Your Tech</strong> – If you really want to be able to work on the go, you need to have reliable tech, including at least one extra <a href="http://groomandstyle.com/rechargeable-battery-care-cordless-appliance-battery-user-guide/">rechargeable battery</a> for each of the devices that you use. That way, you will always be able to work, and you won’t have to worry about running out of battery power right in the middle of something important.

4)      <strong>Go from Day to Night </strong>– When you are not working conventional hours, it means that you could be working with clients late into the evening. It is a good idea to get into the habit of wearing outfits that can go from day to night without your having to go home and get changed. Put a few accessories into your work bag, so you can dress up any outfit.

5)      <strong>Know Where You are Going </strong>– Something else you need to be prepared for is transportation. Go around town and map out the area where you plan to be working. Then, figure out if things are within walking distance. If not, find out about local transit schedules, where buses and subways stop, the quickest routes from point A to point B, etc.

6)      <strong>Always Have a Notepad </strong>– You never know when you are going to get a brilliant idea, or where inspiration is going to come from. That is why it is a good idea to start <a href="https://blogs.psychcentral.com/everyday-creativity/2015/10/41-ways-to-use-a-notebook-for-meaningful-ideas-and-a-meaningful-life/">carrying a notepad</a> around with you at all times. That way, you can jot down ideas and notes any time. You can also use an app such as Evernote to help you organize your thoughts.

7)      <strong>Block Out Distractions </strong>– When you are doing your work at a coffee shop, restaurant, etc., there are going to be a lot of distractions. You need to find ways <a href="https://blog.rescuetime.com/getting-the-most-out-of-rescuetimes-website-blocking/">to block those distractions</a>. One idea is to get a headset so you can listen to music that isn’t going to distract you. Or, if necessary, get yourself some earplugs.

8)      <strong>Be Productive During Downtime </strong>– There are going to be times when you are waiting for clients, waiting for an airplane, etc. Use this time to your advantage, and start being productive during downtime. You will be surprised at just how much you can actually accomplish in a few minutes.]]></content:encoded>
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      <title>Join startup founders and business angels for the 9th edition of Startup&amp;Angels Sydney!</title>
      <link>https://docs.microsoft.com/archive/blogs/bizspark_au/join-startup-founders-and-business-angels-for-the-9th-edition-of-startupangels-sydney</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 2018 10:28:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Hannah Collier]]></dc:creator>
      <guid
        isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bizspark_au/?p=8565</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[We are excited to invite you to the 9th edition of Startup&amp;Angels in Sydney, sponsored by...]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/02/startupangels.png"><img width="1197" height="596" class="aligncenter wp-image-8575 size-full" alt="" src="https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2018/02/startupangels.png" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We are excited to invite you to the 9th edition of Startup&amp;Angels in Sydney, sponsored by </span><b>Microsoft</b><span>! </span><span>
</span><span>An exclusive and relaxed networking event between startups and angels hosted by Australiance &amp; Wombat Capital on </span><b>Thursday, 8 March </b><span>at </span><b>WeWork Pyrmont </b><span>(100 Harris Street) from 6pm to 9pm.</span><span>
</span><span>
</span><span>It will be once again the perfect opportunity to discover the founders of </span><b>promising startups</b><span> while networking with fellow investors and entrepreneurs and tasting amazing products. </span></p>
&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center"><span><b>Use 'MICROSOFT18' for $5 off your <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com.au%2Fe%2Fstartupangels-sydney-9-tickets-41483892439&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cesther.gergis%40microsoft.com%7C350954251a2c413a877008d57cd7cd01%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C636552188659875947%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwifQ%3D%3D%7C-1&amp;sdata=Dawnx6jMKYusaxD6xd1NsWSXjxC0kVM5iRSmezCJOX8%3D&amp;reserved=0">ticket!</a></b></span></p>

<h3 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com.au%2Fe%2Fstartupangels-sydney-9-tickets-41483892439&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cesther.gergis%40microsoft.com%7C350954251a2c413a877008d57cd7cd01%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C636552188659875947%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwifQ%3D%3D%7C-1&amp;sdata=Dawnx6jMKYusaxD6xd1NsWSXjxC0kVM5iRSmezCJOX8%3D&amp;reserved=0"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">REGISTER HERE</span></strong></a></h3>
&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center"><span>If you want more info, check our website at </span><a href="http://www.startupandangels.com/new-homepage/startupangels-melbourne-1-thursday-15-february-2018-bluerock/"><span>www.startupandangels.com</span></a><span> and follow us on our </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/startupandangels/?fref=ts"><span>Facebook page</span></a><span>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span>We look forward to meeting you there!</span></p>
&nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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