The Growth Cartel

🚀 Startup Wins, Bold Voices & Hard Truths 🚀 This week on The Growth Cartel, 💼🧚♂️ Vinisha and Deepak take the mic to explore the stories shaping Australia’s startup ecosystem - from the inspiring to the thought-provoking. 💡 Here’s what we unpack: ✨ West Tech Fest: A celebration of innovation. ⚖️ Employment Hero: The challenges of scaling without sacrificing workplace culture. 💔 Healthcare & Capitalism: Reflecting on the need for balance between care and profits. ⚾ Birchal has made a strong start to its hardware syndicate. 🤖 AI in Mental Health: The rise of AI therapy apps raises big ethical questions - can tech alone truly heal, or does human oversight remain essential? 💪 Gender Diversity in Funding: From new initiatives to rising voices, progress is happening - but there’s still a long way to go. 🌟Shout-out to the 2024 Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator for finishing this cohort with a huge bang (literally) 🧑🎄 The Aussie Founders Club EOF Celebration is this week - Get your Tickets NOW! 📣 Your Key Takeaway: Change happens when we lean into uncomfortable truths, amplify diverse voices and collaborate for meaningful action. Catch the full episode for insights, inspiration, and the stories driving the future of Australia’s startups: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gKSkViUu 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gtYXYFbc 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gYNuEnw5 💬 What stood out to you this week? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇

🎉 Excited to Kick Off Australia’s Biggest Startup Storytelling Event! 🎉 Next week, I’ll help open The Ultimate EOY Celebration with an Acknowledgement of Country - a moment to reflect, connect and set the tone for an afternoon of incredible stories and insights. 🖤 💛 ❤️ This isn’t just any event - it’s Australia’s biggest startup storytelling bash and it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable day with panels, workshops, amazing speakers, new and old friends and a party to close it all off. 📍 Where: Collingwood Yards 📅 When: Thursday, Dec 12th 🕐 Time: 1 PM - 6 PM 🎟️ Tickets are limited, so grab yours before it’s too late! Let’s celebrate the incredible year startups have had and get inspired for an even bigger 2025. I can’t wait to see you there! Join this epic event, brought to you by Aussie Founders Club, Newsary, Mayfly Ventures, Roar Global and Frontcover. #Startups #Storytelling #EndOfYearCelebration #Innovation #Community

No co-host? No problem. This week, I’m taking the mic solo to unpack the stories shaping the Australian startup world - and trust me, there’s a lot to cover in under 10 minutes. 🛑 Social Media Ban: A Quick Fix or a Missed Opportunity? The ban on social media for under-16s has passed, and while the intent might be good, the execution feels like a classic band-aid on a bullet wound. Here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: 📱 Fake Age Profiles: Kids will find a workaround faster than we can say “compliance.” 🧠 The Real Problem? Social media platforms still dodge responsibility for bullying, body image issues and harmful content. 💡 The Missed Opportunity: What if we tackled these issues at the source instead of punishing the user? While well-meaning, this move feels rushed and reactionary. Social media can be a lifeline for connection and community - especially for teens who need support. Cutting off access without solving the why might do more harm than good. Check out my quick take in the reel 🎥👇 and tell me: Do you think this law fixes the problem, or is it another example of missing the mark?

🚀 This Week on The Growth Cartel - The Ban, The Bucks and The Bots 🚀 This week, Deepak Singh is flying solo, bringing you a rapid-fire roundup of the hottest news in the Australian startup ecosystem. From social media bans to funding diversity, AI ethics and a whopping $120M in investments - he unpacks a lot in less than 10 minutes! Here’s what you’ll hear: 🛑 Social Media Ban for Under-16s: A well-intentioned law with serious concerns - does it solve the real problem or just create new ones? 💡 Funding Women-Led Startups: From Scale Investors Pty Ltd $100M fund to FB10X's diverse portfolio and Press Play Ventures empowering 85 women in Victoria - progress is happening, but we’re far from the finish line. 🎨 #AI Meets Content Creators: The Senate recommends forcing tech giants to compensate artists, publishers, and authors for training AI models. A win for creators or a complex road ahead? 💰 Funding Frenzy - $120M Raised This Week! 💵 Airtasker: $51.6M ⚰️ Safewill: $17M (Death-tech innovation at its best!) 🧬 Celosia Therapeutics: $16.7M tackling ALS with advanced gene therapy. 🌱 FPR Energy: $15M seed round (a CSIRO spin-off!) 🧠 My Mirror - Online Psychology: $4M bridging mental health gaps digitally. 🛠️ Ajust: $2.7M 🚀 SpacetoCo: $2M ✨ Special shoutouts to: 🏆 FB10X, Press Play Ventures, Scale Investors Pty Ltd, LaunchVic, Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator and Antler for driving diversity in funding. 📚 Overnight Success, This Week in Aussie Startups (https://lnkd.in/gQRNB6cp), Startup Daily and SmartCompany for being essential sources of insight. 🎧 Tune in now for this week’s episode and join the conversation on what’s shaping the future of Australian startups: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gqc7A8KQ 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gJN2Sisu 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gaQ59ksF ⚡ Systemic change needs consistent, conscious effort - now is the time to act!

🚨 Did you catch this? 🚨 Deepak Singh from The Growth Cartel had an awesome chat with 🍇🌴 Emma Earley and 🍇🌴 Sam Garven, the co-founders of Canopy. They’re on a mission to shake up workplace safety and give people a real voice when it comes to reporting misconduct. Here’s what they got into: 👉 Why stepping in early can stop small issues from becoming big problems 👉 How Emma and Sam turned personal experiences into action 👉 What businesses can do to create safer, more inclusive workplaces 💡 Want to learn more?💡 Check the comments to watch the full episode and find out how you can get involved with Canopy’s pilot program ⏬ ⏬ ⏬

🚨 Why Wait for a Crisis? 🚨 Meet Canopy Co-Founders, 🍇🌴 Emma Earley and 🍇🌴 Sam Garven, Changing the Game in Workplace Safety. This week, The Growth Cartel and Deepak dive into how Canopy is reshaping the future of workplace culture. 🍇🌴 Emma and 🍇🌴 Sam share: 🌟 The personal stories that sparked Canopy's creation 🤝 Their unique journey as co-founders ⏱️ The power of early intervention to stop issues before they escalate 📢 Their bold call for businesses to join the movement toward safer, more inclusive workplaces 💬 Don’t miss their message and start the conversation about transforming your workplace. Check out Canopy and open the comments to see how you can get onboard! https://lnkd.in/gRyjTfDu ✨ Key Takeaway ✨ Safety and inclusivity aren’t just goals - they’re the foundation for thriving teams. Learn how Canopy leads the way and how your business can step-up. 🎧 Watch and Listen: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gbrvDcJE 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gBJ8ZAsv 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/g_ANtmKf #TheGrowthCartel #Canopy #WorkplaceSafety #Leadership #Podcast

🚀 The Weekly Wrap: Startups, Innovation, and Lessons Learned 🚀 This week, Deepak Singh and Brandon Burns are back with a power-packed episode diving into the highs, lows, and everything in between from the Australian startup scene! From crowdfunding wins to drone delivery lessons, this episode is bursting with insights you don’t want to miss. 💡 Here’s what we’re talking about: 📉 Swoop Aero’s liquidation—what went wrong in the drone delivery market? 💪 Pronto Pilates proves crowdfunding is alive and well with teacherless fitness studios! 🛠️ Australian Droid + Robot (ADR) is keeping miners safe with cutting-edge tech. 🌱 The #NorthernTerritory startup scene is gaining momentum - Raindrop simplifies insurance policies for consumers. 🧠 Edexia (YC W25) is changing the game with AI tools that help teachers improve student engagement. 🔎 Are we starting to see energy return to the market with recent industry movements? This is more than just startup news - it’s a dive into the challenges, opportunities and innovations driving Australia forward. 🎧 Tune in now for your dose of insights, inspiration, and everything you need to stay ahead in the game: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gt7nkeYa 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gVBv-jM8 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gywWuGt6 💥 Don’t forget to tell us your thoughts below! - what trend or story stood out to you this week? 👇 #TheGrowthCartel #WeeklyWrap #Startups #Innovation #Crowdfunding #Leadership

🚀 This Week on The Growth Cartel: Powering Diversity in Tech 🚀 Join 💼🧚♂️ Vinisha Rathod, Leila Oliveira, and Rhys Henderson for an enlightening discussion in our latest podcast episode. We delve into the vital themes of #diversity and #inclusion in the tech industry. From the recent National Tech Summit, we bring you comprehensive analyses and insights on the importance of representation, professionalism, and the transformative potential of inclusive practices. 🌍 Empowering Women in Leadership: Explore how empowering women leads to better decision-making and innovation. 🏢 The Importance of T-EDIddy Standards: Learn about initiatives like the Teddy Standards that set the bar for workplace inclusivity. 📈 Australian Tech Success Stories: Discover how Australia paves the way in tech with stories of remarkable ventures and investments. 📰 Navigating Media Sensationalism: Gain insights on how sensationalism impacts public perception and the critical need for a well-informed community. 💼 Dissecting the National Tech Summit: We break down all the news and updates from the Tech Summit organised by the Tech Council of Australia. Learn more about the summit 💡 Investment Trends: Discuss how investing in diverse teams fosters fairness and drives superior outcomes. "Diversity isn’t just about bringing different faces to the table. It’s about creating solutions that reflect all of us. That’s how we build better and think broader," highlights one of our key speakers. Investment News: 📈Scalare Partners on ASX: Debuting on the ASX, raising $4.3 million in a backdoor listing, achieving a valuation of $23.7 million. This strategic move highlights their commitment to expanding investment in innovative startups. 🔒 Quad Lock sold to Thule Group: Quadrant Private Equity has sold its majority stake for $500 million, a deal involving cash and stock. This exit reflects the significant growth potential of Quad Lock under Thule’s global umbrella. 🔗 Tune in now to grasp why inclusivity isn’t just good ethics—it’s excellent economics🎧👇 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gsNZKsNj 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gtebu4eF 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gUH-dG-N I'd like you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on collectively fostering a more inclusive and professional tech landscape. #TheGrowthCartel #DiversityInTech #WomenInLeadership #TechSummit #Inclusivity #Professionalism #MediaSensationalism #AustralianTech #InvestmentTrends

🚀 This Week on The Growth Cartel: Rockets, Regulations, and Riches! 🎉 Listen in as Deepak Singh and I launch ( 😉 ) into another cosmic episode of The Weekly Wrap. This week, we tackle everything from the final frontier to the not-so-distant future of our social and economic landscapes. 🌌📱💸 What's on the radar: 🚀 Gilmour Space Technologies: Just got the green light to shoot rockets into the sky. Local tech is literally going places! 🚫 Youth on Social Media: Think banning kids from social media is the fix? Think again. It's more about smart education than restrictions. 📚 Crimson Education: These guys are not just passing the test but setting the curve with their latest funding for sustainable education! 🤖 Nexobot Pty Ltd: Tailoring automation for the little guys, proving small businesses can dream big with robotics. 🔋 Orkestra's Electric Avenue: Amping up the EV infrastructure game, one charger at a time. Vroom vroom goes the electric dream! 💸 The Funding Shift: It's all about the Benjamins! Profitability isn't just nice; it's necessary for funding these days. Tune in and catch all the action as we dissect these topics with the wit and wisdom you love. Your weekly dose of tech and trends is just a click away! 🎧 Listen now and join the conversation: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gyEQSPYg 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g2-5WSTR 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gqAwK_qH #TheGrowthCartel #WeeklyWrap #SpaceExploration #SocialMediaRegulation #FundingTrends #TechTalk #PodcastUpdate #InnovationInAction

🚫 Is a Social Media Ban the Answer? 🚫 In this week’s The Growth Cartel Weekly Wrap, Rhys and I dive into some big issues shaping the tech and business world. In this clip, I tackle the topic of social media bans for those under 16 - a quick fix that, in my view, misses the mark. Banning isn’t solving the deeper issues around digital literacy, mental health and youth engagement. Alongside my weekly, middle-aged rant, we do talk about more: 🌌 Adam Gilmour and Gilmour Space Technologies moving toward rocket launches with regulatory approval 📚 Crimson Education’s latest funding success in sustainable education 🤖 Small business automation on the rise with Nexobot Pty Ltd 🔋 Orkestra and the challenges of scaling EV infrastructure 💸 Why profitability is now critical in the evolving funding landscape Watch the clip, and don’t forget to check out the full episode for our take on these important developments!👇 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gyEQSPYg 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g2-5WSTR 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gqAwK_qH A special shout out goes to Anthony Enright and the team at Swag N Send for creating the 💩-HOT merch for Mission and Rhythm