Sunrise, our homage to Aussie startups, is almost here.
These past weeks, I've been buzzing with excitement and wanted to share why Sunrise holds such a special place in my heart. I truly hope you can join us.
A Glimpse of the Magic
My first Sunrise is etched in my memory.
It was September 2018, and I was in town visiting family from the US. Between jobs and unsure of my next move, I decided to check out Sunrise on a friend's recommendation. That year, the event was held on Cockatoo Island in the middle of the harbour.
The experience was a revelation. I had never witnessed such a lively, colourful, and ambitious startup ecosystem. The energy was contagious.
I was also surprised. When I left Australia in 2011 for the US, there wasn't much of an ecosystem here. There was no Canva, no Startmate, no Blackbird, and certainly no Cockatoo Island celebrations. Back in 2011, when I mentioned working at a startup, most people responded with, “what’s that?”
Tim Doyle, then at Koala, held a marketing 101 workshop. Mel Perkins shared her vision for Canva, which had just started raising substantial funds. Laurie Yoler of Tesla added an international flavour. Google sponsored 150 school kids, injecting youthful energy into the event. All around, gold-encrusted, blue-haired statues of liberty mingled with the crowd. It was fantastic.
“The Best Way to Predict Our Future is to Create It”
The standout moment for me was Sam Sicilia's speech.
Sam took to the mainstage and delivered an 80+ minute passionate plea for Australian innovation. It was breathtaking.
He talked about the urgent need for Australia to boost its R&D capabilities, how our past was defined by mining, but our future hinges on innovation. He pointed out Australia's lag in R&D investment compared to peers and highlighted how nations like Israel and Singapore transformed themselves through innovation.
I was so moved by Sam’s speech that I kept my notes from it.
I even followed up with him on Twitter…
Not getting the response I hoped for, I tweeted at him again four months later with thoughts on his universal income comments…
I may still be waiting for a reply, but Sam’s words inspired me.
Back in Colorado, I started an Aussie Founders Network to capture some of the magic and national pride from Sunrise. I also blogged about Aussie founders in the region.
Our small, enthusiastic Rocky Mountain crew included legends like Rory San Miguel (Propeller), Geoff McQueen (Accelo), Vanessa Clark (Atomos Space), and many more.
“Our New Creative Nation”
At the last Sunrise, Rick Baker urged us to build a “New Creative Nation.”
This message took me back to Sam’s inspiring speech in 2018. It reminded me why we do what we do.
Australia’s tech industry now employs 935k people, nearly 7% of the workforce, and has grown 8% year on year. We have more software developers than hairdressers and plumbers combined.
In 2023, 413 onshore startups were funded with around $3.5 billion, a massive jump from 17 companies and $140 million in 2012.
Australia is embracing deep tech, with over $1 billion invested in robotics, IoT, biotech, climate tech, and space/defence tech last year. Gilmour is about to launch the first Australian-made rocket, and Sundrive is setting up a large-scale solar manufacturing facility.
If Atlassian were listed on the ASX today, it would be the 8th largest company by market cap. Back in 1990, the world’s biggest companies were Exxon, General Motors, and the Bank of Japan; today, it’s Microsoft, Apple, NVIDIA, and Google.
There’s still a long way to go and much to achieve. We can't be complacent; we must keep the magic alive.
But Sunrise is a moment to pause, breathe, and celebrate.
Sunrise celebrates our vibrant ecosystem and serves as a barometer for what’s ahead. It’s a time to be proud, inspired, and dive into the extraordinary. It’s a salute to those daring enough to “give it a crack.”
This is what Sunrise means to me. I hope to see you there – you can buy tickets here.
What a time to be alive!