Uncategorized Podcasts

Episode 21 – Axon Instruments and the Relentless Commitment to Quality with Alan Finkel

Episode 21 – Axon Instruments and the Relentless Commitment to Quality with Alan Finkel

May 25, 2023 | ,

In this episode I have the great privilege of chatting with Alan Finkel. We revisit key formative moments at Monash University and ANU, and the opportunities that emerged from the challenge of accessing and developing the best fit for purpose equipment. We discuss the difference between framing questions and solving problems through a discussion of the Engineering Method, an approach that underpins Alan’s career at Axon Instruments and beyond. Through instrument development, Alan recognises that development needs to be orientated towards needs, those spoken and those yet to be identified, and move past ‘what a customer wants’.

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Episode 20 – Hopium, Hydrogen & Scale with Paul Martin – Part 2

Episode 20 – Hopium, Hydrogen & Scale with Paul Martin – Part 2

Apr 27, 2023 | , , ,

In this episode we continue our discussions with Paul Martin exploring the challenges of clean hydrogen scale up, the market forces and Hopium driving current government and industry activity. We discuss distributed production of ammonia and urea and the impact of diseconomies of scale and consequences of parallelisation. We reflect on alternative feedstocks, such as lignocellulose, with a passing nod to our mutual colleague Paul Bryan, and how Wright’s Law of the cost benefits arising from increasing scale and experience may not apply as anticipated by many in the race to scale green hydrogen production.

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Episode 19 – Hiring for Start-ups: HR Due Diligence and ‘The Founder’s Dilemma’ with Lesley Lightfoot and Jeremy Wurm

Episode 19 – Hiring for Start-ups: HR Due Diligence and ‘The Founder’s Dilemma’ with Lesley Lightfoot and Jeremy Wurm

Mar 30, 2023 | , ,

In this episode we are delighted to have Lesley Lightfoot and Jeremy Wurm join us from Brooker Consulting discussing the challenges of building the right teams in the early stages of technology transfer and new ventures. We look at their philosophies and approaches on how to engage candidates for the dynamic roles associated with start-ups.

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Episode 20 – Hopium, Hydrogen & Scale with Paul Martin – Part 2

Episode 18 – Hydrogen, Hopium & Scale with Paul Martin – Part 1

Feb 23, 2023 | , , ,

In this episode we explore with Paul Martin, the challenges of clean hydrogen scale up, the market forces, and Hopium driving current government and industry activity. In Part 1 of our discussions with Paul, we reflect on the history of hydrogen as a fuel, which traces it way back to the 1990s, the rise of Hopium and the associated belief systems that don’t pay the attention to thermodynamics that they should!

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Episode 17 – From Start-up to Scale-up: Reflections on Australia’s Innovation System with Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO

Episode 17 – From Start-up to Scale-up: Reflections on Australia’s Innovation System with Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO

Jan 26, 2023 | , , ,

In this episode, Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO joins us to explore the challenges of moving from start-up to scale-up. From addressing foundational tech transfer challenges such as articulating product benefits and identifying market needs, we discuss tech transfer as being the first step on a journey of technology commercialisation and business establishment.

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Episode 16 – Spinning It Out: The Research to Venture Journey with Dr Victor Pantano – Part 2 Highs and Lows of a Deeptech Start-up

Episode 16 – Spinning It Out: The Research to Venture Journey with Dr Victor Pantano – Part 2 Highs and Lows of a Deeptech Start-up

Dec 21, 2022 | , , ,

In Part 2 of our discussions with Dr Victor Pantano, we hear about the highs and lows of taking a deep tech start up along the journey from establishment, through market engagement, team building, growth and financing rounds to exit success.

 A must listen episode for anyone contemplating or indeed engaged in a tech start-up.

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Episode 16 – Spinning It Out: The Research to Venture Journey with Dr Victor Pantano – Part 2 Highs and Lows of a Deeptech Start-up

Episode 15 – Spinning It Out: The Research to Venture Journey with Dr Victor Pantano – Part 1 Bringing It Together

Nov 24, 2022 | , , ,

In the first of two discussions with Dr Victor Pantano, we hear about the first phase of transitioning research into a commercial spin-out including the importance of due diligence and building a comprehensive understanding of IP assets and their role in value creation. Our conversation with Victor really highlights the importance of people and balancing risk in tech transfer and new venture success.

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