According to Startup Genome founder JF Gauthier, a startup founded in Silicon Valley is twice as likely to succeed than the same startup — with the same founders and the same idea — founded in Johannesburg. “It’s not about the entrepreneur, it’s not about the idea, it’s about the people around it,” he shared.
It’s no surprise that the environment plays an important role in one's success. And with this in mind, we had a look at how the people around the idea came to be, and how we can nurture them to not just grow their businesses, by the WA ecosystem as a whole.
Volunteer as a mentor for accelerator programs
It’s easy to say you don’t have time, you don’t have the right skills or your personality isn’t suitable to mentor, but in reality, we all have more time, skills and insight than we think. So, before you decide on a reason to say no, think about all the benefits of saying yes. From sharing your knowledge with upcoming founders to gaining fresh perspective - mentoring can not only change someone’s life, but can increase your visibility in the community.
Staying up to date on news
While it sounds like an obvious solution, subscribing to local newsletters or setting up Google Alerts for specific keywords can be a great way to bring the news straight to your inbox. Rather than spending time scrolling through the news sites, let the startup news come to you!
Attending events
Despite the awkwardness that some of us may feel attending events and networking, it’s a really simple and important way to become more involved in what’s going on around you. With a consistent flow of events on the startup calendar, from fortnightly free events like Morning Startup to paid workshops and sessions like our Plus Eight Academy.
Embrace the culture
You don’t always have to work at a startup to embrace the culture. A startup mindset can be a great shift in attitude that helps you become more understanding of the ecosystem, and how you can become a part of it.
If you’re looking to jump right into the startup ecosystem in Perth, why not buy a ticket for our upcoming Plus Eight Pre-Accelerator Program? Or, if you’re not a startup founder but want to be more involved, sign up today for our Community Membership and enjoy events, news and exclusive invites straight to your inbox each month!