In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Taryn Pieterse, Partner at Rampersand VC. Rampersand is a pioneering Australian venture capital firm, known for being one of the first funds in Australia and its early investment in founders with abnormal potential. With a focus on being a founder-first investor, they stay closely aligned with their portfolio companies. Currently, they are deploying their fourth fund of $50 million. Taryn and Ian discuss Rampersand's background, investment focus, fund economics, and the importance of alignment with founders.

Highlights from their conversation include:
Rampersand's origins and investment strategy
Their fund economics
Rampersand’s interest in AI-driven startups
The future of AI in both business and daily life
How Rampersand fosters community and provides concierge services to founders
The current exit landscape and emerging opportunities
The differences between venture capital firms and family offices



Quickfire round. 
Book –  "The Psychology of Money"
Podcast – "Defining Gravity" by Helen Sunitz
News source – Overnight Success Newsletter
App – Apple watch
Productivity tool – Robo vacuum cleaner - I have a dog and this saves me spending hours vacuuming everyday 
Tech CEO – Mark Benioff of Salesforce - a great example of start up to scale up and beyond
TV show – "The Mole" on Netflix
If you were asked to do a TED talk, what topic would you speak about? The art of power napping - I love power naps!

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Taryn Pieterse, Partner at Rampersand VC. Rampersand is a pioneering Australian venture capital firm, known for being one of the first funds in Australia and its early investment in founders with abnormal potential. With a focus on being a founder-first investor, they stay closely aligned with their portfolio companies. Currently, they are deploying their fourth fund of $50 million. Taryn and Ian discuss Rampersand's background, investment focus, fund economics, and the importance of alignment with founders.
Highlights from their conversation include:
<ul>
<li>Rampersand's origins and investment strategy</li>
<li>Their fund economics</li>
<li>Rampersand’s interest in AI-driven startups</li>
<li>The future of AI in both business and daily life</li>
<li>How Rampersand fosters community and provides concierge services to founders</li>
<li>The current exit landscape and emerging opportunities</li>
<li>The differences between venture capital firms and family offices</li>
</ul>
 
Quickfire round. 
<ul>
<li>Book –  "The Psychology of Money"</li>
<li>Podcast – "Defining Gravity" by Helen Sunitz</li>
<li>News source – Overnight Success Newsletter</li>
<li>App – Apple watch</li>
<li>Productivity tool – Robo vacuum cleaner - I have a dog and this saves me spending hours vacuuming everyday </li>
<li>Tech CEO – Mark Benioff of Salesforce - a great example of start up to scale up and beyond</li>
<li>TV show – "The Mole" on Netflix</li>
<li>If you were asked to do a TED talk, what topic would you speak about? The art of power napping - I love power naps!</li>
</ul>

E184 - Taryn Pieterse, Partner, Rampersand VC

Join our host Ian Gardiner as he chats to Nick Gainsley, Partner at One Ventures and Aurora Community Member, on episode 183 of Open the Pod Bay Doors.

Nick is Partner at OneVentures and leads the debt fund strategy, which was launched 5 years ago to address gaps in the Australian market. The fund offers non-dilutive alternative funding options through 3-4 year loans with interest and small equity options for growth stage companies post-Series A.

Nick explains the differences between debt and equity funding, market trends, and the fund's structure as GPLP. The conversation also delves into the use of debt funding to avoid down rounds or complement equity funding, as well as discussions on AI, productivity tools, and current events.

Highlights from Ian and Nick's conversation include


what a debt fund looks like and how it compares to a traditional GPLP Venture Fund


What do the mechanics of a debt fund deal look like
Why Nick prefers the term growth credit over venture debt
Nick's view on liquidity and exits in the next couple of years
The future of AI and how OneVenture apodt this in their day to day operations
potential downsides to a debt fund
Is poker simple gambling or is it a skill?



Quickfire round. 
Book – Just finished Outlive by Peter Atia
Podcast – All in with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
News source – Australian Financial Review
App – Spotify (shout out to Spotify Audibooks)
Productivity tool – A bit boring but I use OneNote
Tech CEO – You've got to be impressed with Satya Nadella from Microsoft
TV show – Colin from Accounts
If you were asked to do a TED talk, what topic would you speak about? I know random small snippets from lots of different things..

Join our host Ian Gardiner as he chats to Nick Gainsley, Partner at One Ventures and Aurora Community Member, on episode 183 of Open the Pod Bay Doors.
Nick is Partner at OneVentures and leads the debt fund strategy, which was launched 5 years ago to address gaps in the Australian market. The fund offers non-dilutive alternative funding options through 3-4 year loans with interest and small equity options for growth stage companies post-Series A.
Nick explains the differences between debt and equity funding, market trends, and the fund's structure as GPLP. The conversation also delves into the use of debt funding to avoid down rounds or complement equity funding, as well as discussions on AI, productivity tools, and current events.
Highlights from Ian and Nick's conversation include
<ul>
<li>
what a debt fund looks like and how it compares to a traditional GPLP Venture Fund
</li>
<li>
What do the mechanics of a debt fund deal look like
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Why Nick prefers the term growth credit over venture debt</li>
<li>Nick's view on liquidity and exits in the next couple of years</li>
<li>The future of AI and how OneVenture apodt this in their day to day operations</li>
<li>potential downsides to a debt fund</li>
<li>Is poker simple gambling or is it a skill?</li>
</ul>
 
Quickfire round. 
<ul>
<li>Book – Just finished Outlive by Peter Atia</li>
<li>Podcast – All in with Chamath, Jason, Sacks &amp; Friedberg</li>
<li>News source – Australian Financial Review</li>
<li>App – Spotify (shout out to Spotify Audibooks)</li>
<li>Productivity tool – A bit boring but I use OneNote</li>
<li>Tech CEO – You've got to be impressed with Satya Nadella from Microsoft</li>
<li>TV show – Colin from Accounts</li>
<li>If you were asked to do a TED talk, what topic would you speak about? I know random small snippets from lots of different things..</li>
</ul>

E183 - Nick Gainsley, Partner, OneVentures

Earlier this year, Innovation Bay brought more than 250 of Australia’s leading tech founders and investors together at Inspire, held at Sydney’s Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) on May 22-23, 2024. 

Set under the overarching theme ‘The Future is…’, Inspire was a platform for the exchange of revolutionary thoughts and ideas about what the future holds for the startup ecosystem across the next 5-10 years.

Our co-founder and podcast host Ian Gardiner, set out with his roving mic to chat to get his geek on with some of the event’s incredible speakers as they made their way off the main stage. He continued the conversation with them on the podcast. 

During Part 2, you’ll hear from:
Craig Blair, Airtree – on the future of venture capital in Australia and what needs to happen over the next ten years to make VC a success. 
Elaine Stead, Main Sequence Ventures – on how she taps into her background in biochemistry to help in her investing, and the critical role the media plays in advancing the leading-edge legislation and policies that are vital to the future success of the startup sector. 
Chris Capon, Nominal Systems – on why he’s working to change the mindset around how people think about space, the incredible things that are going to be done in space in the not-too-distant future, and why Australia needs to be a part of it.

Listen now to get a front row seat into what Australia’s tech leading minds are passionate about and be INSPIRED. 

Missed Part 1? Listen now to hear from The Hon. Ed Husic MP, Minister for Science & Industry, Greg Miller Partner at Arena Mars (exited founder of Faethm), and Melanie Silva, Managing Director and VP, Google Australia & New Zealand.

Inspire was proudly supported by Innovation Bay’s official media partner Forbes Australia and event partners IAG Firemark Ventures, Google Cloud, the Field Jobs, and the Dylan Alcott Foundation.  

Earlier this year, Innovation Bay brought more than 250 of Australia’s leading tech founders and investors together at Inspire, held at Sydney’s Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) on May 22-23, 2024. 
Set under the overarching theme ‘The Future is…’, Inspire was a platform for the exchange of revolutionary thoughts and ideas about what the future holds for the startup ecosystem across the next 5-10 years.
Our co-founder and podcast host Ian Gardiner, set out with his roving mic to chat to get his geek on with some of the event’s incredible speakers as they made their way off the main stage. He continued the conversation with them on the podcast. 
During Part 2, you’ll hear from:
<ul>
<li>Craig Blair, Airtree – on the future of venture capital in Australia and what needs to happen over the next ten years to make VC a success. </li>
<li>Elaine Stead, Main Sequence Ventures – on how she taps into her background in biochemistry to help in her investing, and the critical role the media plays in advancing the leading-edge legislation and policies that are vital to the future success of the startup sector. </li>
<li>Chris Capon, Nominal Systems – on why he’s working to change the mindset around how people think about space, the incredible things that are going to be done in space in the not-too-distant future, and why Australia needs to be a part of it.</li>
</ul>
Listen now to get a front row seat into what Australia’s tech leading minds are passionate about and be INSPIRED. 
Missed Part 1? <a href="https://innovationbay.com/podcasts/e181-inspire-24-part-1-ft-the-hon-ed-husic-mp-greg-miller-melanie-silva/">Listen now</a> to hear from The Hon. Ed Husic MP, Minister for Science &amp; Industry, Greg Miller Partner at Arena Mars (exited founder of Faethm), and Melanie Silva, Managing Director and VP, Google Australia &amp; New Zealand.
Inspire was proudly supported by Innovation Bay’s official media partner Forbes Australia and event partners IAG Firemark Ventures, Google Cloud, the Field Jobs, and the Dylan Alcott Foundation.

E182 – Inspire 24 (Part 2) FT Craig Blair, Elaine Stead, Chris Capon

Earlier this year, Innovation Bay brought more than 250 of Australia’s leading tech founders and investors together at Inspire, held at Sydney’s Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) on May 22-23, 2024. 

Set under the overarching theme ‘The Future is…’, Inspire was a platform for the exchange of revolutionary thoughts and ideas about what the future holds for the startup ecosystem across the next 5-10 years.

As he does, our co-founder and podcast host Ian Gardiner, set out with his roving mic to chat to (some would say ambush!) some of the event’s incredible speakers and get a sense of what’s top of mind for them as they consider the evolution of the Aussie startup landscape. 

During Part 1, you’ll hear from:
The Hon. Ed Husic MP, Minister for Science & Industry – on quantum computing and its long-term importance to the Australian economy. 
Greg Miller, Arena Mars (exited founder of Faethm) – opines on rapidly building, scaling and exiting his AI business that tackled the future of work, and how he’s now paying it forward.
Melanie Silva, Google Australia and New Zealand – talks through how Google is showing Australians the power of great digital tech through the Digital Future Initiative, and bringing the greatest Googlers from around the world together to work with Australian partners to solve local problems using Google AI.

Listen now to get a front row seat into what Australia’s tech leading minds are passionate about and be INSPIRED. 

Inspire was proudly supported by Innovation Bay’s official media partner Forbes Australia and event partners IAG Firemark Ventures, Google Cloud, the Field Jobs, and the Dylan Alcott Foundation.  

Earlier this year, Innovation Bay brought more than 250 of Australia’s leading tech founders and investors together at Inspire, held at Sydney’s Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) on May 22-23, 2024. 
Set under the overarching theme ‘The Future is…’, Inspire was a platform for the exchange of revolutionary thoughts and ideas about what the future holds for the startup ecosystem across the next 5-10 years.
As he does, our co-founder and podcast host Ian Gardiner, set out with his roving mic to chat to (some would say ambush!) some of the event’s incredible speakers and get a sense of what’s top of mind for them as they consider the evolution of the Aussie startup landscape. 
During Part 1, you’ll hear from:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-husic-mp-22253513/">The Hon. Ed Husic MP, Minister for Science &amp; Industry</a> – on quantum computing and its long-term importance to the Australian economy. </li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/millergj/">Greg Miller</a>, Arena Mars (exited founder of Faethm) – opines on rapidly building, scaling and exiting his AI business that tackled the future of work, and how he’s now paying it forward.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/melspiteri/">Melanie Silva</a>, Google Australia and New Zealand – talks through how Google is showing Australians the power of great digital tech through the Digital Future Initiative, and bringing the greatest Googlers from around the world together to work with Australian partners to solve local problems using Google AI.</li>
</ul>
Listen now to get a front row seat into what Australia’s tech leading minds are passionate about and be INSPIRED. 
Inspire was proudly supported by Innovation Bay’s official media partner Forbes Australia and event partners IAG Firemark Ventures, Google Cloud, the Field Jobs, and the Dylan Alcott Foundation.

E181 – Inspire 24 (Part 1) FT The Hon. Ed Husic MP, Greg Miller, Melanie Silva

E180 – Scott Thomson, Former Head of Innovation, Customer Engineering at Google Cloud

Join us for part 2 of our “studio on the road” at Sunrise, Blackbird’s annual festival of the startup ecosystem.



Armed with his roving podcast mic, Innovation Bay’s Co-Founder and podcast host, Ian Gardiner, was lucky enough to tap the mind’s of some of Sunrise’s stellar speakers. 



During this ep, you’ll hear from:



🌅 Karl Durrance, Stripe - discusses Stripe’s mission to increase the GDP of the internet, it’s broad customer base from startups to large enterprises, and the challenges and strategies in the financial infrustructure space.



🌅 Kate Mason, PhD - shares her career journey from Google to founding her own firm, insights on effective communication and power dynamics, and details of her Sunrise talk about how confidence is actually unhelpful and authenticity is powerful!



🌅 John McDuling, Capital Brief - chats through the challenges and successes of launching a new media outlet, Capital Brief’s focus on the new Australian economy and providing valuable intelligence, and the subscription model and importance of quality journalism.



🌅 Maxine Minter, Co Ventures - discusses her solo GP fund, their focus on pre-seed investments and accelerating companies internationally, and some quality insights on what makes a successful founder and investor.



🌅 Kevin Jochelson, Upsize & Tech Rooport - shares his approach to helping startups scale and the importance of distribution, the impact of AI on startups, and winning the debate at Sunrise on whether investment success us nice skill than luck.



Tune in for many many more nuggets from the mind’s of this all star line up. 



This podcast episode is brought to you by Vanta.

Join us for part 2 of our “studio on the road” at Sunrise, Blackbird’s annual festival of the startup ecosystem.
 
Armed with his roving podcast mic, Innovation Bay’s Co-Founder and podcast host, Ian Gardiner, was lucky enough to tap the mind’s of some of Sunrise’s stellar speakers. 
 
During this ep, you’ll hear from:
 
🌅 Karl Durrance, Stripe - discusses Stripe’s mission to increase the GDP of the internet, it’s broad customer base from startups to large enterprises, and the challenges and strategies in the financial infrustructure space.
 
🌅 Kate Mason, PhD - shares her career journey from Google to founding her own firm, insights on effective communication and power dynamics, and details of her Sunrise talk about how confidence is actually unhelpful and authenticity is powerful!
 
🌅 John McDuling, Capital Brief - chats through the challenges and successes of launching a new media outlet, Capital Brief’s focus on the new Australian economy and providing valuable intelligence, and the subscription model and importance of quality journalism.
 
🌅 Maxine Minter, Co Ventures - discusses her solo GP fund, their focus on pre-seed investments and accelerating companies internationally, and some quality insights on what makes a successful founder and investor.
 
🌅 Kevin Jochelson, Upsize &amp; Tech Rooport - shares his approach to helping startups scale and the importance of distribution, the impact of AI on startups, and winning the debate at Sunrise on whether investment success us nice skill than luck.
 
Tune in for many many more nuggets from the mind’s of this all star line up. 
 
This podcast episode is brought to you by Vanta.

E178 - Blackbird’s Sunrise 24 (part 2) Ft. Karl Durrance, Dr. Kate Mason, John McDuling,  Maxine Minter, Kevin Jochelson

A few weeks back Blackbird held their annual conference Sunrise - a festival and celebration of the the startup ecosystem in Australia; or as Ian describes it “real life LinkedIn”.



Our fearless Co-Founder, host of Open The Pod Bay Doors, and arguably one of the most connected humans in the ecosystem, Ian Gardiner, took the studio on the road.



Ian chatted to 9 incredible speakers who featured on Sunrise’s epic line up, to pick their brains on their area of expertise and the industry at large.



During part 1, you’ll hear from:



Adam Gilmour, Gilmour Space Technologies - discussing the challenges in the space industry, Gilmore Space’s upcoming first orbit launch and future plans including reusable rockets and lunar missions (SO COOL!)



Kristen Durham, Zendesk - about her recent promotion, the integration and future AI in Zendesk's customer support strategy.



Tova Angsuwat, Series Build (ex-Google) - about her transition from Google to founding Series Build, insights on effective recruitment strategies for startups, and the importance of diversity in startup teams.



Bronwen Clune, Capital Brief - on her background and shift to Capital Brief (one of the newest and fastest growing tech and innovation focused media outlets), about Capital Brief’s mission to cover the new economy, and the challenges and highlights in startup journalism.



It’s a mixed bag of brilliant minds, set against the backdrop of the electrifying hum of Sunrise 2024.

A few weeks back Blackbird held their annual conference Sunrise - a festival and celebration of the the startup ecosystem in Australia; or as Ian describes it “real life LinkedIn”.
 
Our fearless Co-Founder, host of Open The Pod Bay Doors, and arguably one of the most connected humans in the ecosystem, Ian Gardiner, took the studio on the road.
 
Ian chatted to 9 incredible speakers who featured on Sunrise’s epic line up, to pick their brains on their area of expertise and the industry at large.
 
During part 1, you’ll hear from:
 
Adam Gilmour, Gilmour Space Technologies - discussing the challenges in the space industry, Gilmore Space’s upcoming first orbit launch and future plans including reusable rockets and lunar missions (SO COOL!)
 
Kristen Durham, Zendesk - about her recent promotion, the integration and future AI in Zendesk's customer support strategy.
 
Tova Angsuwat, Series Build (ex-Google) - about her transition from Google to founding Series Build, insights on effective recruitment strategies for startups, and the importance of diversity in startup teams.
 
Bronwen Clune, Capital Brief - on her background and shift to Capital Brief (one of the newest and fastest growing tech and innovation focused media outlets), about Capital Brief’s mission to cover the new economy, and the challenges and highlights in startup journalism.
 
It’s a mixed bag of brilliant minds, set against the backdrop of the electrifying hum of Sunrise 2024.

E177 - Blackbird’s Sunrise 24 (part 1) Ft. Adam Gilmour, Kristen Durham, Tova Angsuwat, Bronwen Clune

Our guest for episode 176 is Clive Burcham, a highly influential, philanthropic and impact driven individual. Clive is one of the founding partners of Global Citizen, $46bn New York based juggernaut whose mission is to end extreme poverty. He is also the founder of what he terms a “side hustle” called Compadres, where he works with founders and CEOs to help them achieve "a better life, a better business, a better you". 



From growing up in a beef and dairy farming family in regional West Australia, to jumping into TV at 15 and becoming a media executive at the age of 25, to moving to New York to run the Search for a Supermodel television show and working with leading advertising, design and branding agencies. Clive's life has been varied and rich with experiences. 



Armed with a whole lot of technical knowledge from his time in NY, Clive moved back to Australia to undercut the local advertising industry to create better quality creative and content for clients. Taking his company from zero to hero in just 3 years, Clive sold a large stake to leading advertising holding company WPP, later buying it back to rebuild it. 



With a penchant for giving, a captivating and wise mind, a values-led existence, and a heart of gold, Clive has founded and aligned himself with organisations that aim to make better and illuminate the human experience. “We’re put on this earth to make a difference to other people and to live in a community and be connected,” he says. 



Tune in to learn of Clive’s fascinating journey, one we could all take a leaf from! 



Quickfire Round: 

Book: ‘Who Not How’, Dan Sullivan 

Podcast: Your Move with Andy Stanley 

News Source: Reuters 

Productivity Tool: Calendar 

CEO: Dan White, Luke Harris, Steven Marks  

App: Instagram 

TV Show: WeCrashed 

TEDTalk Topic: How do we use our power to influence good  





Get in touch with Clive at https://wearecompadres.com | and follow along on Instagram @wearecompadres



This episode is brought to you by Vanta. 

Our guest for episode 176 is Clive Burcham, a highly influential, philanthropic and impact driven individual. Clive is one of the founding partners of Global Citizen, $46bn New York based juggernaut whose mission is to end extreme poverty. He is also the founder of what he terms a “side hustle” called Compadres, where he works with founders and CEOs to help them achieve "a better life, a better business, a better you". 
 
From growing up in a beef and dairy farming family in regional West Australia, to jumping into TV at 15 and becoming a media executive at the age of 25, to moving to New York to run the Search for a Supermodel television show and working with leading advertising, design and branding agencies. Clive's life has been varied and rich with experiences. 
 
Armed with a whole lot of technical knowledge from his time in NY, Clive moved back to Australia to undercut the local advertising industry to create better quality creative and content for clients. Taking his company from zero to hero in just 3 years, Clive sold a large stake to leading advertising holding company WPP, later buying it back to rebuild it. 
 
With a penchant for giving, a captivating and wise mind, a values-led existence, and a heart of gold, Clive has founded and aligned himself with organisations that aim to make better and illuminate the human experience. “We’re put on this earth to make a difference to other people and to live in a community and be connected,” he says. 
 
Tune in to learn of Clive’s fascinating journey, one we could all take a leaf from! 
 
Quickfire Round: 
Book: ‘Who Not How’, Dan Sullivan 
Podcast: Your Move with Andy Stanley 
News Source: Reuters 
Productivity Tool: Calendar 
CEO: Dan White, Luke Harris, Steven Marks  
App: Instagram 
TV Show: WeCrashed 
TEDTalk Topic: How do we use our power to influence good  
 
 
Get in touch with Clive at <a href="https://wearecompadres.com/">https://wearecompadres.com</a> | and follow along on Instagram <a href="https://d2nt8r04.na1.hs-sales-engage.com/Ctc/5G+23284/d2Nt8R04/JkM2-6qcW6N1vHY6lZ3ppW2Nsm3h2JNZ6ZW6-KP2s8LdKscVJRGvx18-JKJW3Fh8tj55g-8HVXT06m30pjqzW5lPg8T7fQ8M7N2f51SgQK6zyW5F-j-34qfZX1W76kRdt3sg9FgN2DFMH6_sZjvW20PjR48l7bXhN50vzrWtkb8gW3dnt0n1yvDRkW2Xx7258SHHtjW5CLTMg2rW-wPW2F7FzR8lMhfRN5lp2R2ttDyKN7prrsshC4hKN31qyy2HtyJZN8jQLwdnJ2ZCW7TRs4m1L5_hrV4ZrfS6dL268f2v8mRR04">@wearecompadres</a>
 
This episode is brought to you by Vanta.

E176 - Clive Burcham, Founder Compadres, Founding Partner, Global Citizen

Our guest this week is Leah Kaplan, APAC Sustainability Business Lead at Google Cloud. Leah’s passion for sustainability stems from her deep love of nature. Leah held a number of consulting technology roles before her dream job came up at Google Cloud - where she now sits at the nexus of technology and sustainability. 



Sustainability has been a core value at Google for 25 years who are looking to minimise their impact on the planet while helping others to do the same. In 2007, Google became the first major company to become carbon neutral. In 2017 Google was the first company to achieve a 100% renewable energy match - this means purchasing renewable energy that covers all energy usage for all of Google which they’ve done every year since. Google has data centres running 24/7 solely on carbon free energy. One of their key goals by 2030 is to have every data centre around the world run on carbon free energy. Google is forecast to spend $10B on renewable energy this year alone! 



As  the whole world struggles with climate change, how do businesses begin to understand the impact climate change is going to have on them in the future? Leah’s role as Sustainability Business Lead for APAC at Google is fascinating and impactful, with an emphasis on encouraging and helping corporate customers to achieve their sustainability goals via the Google Cloud platform. There are myriad sustainability areas to focus on - not just gas emissions. These include water stewardship, waste reduction, circulatory in products, optimisation - all areas that technology can help with - particularly AI. 



One of the pressures Leah observes with the customers she engages with is that many of those in younger generations are willing to pay more for products that are sustainably sourced and will show loyalty to brands that have a sustainability mission. Leah helps companies tackle these challenges by working with them to assess a measurement framework and benchmark, help them to become compliant against regulation, assist companies to make data-driven critical business decisions, guide them in optimising with what they do have, and help to seek out aligned sustainability growth opportunities. She also emphasises that companies with strong sustainability initiatives attract top talent.



This hugely educational and fascinating discussion cover so much more... take a listen.



Interested in learning more about how Google Cloud can assist you to reach sustainability goals? Head to Google Cloud’s website, sign up for free and receive $300 in credit, or reach out to your Google rep or Innovation Bay who will put you in touch.  



Book: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen and Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie

Podcast: The Energy Gang and Stuff You Should Know 

News Source: The Guardian 

Productivity Tool: Calendar and Kanban Board 

CEO: Melanie Perkins, Canva 

App: Signal 

TV Show: The Wire 

TEDTalk Topic: Geospatial analytics and its impact on sustainability



This episode is brought to you by Vanta. 

Our guest this week is Leah Kaplan, APAC Sustainability Business Lead at Google Cloud. Leah’s passion for sustainability stems from her deep love of nature. Leah held a number of consulting technology roles before her dream job came up at Google Cloud - where she now sits at the nexus of technology and sustainability. 
 
Sustainability has been a core value at Google for 25 years who are looking to minimise their impact on the planet while helping others to do the same. In 2007, Google became the first major company to become carbon neutral. In 2017 Google was the first company to achieve a 100% renewable energy match - this means purchasing renewable energy that covers all energy usage for all of Google which they’ve done every year since. Google has data centres running 24/7 solely on carbon free energy. One of their key goals by 2030 is to have every data centre around the world run on carbon free energy. Google is forecast to spend $10B on renewable energy this year alone! 
 
As  the whole world struggles with climate change, how do businesses begin to understand the impact climate change is going to have on them in the future? Leah’s role as Sustainability Business Lead for APAC at Google is fascinating and impactful, with an emphasis on encouraging and helping corporate customers to achieve their sustainability goals via the Google Cloud platform. There are myriad sustainability areas to focus on - not just gas emissions. These include water stewardship, waste reduction, circulatory in products, optimisation - all areas that technology can help with - particularly AI. 
 
One of the pressures Leah observes with the customers she engages with is that many of those in younger generations are willing to pay more for products that are sustainably sourced and will show loyalty to brands that have a sustainability mission. Leah helps companies tackle these challenges by working with them to assess a measurement framework and benchmark, help them to become compliant against regulation, assist companies to make data-driven critical business decisions, guide them in optimising with what they do have, and help to seek out aligned sustainability growth opportunities. She also emphasises that companies with strong sustainability initiatives attract top talent.
 
This hugely educational and fascinating discussion cover so much more... take a listen.
 
Interested in learning more about how Google Cloud can assist you to reach sustainability goals? Head to Google Cloud’s<a href="https://d2nt8r04.na1.hs-sales-engage.com/Ctc/5G+23284/d2Nt8R04/JjT59_bhW50kH_H6lZ3lnW1VSvw81J4gmkN71mJTZj6pzRW571yLd9jm3MrW41G9tv1jgcGCW3MrpnS7dwW77W4J0lxw3BVNrPW4cp8f46ZnDkwW2M87nY6LL18-W6FVXZw3K6sVWW4N-MpK59r-JwW8SgKmt7GwkJ7N6b5kjMZsQ5nW5ZhDBW87QdKYW7K-JG53qP5QXW1GrB_03GnVsvW2MZmjH6vnzzqW2NgGzP3Hg6rQVMRV2x5rc4T7W3KCqTh56NPRxW1gDMJT3LbZ5rVt5ZkW69hDKhW2Jg3v06BkWGlW1x6ZZt13fZ-cN2T9V0CFZ9yRW2rD7Sx46nTzQW1lNy701SptMsW8mN4CQ3X8s-QMVtHBQjpbByW36zg9n5l3wlwW9bNccG7pZsF_W8ldXrJ5xyYrxW6gV-BR94nJzjf6s9-xW04"> website</a>, sign up for free and receive $300 in credit, or reach out to your Google rep or Innovation Bay who will put you in touch.  
 
Book: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen and Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie
Podcast: The Energy Gang and Stuff You Should Know 
News Source: The Guardian 
Productivity Tool: Calendar and Kanban Board 
CEO: Melanie Perkins, Canva 
App: Signal 
TV Show: The Wire 
TEDTalk Topic: Geospatial analytics and its impact on sustainability
 
This episode is brought to you by Vanta.

E175 - Leah Kaplan, APAC Sustainability Business Lead at Google Cloud

Our guest this week is Bernadette Olivier, CEO & Co-Founder of The Volte - a groundbreaking peer-to-peer fashion rental marketplace that's redefining the way we experience fashion globally. From its humble beginnings to its dazzling rise, The Volte seamlessly connects borrowers and lenders, while promoting a sustainable, circular economy.



Bernadette takes us through the evolution of The Volte, from its early days catering to fashionistas to its transformation into a platform embraced by mainstream consumers. She reflects on the complexities of remote work, the importance and challenges of strategic partnerships, and the challenges faced during the tumultuous times of COVID-19. The Volte not only weathered the COVID storm, but has since experienced remarkable growth in orders and active users. 



She candidly reflects on the importance of trust, dedication, and alignment within a startup team, where she shares co-founder duties with four other women - Genevieve Hohnen, Kym Atkins and Jade Hirniak. From bootstrap beginnings to securing funding from Angels and VCs including eBay Ventures,The Volte defied the odds to become a trailblazer in the fashion rental industry.



Bernadette shares the uniqueness of The Volte's model - which is focused on occasion-based rentals rather than traditional subscriptions - as well as insights into the company's distinctive unit economics. From leveraging strategic investments, harnessing the power of AI for personalised customer experiences, and visions of international expansion into Europe, Bernadette paints a compelling picture for The Volte's future.



Quickfire Round 

Book: 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan, 'Burn Book' by Kara Swisher

Podcast: Hard Fork, The Business of Fashion 

News Source: New York Times 

Productivity App: ClickUp 

CEO: Anthony Eisen (Afterpay) 

Favourite App: Calm 

TV Show:  'Vanderpump Rules' and 'The Morning Show'

Movie: ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’ 

TED Talk Topic: Changing consumption habits - moving from disposable, one-off usage to reusing, safekeeping and passing onto the next owner. 



This episode is brought to you by Vanta. 

Our guest this week is Bernadette Olivier, CEO &amp; Co-Founder of The Volte - a groundbreaking peer-to-peer fashion rental marketplace that's redefining the way we experience fashion globally. From its humble beginnings to its dazzling rise, The Volte seamlessly connects borrowers and lenders, while promoting a sustainable, circular economy.
 
Bernadette takes us through the evolution of The Volte, from its early days catering to fashionistas to its transformation into a platform embraced by mainstream consumers. She reflects on the complexities of remote work, the importance and challenges of strategic partnerships, and the challenges faced during the tumultuous times of COVID-19. The Volte not only weathered the COVID storm, but has since experienced remarkable growth in orders and active users. 
 
She candidly reflects on the importance of trust, dedication, and alignment within a startup team, where she shares co-founder duties with four other women - Genevieve Hohnen, Kym Atkins and Jade Hirniak. From bootstrap beginnings to securing funding from Angels and VCs including eBay Ventures,The Volte defied the odds to become a trailblazer in the fashion rental industry.
 
Bernadette shares the uniqueness of The Volte's model - which is focused on occasion-based rentals rather than traditional subscriptions - as well as insights into the company's distinctive unit economics. From leveraging strategic investments, harnessing the power of AI for personalised customer experiences, and visions of international expansion into Europe, Bernadette paints a compelling picture for The Volte's future.
 
Quickfire Round 
Book: 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan, 'Burn Book' by Kara Swisher
Podcast: Hard Fork, The Business of Fashion 
News Source: New York Times 
Productivity App: ClickUp 
CEO: Anthony Eisen (Afterpay) 
Favourite App: Calm 
TV Show:  'Vanderpump Rules' and 'The Morning Show'
Movie: ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’ 
TED Talk Topic: Changing consumption habits - moving from disposable, one-off usage to reusing, safekeeping and passing onto the next owner. 
 
This episode is brought to you by Vanta.

E174 - Bernadette Olivier - CEO & Co-Founder - The Volte

There is a lot of activity in the Australian startup ecosystem. Ideas, talent, and money are all flowing into this sector at an unprecedented rate. 

This weekly podcast brings in-depth interviews with the best people making the biggest difference.

It's brought to you by Ian Gardiner and Phaedon Stough, technology entrepreneurs helping to grow the startup sector in Australia and New Zealand. Ian and Phaedon co-founded Innovation Bay with a clear mission to help technology entrepreneurs succeed.

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The Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem is burgeoning, exciting and filled with some of the most fascinating minds on the planet, all driven by a passion to make a positive and lasting impact. Open The Pod Bay Doors invites some of the brightest minds in the industry for deep conversations and awe-inspiring insights from their captivating journeys. Lend us your ears to gain some fresh knowledge and broaden your insights. Brought to you weekly by Innovation Bay. 

The Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem is burgeoning, exciting and filled with some of the most fascinating minds on the planet, all driven by a passion to make a positive and lasting impact. Open The Pod Bay Doors invites some of the brightest minds in the industry for deep conversations and awe-inspiring insights from their captivating journeys. Lend us your ears to gain some fresh knowledge and broaden your insights. Brought to you weekly by Innovation Bay.

Open the Pod Bay Doors

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