7 Aussie Podcasts All About Startups
Check out these homegrown podcasts for advice and inspiration from Australia’s best entrepreneurs and investors.
The Australian startup ecosystem is home to some great podcasts about tech, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. Whether you’re a big podcast person or only dabble, we recommend giving some of these pods a listen for advice, information, and inspiration. In no particular order, these are seven of our favourite Aussie startup podcasts.
1. Open the Pod Bay Doors
By yours truly, Innovation Bay
Call us biased but we really love our podcast! For the past 3 years, our founders Ian Gardiner and Phaedon Stough have been conducting in-depth interviews with the people making a difference in the Australian startup ecosystem. We learn so much from our guests’ journeys and every episode ends with a fun quick-fire round where our guests share their favourite book, podcast, app, and more. We’ve had some amazing guests, and are nearing 100K listens and our 100th episode!
On top of our regularly scheduled programming, we’ve launched a new fortnightly series called OTPBD News Special. Every two weeks we release a news special featuring a panel consisting of a VC, startup founder, and ecosystem. Ian, Phaedon and our commentators discuss the news that matters to ANZ startups. Subscribe to Open the Pod Bay Doors for insightful interviews and of-the-moment news analysis.
Episode highlights:
- E87 — Sam Chandler, Nitro
- E82 — Jaime Bott, Sequoia Capital
- E76 — Jodie Fox, Shoes of Prey
- E44 — Jane Lu, Showpo
2. Square Peg Founder Stories
From Square Peg Capital
This is a new one! Square Peg recently released a new podcast called Founder Stories, hosted by their head of community Imogen Baxter. This weekly show speaks with founders to hear what it’s really like to build a tech startup. According to Square Peg, “You’ll hear from founders you definitely know and those you probably don’t, telling stories you wish you’d have known when you started your company.” We’ve loved the first few episodes and can’t wait for more.
Episode highlights:
3. Startup Playbook
From Rohit Bhargava of the AWS Startups team
Every week Rohit interviews successful entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts from around the world on how they got started, the strategies they used to succeed and their advice to current and future entrepreneurs. The Startup Playbook Podcast is ranked #3 on iTunes!
Episode highlights:
- Ep114 — Malcolm Turnbull (Former Prime Minister of Australia) on timing, conviction and trust
- Ep116 — Mina Radhakrishnan (Co-founder — Different) on frameworks for decision making
4. Wild Hearts
From Blackbird Ventures
Wild Hearts by Blackbird Ventures is a podcast sharing the real, gritty stories of founders on the front line of innovation. Host Mason Yates uncovers the never before heard stories of exceptional founders. Each episode also features insights from the investor that backed them; including first impressions of the founder and explains why they ultimately invested. This podcast offers a great inside look at some of Australia’s best startups and the fund that backs them.
Episode highlights:
- Earn the Right to Exist with Tim Doyle (Eucalyptus)
- The View From The Top with Flavia Tata Nardini (Fleet Space)
5. This Week in Startups Australia
From Mark Pesce
Since 2014, THIS WEEK IN STARTUPS AUSTRALIA has talked to founders, investors, accelerators and partners of Australia’s startup ecosystem, telling the tale of how Australia has grown to punch well above its weight on the international startup scene. Series 8 is focused on the impact COVID-19 pandemic has had on the startup ecosystem in Australia and around the world.
Episode highlights:
6. Startup West
From Startup News
Our eastern seaboard gets a lot of love but there’s a lot of innovation happening out west too. Startup West talks with West Australian startups “who have been there and done it, or are right here and doing it.” They have episodes covering pretty much all of the new tech coming out of WA so it’s a great resource.
Episode highlights:
7. LADY-BRAINS
From LADY-BRAINS
Lady-Brains is a club for female founders and founders-to-be. Club co-founders Caitlin Judd and Anna Mackenzie also co-host the lady-brains podcast where they chat to the world’s most exciting female entrepreneurs, tapping into their knowledge and insights.
Episode highlights:
Thanks for tuning in to our guide to Australian startup podcasts. Have we missed any of your favourite podcasts? Drop a recommendation in the responses below or reach us on Twitter @innovationbay.