For anyone starting a business, there’s always challenges ahead. However tech based startups face perhaps even more challenges. This week, SOE looks at the startup culture and some of the options open to them through services known as “Incubators”. An incubator is a safe place to take your startup to the next level, make use of co-working facilities but also access expert advice and business management skills. Incubators will help you to scale your business and help it grow into a viable concern. SOE features Melbourne based incubator YBF Ventures (formerly York Butter Factory), located in the CBD of Melbourne, Australia. Chief of staff Jason Lim explains in detail what they offer and who they help. Right now, hardware startups in Australia face considerable challenges as there aren’t many (if any) incubators with in-house prototyping facilities and services in Australia. YBF Ventures provides access to experts as needed by bringing them in through their huge list of connections, however as Jason Lim explained, “Watch this space”! For more about YBF's programs, including startup bootcamp and more visit http://ybfventures.com

SOE also asks “when should this incubation begin?” Through HardworX tour participant, Liam Brennan, we visit Box Hill High School in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, to see that his school has a focus on engineering and maker spaces. Equipped with an engineering faculty no less with lathes, mills, soldering stations and 3D printers, the school fosters early incubation of ideas and practical knowhow. We ask, should these maker spacers feed into university degrees and incubators as part of a cultivated career path? Should government help by providing access to more maker spaces at schools and in the community at large?

The tour also participated in an Austrade event held in Shenzhen on one of the nights. Austrade is an Australian government led initiative which helps startups land in 5 key market areas including Singapore, Berlin, Tel Aviv, San Fransisco and Shanghai. This event provided for some interesting presentations including one from a Sydney based company called Eora 3D. CEO Rahul Koduri gave an engaging speech about his experience developing their product and then through Austrade, successfully landed in China to manufacture their product on mass. The 3D scanner they have invented is fascinating and well worth checking out here: https://eora3d.com

More about Austrade can be gained by visiting https://www.austrade.gov.au
and for the landing pad program: https://www.australiaunlimited.com/La...

The role of government was hotly debated on the last episode. SOE isn’t in the business of being political but rather more concerned with education. In this episode, the role of government and the tech sector is discussed in more detail and points out that different cultures have different degrees of success and failure. Some argue that any involvement, so long as its not “you can’t do that” is OK from government. Others prefer a more background approach where experts and experienced companies like YBF Ventures are given opportunities to develop strategies in providing the needed services to improve the startup culture. For sure people will have opinions on this. Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments below but do not denigrate our efforts in providing this information to you. Each opinion will be steeped in the culture in which its based and it isn't alway obvious to others how that effects individuals.

For more about HardworX visit https://www.hardworx.io
For more about this series visit https://www.stateofelectronics.com
For more about Jon Oxer visit https://www.superhouse.tv
For more about Tom Partridge visit https://www.tectonica.net

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NOTE on "comment" policy: Please understand that this video neither condones nor comments on reputation, labour practices, and other standards, in particular relating to safety. It is intended for educational purposes only, allowing you the viewer to participate in our tour. The company has kindly opened its doors to us and allowed us to come and see what they can do in a free and open manner. State of Electronics respects this and asks that you do so to. This video has no sponsorship or other influences from the company highlighted. The comments made by participants are the result of this personal tour and their personal opinions on what they witnessed and understood. However, State of Electronics does understand that some of it's viewers will have concerns about standards. Please do not post comments relating to your opinions on safety or other labour practices to this video as they vary greatly from country to country and subsequently will be deleted. Express your views in your own video, using your own footage, and put your name to it to make it count. Thank you for your understanding.