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How Australia’s top start-up incubators performed in 2012 – Page 2 of 2 – StartupSmart

Startmate

 

For the Startmate program, which looks to fast-track budding entrepreneurs into the big time, there’ll be no time to ease into 2013. The year will start with a bang in January, when eight start-ups are welcomed into the Startmate fold for a period of five months.

 

These start-ups have been accepted into the annual Startmate program, which, in addition to $50,000 per start-up, will include two demo days and a two-month stint in Silicon Valley.

 

Startmate obviously devoted much of this year to its 2012 class, which included Happy Inspector, ScriptRock and Ninja Blocks.

 

In March, co-founder Niki Scevak defended Startmate’s decision to advise its 2012 class to become incorporated in the United States rather than Australia.

 

“I completely disagree with comments characterising it as a brain-drain… Incorporating there will simply allow the companies to accept payments from all around the world,” he said.

 

AngelCube

 

Like Startmate, start-up incubator AngelCube was also kept busy this year with its class of 2012, which included Broccol-e-games, Vinspi and Kickfolio.

 

Meanwhile, film rating and review site Goodfil.ms managed to raise some funds following on from its stint in AngelCube’s 2011 program.

 

After announcing the participants for its 2012 class, AngelCube co-founder Andrew Birt told StartupSmart the incubator would be taking a tough-love approach.

 

“[There are] strict milestones that each team must hit each week,” he said.

 

Birt also weighed on in the debate about the lack of female tech entrepreneurs and mentors, admitting more can be done to entice women into the industry.

 

Fishburners

 

In February, co-working space Fishburners launched a new space for start-ups, called EngineRoom, in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst after partnering with the City of Sydney.

 

Then in August, Fishburners extended its sponsorship deal with Optus, ensuring it remains viable for the next three years.

 

“The movement has got a real momentum now and is heading in the right direction. There are some great start-ups that are using Fishburners,” director Peter Bradd said at the time.

 

Just last week, former Fishburners-based start-up Rezdy secured $300,000 from existing investors, adding to a $250,000 round raised earlier.

 

While 2012 was a year of expansion for Fishburners, next year will see Fishburners take a more active role in the start-ups it accommodates, director David Vandenberg told StartupSmart.

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