Australia’s are great consumers of technology, but how do we become the creators of it? As a nation of only 22 million people, becoming a nation of creators - of innovators - will greatly help the future of Australian jobs, education and our economy.
Last week close to 50 members of Australia’s tech startup community got together to work out how we can ensure our country has a vibrant tech ecosystem. Dubbed #startupAUS, everything was on the table as we shared stories about the challenges and opportunities of becoming a tech entrepreneurs in our country.
We heard from Freelancer.com and Shoes of Prey about how difficult it is to find enough computer engineers with the right skills to help grow their businesses. While Google may have more resources to ensure we’re attracting the best and brightest that our universities produce, we also understand it’s a numbers game. Local graduates in computer science have shrunk significantly over the last decade and we all agreed that it’s a national imperative to fix this. On a practical level, this means giving more high school students the opportunity to learn computer science at an earlier age and that teachers are supported. Those at the summit put in a lot of time working out how.
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| Participants of the #startUpAUS summit |
As part of our efforts, we recently commissioned PwC to help paint a picture of Australia tech startup scene. It’s a tough and ambitious task in such a fast moving and new industry, but they’ve begun mapping existing Aussie startups and are looking into the ingredients needed for a vibrant ecosystem. This data will be used to help the group’s other areas of focus on boosting awareness of the tech sector, and helping to improve the environment for startups.
In one sense #startupAUS is itself a startup. And as with any new venture, there’s lots of ideas, energy and aspiration. For me, the real test will occur when a high school student has that “what do you want to be when you grow up” conversation with his or her parents. My idea of success: instead of being told to be a doctor or a lawyer, parents will ask, “have you ever considered a career in computer science?”.
Alan Noble, Engineering Director, Google Australia & New Zealand
