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Overview

	VentureNext is an Adelaide-based company with strong links in global technology and venture capital markets. We have extensive experience in a range of business development activities and technologies ranging from physics through electronic engineering, medicine, nuclear and life sciences. We get a lot of satisfaction mentoring startups and helping people unlock their own success. Often the people we help know most of the core information they need to chart the right course. We just facilitate their critical thinking process and guide them based on our experience and networks. Our strengths lie in strategic analysis and planning. We specialise in startup company development, coaching and guiding the entrepreneur in building value and provision of interim management. As founders and investors in many of our own companies, our associates uniquely understand how to build and grow early stage businesses to reach a target destination, be that long-term ownership, trade sale or IPO. VentureNext operates as an angel investor in some cases, but with the benefits of an international investor and business network. We have access to angel networks across the US, Asia and the Middle East. Whatever your market may be, we are sure to have access to investors with links into those markets. Let us serve as your trusted advisor or interim management by combining investor dollars with bright and experienced minds.
Question Everything

	A scientific or engineering background is a wonderful asset. Critical thinking is invaluable. So too is the pragmatism that comes from plain old common sense, something sadly lacking at times. Combine these two and you have the capacity to define your own future. Business schools teach you to think in terms of structured process-driven objectives. While there is definitely a place for that, questioning everything, thinking laterally and being nimble are essential elements in any startup. Sadly, science and engineering courses seldom provide insight into how to take your idea and turn it into a profitable business. With a little guidance from a mentor, the critical thinker is perhaps best placed to nurture an idea through to becoming a successful business.
Be prepared to take a risk

	My background is experimental physics. That has been used in the development of industrial and medical laser systems, designing telecommunications and electronic test equipment, leading medical software development teams and in spare time, building hifi equipment. Having no business experience straight out of university, I knew nothing of business plans, profit and loss statements or negotiation but I never gave it a second thought. Two decades ago, while working as a Guest Scientist at a German University, I took my first step into the entrepreneurial world, albeit in ignorance. I was alone in a foreign country and knew only the scientist who had invited me to the university. The unmet need? A personal one. I had no access to a quality hifi system and I desperately missed my music. The internet was new so I contacted all of the hifi shops within 100km and asked if they wanted a website. To my surprise, one of them responded to my cold call. I offered to build them a website in return for hifi equipment and they took me up on the offer. At the time, it didn't occur to me that I was jumping into an entrepreneurial activity. I just wanted a hifi system and I couldn't afford to buy one for the year that I was overseas. I wasn't thinking in terms of unmet need (mine or the hifi shops'), product offerings, market development... I just wanted to listen to music. The funny thing was that it never occurred to me that I knew nothing about html. I just went to the university libraray, borrowed a book and got to work on the website. It was a simple, early website, but the hifi shop loved it and I got to enjoy music again. All too often we overthink the issue and find reasons not to do something. Fear of failure is about your perception of the world, which is more often than not disconnected from reality. You think that bad things will happen if you fail, but in reality, disappointment is likely the worst case scenario. You have to let go of the fear of failure. Take a risk. Have a go. It never occurred to me that I knew nothing about html or websites when I sent out those letters to the German hifi shops. At first, I didn't think anyone would respond, but when they did, I just got on with learning what I needed to know. I believe that nothing is impossible if you throw enough enthusiasm at a problem. Having a big pot of money helps... and we can facilitate that part too.