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From launching a startup in the ‘90s to shaping Australia’s venture capital landscape—Niki Scevak’s journey is a testament to vision, resilience, and the power of community. 🚀

In this episode, the Co-founder of Blackbird Ventures and Startmate joins me to talk about building a world-class startup ecosystem, the evolution of Australia’s tech scene, and what founders need to know about raising capital.

In today's episode, we cover:

✅ Early entrepreneurial ventures – How Niki’s first startup, a bookmark-sharing service, got acquired in the early days of the internet boom.

✅ Lessons from failure & success – What he learned from launching multiple ventures before pivoting to the investment side of startups.

✅ The birth of Startmate – Why Australia needed an accelerator, how Startmate helps early-stage founders and the traits that make a great startup leader.

✅ Scaling Blackbird Ventures – How Blackbird grew from an ambitious idea to billions of dollars under management and backing the likes of Canva, Safety Culture, Culture Amp and many other global success stories.

✅ Startup fundraising & investment – What founders need to know about venture capital, common pitfalls in pitching, and why clarity of vision is crucial.

✅ Building a strong startup ecosystem – Why ‘lighthouse companies’ matter, how a thriving tech scene fuels future entrepreneurship, and what’s next for Australian startups.

Niki also shares his insights on hiring, the role of resilience in startup success, and the advice he gives to founders navigating their first fundraise.

Resources & Links:

👋 Niki Scevak: linkedin.com/in/niki-scevak👋 Harry Uffindell: linkedin.com/in/harrisonuffindell📌 Learn more at blackbird.vc📌 Explore career opportunities at blackbird.vc/careers🎧 Apple Podcasts🎧 Spotify

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