In this episode, we sat down with Australian investor and entrepreneur Steve Baxter to explore his journey from serving in the Australian Army through starting and growing his own tech businesses, and becoming a successful investor in innovative tech. Recently, he's focused on Defence technology with The Beaten Zone Venture Partners with the aim of driving growth in Australian companies.

In our discussion, Steve shares his unvarnished advice on the challenges of the Defence sector, the importance of energy and manufacturing in Australia, and also some more general advice on pitching, building a company and hiring the right people.

Takeaways:

• Steve Baxter transitioned from military service to entrepreneurship, starting with founding a dial-up ISP while in the Army.
• He discussed the 'chasm of death' that often stalls defence innovation.
• The BeatonZone, his investment focus, supports early-stage defence tech startups.
• Australia’s defence budget needs to grow to support innovation and industry competitiveness.
• High energy costs are a significant challenge for Australian manufacturing.
• Effective pitches require understanding your audience and highlighting profitability.
• A strong team is essential for startup success.
• Australian startups in defence tech have enormous potential for growth.
• Profitability and focus are critical for attracting investment and long-term success.

Steve's team can be contacted via email at [email protected] or to find out more check out their website and follow them on LinkedIn https://www.beatenzone.vc