A couple of other observations:
1. This emergence is a very, very good thing. I’ve been doing stuff since the ’90′s and you are quite correct that even in Sydney it can be an isolated path. Mid-90′s I had a Lotus Notes practice and they developed a community around the partner program – that was close to a “user group” but had a mix of bootstrappers as well.

2. oz entrepreneurs are often head-down-bum-up trying to figure out how to survive. As technologist we first think of solution/product first and networking second. Its a Maslow thing!

3. In the bay area there are LOADS of events and supportive connections – walk into a cafe on Ramona or Univ in Palo Alto and basically every table has ppl cooking a business/idea. The eco-system has seen enough success to perpetuate helping each other. Oz could learn a lot about this pay-it-forward culture. Don’t get me wrong, its not purely altruistic – there is self-interest as well

4. Based on point #2 – I would love to see some meta-activism. We really need to push forward on getting Commercial Ready re-instated or something similar. I have been super impressed with #nocleanfeed campaign on twitter and (IMHO) entrepreneurs need to take similar action in regard to the grant system in oz. In the absence of a robust VC environment in oz the grant system was a critical contributor to innovation – it is completely perplexing that it was removed. I am no activist (yep Maslow again) but I would happily be part of a working group of siliconbeachers who also feel this is important. It does not need to be today – but we should get on it.

regards
David

We’ve been out of the country for a while, but we’ll be at StartupCamp in full force We’re back in Sydney on the 10th. Brian Menzies has done most of the organization, but don’t you worry, I’ll be running around like a madman making sure everyone stays on schedule!

This time it’s held at:

ATP Innovations
Suite 145, Level 1, National Innovation Centre
Australian Technology Park
Eveleigh NSW 1430

See you there!

Bart

This came across as really poinent to me…

“being an entrepreneur is a lonely existence… we’re kinda busy a lot of the time… and… the things that we care about – investment, scaling, staff, company structures, marketing and so many more topics – isn’t really pub conversation”

Throwing yourself at a company/startup takes all your focus and attention – and if it doesnt, your doing it wrong.

When you do stop “working” to see friends and family etc, it can feel like you have nothing to talk about because all that has been on your mind for as long as you can remember are startup/company topics.

Finding a community of fellow founders who can relate to these thoughts/issues/discussions and also add value and cross-polinate new ideas and experience into your own, turns out not only to take away that “lonely” experience of startupland but alse create something of significant value…

Great post Geoff, and Thumbs up to SiliconBeach