A NSW Government website

Meet the Founders

This series showcases some of the talented and inspirational founders that make up our innovation ecosystem in NSW. Season one focuses on residents of the Sydney Startup Hub.

Season 1

Listen as they share how residing at the Sydney Startup Hub has impacted the trajectory of their startup, and the growth opportunities that have emerged through the connections and opportunities they gained as part of the community.

From proptech, fintech and media tech through to cyber security and SaaS solutions, the Sydney Startup Hub is building an entrepreneurial community where startups can thrive and grow.

Blind Chihuahua

Read transcript of the 'Blind Chihuahua' video

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Hi everyone, I'm Carol, part of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems team here at Sydney Startup Hub, and I'm delighted to be here today with Paula, who's the founder of Blind Chihuahua. Paula, tell us a little bit about your startup.

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua Blind Chihuahua started as a live-streaming company for concerts and gigs in Australia, and then I thought, well, how do we actually bring the audience in so that they feel like they're part of it and they are actually part of it so that they're in the show. About six months ago, that kind of became the metaverse. So unbeknown to us, we were participants in that whole ecosystem and it's kind of grown from there. I had no idea about startups, and I came into an accelerator and that taught me some of the startup fundamentals and pitching and fundraising. And because I was the regional founder, I was opening this downstairs on level one, the Regional Startup Landing Pad.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Yep.

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua Now I have three of my team here and we're here every day.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW How has it impacted you and maybe your team?

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua They actually said to me they feel much more like a professional team rather than somebody that's doing it as a hobby from their bedroom.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Have you found a cohort of other women here at the Hub to kind of even support you or offer advice or their perspective?

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua It's a lot different when you dig a little further on in the journey to start something completely new where you have no idea of what you're doing. And there are a lot of women led companies in this building who are not 18. And I think that's really important to be able to see your peers be successful.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW What's coming up for the next six months?

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua I have no idea and it could be anything. But the thing is, is that now I feel like it doesn't matter what those things might be, that that we can do it.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW We want to see more women like yourselves leading startups, inspiring the next generation of founders to go, I can do it too. So, I really appreciate you sharing your story with us today.

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua My pleasure.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Innovation Hubs and Community, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Thanks, Paula.

Paula Jones, Blind Chihuahua Thank you.

Coredo

Read transcript of the 'Coredo' video

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Hi everyone, I’m Carol and I’m part of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems team which is a part of Investment NSW. I’m here today at the Sydney Startup Hub today talking to one of our talented Founders who makes up our community. Say hello to Joona. Joona, you’re’ the founder of Coredo – tell us a bit about your startup Journey.

Joona Puhakka, Coredo We're a software development Agency company so we're really solving the problem of building all this digital space and world that we live in and we're helping founders to do it better.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW How long have you been based here at the Sydney Startup Hub?

Joona Puhakka, Coredo For past three months and I just moved to the country and now expanding our business here in Sydney.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW How has the hub helped you kind of land and expand shall we say?

Joona Puhakka, Coredo Well I'd be sitting by myself somewhere in the corner so this is massive. To be honest entrepreneurs are kind of its own unique breed, so it's difficult to find people who go so passionately about something unknown and share experiences.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW What made you decide the Startup Hub opposed to any other co-working space?

Joona Puhakka, Coredo Well it's the whole approach to a community and I know every place is working on the community, but I'm actually getting help out here. Coredo is based out of Finland initially and we have similar concept in Helsinki, Finland, but it's not this good. You're doing better job and like I said I feel like I'm getting help.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW What are your goals for the next 12 months?

Joona Puhakka, Coredo I'm excited I think it's the city is big and full of possibilities. I want to grow fast so we want to hire more local people here.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW You've heard that - looking for talent.

Joona Puhakka, Coredo Looking for talent - I'm fighting for it like everyone else.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Thank you so much for sharing your story with us today and I hope you continue to find value in being a part of our Sydney Startup Hub.

Joona Puhakka, Coredo Thanks for having me.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Thanks so much.

PropHero

Read transcript of the 'PropHero' video

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Hi everyone, I’m Carol and I’m part of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems team, part of Investment NSW. I’m here today at the Sydney Startup Hub with one of our amazing founders, Pablo who’s the co-founder of PropHero. Tell us a little bit about PropHero.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero So at PropHero we are digitising the property investment journey. So, our vision is why can you buy Amazon shares from your phone, but you can't buy property anywhere in the world.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW That's quite an ambitious problem to be solving and a good market to be doing it in.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero We are very data backed like that's where Michael, my business partner, comes from. He has a double degree mathematician, like super bright guy. I strongly believe that ideas are worth 10, 15%.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Anyone can have an idea.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Yes, it's just how you execute it and I think that's where both Michael and I have excelled on bringing the best talent to the team. We recently celebrated our first-year anniversary here.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Congratulations and you've been at the Sydney Startup Hub since the beginning.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Since the beginning, yes.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Have you received any kind of government assistance?

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Yes, we got the MVP grant which was great. It really helps a lot, especially with the tech resources being so expensive. It definitely helps a lot. You get also from the community, like if you're missing on something you will share or they will say “hey have you applied for this?”, then you investigate a bit more.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Tell us a little bit about some accolades you've recently won.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Yes, we won the Prop Tech Startup of the Year.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW Congratulations!

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Yes, helps us building a lot of trust for our clients.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW We look forward to looking at where PropHero is in 12 months’ time.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Thank you very much. Just one last piece of advice, I mean it's a tough journey as I mentioned before. Like you have to be ready and committed to not have a vacation or being paid nothing. There's a lot to it but I mean it fulfills you a lot.

Carol Friel, Associate Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, Investment NSW That’s great, thank you very much.

Pablo Gil Brusola, PropHero Awesome, thank you.