News Articles for Bill Tai

From multinational private equity firms to sovereign wealth fund-backed groups and a pioneering First Nations venture, the race to build the next generation of digital infrastructure in WA is under way.

Electric aviation company FlyOnE says it has received an eight-figure post-IPO lead investment offer under a binding terms sheet, as it eyes listing in a quiet IPO environment.

Charlie Gunningham looks back at last year's record-breaking West Tech Fest, the longest-running tech festival in the country.

Canva might have been the tech success that got away from Western Australia, but veteran investor Bill Tai believes local startups might benefit from investor fear of missing out again.

Technology and innovation festival West Tech Fest has revealed its headline acts for the week-long program in early December, including Aaron Gershenberg who founded one of Silicon Valley's early venture capital funds.

Three new local funds proposing to focus on early-stage investment are raising expectations.

A new cohort of angel investors has shown support for the state's startup scene by presenting $100,000 to three emerging businesses at this year's West Tech Fest.

'Tis the season for tech, with the annual West Tech Fest filling the calendar from December 6 to 10.

Business must be good if your company name becomes a verb, as it has with Zoom.

West Tech Fest showcases WA's wide range of talent, ideas and successes in an increasingly competitive market.

Before the business she co-founded attained its $1billion ‘unicorn' valuation, Melanie Perkins hit a point where she thought she had failed her co-founders.

West Tech Fest, WA's premier innovation festival, returns to Perth with a series of programs covering all aspects of technology.

Perth-founded online design company Canva has raised $US40 million ($50 million) from private investors as it continues to expand on a global scale.

Curtin University's West Tech Fest attracted tech innovators, investors and entrepreneurs from across the country to Perth last week, including Adelaide-based visitor management system Sine, which won the West Tech Startup Challenge.

Now in its sixth year, the annual OzApp Awards concluded last night announcing the 2016 winner as Townsville-based Safety Culture, selected from five grand finalists which included Perth-based Formalytics, Melbourne's Law Advisor and Reword, and Shippit (Sydney).

Perth-founded online design company Canva has raised $US15 million ($20.8 million) from venture capital investors and Hollywood stars in a deal that values the business at $US165 million.

The call is clear – government and angel investors need to do more to help startup businesses.

Australia is at significant risk of a digital ‘invasion' by overseas tech companies keen to disrupt the economic status quo.

Several local startups have broadened their horizons in the search for funds.

Perth is a hotbed of IT and business talent, and there's no shortage of courses and events to connect ideas with outcomes.

A team from Queensland has taken out the third OzApp awards held in Peth yesterday.

Prominent players in WA's innovation sector acknowledge the need for start-ups to be sustainable, but have urged continued state support.

In 2007, Melanie Perkins had a big idea and a dream to take it to the world.

Perth's entrepreneurial community needs a success story if it's to secure venture capital, particularly from major players overseas.

WHAT makes a group of venture capital investors from California travel halfway around the globe to a mining town in their search for technology opportunities?