This is a collection of news for the week so far, published every Thursday morning. If you have any news you would like to see here, use our contact form.

Local start-up taps into Google ad campaign

Tapit signs a deal with Google to promote Google Play in this article in the Australian.

Discretionary grant programs on hold, concern about startup components

According to this article in StartUp Smart, the federal government has put a hold on all discretionary grant programs, including Commercialisation Australia grants.

30,000 extra businesses could benefit from private equity and VC with a few changes to the system

An article in StartupSmart discusses a report by the capital peak body Australian Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL) and the potential funding benefits to be had

More ‘seniorpreneurs’ please

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald argues that we need to encourage people over 50 years to start more business to actually grow rather than being just a lifestyle choice.

Myself I think we need to make it possible for people of any age to run their own business if they want to. We should not artificially impose restrictions on why they want to run the business – the trick is to create an environment that gives the businesses the best opportunities to grow – this requires a reduction in red tape, rewarding innovation and R&D and reduced small business taxation. A lot of change I know, but the system we currently have is not truly helping.

Glasses seller makes customer the designer with 3D printing

Can’t get the exactly right shade of brown for your glasses? Well a Sydney startup called Sneaking Duck can make that possible via 3D printing. See the article in Computer World for more details.

Australian startups need our support: CBA CIO Michael Harte

CBA CIO Michael Harte, speaking at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) event in Sydney, argues that Australian-based startups struggle to remain sustainable due to a lack of support from the federal government.  An article in TechWorld, covers this in detail.

Personally, we need to learn from what other countries do, namely USA, Singapore & Israel and stop taxing startups to the hilt before they have laid the golden egg. The environment should be so set up to reward small businesses growing into larger businesses and stop treating them as an easy touch for taxation revenue.

Thursday Morning Funny..

If you are an engineer and have ever been involved in a ‘management by committee’ type project, you will instantly relate to the video below.. Enjoy!