Meet PractiFI, the Sydney startup crowned by Pip Marlow, Steve Baxter and Annie Parker at Salesforce’s World Tour – SmartCompany

A Sydney startup combining finance, regulation and insurance technology has won the crown at Salesforce’s inaugural PitchComp Down Under this month. PractiFI went head-to-head with communications service Zipline and fundraising platform Get Bennie in the competition, which was judged by former Microsoft managing director for Australia and New Zealand Pip Marlow, tech entrepreneur and Shark Tank …

Queensland government opens new startup precinct in Fortitude Valley – Startup Daily

The Queensland government has this week opened its largest startup precinct in Fortitude Valley’s TC Beirne building, a place for entrepreneurs and investors to “collaborate, collide, succeed and shine”. Dubbed ‘The Precinct’, Leeanne Enoch, Queensland’s Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy, said at the launch that the space is intended to draw an influx of startups to Queensland to position the state as a rich investment hub.

Silicon and sunshine as Brisbane tries to assert itself as Australia’s tech hub

Mark Sowerby wants you to think of Brisbane as a petri dish. If he has his way, the founder of Blue Sky Alternative Investments – who has taken on the mantle of the state government-appointed Queensland Chief Entrepreneur for a year – we’ll all be looking at successful tech companies in 10 years’ time and marvelling that they all had their start in the Sunshine State.

Refugee entrepreneurs can provide significant economic benefits to Australia, report finds – Startup Daily

As Australia continues to house thousands of asylum seekers in offshore processing camps, a report examining the existing and potential contribution of refugee entrepreneurs to the nation’s economy and society has determined that, with the right support, refugee entrepreneurs provide significant economic benefits to Australia.

Mareeba ladies make North Queensland proud

AN unabashed “woo hoo” was heard from the crowd after the announcer made comment two of the three Queensland Rural Women’s Awards finalists were from the far north. Tracey Beikoff and Jessica Fealy represented Mareeba at the ritzy awards ceremony, held at Old Government House in Brisbane recently.