Shark Tank’s Steve Baxter criticises Qld Govt policy mess
Savvy tech investor Steve Baxter says he felt like “window dressing” in an epic spray at the recent “policy mess” when it comes to startups.
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SHARK BITE
Savvy tech investor Steve Baxter has unloaded a bucket of criticism at the way Queensland encourages start up business and entices venture capital.
Baxter, the former Shark Tank star and the state’s one-time Chief Entrepreneur, lobbed his epic spray on LinkedIn this week, labelling much the government’s efforts “a policy mess’’.
His take-down comes just days after the government abruptly reversed itself, deciding to keep the chief entrepreneur’s role, which is now vacant as the search for a new candidate gets under way.
“It is clear to me that the current Queensland Government has turned its back on any pretence that it can help tech start-ups,’’ Baxter wrote.
“At a recent investment round table with the Treasurer I was the only non-traditional business representative there bar one space industry person…High tech, high growth, global potential is a concept that has passed this government by.’’
“The moderator dropped my name and innovation in the same breath, I felt like window dressing, jeans and black startup t-shirt there to help give the meeting some edginess!
“The best thing government can do for all business is to get out of the way, through big hearts their efforts to help are usually a wet blanket of bland policy and picking winners backed by a public service out to ensure that nothing really changes too fast!
“Until they understand that what all business need is actual policy consistency and to see something through then I spy many more empty round tables in the future.”
It wasn’t all negative.
He said the office, launched in 2016 with former Blue Sky Alternative Investments boss Mark Sowerby in the inaugural role, “has done a lot of good’’.
But he still laments the lack of private equity funds with more than $20m and connectivity issues impacting regional areas.
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