Startup Everythere + Vocus Upstart
In January I wrote about the Everythere app, how it started and what were my objectives. If it was TLDR; (too long, didn’t read) then in a nutshell it was to be the ambassador app of Apps People and evidence of the quality my team can infuse into a mobile app product, its design and development.
6 months on and Everythere has been awarded the Silver Award at the Design 100 Awards for Travel, 2nd place to the Singapore Airlines in-flight app. Announced end of last week Everythere has now been accepted into the Vocus Upstart accelerator program and awarded a $40k investment.
Vocus Upstart is in its second year and applications were received from around the world with only 7 lucky startups selected. Other than the cash injection, there will be mentoring from some of the country’s most respected start-up names. Including Stephen Baxter, who I met during the 2013 Oz App Awards – a successful IT entrepreneur who can be seen weekly on Channel Ten’s Shark Tank. Charlie Gunningham will be another mentor, he’s had a remarkable journey as both an entrepreneur and now CEO of WA Business News.
A mixed-bag of 32 mentors, covering a variety of different businesses and industries will work with Everythere over a 3-month period. Being part of Vocus Upstart for me is about networking, advice, exposure and finding the right contacts who can help me drive the app to a global market. It is also another part of the puzzle that will help my own Apps People team steer our clients’ startups in a positive and meaningful direction.
I look forward to working with the other 6 founders and 32 mentors during Vocus Upstart and really hope that accelerator programmes like this will help dig out an easy-access pathway to Silicon Valley and international success.
