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  • Michael Bakto from Startmate on First Cheque 🚀

Michael Bakto from Startmate on First Cheque 🚀

Bree Fedele from AirTree joins Earning Ears. 👤

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DayOne.FM
April 15, 2024

🎧 New First Cheque Episode 🎧 

First Cheque exists to share some of the most interesting and informative early-stage investing conversations in Australia, and around the world.

This week on First Cheque, one of the most productive operators shares how the best in ANZ do it, and our new Earning Ears episode is packed with tips for quality content creation.

⚙️ Michael Batko from Startmate ⚙️

Investing with the best in ANZ

On the latest episode of the First Cheque podcast, co-hosts Cheryl Mack from Aussie Angels and Maxine Minter from Co Ventures chat with the productivity legend Michael Batko, CEO at Startmate.

Batko began his career in corporate finance and consulting before contributing to the growth of two major Australian marketplaces, MadPaws and Expert360, playing a pivotal role in their $14 million Series B funding round.

After joining as Head of Operations, Batko quickly became CEO of Startmate which is now ANZ’s largest mentor-driven seed community raising ~$3 million from 100+ investors every 6 months. Running for 12 years now, the Startmate portfolio is worth over $2.5 billion with over 250 startups.

For each Startmate cohort, here are hundreds of investors and mentors who pitch in $10,000 and commit to supporting the founders. The investor-founder relationship is an important part of the Startmate operations where many of the new founder applicants are referrals from within their community. Each year the Startmate team reviews over a thousand applications from companies wanting to participate in their programs and in 2023, they ended up making 49 investments.

In addition to being CEO at Startmate, Batko has also created two more startup communities - Puddle Pod for productivity enthusiasts, and Startup Striders for people in startups who like running. A big believer in ‘inbox zero’ and that ‘every problem is usually a communication issue’, Batko shares in this episode what investors should know about how Startmate stays focused and runs a tight ship.

Wondering what it takes to lead the most ambitious seed-stage mentor-driven accelerator in ANZ? Listen and find out on the latest First Cheque episode with Michael Batko being interviewed by co-hosts Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter.

In this episode, Batko’s conversation showcases the evolution of Startmate's investment thesis, the importance of ongoing support for startups, expansion into diverse industries, and Batko's approach to encouraging non-consensus thinking to unlock extraordinary potential.

💸 Latest Episodes on First Cheque 💸

In this episode, Cheryl and Maxine breakdown the complex world of fund of funds, providing listeners with invaluable insights into how everyday Australians are investors, understanding the dynamics of fund growth, and the importance of managerial sophistication in venture capital.

Catch up on the First Cheque interviews with leading investors:

📣 NEW EP: Earning Ears 📣

In the new podcast from Day One, Adam Spencer interviews legendary community leaders sharing stories about how they attract people into their ecosystem, engage audiences in a meaningful way, and keep their attention.

📰 Bree Fedele on Content 📰

Bree Fedele is the Senior Marketing Manager at Airtree, one of the biggest venture capital funds in Australia with over $1.3B under management and over 100+ portfolio startups.

On Earning Ears, Bree explores the expansive world of content marketing while focusing on the importance of delivering value to audiences. Bree has spent the past decade helping big tech companies and brand-new startups to tell great stories and supporting them to translate their ideas into tangible outcomes.

In this discussion, Bree emphasises the importance of understanding your audience and their critical role in crafting effective content. The episode covers a range of content-driven topics, from aligning stakeholders on the role of content to adopting a long-term perspective in content strategies.

Catch up on the Earning Ears interviews with leading community builders:

🎙️ More DayOne.fm Podcasts 🎙️

Want an episode from the archives?

AUS Audio Startup History 📜

The History of the Australian Startup is a 6-part doco and +100 interviews with game-changers who’ve helped shape the Aussie startup community. One of the best resources for startup newbies and experienced professionals.

Building Resilience in Startups 🧠

Learn about the wild startup journey - the ups and the downs - on the Founder’s Fortitude podcast with recent interviews with startup leaders and legends: Alex Zaccaria, Craig Blair, Jodie Imam, Peta Ellis, Yaniv Bernstein, and more.

First Cheque is supported by our wonderful sponsors:

Turo & Scendar

Scendar – Australia’s OG startup accounting firm catering to all stages of your business’ life.

Free 1-hour consultation about your Business’ growth plans and finance needs.

Turo – The world’s largest car-sharing marketplace, and it’s the perfect app for travel.

The booking process is so convenient, you can get the car delivered, and the hosts are super friendly.

Want to hear something specific about startups?