Simon Horne
Founder
Simon has extensive international startup experience. He holds a STEM degree (Engineering) and an MBA (New Venture M’gment) with more then 15 years’ post graduate startup experience, having started businesses in Asia (Singapore) and then later in the US in the area of IP Communication. Being one of the early pioneers in the area of VoIP and Video Conferencing, Simon was a Singapore and Australian delegate to the UN on telecommunications (ITU) where he authored a number of international standards and patents in IP Communication.
In 2009, Simon was recruited to assist two interns at a Silicon Valley Venture Capital firm conceptualise and commercialise a business idea. That idea, bluejeans.com went from just an idea to a US$1B business in 5 years. It has gone on to raise USD$175M and now has over 600 employees.
Simon is an advocate for people with disabilities, regional economic development and a chair of a domestic violence charity. He sit on a number of startup boards and is a active mentor/angel investor with the Brisbane Angels Group.
Mike Avey
Chairman
Mike is managing director of the business advisory company, Pachira Capital, an active member of Brisbane Angels Group and an adviser to CapitalPitch.
Mike has over 40 years’ experience in business management and commercialisation of innovations across a range of industries, including: micro-electronics; IT; communications; publishing; boat building; surveying and mineral exploration software; and alternative energy.
Mike’s start up experience includes being founder, manager, and investor in numerous ventures, he is currently CEO of a soon-to-be-launched start-up and sits on the advisory panel of two early-stage companies.
Mike also has experience as both Executive and Non-Executive Director and as Chairman of two unlisted public companies and has managed mergers and acquisitions and the listing of a foreign company on an Australian stock exchange.
Instructors
Keith Davidson
Micheal Rodgers-Bell