Open the Pod Bay Doors E14 - Niki Scevak, Blackbird
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Aug 30, 2017 Niki Scevak, founder of Startmate and partner at VC Blackbird, dives deep into Australia's startup landscape. He shares insights on the evolution of investment, especially in autonomous technologies and space, emphasizing the shift from traditional automotive models to innovative solutions. Niki reflects on the early challenges of the startup ecosystem and highlights the importance of community collaboration. He also discusses the pivotal role of emerging technologies like LiDAR in self-driving cars and the aspiration of local startups in a global context.
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Perceived Risk Falls With Tech Leverage
- What looks risky can be low-risk if recent tech reduces cost and time to product.
- Cheap compute, deep learning, and off-the-shelf components let startups hit big milestones quickly.
Backing Cheaper LiDAR From Sydney
- Fund two backed Baraja, a Sydney LiDAR company using telecom laser tech to cut LiDAR cost.
- They moved from Velodyne-style expensive sensors toward manufacturable, cheap LiDAR for vehicle autonomy.
Plan For 20–23 Portfolio Companies
- Expect each Blackbird fund to hold about 20–23 companies and invest across multiple rounds.
- Plan fund cycles roughly every 2.5–3 years to maintain pace with deal flow.
