StartupWA has announced the appointment of five new directors to its board, along with a new Chair to lead the organisation.
StartupWA is the peak body for startups in Western Australia and among other things, advocates for the growth of the industry in the state. Membership is free so head over and join them.
Joining the StartupWA leadership team are Charlie Gunningham, Hayley Boneham, Matthew Larner, Paul Robinson, and Kate Spenser. These accomplished leaders from the startup ecosystem bring extensive expertise and networks across the wider startup ecosystem, from government to capital markets and the technology sector, furthering StartupWA’s mission to support and advocate for the region’s rapidly growing startup community.
The new directors will succeed Jason Balchand, who steps down after four years on the board, including three years as Chair, and Kay Solanki, who has also served diligently for four years. Charlie Gunningham will be taking over the reins as Chair of StartupWA.
Charlie Gunningham told Startup News, “It’s a real honour to join the StartupWA board as Chair and help lead the organisation. I’ve been in the startup sector, in various roles as founder, investor, mentor, media and government, so it’s given me 25 years of experience and perspective.”
“I look forward to advocating for the sector, which is so important for the future of our local economy and one of the best providers of new and interesting companies and jobs.”
“I would also like to applaud the work of outgoing Chair Jason Balchand for his stewardship and hard work, and also to Kay Solanki, who have both given years of service to the organization, on top of the daytime roles in their own companies.”
Outgoing Chair, Jason Balchand said “StartupWA has achieved so much over the last four years and it’s been greatly rewarding to be a part of an ecosystem that has grown so much in such a short period of time. Being able to hand the reins over to such a strong and passionate team, led by one of the most well-known and respected voices in the ecosystem — Charlie Gunningham — gives a lot of confidence that the next four years will see even stronger advocacy across all areas, new initiatives, and that can only be a positive for WA startups.”
The new board members join the current team of Patrick Jodas, Dr Jo Hawkins, Josh Van Ross, and Lacey Filipich in supporting a broad community of early-stage technology companies, investors, accelerator programs, and technology hubs, playing a central role in advocating for policies and initiatives that drive growth and sustainability in the sector.
