Spike Innovation is a specialist consulting firm that provides strategic advice to supporters of entrepreneurs and startup ecosystems – including incubators, universities and government agencies.
We also have a deep knowledge of startup and innovation best practice, and work with founders of high-growth, innovation-based businesses and innovative corporates to help them accelerate their growth and succeed globally.
What we do
Startup ecosystem
Expert strategic advice on how to grow startup ecosystems, including program design and implementation
Entrepreneur training
Practical training for entrepreneurs and intra-preneurs based on lean startup principles
Corporate innovation
Guidance and program delivery for organisations seeking to benefit from disruptive innovation
Speaking
An informed and engaging speaker on disruptive innovation, startups and the impact of entrepreneurship
organisations we have worked with
Startup ecosystem
StartupAUS
Authored the Crossroads report in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and supported StartupAUS in bringing about a major shift in the approach taken by federal and state governments to supporting startups
Government of South Australia
Advised on strategies for increasing the impact of South Australia's universities in producing and training high-impact entrepreneurs
City of Sydney
Advised on the City of Sydney's Tech Startups Action Plan, a plan designed to build on Sydney's position as Australia's most vibrant startup city
Lend Lease
Advised on the bid led by Lend Lease and Google for development of the White Bay innovation district in Sydney
Australia's Chief Scientist
Commissioned to research and author a major report on the role of universities in producing and training high-impact entrepreneurs, and to make recommendations for improving the quality of entrepreneurship programs in Australian universities. Download report.
Victorian Government
Engaged along with SGS Economics to conduct an analysis of the startup ecosystem in the Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster. Culminated in recommendations to enhance to expand the programs available to support startups in the region.
Entrepreneur training
Startup Onramp
A practical 12-week training program for aspiring startup founders. www.startuponramp.com
Advance
Delivered investor-readiness coaching to companies selected to take part in the Advance Innovation Silicon Valley trade mission
UTS
Delivered startup training workshops to Sydney-based entrepreneurs covering lean startup, validation and customer development
Program design and implementation
Startup Catalyst
Designed and project managed Startup Catalyst, an annual ten-day Silicon Valley immersion trip for some of Australia's most promising young entrepreneurs
Brisbane Marketing
Designed and implemented startup ecosystem programs as part of the city's Digital Strategy, including launch of CoderDojo Brisbane, Visiting Entrepreneurs Program and Lord Mayor's Budding Entrereneur grants
QUT Creative Enterprise Australia
Designed and manage the CEA Startup Fund, a seed-stage venture fund that invests in tech startups in the creative industries
Corporate innovation
RACQ
Advised on internal innovation programs for RACQ, an innovation-driven company and Queensland's largest club
Queensland Urban Utilities
Delivered internal innovation training to the Urban Utilities leadership team
testimonials
"Colin has a depth of understanding on the issues surrounding entrepreneurship and innovation that far surpasses most in the Australian community."
- Steve Baxter Founder, River City Labs and Shark on Channel Ten's Shark Tank
"I have worked closely with Colin on a range of startup-related projects over the last five years. Colin has a deep understanding of the startup space and is a valuable source of expert guidance to startup founders."
- Amanda Price Senior Vice-President, Advance Innovation
"Colin was incredibly valuable in helping RACQ to develop and deliver its corporate innovation program. He led us through the principles of innovation and provided practical and relevant training that was applicable to our business. I’d certainly recommend working with Colin and Spike Innovation to build an innovation strategy, develop, test and execute ideas, and develop a culture of innovation!"
- Ali Francis Group Strategy Manager, RACQ
"Colin authored the Crossroads report for StartupAUS in 2014 and 2015. It has become the seminal text on the subject of innovation policy in Australia, and heavily influenced the Prime Minister's $1.1 billion Innovation Statement in 2015."
- Peter Bradd Chairman and Founding Director, StartupAUS; Founding Director, Fishburners
"Colin did a masterful job as author of the Crossroads report. In addition to being knowledgeable about international entrepreneurship programs, Colin understands how ecosystems need to be constructed to foster the creation and development of startups."
- Dr Jana Matthews ANZ Chair in Business Growth; Director, Centre for Business Growth, UniSA Business School
"Colin is passionate about helping startups and technology companies scale their businesses. He has a detailed knowledge of the Australian startup ecosystem and has identified viable and timely strategies to help grow the impact of startups in Australia."
- Wayne Gerard Co-founder & CEO RedEye
"Colin's report "Boosting High Impact Entrepreneurship in Australia" is a timely and important guide to creating an entrepreneurial future for Australia. Built on a deep understanding of the Australian entrepreneurial ecosystem it is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of entrepreneurship and how to shape it."
- Rufus Black Director, Wade Institute for Entrepreneurship, University of Melbourne
"Colin's keynote presentation on disruptive innovation was inspiring and thought provoking. It received outstanding feedback from our members and has certainly got them thinking differently."
- Matthew Traynor Queensland State Executive Officer, Australian Council for Private Education and Training
"Colin is an inspirational member of the startup community. His passion, experience and knowledge of the startup world have had a positive and far-reaching effect on the startup journeys of QUT students."
- Tim Hui Vice President, QUT Starters (student entrepreneurship club)
IN the Media
Unis must discover, encourage students’ entrepreneurial smarts
Atilla Brungs, opinion piece in The Australian
“Every young person in the 1980s wanted to be a rock star and today young people want to be entrepreneurs.” More. . .
Import mentors to boost startups
Ethan James, The Australian
"We are geographically isolated from major markets, and despite having some world-class startups we still see many first-time founders learning by trial and error," Spike Innovation Director and report author, Colin Kinner said. More. . .
Educating the next crop of Australian entrepreneurs
Colin Kinner, opinion piece in The Australian
Australia needs to become known as an entrepreneurial country, not a lucky one. We have enjoyed decades of prosperity by digging natural resources out of the ground, but these days most Australians understand that our good fortune cannot go on forever and that we must start investing in the creation of technology-based industries. More. . .
Shake-up of university funding and teaching recommended to kick start innovation in Australia
Interview with Lucy Carter, ABC News
Colin Kinner from startup consulting firm Spike Innovation says he examined the missing link between investment in science and technology skills and those skills producing significant economic impact. More. . .
7 Actions Australia Can Take To Create $109 Billion From Tech Startups
Jason Lim, Forbes
Australia must take affirmative action to invest and support technology and innovation for the sake of its economic future and global competitiveness. If it doesn’t, it will continue to be overtaken by developing countries and be known for squandering a massive opportunity to capitalize on high growth industries of science and technology. More. . .
Is the innovation statement more hype than hope? Startup leaders dare to dream
Denham Sadler, StartupSmart
Next week’s innovation statement could mark a “critical turning point” for Australian startups, Spike innovation director Colin Kinner says. More. . .
‘Best life hack’ question throws hopefuls for Startup Catalyst tour of Silicon Valley
Michael Bailey, BRW
The 20 young Queenslanders who will join Shark Tank’s Steve Baxter on a 10-day mission to Silicon Valley from September 28 were selected not only for their coding skills, but their canniness away from a computer. More. . .
