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Gosh, I love you Queensland but this is what I’ve learned from 48 hrs in #RADelaide for @_southstart
1. Inspire from the top. Having a Premier who gets the need for an innovation agenda makes one hell of a difference. Not only in policy and resultant actions, but also in inspiring people to get involved. Thank you @marshall_steven for giving me hope that governments care. 
2. Copy what works, then make it better. I had a small chuckle when the Premier admitted that they were heavily inspired by (copied from) QLD. However, they executed it right. @LotFourteen is so inspiring and exciting. The government stepped in, then knew when to step back.
3. Have alignment across all stakeholders. @LotFourteen is a perfect case of government, research, and industry aligning - working on both immediate and long-tail matters with collaboration and future at its core - acting through innovation.
4. A focus on doing over creating. Less talk, more do. For example with agrifood tech, it was clear that SA is putting their attention towards tech adoption over startup creation. i.e. through innovation attraction and @SA_PIRSA demonstration farms program.
5. Founders-first commercialisation. It was so enlightening to hear how @UniofAdelaide has transformed their commercialisation approach over the last 4 years. A focus on output with industry and founder (researcher)-friendly terms rather than focus on ownership stake.
6. Never underestimate the quiet achievers. Sometimes the people we need to pay attention to are the ones who aren’t in the room - the ones outside doing. In an emerging ecosystem, everyone is just 1-degree away. Easy sign was whoever's name was mentioned >20 times in <24 hours.
7. As ecosystems grow, it too goes through puberty (ha, thanks @MurrayDG). Thank you @ChadRenando, @julietrell, @AaronBirkby for pulling together a cross section of the #startupaus ecosystem. Looking around the room on Tuesday made me smile and reflect on how far we’ve come.
8. We're in it for the long haul. It warms my heart when I got to reconnect with the 'more tenured' members of the startup ecosystem from across our nation IRL. The smiles, hugs, wisdom. The passion, energy, craziness. Meanwhile, engaging with and supporting the 'up and coming'.
9. What’s normality? My gosh, it felt a bit odd to be in a room with >100 people again (without masks! 
). It has been 14 months since my last conference at @PauseFest in Melbourne, Feb 2020. Nothing can replace in-person events - the deep and rapid connections that happen!
). It has been 14 months since my last conference at @PauseFest in Melbourne, Feb 2020. Nothing can replace in-person events - the deep and rapid connections that happen!
10. Thank you @hey_imdanielle for persevering to hold @_southstart. You're a superstar! Your execution was world-class across all aspects. By far the best food and drinks of any startup event! I’m now back in QLD reinvigorated and optimistic for what’s next. 
