Sometimes it takes an “outsider” to identify what’s going on right under our noses. Check out this article “Top Ten Web Apps in Australia” written by Vishal Sharma in New Zealand. This piece is part of a larger constellation of articles I stumbled across after Nicola Bridle sent me an email about “Webjam” (”Done some cool stuff lately? Want to show off your chops in the web world? Want to stay in touch with the developer community? Like parties? Be there for Webjam on the evening of December 12.”) – that got me thinking about what’s happening out there – or rather right here.

You may be familiar with some of the apps in the “Top Ten” article but you may find a few surprises in there too. I’ve been heartened by the growing energy over the last 12 months around events and projects such as Webjam, The Australian Web Industry Association, Melbourne Massive. There seems to be a genuine gut-driven independence and a sense of community happening after the fall Australia experienced a few years ago. I’m disheartened however, when I read of the continuing reticence and conservatism of Australian VC’s toward web 2.0 internet business models in general. I hope this doesn’t have a negative impact on the current new wave of innovation in this country.

A change of heart may arrive eventually, but innovation and change is going to have to be driven from the ground up. So design and development people keep on truckin’, don’t be disheartened, and if you have to find money outside Australia then so be it – sad but true.

Categories: Emerging Media
1 Comment »