StartBNE
Startup Guide
Foundations
Validating the idea
Problem-solution fit and customer discovery interviews
Market sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM) with an Australia-first lens
Competitive landscape and differentiation
AU only, AU + NZ, or global from day one
Founders and equity
Co-founder selection and responsibilities
Founder vesting and reverse vesting
Founders' agreement essentials
Equity splits and the cap table
Setting up the legal entity
Choosing a structure
Sole trader vs partnership vs company vs trust
Why most startups choose a Pty Ltd company
When a holding company structure makes sense
Registration and compliance basics
ABN, ACN, and TFN
Registering with ASIC
GST registration thresholds
Business name registration vs trademark
Opening a business bank account
Director ID requirements
Core legal documents
Shareholders agreement
Constitution
Employment and contractor agreements
IP assignment deeds
Privacy policy and terms of service
Tax and government incentives
Tax fundamentals
Company tax rates (base rate entity vs full rate)
GST, PAYG, and BAS obligations
Payroll tax (state-based)
Fringe benefits tax considerations
Government incentives worth knowing
R&D Tax Incentive
Export Market Development Grants (EMDG)
Early Stage Innovation Company (ESIC)
Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership (ESVCLP)
State-based grants
Industry Growth Program and other federal schemes
Building the product and team
Product development
MVP scope and methodology
Hosting and data residency considerations
Security and compliance (ISO 27001, SOC 2, IRAP)
Hiring and team
Employees vs contractors
Superannuation obligations
Award coverage and Fair Work compliance
Employee Share Option Plans (ESOPs)
Hiring internationally and visa sponsorship
Intellectual property
Trademarks (IP Australia)
Patents — standard and provisional
Copyright
Trade secrets and confidentiality
International IP strategy (PCT, Madrid Protocol)
Funding
Funding options
Bootstrapping and revenue-based financing
Friends and family rounds
Angel investors and syndicates
Accelerators and incubators
Venture capital landscape
Venture debt
Crowdfunding (CSF regime)
Raising a round
SAFEs and convertible notes
Priced rounds and term sheets
Due diligence readiness
Pitch deck and financial model
Valuation approaches
Going to market
Go-to-market strategy
Positioning and messaging
Pricing strategy (AUD vs USD)
Channel selection: direct, partner, product-led
Selling to SMB, enterprise, and government
Marketing and growth
Brand and content foundations
SEO, paid acquisition, and PR
Community and events
Measuring CAC, LTV, and payback
Scaling
Operations and finance
Financial controls and bookkeeping
Management reporting and board cadence
Setting up a board and advisory board
Insurance (PI, cyber, D&O)
International expansion
New Zealand as a first step
Expanding to the US (Delaware flip, visas)
Expanding to Asia-Pacific and UK
Transfer pricing basics
Exit and beyond
Exit pathways
Trade sale
Secondary sales
IPO on the ASX vs NASDAQ
Acqui-hire scenarios
Resources and ecosystem
Key communities
Government resources
Recommended reading and podcasts
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