Perth Data Science and Tech Scene: A newcomers view
Here at Data Mettle, we are excited to be building our Perth data science team. Half of our founding team is originally from Perth and being back here, getting embedded into the technology scene has been quite an eye-opener.
It’s exciting how much the Perth tech ecosystem has evolved. We started mapping it out ourselves and we thought it would be useful to share with our audience!
Perth data science resources
There are several Perth data science groups and resources. If you are interested in learning about data science, check out these meetups.
WA Data Science Innovation Hub
A WA Government initiative in partnership with Curtain University, the purpose of this hub is to support the growth of data science in WA. They have a collection of resources on events, courses and projects.
Perth Machine Learning Group
meetup.com/Perth-Machine-Learning-Group
Over 2000 strong, this group meets twice weekly and is for anyone looking to learn to code machine learning/deep learning applications.
The Perth Data Science Meetup
With over 600 members, this Meetup group brings together people that are passionate about data and analytics. Unfortunately, it looks like they have gone a bit quiet as of late.
Startup Accelerators/Support
Perth has several accelerators and co-working spaces. Along with WeWork, there are some local accelerators/office space providers.
Spacecubed
Co-working space that also runs programmes for startups. They host Perth Startup Weekend, as well as the Plus Eight accelerator.
Unearthed
A community of technologists working to bring cutting edge technology to industry. Industry organisations post challenges they need to solve. The Unearthed platform matches them with AI and machine learning experts and teams who have the technology or expertise to help.
Startup WA
Organisation group with the mission of growing the technology sector in Perth and across Western Australia. They have a collection of resources and run regular events.
Morning Startup – Perth
meetup.com/Morning-Startup-Perth
With over 4000 members, this group hosts regular meetups (and sometimes even in the evening) to discuss all things startups.
Successful Perth Startups
Perth has had its share of successful startups from a range of sectors, including agriculture, health, edtech and robotics.
Agworld
Farm management platform that brings all the information a farmer needs. They raised a Series D of A$9m last year, bringing the total raised to A$20.5m.
HealthEngine
Australia’s largest platform for connecting users to healthcare practitioners, from GPs to dentists. HealthEngine has raised a total of A$37.8m to date, most recently in April 2017 with high profile investors Sequoia.
Moodle
If you’ve recently been at uni, you may have used Moodle. Launched in Perth in the early 2000s (so not a startup anymore), Moodle has over 50% market share in Europe, Latin America and Oceania.
Investors
Looking to raise money for your startup? There are a few investors based in Perth to check out.
Perth Angels
Angel network based in Perth. Active since 2010, they’ve backed over 20 founders. Sign up for their newsletter and stay up to date on pitch nights and events.
Yuuwa Capital
$40mn fund established with support from the government’s Innovation Investment Fund. Yuuwa’s investment focus is on biotech and software.
Ventnor
ventnor.com.au/venture-capital
VC based in Perth, with a focus on mining & resources, tech, biotech/health, finance, blockchain, renewables, transport and industrial.
Finally
Do you have any Perth data science, tech or startup resources we should know about? Let us know!
