Renai LeMay’s ZDNet blog increasing coverage of Australian start-ups

The flourishing Australian start-up scene is about to get yet more coverage. Renai LeMay, having returned to CNET (now CBS Interactive) as News Editor from a stint at the Australian Financial Review, has set up Bootstrappr, a blog covering Australian start-ups.

Below I have put his guide to getting coverage on his blog – an extremely rare instance where I respond to a request for coverage, since it’s in a good cause

So far excellent coverage of the Australian start-up scene has been provided by Vishal Sharma’s startup blog. I was one of the judges on his Startups Carnival earlier this year. Vishal has also just announced he is considering writing a book on Australian start-ups, which I think is an excellent idea.

Of course I also compile the annual Top 100 Australian Web 2.0 Applications list, which appeared in BRW this year, and which won’t appear again until around May.

Just the last 3-6 months have seen a real shift in technology entrepreneurship in Australia – there is far more activity and a higher level of sophistication. It’s great to see.

PROVIDED BY RENAI LEMAY

In July 2008, ZDNet.com.au’s news editor Renai LeMay launched a new blog, bootstrappr, that tracks the fortunes of Australian technology startups.

You can find it here:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/bootstrappr

Part of what bootstrappr will be doing is profiling and commenting on Australian tech startups. This document is intended as a guide to how you can get your startup profiled on the site.

Step 1: Send answers (as detailed as you want) to the following questions by e-mail to renai.lemay@zdnet.com.au

• What is the name of your startup?

• Who are the founders, and what are their backgrounds (eg, involvement in previous startups, any relevant work history etc)?

• What is the story behind how your startup was created (ie when, where, where did the idea come from)?

• How is the company funded?

• Where is it based?

• What product or service does it aim to produce?

• What are the founders’ goals for the company (eg exit strategy through acquisition, or IPO etc)

• What will be the next immediate steps for the company?

• What is the URL of the company’s site?

Step 2: Also attach hi-res pictures (JPGs) of the founders to the e-mail.

Step 3: Attach relevant contact details for someone you want to act as a company spokesperson.

Step 4: Attach a test login or mail a product (if relevant and possible) that we can use to test out the company’s services. Our mailing address is Renai LeMay, c/o CBS Interactive, Level 12, 50 Goulburn St, Sydney 2000.

That’s all! I will email you back and let you know how we’re going. Our aim to profile two startups a week. So it may be a few weeks or months before we get you on the site. But we WILL get everyone.