The Web we Weave: Australia’s 2.0

2.0 is the latest web application and the ‘current phase of the internet collaboration and interaction’.

A conversation with Ross Dawson, a Sydney-based media strategist and Chairman of the global consulting firm Future Exploration Network explored his involvement in the second annual list of Australia’s top 100 web 2.0 applications, held in collaboration with the finance magazine BRW.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2272922.htm

Mr Dawson reports that over the last year there has been 'a proliferation of innovation in the web 2.0 space’. Not only are people creating programs to make money, but for more creative purposes as well. He says that seeing a number of the applications listed last year ago dropped out of this year’s list due to being sold, or ‘given up’, is ‘a sign of a healthy system, an innovative system where people stop things that don’t work and increasingly find things that work.’

He has noted that Australians wanting to start up a new internet business go overseas, particularly the US for funds, although there are communities that help fund the best innovation. He says that the decision to go overseas is not only to obtain finance, but also the contacts needed for a global business.

While Australia seems to be doing well in selling new mobile technology overseas, with companies such as bluepulse and funkysexycool, new internet innovation remains elusive. Mr Dawson says this is not due to Australian’s being any less ‘bright’, and ’ hopes to see things change over the next couple of years.’ One of the challenges, he says, is for Australians to be willing to try and fail before succeeding.

Mr Dawson has brought up an interesting point about Australian culture in this interview – we are not as willing to try if it means failure. He points out that in an ever changing area, such as technology, is a trial and error arena. In terms of coming up with innovative ideas, instead of just improving on ideas already conceived, resilience seems to be key. We need to find the bravery to learn to go out on a limb with ideas that may be a bit out there and could possible fail, pick ourselves up, and try again.