01
Keynote Speaking
AI strategy, startup velocity, what boards get wrong. For events that want a speaker who doesn't bore people.
Speaking topicsBuild faster. Make better decisions.
I built Spreets and sold it to Yahoo7 for $40M in 11 months. Since then I've invested in, advised and worked alongside some of Australia's most successful technology companies, helping founders and leadership teams make better decisions about growth, people, strategy and AI.
- exit
- $40M
- startup investments
- 150+
- companies founded
- 6
- years in startups
- 20+
What I Do
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Fractional Executive
One or two days a week inside your business. Strategy, product, hiring, whatever's blocking you.
How it worksPeer groups
Startup Mastermind
A small group of serious founders. Peer accountability, honest feedback, no cheerleading.
Horizon Four
An AI mastermind for experienced founders building with AI. By application only.
Selected Portfolio & Advisory Work
Companies I've backed, advised or worked alongside, directly or through Blackbird Ventures.
Current advisory work — Darwinium, Cake Equity, Envato, Endeavour Aerospace, Perkie AI
Sold — Spreets to Yahoo7, $40M, 2011, eleven months after launch
Investor via Blackbird — Canva, SafetyCulture, Culture Amp
First investor: Darwinium — refined their sales process and closed their first customer. They've since raised over US$20M.
Early advisor: Cake Equity — rebuilt the leadership structure and go-to-market, voted #1 company in Startmate, introduced Jason Calacanis who led their seed round.
Founding investor and mentor at Startmate — equal #1 for picking the most valuable companies, including Startmate's highest-returning company to date.
Atlassian / NSW Government — pitched the Tech Central precinct to the Premier of NSW. Approved, and now under construction.
What Founders Say
“Dean was instrumental in us securing a spot in Startmate and then securing Jason Calacanis as lead investor in our seed round. For us and many first-time founders there is an extremely steep learning curve, and Dean's deep integration into the startup community gave us the confidence and ability to navigate the many challenges.”
“No BS advice that took us from concept to commercial traction.”
“Not only did Dean intro me to two of Australia's largest VC funds, he also coached me for those meetings. My business is complex and I asked Dean for help building a concise story. It was a rare pleasure to watch a truly skilled craftsman at work — he gave my company's story back to me in a way that was simple yet comprehensive, detailed yet engaging.”
“Dean is one of the best connectors in the Aussie tech space, constantly bringing together founders and tech CEOs to nurture real and relevant discussions. I've personally benefitted a lot from such forums at critical points in my journey.”
About Dean
I've spent 20+ years building, backing and advising technology companies. I co-founded Spreets, sold it to Yahoo7 in 11 months, and have since made 150+ startup investments, including through Blackbird Ventures and as a founding investor and mentor at Startmate.
My edge is pattern recognition: spotting talent, opportunities and strategic problems early, then helping founders and leadership teams make the decisions that materially change outcomes.
Let's talk
Not sure which one fits?
Tell me what you're building and where you're stuck.