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Steve Baxter (entrepreneur)

Steve Baxter
Born1971 (age 52–53)
Cloncurry, Queensland
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Investor, entrepreneur
SpouseEmily Baxter
Children3

Steve Baxter is an Australian investor and entrepreneur. He was one of the 'sharks' on the Australian television series Shark Tank.

Early life

Steve Baxter was born in the remote town of Cloncurry, Australia, and raised in Emerald in Queensland's Central Highlands Region.[1] He moved to Rockhampton and attended North Rockhampton State High School.[2] He left school at 15 and joined the army,[3] enlisting in its apprenticeship program. There, he became an engineer working in the field of electronics, telecoms and guided weapon systems.

Career

Baxter's career in the Australian Army spanned nine years from 1986 to 1995.[4] In 1994, at the age of 23, Baxter put his life savings of $11,000 on the line to launch his first start-up, an internet service provider, SE Net from the spare room of his Adelaide home. Servicing more than 35,000 customers, SE Net was eventually acquired by OzEmail/UUNet under the stewardship of its founding Director and future Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

In 2001, Baxter teamed with schoolmate and Australian technology entrepreneur Bevan Slattery to launch his second start-up, PIPE Networks. On 30 June 2008, Baxter resigned as Chief Technology Officer of PIPE Networks and moved to California to work with Google as a Technical Program Manager[5] leading a project to deliver high-speed telecommunications systems across North America. Baxter remained a non-executive director of PIPE Networks until it was later sold to TPG in April 2010.[6]

In March 2012, Baxter launched River City Labs in Brisbane, a leading co-working community to encourage entrepreneurs in Queensland.[7] In 2013, he co-founded Right Pedal Studios, a mobile gaming accelerator, and StartupAUS an advocacy group for Australian tech startups.[8]

In October 2014, Baxter became a major early-stage investor in Australian start-ups, helping to launch a host of companies which together boast a valuation of more than $100 million.[9]

In 2014 and 2015, Baxter funded the Startup Catalyst program,[10] in which 20 young Queenslanders with the potential to be the next globally successful tech entrepreneurs, are sent to San Francisco to be immersed in the startup and entrepreneurial culture. Says Baxter of the program, "I love the term 'startup ebola.' It speaks to the contagious nature of what we are trying to do. We want the 20 young people we took this year to infect another 20 each on their return."[11]

In November 2014, Baxter was announced as one of the "sharks" on Network Ten's Shark Tank.[12] The series premiered in February 2015.[13]

In October 2017, Baxter became Queensland's chief entrepreneur, replacing Mark Sowerby.[14]

In October 2023, Baxter supported the No campaign in Australia's Voice to Parliament referendum which sought to recognize First Australians in the constitution.[15] Baxter donated $20,000 to Advance through his company Pesca Aviation[16]

Personal life

Baxter has three daughters with his wife Emily.[17]

In 2023, Baxter opposed the Albanese government's proposal for Indigenous Voice to Parliament.[18]

References

  1. ^ Conway-Dodd, Zhanae (19 October 2017). "Shark Tank star set to head back to his CQ roots". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  2. ^ Gately, Michelle (8 March 2017). "Rocky's top business export shares secrets to success". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  3. ^ Waters, Cara (14 September 2017). "It's not about the idea for Steve Baxter as he looks to award one business $50,000". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Swimming with sharks: Steve Baxter". CEO Magazine. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ "PIPE Networks 2009 Annual Report" (PDF). PIPE Networks. 30 September 2009.
  6. ^ "PIPE Networks ASX Release RE:Acquisition Timeline" (PDF). 17 March 2010.
  7. ^ Jabour, Bridie (14 July 2012). "A testing ground for entrepreneurs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Right Pedal Studios – home to current and future game developers". Right Pedal Studios. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Novices bitten by start-up bug". Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Steve Baxter". Steve Baxter. 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  11. ^ D'Arcy, Francesca (29 October 2015). "'I want to spread startup ebola': Steve Baxter and 20 coding kids from Queensland share what they learnt in Silicon Valley". BRW. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Shark Tank 'Sharks' and Host Announced". Tenplay. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  13. ^ Cooper, Amy (5 February 2015). "Shark Tank judge and start-up millionaire Steve Baxter says get the skills and give it a go, Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Palaszczuk Government announces Queensland's new Chief Entrepreneur". Queensland Government. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Gina Rinehart lights up the secretive No campaign party". 14 October 2023.
  16. ^ "The heavy hitters behind Australia's biggest conservative lobby group". Australian Financial Review. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Shark Tank's Steve Baxter gets two for the price of one this Father's Day with baby twin girls". Herald Sun. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  18. ^ https://www.news.com.au/national/shark-tank-star-lists-eight-reasons-he-opposes-voice-to-parliament/news-story/6b75c1cc9d47418507e7e09a9860450a [bare URL]
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