Telstra has appointed technology executive Andrew Birt as Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the new muru-D startup accelerator Melbourne program.
Birt is chief marketing officer at connected health company CliniCloud and will retain the role when he takes up the appointment at muru-D.
Birt also co-founded smart home company LIFX, as well as AngelCube, one of Australia’s first startup accelerators.
Head of muru-D, Julie Trell said that Andrew’s appointment is a key milestone for the Melbourne program.
{loadposition peter}“Having built two successful Internet of Things (IoT) companies from the ground up, Andrew is the ideal fit to lead our Melbourne startups. He understands the challenges and opportunities that confront startup founders and will be able to help guide them in building their own IoT companies.
“For our Melbourne program we are looking for diverse and ambitious founders who are working on IoT solutions that will solve global problems. They will work out of the Telstra Labs and will have access to the best tech (including Telstra’s Open IoT Lab) and the best support network to enable them for success.
“Andrew is a well-known fixture in the Melbourne startup ecosystem and is already involved in muru-D as a mentor. I’m delighted to welcome him to the team and look forward to working with him to make our new program an outstanding success.”
The Melbourne muru-D program will run at the Telstra Labs facility with applications for the cohort closing on 30 June.