Radiocarbon
Radiocarbon’s founders Alastair Kenvyn and Adam Hamilton are masters of the start-up mindset in corporate contexts. Their model is simple: Bring the best of corporate innovation seamlessly together with new growth and investment models to help grow the core, and build new growth outside it.
Alastair’s inspiration for Radiocarbon came from being part of a pioneering growth team in the corporate venture capital world overseas. When he returned to Australia, he realised there was a gap in the market that could be filled with his expertise and experience, plus the talents of long-time collaborator Adam. Having witnessed start-ups trump big business time and again, they’ve pinpointed a unique success formula for innovation that goes beyond agility, risk appetite and failing fast.
Eye on the future
Radiocarbon’s hands-on programs tackle outdated, misaligned processes and systems and encourage businesses to give innovation and technology a bigger role in corporate strategy development. With one eye on the future, Radiocarbon demonstrates what’s on the horizon and the dangers of being outpaced by competitors who are closer to their consumer base. The business has its own immersive incubation hub where clients are invited to remove themselves from day-to-day office life for ideation, prototyping and consumer exploration.
Radiocarbon started in 2018 with an astute awareness that the two biggest risks for a new business are failing to solve a real problem for a real consumer and running out of money. With extensive experience under their belts there was no doubt they had a service offering that would be in demand. But cash flow and BAS? They were willing to pass those into the capable hands of Katie and the Propeller team.
Risky business
Today, Propeller is Radiocarbon’s Virtual CFO, and in return Radiocarbon is proud to declare themselves Propeller’s test bunny’. Propeller CEO Katie is continually trialling new ideas and technologies for clients and Alastair encourages her “to bugger it up with us, the real customer” to find solutions that work. This willingness to take risks and potentially fail – backed by the grit required to pick themselves up and try again – is the essential ethos that drives Radiocarbon and produces results with clients.