ESOP draft legislation contains good news; Optus-Innov8 startups get SF co-working space; Why talk is taking over typing

HOME | ADVERTISE | CONTACT US Dear StartupSmart reader, Changes to employee share option scheme laws will help fix the unworkable situation of taxing startup employees on value that they don’t have and may never get. Optus-Innov8 startups get access to new co-working space in San Francisco. Crowdsourcing startup CrowdSourceHire is collaborating with Microsoft for the first time in order to run a competition showcasing how businesses can drive innovation by hiring programmers with original ideas. A 20-year-old entrepreneur from Brisbane will represent Australia at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards in Washington. Sydney-based babysitting app Kindy has acquired Melbourne startup Social Hands for an undisclosed fee, in a bid to expand its customer base. With the recent acquisition by Facebook of voice-recognition company Wit.ai, all four major players in the post-PC market (Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook) now have a significant infrastructure for hands-free communication with your device. Facebook has begun trials of its Facebook at Work service, a cloud-based platform that allows business to create social networks for staff,with the project led by an engineer who launched one of Sydney’s most successful startups. Google's latest update for Google Translate allows users to point their smartphone’s camera at foreign text and receive an instant translation.   Kye White, Editor Employee share option scheme draft legislation amendments good news for Australian startups by Kye White Changes to employee share option scheme laws, released in draft legislation by the federal government on Wednesday, will help fix the unworkable situation of taxing startup employees on value that they don’t have and may never get. VIEW ALL NEWS Optus-Innov8 startups get access to new co-working space in San Francisco by Kye White Block 71, a new co-working space in the South of Market District in San Francisco, will help ease the transition for Asia-Pacific startups heading to the United States. Babysitting platform Kindy acquires Melbourne startup Social Hands by Broede Carmody Sydney-based babysitting app Kindy has acquired Melbourne startup Social Hands for an undisclosed fee, in a bid to expand its customer base. Out with the keyboard as talk takes over typing by Michael Cowling With the recent acquisition by Facebook of voice-recognition company Wit.ai, all four major players in the post-PC market (Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook) now have a significant infrastructure for hands-free communication with your device. Facebook launches pilot trials of Facebook at Work by Andrew Sadauskas Facebook has begun trials of its Facebook at Work service, a cloud-based platform that allows business to create social networks for staff, with the project led by an engineer who launched one of Sydney’s most successful startups. THE NEWS WRAP: Google Glass goes back to the drawing board by Kye White Google is ending sales of its Google Glass eyewear, according to the BBC. READ MORE Queensland entrepreneur to represent Australia at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards by Broede Carmody A 20-year-old entrepreneur from Brisbane will represent Australia at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards in Washington. READ MORE Crowdsourcing startup partners with Microsoft to promote innovation through coding  by Broede Carmody Crowdsourcing startup CrowdSourceHire is collaborating with Microsoft for the first time in order to run a competition showcasing how businesses can drive innovation by hiring programmers with original ideas. READ MORE Google Translate: instantly translating foreign language text by Broede Carmody Google's latest update for Google Translate allows users to point their smartphone’s camera at foreign text and receive an instant translation which is overlaid on the screen. READ MORE