VOICES

Dr. Matt Agnew is a passionate scientist, author, and an engaging Edutainer. His passion for all things science has seen him work as an astrophysicist, an engineer, a data scientist and of course as a scientific communicator across invited science talks, radio and TV. Matt's credentials span the STEM portfolio: a PhD in Astrophysics, a Masters in Artificial Intelligence, a Bachelor of Engineering and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Applied Mathematics.

With a background in medical science and a passion for disability advocacy, Jocelyn Neumueller’s journey to becoming a lawyer has been uniquely challenging and deeply inspiring. Her path has been shaped by resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to breaking down barriers, both in her personal life and professional pursuits. Diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease in childhood, Jocelyn embraced para sports as part of her recovery, excelling in sailing and wheelchair basketball. In 2015, she was talent-identified in Paracanoe, where she quickly rose to the international stage, representing Australia at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and finishing fifth. She went on to claim her first World Championship title in 2017 in the VL1 200m. A serious training injury in 2018 led Jocelyn to transition from Paracanoe to table tennis and swimming before discovering para surfing in 2020. Since then, she has become a five-time world champion in para surfing, representing Australia as co-captain of Team Irukandjis and making a profound impact on the sport. Jocelyn actively facilitates opportunities for others to experience the freedom and joy of adaptive surfing, running weekly sessions designed to break down barriers and grow the para surfing community. This turning point in her life also inspired Jocelyn to explore new professional pathways. Moving from medical science into disability and human rights law, she found her passion in driving meaningful change. A placement with Sierra Legal introduced her to the transformative potential of digital automation in legal practice, sparking a new interest in commercial law and innovation. Now a lawyer at Sierra Legal, Jocelyn combines her love for digital innovation with her dedication to solving challenges and delivering client-focused solutions. Her advocacy extends far beyond her legal practice—Jocelyn serves on numerous boards and advisory committees, mentors others, facilitates peer support networks, and contributes to national initiatives that promote inclusion and equality for people with disability. In addition to her professional commitments, Jocelyn manages her own team of support workers to live an independent and fulfilling life. Outside of work, she thrives on adventure and pushing her limits, enjoying activities like surfing, sit skiing, bungee jumping, skydiving, and e-foiling. She is passionate about sharing her experiences, breaking new ground in adaptive sports, and inspiring others to pursue their passions—regardless of the challenges they face. Driven by resilience, creativity, and a strong desire to empower others, Jocelyn Neumueller embodies the belief that opportunities should be accessible to everyone, whether in sport, work, or life.

Naomi is a deeply spiritual Traditional Owner with ancestral ties spanning South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and New South Wales, as well as bloodlines connected to 8 global communities. She speaks and sings from the heart, delivering profound personal and universal messages inspired by her Ancestors and departed family members. In her commitment to honouring the land and its people, Naomi has crafted a unique Universal Welcome to Country ceremony to acknowledge and celebrate all who live and gather on Traditional Land.

Phil is a Partner at Main Sequence a venture capital firm founded by Australia's national science agency - CSIRO. There he invests in deep tech founders who are building unimaginable new companies with a strong connection to research. There he has invested in Cauldron, Eden Brew, Samsara Eco, Uluu, v2food, Nourish Ingredients, Every Company, Coviu and Q-CTRL. Before this he was the founder of Australia’s first incubator and venture studio, Pollenizer, where Phil played an instrumental role in developing the startup ecosystem across Asia Pacific and advised some of the world’s biggest organisations on practical ways to deliver new growth and the cultural change that is required to get there.

Paloma Newton is the Co-Founder and CEO of Elita Genetics, Australia’s first stem cell bank for pets. Elita Genetics helps pets live longer, healthier lives by providing owners and vets access to the future of stem cell treatments through its first-to-market banking service. Paloma’s experience spans startups, marketing, and operations. She’s worked with global brands like BMW and Nestlé, built the marketing team at Sydney startup Baraja, and refined her understanding of early-stage companies while honing storytelling at Blackbird VC. Now, she’s focused on reshaping pet healthcare in Australia with Elita Genetics.

"Rowan Simpson has been at the heart of New Zealand’s most successful technology companies. As a founding team member at Trade Me and Xero, and later as an investor and advisor to such companies as Vend and Timely, he has witnessed firsthand how great companies are built and helped shape a generation of high-growth businesses. Simpson challenges conventional thinking about startups and startup ecosystems, drawing on two decades of experience. His first book, How To Be Wrong, will be published in February 2025, and delivers a masterclass in embracing uncertainty, recognising patterns and transforming mistakes into fuel for success."

Olympia, the founder and CEO of Goterra. With a relentless commitment to innovation and sustainability. Olympia designed and commercialised the world's first decentralised, autonomous, insect farms. This technology is now deployed across Australia processing resources onsite, where waste is created. She designed the Australian Federal Governments Insect Protein regulatory framework and was a pivotal member of the working group that approved insect protein for livestock feed in Australia. Olympia’s technology is reshaping not just the agricultural landscape but also how we imagine the future of food waste management. Her work has been recognised globally in Agricultural and insect protein industries and the CSIRO has identified a recently discovered species of Soldier Fly in her name.

Dom’s been involved in numerous start-ups and large scale technology projects since the 1990's, in Australia and overseas. Currently investing in startups through Euphemia (Dom’s family office) and Triple Bubble (one of Australia's first dedicated Fintech funds). Dom sits on the board of directors at Fintech Australia, and co-founded Up (Australia’s most successful digital bank, highest rated banking app, and most trusted bank). Up’s built to help over 1 million #Upsiders spend wisely and save effortlessly. Dom also co-founded Ferocia (a leading Australian software company, acquired by Bendigo Bank in 2021), and Pin Payments (Australia’s first all-in-one online payments platform, acquired by Checkout in 2020) and Clear Interactive (acquired by NZX in 2009).

"In October 2014, Nicholas Marchesi co-founded Orange Sky alongside his best mate Lucas Patchett. Together, they built the first van Sudsy and Orange Sky was born. From small beginnings over the past eight years Orange Sky has grown to 38 services and thousands of people experiencing homelessness (friends) helped and they're not ready to slow things down anytime soon. Awarded Young Australian of the Year in 2016 and a 2020 Order of Australia medal, Nic has a passion and commitment to supporting people doing it tough. Nic has been instrumental in the significant growth of Orange Sky and is passionate about leading Orange Sky to deliver on its five year strategy of supporting 40,000 friends by 2025. Nic pioneered the integration of technology into Orange Sky’s operations and helped lead the development of the Orange Sky Portal and App. This in-house built technology provides Orange Sky with meaningful insights on how the organisation is performing and allows staff to make more informed decisions and was the foundation for the Volaby project for which Google awarded Orange Sky $1 million dollars to commercialise the software. Volaby supports other not-for-profits track their operations, engage volunteers, and amplify their impact. Nic was selected as one of 200 Leaders from 33 countries and territories to attend the 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders Program in Kuala Lumpur, meeting with Former President & First Lady Barack & Michelle Obama to discuss a variety of issues, ranging from education, to environment to entrepreneurship. Nic was also the lucky recipient of the 2020 Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarship taking him to Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States. Nic previously worked as a camera operator and editor for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and for the Seven Network. In these roles, Nic developed a passion for sharing people’s stories in a meaningful way to foster connection. As a result of Nic’s influence, storytelling is central to Orange Sky’s culture and is the cornerstone of the organisation’s brand, audience engagement and creative content. Nic has played a critical role in the strategic direction of Orange Sky. He fosters a culture of creativity, connection and hard work. The framework underpinning the internal culture at Orange Sky mirrors many of the attributes and characteristics he lives by."

"Casey Flint is a prominent figure in the technology and venture capital sectors, currently serving as AI Lead BDM at Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this role, she focuses on identifying and supporting AI-native companies, leveraging her extensive experience in artificial intelligence to drive innovation and growth. Before joining AWS, Casey was a Senior Investment Associate at Square Peg, a global venture capital firm. During her four-year tenure, she played a pivotal role in evaluating and investing in emerging technology companies across Australia, Southeast Asia, and Israel. Her insights into AI were further showcased through her contributions to Square Peg's deep dive into the future of AI, where she discussed technological shifts and growth predictions in the industry. Prior to her venture capital experience, Casey spent five years at Uber, holding various positions in operations and strategy across Australia, Europe, and North Asia. Her roles included Strategy & Planning for Japan and Korea, International Strategy Secondment, and Strategy & Planning for Australia and New Zealand. These positions allowed her to develop a deep understanding of global market dynamics and operational strategies in the tech industry. In addition to her professional roles, Casey is an active contributor to the tech community. She has authored articles on topics such as pitching mistakes to avoid and understanding traction in venture capital, sharing valuable advice for startups and entrepreneurs. Casey's multifaceted experience in AI, venture capital, and global strategy positions her as a key influencer in the technology sector, driving advancements and supporting innovation in artificial intelligence."

Award-winning artist Dr. Sarah Jane Pell is an experienced Occupational Diver, aquatic performer and versitile art and science collaborator. She is leading first generation artist-astronaut crews of the commercial spaceflight era. Her practice aptly begins underwater by connecting with deep ecologies to embody, and critique, the culture of exploration. Artifacts include sculptural, technical, poetic events and immersive media connecting bodies of water to bodies of knowledge and movement. She was awarded Best PhD Art & Science by Leonardo AS, MIT 2007 and TED Fellow 2010 for pioneering Aquabatics. Dr. Pell is an experienced Simulation Astronaut for undersea trials, an Artist-Astronaut Candidate for a suborbital aeronomy mission, and an imagineer for a MoonVillage. She continues to perform expressively and tests novel tools to make art in the field. Her work promotes physical conditioning, creative visualisation and new communication. In 2016, Dr. Pell was awarded Australia Council Fellow and Gifted Citizen (Highly Commended). Her work is widely exhibited, performed and published. The first artist to graduate from the International Space University and Singularity University, Dr. Pell served as Co-Chair of the European Space Agency (ESA) Topical Team Arts & Science (2011-2014). Bending Horizons 2015-2017 documents her expression during extreme art adventures at altitude testing immersive media. Performing Astronautics 2016-2018 creates new territories for experimental and emerging arts into human extra-terrestrial expression and communication. In 2018, she joined Monash University as an Adjunct Associate Professor across the Faculty of Engineering; Office of the Engineering Dean; Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture; Artist-in-Residence at the Monash Immersive Visualisation Platform. In 2020, she is Co-PI of an Australia Research Council Discovery Project on Aquatic Play, Vice-Chair International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Technical Committee Cultural Utilisation of Space and Aquanaut on a 10-day subsea mission. Pell aims to contribute new knowledge on human behaviours, biosensory media and communication design for extreme performance, and responsible ecological adaptation.

In October 2014, Nicholas Marchesi co-founded Orange Sky alongside his best mate Lucas Patchett. Together, they built the first van Sudsy and Orange Sky was born. From small beginnings over the past eight years Orange Sky has grown to 38 services and thousands of people experiencing homelessness (friends) helped and they're not ready to slow things down anytime soon. Awarded Young Australian of the Year in 2016 and a 2020 Order of Australia medal, Nic has a passion and commitment to supporting people doing it tough. Nic has been instrumental in the significant growth of Orange Sky and is passionate about leading Orange Sky to deliver on its five year strategy of supporting 40,000 friends by 2025. Nic pioneered the integration of technology into Orange Sky’s operations and helped lead the development of the Orange Sky Portal and App. This in-house built technology provides Orange Sky with meaningful insights on how the organisation is performing and allows staff to make more informed decisions and was the foundation for the Volaby project for which Google awarded Orange Sky $1 million dollars to commercialise the software. Volaby supports other not-for-profits track their operations, engage volunteers, and amplify their impact. Nic was selected as one of 200 Leaders from 33 countries and territories to attend the 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders Program in Kuala Lumpur, meeting with Former President & First Lady Barack & Michelle Obama to discuss a variety of issues, ranging from education, to environment to entrepreneurship. Nic was also the lucky recipient of the 2020 Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarship taking him to Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States. Nic previously worked as a camera operator and editor for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and for the Seven Network. In these roles, Nic developed a passion for sharing people’s stories in a meaningful way to foster connection. As a result of Nic’s influence, storytelling is central to Orange Sky’s culture and is the cornerstone of the organisation’s brand, audience engagement and creative content. Nic has played a critical role in the strategic direction of Orange Sky. He fosters a culture of creativity, connection and hard work. The framework underpinning the internal culture at Orange Sky mirrors many of the attributes and characteristics he lives by.

"Steve loves building businesses that can hyperscale. Up until recently, he was Founder and CEO of Eratos, an AI and data enterprise platform. He is currently supporting founders with world leading tech scale into global markets from Australia and New Zealand. And in stealth he is building several new ventures set to dominate their niche sectors globally."

With two decades of business experience spanning financial services, entrepreneurship, and philanthropic leadership, Louise Pfeiffer brings a unique perspective to Southstart’s conversation on the future of sovereignty. Currently the Regional Director of The Life You Can Save, Louise applies her expertise in strategic investing and impact-driven initiatives to bridge the gap between purpose and profit—helping founders, funders, and policymakers align innovation with social good. Her career has included leading roles in retail banking, institutional stockbroking, and superannuation, as well as running her own financial planning business in Adelaide. Beyond her work, Louise is a vocal advocate for policy reform in animal welfare, climate action, and gender equity. Through speaking engagements—such as the Pathways to Politics for Women program—she shares her passion for ethical leadership and the power of aligning values with growth. Louise lives in the Adelaide Hills, where she balances her professional pursuits with cooking, trail running, and pickleball.

"Remco is not your typical accountant. Which is why he founded Standard Ledger. He has worked with startups and high growth SMEs as a CFO/Virtual CFO for more than 10 years, following four years in venture capital and 10 years in multinational consulting/services firms. His passion is simple - helping businesses grow. Remco is a chartered professional accountant with an advanced MBA degree from the University of Adelaide, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. "

I am a scientist, turned entrepreneur, turned venture capitalist, who has never completely shed any of these roles. I believe deeply in taking a human approach to extract the best out of people, technology and our emerging industries - this means being a partner, developing authentic connections, engaging with vulnerability, an open heart and mind, and to be a truth teller but to do so with compassion. I believe our industry will make the most impact when its built on a platform of values that places the human at its core, rigorous intellectual debate, a desire to make better that which can be, and a culture of giving first.

"Dr Cressida Gaukroger is a writer, philosopher, lead of the Wellbeing Government Initiative at the Centre for Policy Development, and a moderator at the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. She works with Australian governments at all levels to put working towards improving quality of life for all at the heart of government decision-making. Cressida has a PhD in philosophy, and has taught at Oxford, University College London and New York University. She regularly writes op-eds pieces for Australian media including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the ABC, and I appears on national radio and television. A mother of three, Cressida also writes humorous children's books about naughty children who get their comeuppance. ""Back to the Storks"" (Hardie Grant) was released in Australia in October 2023 and ""Frankie Doesn't Listen"" (Hardie Grant) is due to be released in Australia this year."

I help startups find the best fractional people. 🚀 Shepherd is a fractional leaders agency for startups and for-purpose businesses. We help startups build market traction with experienced leaders and operators who can pave the way, at speed, without the commitment of a full-time headcount.

"The Hon Ed Husic MP is the Federal Minister for Industry and Science and has been the Member for Chifley since 2010. Rebuilding Australia’s manufacturing capacity and delivering secure, rewarding and well-paid jobs to Australians is of the highest priority for Mr Husic. This requires placing industry and workers in the driver’s seat to maximise opportunities domestically and abroad. Mr Husic has a strong and ongoing interest in the Australian tech and digital sector, and has been vocal about the need for the country to think ahead about the impact of technology on jobs and communities – to help industry prepare and capitalise on future opportunities. Since his election in 2010, Mr Husic has held several positions in Labor’s Shadow Ministry, including Employment Services, Human Services, the Digital Economy and the Future of Work. Mr Husic was also Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Parliamentary Secretary for Broadband. Before entering Federal Parliament Mr Husic worked in roles spanning the private and public sectors, including as National President of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union and at Integral Energy (now Endeavour Energy). Mr Husic was raised and educated in Western Sydney, a community he is proud to represent in Parliament."

"Sally-Ann Williams leads the charge in Australia's deep tech revolution as CEO of Cicada Innovations, nurturing visionary innovators tackling global challenges through science and engineering. From MedTech to Clean Energy, Cicada has empowered hundreds to bring high-impact technologies to the world. Beyond Cicada, Sally-Ann's influence extends far and wide. She steered the Federal Government's Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review, serves as a Non Executive Director on boards including Qudos Bank, and AusOcean. She champions tech & innovation through roles on the NSW Innovation Council and CSIRO’s Data 61 Advisory Board. Sally-Ann is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering, and a member of Chief Executive Women. Her passion for STEM education and fostering a thriving tech ecosystem is evident in her past contributions to COAG's STEM Partnership Forum, StartupAUS, and numerous university and industry advisory boards. Prior to Cicada, she spent over a decade at Google spearheading R&D collaborations, startup engagement, and pioneering CS & STEM education initiatives. A sought-after keynote speaker on deep tech, innovation, and inclusion, Sally-Ann is a driving force behind Australia's tech future, empowering minds to solve the world's most pressing problems through the power of science and collaboration."

Mic is one of the co-founders, and, the creator of Rainstick's technology. As the Chief Thunderstorm Creator, Mic leads the science, product and marketing teams at Rainstick to be a key example of respectful and dutiful engagement with First Nations peoples, their discoveries and Indigenous knowledge systems for the good of all.

"Dr Megan Sebben is a passionate advocate for small businesses, driving innovation in Australian start-ups as the CSIRO Kick-Start Program Manager. Through this program, Megan plays a pivotal role by facilitating access to dollar-matched funding and support for a diverse range of Australian start-ups to conduct research projects with CSIRO. She is also a co-host and expert commentator on Channel 10's Australia By Design: Innovations series. With a PhD in Groundwater Hydrology and extensive experience in environmental research, Megan stands as a catalyst for innovation at the intersection of science and business, propelling Australian innovation to new heights—one research collaboration at a time."

Dr Judy Halliday is the Chief Operating Officer of the Office of the South Australian Chief Entrepreneur in the Department for Innovation and Skills. In this role, she is responsible for supporting the Chief Entrepreneur and the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, as well as delivering on the Government’s commitment to growing entrepreneurship and supporting start-up and scale up business in South Australia. In this role, she is also responsible for delivering the Startup Hub at Lot Fourteen. Judy has more than 25 years’ executive and management experience in entrepreneurship and innovation as an inventor, founder, investor, academic and industry professional in the private and public sectors. She has published in academic peer reviewed journals and has been a successful applicant in competitive grant programs as both an academic researcher and as an industry partner. She is an inventor on granted patents and has been involved in raising millions of dollars for multiple start-up companies. She has negotiated multi-million-dollar licensing transactions and collaboration agreements in the development of early stage technologies. Judy has extensive experience in strategy development and implementation and been a non-executive director of 7 start-up companies and is currently a member of several Advisory Boards. She has been a member of venture fund investment committees for the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund and Uniseed.

"With over 20 years of experience, I am a dynamic leader known for blending scientific expertise with strategic business acumen and non-profit leadership. I hold a PhD in Life Science with a specialization in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, and my career spans advanced research roles at renowned institutions such as the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research. Later, I transitioned to the industry, leading innovative drug development projects at Nestlé Skin Health. My Executive MBA enables me to integrate scientific research with strategic leadership in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. In addition to my corporate experience, I have over 10 years of leadership in the non-profit sector, where I have served as treasurer and president of several associations in France and Australia. I successfully re-launched strategies, managed large-scale international events, and collaborated with universities, government, and private entities to drive impactful projects. My expertise spans operations, marketing, finance, and sales, where I apply methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma and Design Thinking to optimize processes and guide business strategy. I bring a global perspective, having worked across Europe, the USA, and Australia, and have presented internationally throughout my career."

"I have diverse experience and an extensive global network across the healthtech sector, with over 20 years in Industry, complemented by deep experience with government, academia, start-up, investor, health services and not-for-profit stakeholders. At MTPConnect, I lead Partnerships to build capacity in the Healthtech ecosystem. I've attracted investment for sector-building initiatives, facilitated connections that have converted to meaningful collaborations, provided advice to a variety of stakeholders from government, industry and academia and led complex stakeholder engagement strategies. My strategic acumen, learning agility and ability to understand a wide range of stakeholder drivers are fundamental for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. I quickly build credibility through understanding cutting-edge science while zooming out to what it takes to create impact through commercialisation and translation. I thrive in complexity and environments where partnerships are required to build, commercialise and translate innovation. I am inspired by future-focused efforts that require sector collaboration and ecosystem activation. My style is described as dynamic, authentic and courageous, with a strong ability to align and mobilise stakeholders. "

"I focus on the trendlines not the headlines: thinking, focusing and acting on What’s Next. This has led to founding and leading of organisations, social enterprises and start-ups; working and building ventures with young people; advising on strategy and innovation for CEO's around the globe; providing thought leadership on child and youth advocacy; the future of work; the next generation workforce and transformation of education and learning. Named one of Australia's True Leaders in 2018 and the Inaugural Australian Financial Review and Westpac Woman of Influence in 2012 for leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship; membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for services to the Australian community; Drucker Foundation Fellow; RSA Fellow. Awarded honorary Doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University in Perth. Lifelong learner, serial entrepreneur, futures thinker & strategist, high school drop out, autodidact, mother, wife, foster parent / grandparent. Committed yogi, meditator & to living life longer, healthier, better 🙏 My vision is for an inclusive, imaginative and courageous world. New Work Bites podcast host, co-author Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime (1996) and The Future Chasers (2014)."

Senior Operations Executive with significant International and Domestic experience spanning the Technology, Retail, Finance and Tourism industries; motivated by large-scale transformational change objectives designed to deliver improved efficiencies through process enhancement, organisational construct and people development via an approachable and engaging leadership style. Strong work ethic and the highest sense of integrity, seeking the satisfaction gained in achieving the unachievable. Adam is a senior executive with 25yrs of combined management experience across several state, national and global industries. Growing up in the Riverland, Adam has a passion for all things South Australian and is a strong supporter of the local community along with wife Angela, daughter Madison and sons Callan and Hudson.

"An internationally awarded creative marketer and communications leader with over 13 years’ experience in integrated advertising, marketing, copywriting and strategic communications. Experience in both agency and client creative roles has led to work across most channels and industry sectors, including automotive, FMCG, technology, alcohol, government and behaviour change marketing. "

"Muen is a leader in AI and data science with a proven track record of building end-to-end co-designed solutions that incorporate robot autonomy, predictive analytics, AI, apps, and data insights. Working closely with Agile teams of data scientists, analysts, engineers, and developers, he excels at bridging gaps between business, technology, and operations to turn innovative ideas into reality. A Chartered Accountant, first-generation immigrant, and tech enthusiast, Muen brings a unique holistic perspective on how cloud and AI strategies can empower organisations to succeed in today's rapidly evolving world. His leadership and expertise enable organisations to harness the power of emerging technologies and drive transformative change."

"Chanie Hyde is a seasoned marketer with a unique ability to transform complex concepts into compelling and authentic brand narratives. With nearly two decades of experience (and over a decade in startups), Chanie is an expert in marketing strategy, SEO, growth marketing, analytics, content and branding. She brings a unique blend of creativity and analytical thinking to her craft, offering actionable insights on connecting brand stories with business growth. Chanie’s deep roots in the startup ecosystem, from being an early hire at BugHerd to launching Girls in Tech Australia (now Her Tech Circle) and leading the marketing at Australia’s largest startup accelerator, BlueChilli, give her a rich perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the Australian startup ecosystem. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion, particularly supporting women and underrepresented communities in STEM."

Nicolas is Chief of Staff at Cauldron Ferm. Before joining the team, Nicolas spent seven years at Bain & Company in Australia and South Africa, working alongside business executives in the development and implementation of organisational strategies. Before his time at Bain, Nicolas worked for a scale-up company in the logistics sector in South Africa and for UBS Investment Bank in New York. Nicolas holds a Master of Science in Financial Engineering from Columbia University and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Ecole Centrale Paris.

"Julie Trell, is a visionary leader known for challenging norms and driving innovation. During her tenure at tech scale-ups in the corporate philanthropy space, Julie established herself as a catalyst for positive change and a connector of people and ideas. Her unique perspective, clever titles, and fresh thinking have allowed her to cultivate genuine, long-lasting relationships with community partners, employees, customers, investors, and founders alike. Julie has always been an advocate for incorporating improv principles into various aspects of life and work. Recognising the power of play and improv to enhance creativity, collaboration, and personal growth, she has utilised these principles in her roles at organisations such as Head of muru-D Accelerator at Telstra, Executive Director at Workday Foundation, VP of All Things Fun, Meaningful & Rewarding at Salesforce Foundation and as a country lead for Coralus. Because of these experiences and beliefs Playful Purpose was launched."

Skye Theodorou is Co-Founder and CEO of upcover, an award winning insurtech platform bringing insurance for SMEs in Australia into the 21st century. After completing her studies at UTS (B.Bus (Mgmt, Hons), LLB), and training as a lawyer, Skye spent her career working with global insurance giant Zurich, as well as a stint doing regulatory reform in NSW state government. As well as completing a thesis on emerging risks for small business, her passion has been to help any SME owner manage their own risks, without a lawyer or insurance broker. As upcover is now ranked #2 start-up in Australia, this dream of helping Aussie businesses access simple, easy and hassle free insurance is now becoming realised and Skye couldn't be prouder.

Nicolas is Chief of Staff at Cauldron Ferm. Before joining the team, Nicolas spent seven years at Bain & Company in Australia and South Africa, working alongside business executives in the development and implementation of organisational strategies. Before his time at Bain, Nicolas worked for a scale-up company in the logistics sector in South Africa and for UBS Investment Bank in New York. Nicolas holds a Master of Science in Financial Engineering from Columbia University and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Ecole Centrale Paris.

"Dan is a global innovation strategist and design thinking expert with 24+ years of senior experience across London, Singapore, Sydney, and the US. As founder of More Space for Light, he transforms how organisations solve complex problems through consulting, facilitated workshops, and team coaching. Working across government, health, tech, and resources sectors, Dan helps leaders build systematic innovation pipelines and embrace strategic risk-taking. His proven approach enables teams to tackle critical challenges while building internal creative problem-solving capabilities. Based in Adelaide, Dan works globally both in-person and remotely as an educator, speaker, and tech investor."

Stewart is the CEO of Ferronova, an Adelaide biotechnology company commercialising nanomedicines for precision imaging, surgery, and therapy in cancer. Prior to Ferronova he was a co-founder and COO of Signostics, overseeing the development of a family of handheld ultrasound products all the way through to regulatory approvals and sales in Australia, the US, Europe, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. He has been involved in founding an audio licensing business that was acquired by Dolby, and worked in a variety of management, engineering and sales and marketing roles in Australia, the United States, and Europe. He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with Honors from Curtin University and a Master of Business Administration from The Australian Graduate School of Management.

Tech start-up investor Steve Baxter is a proud Queenslander, born in the remote town of Cloncurry and raised in Emerald in the State’s central highlands. After enlisting in the Regular Army at 15 years old and serving almost 9 years, in 1994 Steve launched his first start-up, the pioneering 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. In 2001, Steve teamed with a schoolmate to launch his second start-up, PIPE Networks, a provider of wholesale telecoms infrastructure that was listed on the ASX in 2005. Eight years later they sold it to the TPG Group for $373 million. Since 2010 he has become an early-stage investor in startups through his investment company, [Transition Level Investments], as Co-founder and Executive Chairman of TEN13, Australia’s leading tech startup investment platform; and as Founder and Lead Investor with Beaten Zone Venture Partners which is dedicated to early-stage investments in Australian sovereign lethal defence technology.

"As Mentor In Residence at ACS Claire works with our founders in both the Kickstarter Program and Elevating Female Founders program to meet them where they are at on their journey - and guide them to take the next step forward. Claire is also passionate about Sustainability. As a Director at Extolla, she works with retailers and manufacturers across Asia Pacific to use technology and innovation to become more sustainable and reduce carbon emissions. Previous to these roles, Claire has worked in Asia, UK and the US in the international trade space helping tech businesses to scale into new global markets. Previously Head of APAC for the British Government organisation and Head of Ecosystem at Rainmaking APAC (A part of Bain & Company) Claire is a true generalist across sales, marketing, partnerships and go-to-market planning. Previous to her work in international expansion Claire ran B2B marketing consultancies in Singapore and Australia and worked in Corporate Insights and Innovation in the Sustainability sector. Claire now mentors multiple startups across the Australian and NZ ecosystem for Techstars and Startmate and was awarded ""Mentor of the Year"" for her work with Climate Salad. In her ""spare"" time she is Co-National Lead for Tech Australia Advocates, the local chapter of more than 40 global ""Tech Advocate"" groups. "

Marina Ritchie helps businesses cut through the AI noise and apply AI strategically to solve real challenges. A certified AI Design Sprint(TM) facilitator, she has educated over 1,000 business professionals, consulted businesses and government on AI adoption, and developed a practical AI strategy framework focused on value-driven results. With 20 years in business growth, strategy, and operational efficiency, Marina ensures AI is not just a tool—but a driver of efficiency, profitability, and scale.

Daniel Johnsen is a tech enabled entrepreneur, helping emerging startups provide value without breaking the bank. He has coaching startups to first revenue and growth strategies. Daniel has worked with over 3,000 entrepreneurs in 24 countries, with Australia recuring Daniel in 2017 to lead federal, state, local and private entrepreneurship programs including bootcamps, MVP workshops, pitch coaching and sales training

"Over Siobhan's 25+ year career she has worked in fintech, mortgages, logistics and retail. She is a passionate supporter of Australia's innovation ecosystem and is currently Chief Operating Officer at the ACS (Australian Computer Society) based in Sydney. Siobhan is also a Director/Advisory Board member for Wych (Banking as a Service), Director for Silicon Beach Australia, the oldest innovation community, Advisory Board Member and Mentor with Enterprise Ireland helping Irish businesses successfully scale into Australia, Innovation Mentor and Lecturer for Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), Education Board Advisor to SP Jain Global School of Management and Board Advisor to BrainSTEM helping raise the next generation of STEM leaders. She has an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), a Diploma in Project Management and a Bachelor of Commerce, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations and Associate Degree of Applied Science, Hospitality Management + Black Belt in Hap Ki Do. "

Laura is the Head of Growth at River City Labs, supporting the delivery of programs, services and community that enable the growth of emerging technology companies. Laura is a people connector and community builder who is proud to be playing a pivotal role in the growth of innovation and QLD’s start up ecosystem. Laura has a diverse career and has worked all over the world but landed in Australia originally from the UK. Laura has depth and experience in IT Talent recruitment, People and Culture, Creative Media, Sales, and Growth for both Corporate and Startup organisations. She has delivered projects for grass root charities throughout the developing world and here in Australia, and is passionate about driving change, particularly in diversity and inclusion. Having partnered with a variety of organisations to grow their capability and scale throughout her career, Laura knows the success of any business lies in its ability to innovate, harness the potential of its people and be utterly obsessed with its customers. Always open to connect and support in any way she can!

Pauline Fetaui is the Director of ACS Labs which is the home for Tech Innovators and passionate Entrepreneurs. Pauline oversees the strategy and delivery of the Labs including Innovation locations across Brisbane at River City Labs, Sydney at Harbour City Labs, Maroochydore Queensland at Ocean City Labs as well as the Virtual ecosystem of ACS Labs for Entrepreneurs and their communities solving global problems through technology. Pauline is also Co-Founder of Something Fest and Something Tech. Australia’s Digital, Innovation and Technology Festival, and Co-Founder of Seven Sisters Foundation. Pauline is also the Regional Lead for Queensland as part of the Tech Australia Advocates. Prior to joining the emerging technology and startup ecosystem, Pauline spent 20 years leading and delivering Digital, Tech Transformation and Regulatory Change for Global and national large organisations across Banking, Superannuation, Insurance and Government and was Co-host of Podcast, Splash of Colour, Founder of CheeHoo (Personal Assistance Platform for the busy people).

"Founder of Forever Projects, a non-profit ending the Tanzanian orphan crisis through income creation for women and nutrition for their babies. More broadly, my purpose is to curate environments that enable people to live more confidently and make their unique contribution to our world. Environments I’m currently curating: The Forever Projects Community: Funds raised by the FP community fuel our Tanzanian partners, who deliver a bespoke 12-month program: - Income creation for women - Nutrition for their babies - Families together, forever. As our community finds purpose by contributing to the transformation of others, we find ourselves transformed in the process too. Environments I’ve previously curated: - Seth Godin’s altMBA leadership workshop, as a coach - High school classrooms, as a secondary maths teacher (which I still do part-time) Environments I’m always curating: - My family, together with my wife Anna and six beautiful kids :)"

Dr. Michelle Perugini is an entrepreneur and AI leader with deep expertise in healthcare. She has a PhD in Medicine, a decade of oncology research experience, and has founded two global AI tech companies—one acquired by EY in 2015. As Co-Founder and former CEO of Presagen, she developed a Federated AI platform for medical data, with its flagship product, Life Whisperer, improving IVF outcomes before being acquired by Astec in 2024. She is now Co-Founder and Board Chair of Qubigen, focusing on AI-driven drug design, and serves as Head of Commercialisation and CEO of UniSA Ventures.

Tim is CEO of Continuum Labs. Continuum operate Australia's first sovereign enterprise AI platform, delivering genuine privacy and security and full integration with organisational data.

Patty Therrios is the Head of Strategy and Sustainability at Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL) and is responsible for Sustainability, Strategic Planning, Aviation Fuel & Future Fuels, Business Planning and Continuous Improvement & Assurance. Patty has over 11 years’ experience in the aviation sector and is also Chair of the Australian Airports Association Sustainability Working Group. She has been actively collaborating with industry, academia and government stakeholders to advance the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production in South Australia. Prior to her current role, Patty served as Enterprise Risk Manager at AAL for 8 years. A graduate of the Company Directors Course, she is a Certified Practicing Risk Manager (CPRM). In 2017, Patty was recognised as the “Risk Professional of the Year” by the Governance Risk and Compliance Institute.

"Gemma is the co-founder of two businesses; Stella Startups, a marketing service purpose-built to help startups develop their marketing foundations and build strong, sustainable brands from day one, and Overnight Success a media platform centered around a weekly newsletter with over 4,500 readers that wraps up the most important news, insights and opportunities from across the Australian startup and VC ecosystem. Prior to starting her own business, she worked across marketing research, advertising agencies and startup settings over almost a decade in Australia and Asia. Her experience ranges almost every type of business setting, from some of Australia’s biggest corporates, including QBE Insurance, AustralianSuper and Coles Supermarkets, not-for-profits like Australian Red Cross and TEDxMelbourne, government agencies and as the first marketer at VC-backed ClimateTech startup, Trace. Now well and truly embedded in the Australian innovation ecosystem, Gemma works with startups and their founders everyday to help them share their stories and reach their ambitious goals."

"John Fargher, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of AgriWebb, was raised on his family's 400,000 acre sheep and cattle station in northern South Australia. Prior to AgriWebb, John was a commercial lawyer working in Australia and in London, but nowadays spends his efforts in growth efforts across AgriWebb. John co-founded AgriWebb in 2014, the global leading farm management software company, to help livestock farmers with on farm data collection, decision making and connection into the broader value chain and ecosystem. Over 16,000 farmers use AgriWebb, with 22 million animals on the platform representing 25% of the livestock in Australia. They have customers in 18 geographies and John has spent time living abroad in their UK and US offices. John leads AgriWebb’s broader strategy on sustainability linking farmers with the supply chain to help farmers and corporations meet the industry goals and challenges of producing more while reducing emissions. AgriWebb is now the global leader in providing data and software solutions which help reduce carbon emissions in beef supply chains, with clients including McDonald’s, Nestle Purina, Cargill, Sainsbury’s etc across the US, UK and Australia. John was named number 18 of Australia’s Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs in 2023 and number 22 in 2024. "

"Ben Owen is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He joined RAA in January 2023 as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and General Manager Home & Energy, where he is responsible for developing and executing RAA’s strategic plan and organisational initiatives, as well as driving the next growth business of Home and Energy. He works closely with the CEO, Executive Team, and Board to forge new business opportunities and synergies across key partnerships, and to translate the strategy for people across functions and business units. Ben is passionate about making a difference for RAA members and the local community in South Australia. He has a successful track record in formulating, developing, and executing enterprise-wide strategy, business planning, innovation, and transformation. He has led scale teams across some of Australia’s largest banks and, prior to joining RAA, he was State General Manager, Consumer and Business Banking at BankSA and Westpac SA & NT. He is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia (FINSIA) and Chair of FINSIA SA/NT Regional Council. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from Deakin Business School and has completed Design Thinking for Innovation at University of Virginia, Darden School of Business. He has a Bachelor of Business (majoring in International Business) and a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in International Studies) from the University of South Australia, and has studied internationally at Nanyang Technology University in Singapore."

Antonia Ruffell is CEO of StartGiving, a not-for-profit inspiring a culture of giving in the tech innovation sector. With over two decades of experience, she is one of Australia’s leading voices on philanthropy and social impact. As the CEO of StartGiving, Antonia helps successful tech founders and execs to start and scale their giving. Antonia was formerly CEO of Australian Philanthropic Services and has held leadership roles across the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. She is a director of UNICEF Australia and several charitable foundations.

Susan Close is the State Member for Port Adelaide and was elected on the 11th of February 2012. Susan has lived on the LeFevre Peninsula for twenty years with Declan and their two children and is passionate about representing the people in her community. Before entering Parliament, Susan was an executive in the SA Environment Department. She previously worked at the University of Adelaide running student services and holds a PhD from Flinders University. Susan held several portfolios during the Weatherill Labor Government, including being Minister for Education and Minister for Innovation and Automotive Transformation.

Cal is on a mission with the Cake team to unlock the power of employee ownership and startup equity. He believes in the power of innovation and startups as a force for good in the world. As the leader of Cake’s Partnerships and Community Engagement, he works with global VCs, accelerators, lawyers and startup communities to empower founders and simplify startup equity. Cal has a deep understanding of investing, markets and financial services. His background includes leading investor relations for multinational banks and diverse leadership & CEO roles. Cal is a community leader, connector and advisor who loves working with founders one-on-one and at scale as a presenter, content creator and event facilitator. He loves keeping active and spending time surfing with friends. When not surfing, Cal is spending time with his wife Ali, who owns her own business, and their four sons.

Troy is a passionate technologist who helps leaders of Enterprise and Government achieve business outcomes using Technology without getting buried in the technical details. With a background in Mobile Apps & Software, Data & Analytics and Enterprise AI, Troy is looking forward to helping startups accelerate and scale by incorporating AI into their business.

Leading Community Partnerships at Airwallex, Taylor's energy for startups - the people who found them, build them and power them - is infinite. From a Series B PropTech through to a pre-seed ClimateTech, Taylor's career in the startup ecosystem has led to her current role at an Australian unicorn where she champions the builders' mindset. Today, you'll find her creating community spaces that supercharge and future-proof the innovators.

Melanie is a startup expert that thrives on guiding and advising founders to accelerate their journey from startup to scale-up. She specialises in providing strategic insights and proven frameworks, enabling founders to make confident decisions in areas like growth, operations and people management. She offers a unique perspective, blending 18 years of experience in People and Leadership roles and has a global outlook shaped by six years in New York, providing well-established connections in both the US and Australian ecosystems.

I am the Founder of Sell Anything and have spent the last 8 years in b2b SaaS taking new products to market. Sell Anything works with SaaS and tech-enabled companies at pivotal points in their business growth to support leadership, enable new revenue outcomes, and drive scalable and repeatable sales processes. Need help email me sean@sellanything.io Before Sell Anything, I was a Growth Manager and account exec for new SaaS companies and built my own company Mymint in Aged Care, helping 4000+ families across Australia stay connected with a loved one in care. If you want to see my key achievements to date, check out my highlights in my experience section below. Past Acheivments /Awards not listed -Startmate Accelerator alumni, participating in Australias leading technology accelerator (Jan - April 2020) -South Australian Young Achiever of the year 2019 (May 2019) -Slingshot x HCF accelerator program (Feb 2019) -Speaker at LASA Congress on Aged Care startups (Oct 2018) -Semi-Finalist winner of the South Australian Channel 9 young Achievers award of 2018 -Student Entrepreneur delegate to Tel Aviv, Israel (January 2018) -Best pitch Hacker Exchange, Tel Aviv, Israel (January 2018) My success is the result of all the help others have provided me and I hope to pay it forward.

Michael Lang is the Solutions Architecture Manager for Asia Pacific South at NVIDIA, where he has been involved in AI solutions at NVIDIA with customers ranging from Healthcare, Financial Services, Architecture, Manufacturing to Government and Mining and everywhere in between. He's worked as a customer, business partner and at multiple vendors. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to customers looking to innovate with the latest in technology, but always with a business goal in mind. He holds degrees in Psychology, Philosophy and a Masters in Cyber Security, and is an NVIDIA certified Deep Learning/AI Instructor.

Mick Liubinskas is a climate tech investor and advisor. He co-founded Climate Salad to help build climate-focused startups and help the world get to and beyond net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. He has helped build 100’s of tech companies as a co-founder and with Pollenizer, Startmate, muru-D and Austrade.

As the founder of LUNA, Ronen has been supporting entrepreneurs and VCs since the beginning of the startup ecosystem in Australia. As an Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital at Monash University and as an Angel Investor, he's a native when it comes to innovation in Australia.

"Leadership, strategy, investment, education, environment, community engagement & public policy development are my strengths. From growing a SME into a national enterprise with 220 employees and sales of AUD$25M, my former retail industry experience remains the foundation for much of what I do. I have served as the Presiding Member, Chairman and Director on the Boards of several commercial, community and government organisations. Having completed an MBA in 2008 and lectured Masters level students for eight years, I remain committed to education. My experience as an entrepreneur, precinct manager, university lecturer, community advocate, Lord Mayor, private investor and CEO provide unique perspectives. My work has taken me across Australia, Asia, America and Europe where I have been fortunate to work with many accomplished and visionary people. As Lord Mayor of Adelaide (2014-2018) where I led a Council that delivered an unprecedented number of partnerships, programs and policies, I combined my commercial and community experience for the civic and economic progression of Adelaide. As Chair of the Premier’s Climate Change Council, I provide advice to the State Government about the growth of low emissions industries and addressing environmental and economic imperatives. As CEO of Business SA, I had the honour of leading a talented team who delivers services, support and advocacy for the growth and prosperity of business in South. As Special Envoy to Singapore and Southeast Asia for Trade and Investment for the Government of South Australia, I am honoured to support the Minister and team from the Department for Trade and Investment (SA) in attracting investment and enabling trade. As a custodian of Adelaide Hills House, Genevieve and I are privileged to bring this heritage property back to life for our local and global guests. As Co-Host of Your Personal Podcast, I do what I love most, supporting others in reaching their potential. "

Jordy Kitschke is a farmer and engineer from the Mid North of South Australia. Jordy has founded multiple AgTech companies in farming and food production. He has worked across several ag sectors including livestock, cropping, and horticulture, and up and down the supply chain from soil to supermarkets. Jordy is currently the founder of Flux Robotics, a startup working on robotics solutions to help farmers produce more food using less pesticide. Flux’s robots are capable of detecting and removing weeds autonomously with little to no pesticide.

Ben Pfisterer is the CEO and co-founder of Zeller, a leading Australian fintech company, based in Melbourne and committed to deploying innovative technologies to transform payments and financial services for Australian businesses. Since inception in May 2021, Zeller’s product offering has rapidly grown to offer over ten business solutions including payments, online invoicing, tap to pay, debit and corporate cards, transaction and savings accounts, and more. Zeller’s entire product ecosystem is seamlessly connected within the business’s Zeller Account and mobile Zeller App. Driven by a passion for innovation, Ben's extensive experience includes establishing US payments company Square in Australia and later leading Square's APAC operations. Prior to this, he held innovation-focused leadership roles at Visa, NAB, and Jetstar.

Leslie’s ethical journey started with a Masters in Bioethics from Monash University, where she collaborated with Professor Peter Singer, one of the best known philosophers of the 20th century. After getting her doctorate in social psychology she nabbed a coveted spot as a Research Fellow and Australia’s first public ethicist at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne. Having found her calling, Leslie has continued to engage diverse audiences with real-world ethical dilemmas on radio, TV and the papers, as well as in book chapters and her own fiction and non-fiction works. While staying engaged as a public thought and practice leader, Leslie is works with leaders from Australian private, public and non-profit sectors as Associate Professor of Ethics and Impact and Resident Ethicist at the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership.

With over 20 years of experience as a gynaecologist, pain medicine physician, and laparoscopic surgeon, I am passionate about improving the quality of life of people with pelvic pain and endometriosis. Following a PhD in the immune mechanisms underlying period pain, pelvic pain and endometriosis I founded Alyra Biotech Pty Ltd in 2017 to develop and commercialise novel, neuroimmune-modifying intrauterine pain management solutions for women. For these technologies I hold US and Chinese patents with additional patents pending. As an Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, I teach students the practical management of endometriosis and pelvic pain and supervise research. As the Co-Author and Medical Advisor for the Period, Pain and Endometriosis (PPEP-Talk) Schools Program, my aim is to educate and support school communities and allow students to live a life with less pain. As co-founder of the not-for-profit Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia I contribute to our national mission to build, support and educate Australia’s pelvic pain workforce across all types of pelvic pain in females, males and gender diverse communities. We care for both sides of the consultation desk and facilitate multi-disciplinary collaboration. I am a member of the Endometriosis Advisory Group for Australia's National Action Plan for Endometriosis, and a thought leader and presenter in the area of women's health. In 2023 it was an honour to be a finalist in the Australian of the Year (SA) Awards.

Dr Sam Costello is a recognized leader in microbiome drug development. He co-founded BiomeBank is 2019 and, together with the team, achieved the first approval for a microbiome therapy worldwide and has filed multiple patents in the field. Dr Costello undertook training in gastroenterology at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Australia) and St Mark’s Hospital (UK) and completed a PhD at the University of Adelaide. The focus of his PhD was a seminal randomized controlled trial of FMT for ulcerative colitis and was awarded the best clinical trial at the European Crohn’s and Colitis meeting. Dr Costello has contributed to many international consensus guidelines on the use of microbiome therapies and has previously worked with Cambridge, UK company Microbiotica from 2016 to 2019 on their microbiome drug development program.

Maureen is a powerful spiritual leader and Traditional Owner with deep roots in South Australia and Western Australia. Her ancestral bloodlines extend to 13 global connections, enriching her with profound cultural wisdom. Gifted with the ability to see and hear messages from her spiritual family and Ancestors, Maureen honours the guidance of both past and present generations in all she does. Today, she will lead the Smoking and Painting elements of the Universal Welcome Ceremony, sharing her ancestral gifts to create a meaningful and transformative experience.

In Atlassian’s early days, founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar built giving back into the DNA of the business with the creation of the Atlassian Foundation. We believe businesses should use their assets to help solve problems and create a better world. We’re revolutionising corporate philanthropy. We’re a proud co-founder of the global Pledge 1% movement to inspire businesses to bake social impact into their DNA. Steve is the Director of Business Impact for Atlassian Foundation, Program Lead at Pledge 1% in APAC, co-founder of the Jessica King Founder Fellowship, and startup advisor for the Remarkable Tech accelerator program. Steve and his late wife Jessica King were cofounders of a startup called abil.io, a transport and navigation app that enabled people with disability to move throughout the city. abil.io aimed to make the world accessible, to equalise independent access to life. Steve established the Jessica King Fellowship in memory of his wife, providing aspiring entrepreneurs with disability (EwD), or those intrigued by entrepreneurship, the opportunity to explore the world of startups.

Antonia is a passionate CEO, charity director and philanthropy specialist, with over two decades experience across the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. Antonia is CEO of StartGiving, a not-for-profit that aims to build a new movement of giving in the innovation community. StartGiving encourages and supports successful tech founders to establish their own charitable foundations. We guide them through the process and connect them to people, ideas and support. Prior to this, Antonia was CEO of Australian Philanthropic Services (APS) for nine years. She led APS from being a small start-up to a leading provider of philanthropy services in Australia. By 2021, APS had grown to having over 600 clients, with $2 billion in assets committed to the community and over $100 million gifted to charity each year. Antonia previously served on the Board of The Social Outfit, a social enterprise and ethical fashion company that provides training and employment opportunities to refugees. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a director of several charitable foundations. She has recently completed the inaugural Social Impact Leadership Australia program, an immersive leadership program with a focus on driving positive change for our society through individual and organisational capacity building.

Simon has been editor of Startup Daily since 2019. He hosted the Startup Daily show on ausbiz.com.au from 2020 to 2023. Simon was previously associate editor of Business Insider Australia, a national restaurant critic, and newspaper proprietor during a 30-year career in journalism and publishing. He's also an investor in early stage startups, but is in no way sophisticated.

We're building a global saas platform to transform the way startup founders attract awesome investors and build great teams with employee equity 🦄 I develop and deliver tools, resources and events that simplify startup equity for founders. I'm inspired every day by the amazing people I get to work with including founders, accelerators and VCs. I Iove build a global fintech startup, investing in startups and being deeply connected with the global startup ecosystem.

JD (John-David) is the Co-founder and Partner of Eastend Ventures, Founder and Managing Director of Virtca Capital, and Non-executive director of several prominent technology and not-for-profit organisations. Originally from Canada, JD has spent the past two decades living and working throughout Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. JD relocated to Adelaide in 2021 after being awarded the Australian Global Talent Visa based on his internationally recognised technology and business achievements. JD is an accomplished, transparent, and innovative business, finance and technology leader with extensive experience growing companies to scale. JD has held key leadership and shareholders positions as the Managing Director and Corporate Technology Director of multinational organisations, where he played a significant role in leading these companies through a phase of substantial growth and international expansion (growing from 100 to over 1800 employees across 4 countries). Beyond numbers, JD's influence was felt across mergers and acquisitions, compliance and governance, operations, product development, stakeholder management and engagement, digital transformation, enterprise systems, process improvement, and the creation of some of the oil and gas industry's first widely adopted SaaS, digital workforce, IoT, AI, and machine learning-based solutions and products (with numerous fortune 500 companies as early adopters and long-term clients). JD holds a suite of qualifications, including an MBA in Finance, Graduate – Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Project Management Professional (PMP), an array of financial and technological accreditations, and a commercial pilot license.

"Jodie is passionate about helping tech businesses start and grow. Jodie is an angel investor, advisor and non executive director. Currently she is a CoFounder and the CEO at Tractor Ventures a Fintech company that exists to help founders unlock possibilities with alternative capital! Previously, she cofounded two-sided marketplace, Occasional Butler, which was acquired by rival Airtasker and depo8 coworking. Jodie also led the SBE Australia not for profit that accelerates women led business, Innovation Bay in Melbourne, and Fashion label Leona Edmiston.

Karin Stark is the Director of Farm Renewables Consulting and founder and convener of the annual National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Expo. Co-managing a wheat and cotton farm in Narromine NSW has given Karin a first-hand perspective of the energy challenges farmers face both on-farm and in their communities. They live on the edge of the country's first Renewable Energy Zone and she is a member of the NSW Farmer's Energy Transition Taskforce. She is on the Board of RE Alliance and has published two reports: 'Pursuing an Agrivoltaic Future in Australia' and 'Farm Powered'.

"Emma is the CEO and a Co Founder of AgriDigital which launched its digital supply chain platform in 2017 bringing efficiency and transparency to global grain supply chains. Emma holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management, a LL.B. (Hons) and a B.A.from the University of Melbourne, she is a director of Australian Wool Innovation and an advisory board member of Inspiring Girls Australia. Both Emma and AgriDigital have won numerous awards for their innovation and contribution to the agtech sector. Emma was awarded the Pearcey Foundation NSW Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023 and was 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Eastern Region. Emma farms with her family in New South Wales and is motivated personally and through AgriDigital to ensure global rural communities are sustainable, that agriculture is a valued career choice and to build connection between consumers and their food."

Leading the team working on Special Projects at FarmLab, including the Soil Carbon Innovation Challenge, Oli is a leading voice in Australia's AgriTech Community. Oli became a grape grower in South Australia’s McLaren Vale six years ago, after previously co-founding the award-winning Facebook games developer WeR Interactive. He Founded Platfarm out of the frustration of not being able to easily and cost effectively adopt precision agriculture on his vineyard. Oli helps to run the Adelaide AgTech Meetup, which brings together a community of over a thousand farmers, students, developers, agritech professionals and startups, to help build up a collaborative AgTech ecosystem in South Australia. He has an extensive history in the digital and IT space in South Australia and overseas too, where he’s become known for his entrepreneurial, creative and collaborative flair – coupled with a willingness to help others and raise the collective power of our agritech ecosystem.

"Kirsten joined Artesian in 2022 with a focus on early stage tech investing, primarily through the SAVC Fund and Female Leaders Fund. Kirsten has a passion for high growth technology startups, and is a strong advocate for supporting women in technology and finance. Prior to joining Artesian, Kirsten spent time in San Francisco, working as an operator in strategic finance for a venture backed SaaS company. She also worked in technology banking, advising a portfolio of software, consumer, and gaming clients on debt transactions up to $2bn. Before moving to the US, Kirsten worked in technology commercialisation for the University of Adelaide, and M&A with Big 4 firms KPMG and EY. Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Adelaide, and is a Graduate member of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors."

"Jamie Pride is a serial entrepreneur, startup mentor, and author with a passion for turning big ideas into lasting ventures. As the founder of Dreamstream Labs, Jamie helps startups and founders harness the power of AI to create businesses that are desirable, valuable, and urgent. Formerly the Chief Entrepreneur in Residence at Western Sydney University and Entrepreneur in Residence at KPMG Futures, Jamie’s expertise lies in scaling startups and empowering founders to navigate the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship. Recognised as one of Australia's top startup mentors (#7 in 2024), he has guided countless ventures across various industries. Jamie has also started, funded, and successfully exited multiple startups, giving him firsthand insight into the challenges of entrepreneurship. Jamie is the author of Unicorn Tears: Why Startups Fail & How to Avoid It, a must-read for founders, and the upcoming Desirable, Valuable & Urgent: Using AI to Build Startups That Stay Up. With over two decades of experience in leadership roles, including being the Australian CEO of realestate.com.au, Jamie combines deep strategic insight with a pragmatic approach to innovation. He is passionate about founder mental health and remains dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs as they build businesses and navigate the pressures of startup life."

"Gav’ has spent the last decade in the music industry, touring Australia with artists like Rufus Du Sol and Ballpark Music. He's worked on records streamed over 50 million times and founded 10,000 Noises, a label whose releases include one sampled by Grammy-nominated PARTYNEXTDOOR. In 2020, he launched Your Favourite Team, a platform dedicated to educating the next generation of music creators. The platform later merged with LA-based management company Vitalic Noise (Bag Raiders, Hermitude, Miami Horror) to create Loose Change Publishing. Gav moved into tech, startups, and innovation, serving as Head of Artist Relations at SURREAL, Director of Community at Innovation Bay, and leading external innovation and community efforts in Australia for the global entertainment company Entain (Ennovate). In late 2024, he launched The Centre for Arts, Sports, and Technology (CAST), a membership organization driving innovation within the entertainment industry. Gav’ continues his work at CAST alongside his role as Ventures Manager at the University of Queensland. There, he leads programs designed to inspire and support the next generation of innovators, aspiring founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs."

"Sid is an Investment Manager at Airtree Ventures where he focuses on early-stage investments across ANZ. Prior to Airtree, Sid was an early employee of Deferit, where he launched the company's US operations. Sid started his career working at Blackstone in New York, and studied Electrical Engineering & Economics at Duke University. "

Adam is a Venture Capital investor at Octopus Ventures, one of Europe's leading VC's, specializing in Enterprise Software, AI applications, data, and cybersecurity. With a focus on identifying and scaling innovative B2B solutions, Adam partners with exceptional founders to build transformative companies including ANZ businesses looking to scale into UK/EMEA at Series A&B stages.

"Having worked across multiple industries over the past 15+ years, Nick is currently the APAC GTM Lead for Remote - leading their commercial division across the region. Nick is an experienced Commercial leader passionate about building and sustaining long-term relationships in order to solve business problems, with a particular focus on Remote Work, and solving complex cross-border employment problems. After a successful career leading and developing high-performing teams for a decade within the Recruitment industry, Nick spent 5 years with Topia, predominantly in California, providing Global Mobility technology solutions to enterprise organisations across the US West Coast & APAC regions. He has now coupled his hands-on experience with his passion for leadership, to drive the GTM team across APAC. Nick is extremely excited to be leading Remote's go-to-market endeavours across APAC, where he brings his enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge of remote work to everything he does. "

"Sophie Robertson is a Partner and Head of Investor Relations at TEN13, a global venture capital firm that has deployed over $110 million into early-stage technology companies worldwide, backing breakout successes like Go1 and Me&U. The firm leverages a powerful network of 500+ sophisticated investors, including family offices and angel investors, who provide both capital and strategic expertise to portfolio companies. Drawing on 15 years at Credit Suisse in London and Sydney as Director of Institutional Equity Sales, Sophie brings valuable perspective from both public and private markets. Her experience advising major institutional investors across global, Asian, and Australian listed markets, combined with her deep understanding of early-stage investing, allows her to bridge the gap between institutional capital and startup opportunities."

Pat Stewart is a State Manager with Radium Capital. A seasoned finance professional, Pat holds an MBA and has 15 years’ banking, financial product and sales leadership experience with financial institutions across Australia. By working in a variety of roles during his career, Pat has gained a strong understanding of different businesses and their unique needs. Pat is focused on identifying market and industry trends, anticipating customer needs, and strategically implementing objectives to achieve stakeholder satisfaction. His authentic approach and strong track record supports clients to grow their businesses through R&D financing and thrive. Since launching in 2017, Radium Capital has deployed over $650m of funding to innovators.

Global communications executive with over 20 years experience working with early stage startups to large publicly listed technology firms. Specialises in corporate communications, messaging and narrative development. Strong interest in sustainability and working with innovators in this space. Caroline has a deep understanding of Australia’s venture and startup ecosystem. She was an early advocate for its growth, launching Australia's inaugural venture matching service for startups in the late 1990s—an initiative that garnered government support. Throughout her career, she has worked with some of the biggest names in tech include Square, Afterpay, GoFundMe, Dropbox, Catch Group, SEEK, Domain to name a few. Outside of work, Caroline is PR mentor to tech startups and is also actively involved in animal advocacy and is an advisor to not for profit charity, Vets for Compassion.

"I was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for my services to social welfare. I saw this national honour as recognition of life time service in addressing inequities in our systems and services especially for women and children, participation and governance. I bring my experience, knowledge & networks from grassroots communities (social work) to cabinet level (Chief of Staff to government Minister, South Australia) to the communities, enterprises and companies I work with across Australia. My extensive experience in multi-stakeholder engagement for complex problems and community led solutions at local, regional and national levels is well-known. High quality and meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making been gained through: - international experience in public participation & citizen engagement on three continents. - extensive social media campaigning including creating & curating content and mobilising for action - delivering thousands of hours of workshops and trainings in engagement - facilitating online, real time, face to face small and large (up to 500 people) events for decision-making, discernment, policy making, strategy and evaluation for more than twenty years I have a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and politics, a Bachelor of Social Administration in social policy and family therapy and a Master of Letters (Distinction) that included coursework in economics and ethics. My thesis was a detailed analysis of Catholic Social Teaching from feminist perspectives. I am a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australian Labor Party, Coralus and Social Impact Investment Network of SA. I live on Kaurna country and gratefully acknowledge their elders, stewardship, spiritual and on-going relationship to the land and seas that have never been ceded."

"Based in Sydney, Matt is focused on supporting and championing Rippling's customers and employees across the Asia-Pacific region. He spearheads Rippling’s multi-year investment initiative in the region, assisting businesses in modernising their legacy payroll, HR, IT, and finance systems. Matt brings a wealth of experience from his previous leadership roles at Slack, LinkedIn, and Salesforce, where he successfully launched the companies into Asia-Pacific markets and drove hyper-growth. Matt is also an active advisor and investor to a variety of startups across technology and healthcare."

Allys Todd is a founder of VALAI, a globally recognised company that integrates climate action into economic systems through cutting-edge data and digital engagement technologies. In Australia, through Home Efficiency Australia, VALAI incentivise home electrification. A specialist in shared value partnerships and innovative problem-solving, Allys has been honoured with a Prime Minister's Award for Community and Business Partnership. Allys serves as a corporate speaker for the global movement Women in Climate, sharing her insights on sustainability, the role of technology, and the importance of effective communication in driving behavioural change. Allys has collaborated with groups including AWS Innovation, McKinsey & Company, the World Energy Council and the Harvard University Behavioural Science STAR Lab.

"Dave is a certified breathwork and flow state expert focused on helping founders and teams access greater levels of clarity, creativity and connection. Blending ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience, Dave teaches teams and leaders how to access flow - the optimal state of consciousness for creativity, well-being and performance. Dave has run programs for businesses such as Canva, BCG, TikTok, VaynerMedia, R/GA and SoHo House."

Michael is an entrepreneur, operator, and advisor focused on recoding the food system. Through his company Recode Ventures, Michael supports AgriFood technology commercialisation, investment, and international market entry. His 15-year entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 21, launching the first of five ventures across a range of industries. A deep curiosity for technology solutions in agriculture led to prior roles as Director for AgriFood Tech at BDO and Managing Director for APAC at SVG Ventures Thrive. Today, he advocates for the AgriFood tech ecosystem as a Committee Member of the Australian AgriTech Association and co-organiser of the South Australian AgriTech Meetup Group. Michael's forward-thinking perspective on redesigning the food system was showcased in his TEDx talk, and recognised as a recipient of an InDaily 40 Under 40 award in 2020.

Dickie is passionate about showcasing the best of Australian Tech & Innovation to the world and helping to connect it's Startup ecosystems with other Global Communities. He does this as the Founder of Hype Man Media, a content house which tells stories about the world's most groundbreaking Innovation. And as the Founder of Startup Vagabond, which helps to connects Startup ecosystems across international borders.

Zac King is a founder, operator and fractional executive who's spent 20+ years building teams and scaling companies. From founding an (wildly unsuccessful) AI-powered healthtech platform to working with the latest wave of generative AI companies, he's been hands-on with AI for over a decade. After launching products and building teams across APAC and the US, he now splits his time between fractional leadership roles and running the Fractional Exec Community - Australia's largest network of experienced operators who work on-demand. His superpower? Taking complex business challenges and turning them into simple, repeatable systems that actually work.

Nicole Dyson is a multi-award-winning educator and entrepreneur, and a global authority on project-based learning and youth entrepreneurship. An experienced former school leader within the public education system in Australia, she is the founder of Future Anything, an award-winning education provider that works with 15000+ young people (and their educators) each year, YouthX, Australia’s only startup accelerator program for school-aged entrepreneurs, and Catapult Cards, a design thinking toolkit for classrooms and corporates that donates 50% of its profits back to providing micro-grants for youth-led startups. Future Anything was the winner of the Xero Outstanding Micro-Business Award at the 2021 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards and was listed as one of only ten initiatives around the globe realizing the employment and entrepreneurship ambitions of young people in the Prince’s Trust Group’s Report (2021) on The Future of Work. Future Anything was also the winner in the 2023 Business Champion Awards for Outstanding Education Services. Nicole was listed in the inaugural 40 Under 40 for Queensland in 2023, as well as winning the ‘Gamechanger Award’, recognizing a person who has “re-written the rules of business to challenge, inspire and spark significant change.” She was also recognized in The Educator’s “Most Influential” list for 2023, acknowledging 45 educators significantly influencing culture and reform within Australia’s education sector, and was the recipient of SBE’s ‘Unsung Hero’ Award in 2022. Nicole passionately believes that youth-led ideas have the power to bend the future and supports educators, schools, and systems to design and deliver future-focused learning that unlocks young people’s passion and potential.

Dave is the founder of Lightning Products, a leading NoCode Product and AI agency in APAC, and Ocean Greens, an e-commerce brand and seaweed farm focused on sustainable aquaculture. He previously founded a healthcare startup in the US, giving him hands-on experience across tech, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Dave is one of 12 globally recognized Bubble.io coaches, dedicated to empowering founders with NoCode and AI solutions.