Presented by First Nations X

Successful entrepreneurs from the World’s Oldest Continuous Living Culture will share how they are building global businesses through creativity, technology, and traditional knowledge. These First Nations business leaders from Western Australia will provide invaluable insights for founders, creatives, and advocates of sustainable development. Explore the high-impact world where bridging cultural heritage with modern technology yields step-change outcomes. The panel speakers, highly successful Indigenous Australians, are driving economic empowerment and cultural well-being through art, fashion, bush foods, ecotech, sustainability, and technology.

• Jahna Cedar OAM, MD of IPS Management Consultants
• Michael Wear, MD of Tidal Moon
• Shannon McGuire, CEO of Kirrikin Foundation
• Peter Rossdeutscher, Chair of First Nations

Presented by Australian Government – Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade

Former Prime Minister of Australia, and now Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr Kevin Rudd, in discussion with Ben Rhodes about the US’ vital role in managing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific – against the backdrop of a consequential US election. Ambassador Rudd is the author of ‘The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping’s China’, an internationally acclaimed authoritative text on contemporary China. He has been widely published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the Financial Times as one of the world’s preeminent China scholars.

• The Honorable Dr Kevin Rudd – Australian Ambassador to the US
• Ben Rhodes – White House Staffer

In today’s globalized landscape, tech ecosystems around the world and the companies building and investing within them are grappling with how to foster innovation and community that transcends international and physical boundaries. Join our panel of industry experts, representing key stakeholders in Sydney’s thriving innovation ecosystem, to; learn how leading companies are building, growing and innovating physically and remotely, simultaneously. Explore the scale-up journey from a tech-hub like Sydney to the global stage. Hear how attracting and retaining top talent is still king, and the innovative approaches to the evolving workforce. Understand how major events like SXSW Sydney go hand in hand with innovation and community-building.

• Saxon Phipps, Co-Founder & CEO – Year 13
• Gabrielle Hall – Australian Consul-General, Houston
• Fenella Kernebone, Head of Programming – SXSW Sydney
• Annie Dean – Head of Team Anywhere at Atlassian

Presented by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) & With You With Me (WYWM)

This panel will focus on why technology companies should consider dual use applications from a commercial perspective and national security imperative. We’ll hear from Australia and US defense experts and technology companies with experience navigating the defense environment as they examine the opportunities that arise from AUKUS in the form of export control reform and accelerated development in key technology areas such as AI, quantum, hypersonics and beyond. The discussion will also address the global reawakening of the importance of resilient supply chains, workforce development and retention, and how it relates to opportunities for critical and emerging technology companies.

• Heather Richman – Founder, Defence Investor Network
• Bronte Munro – Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Alicia Kouparitsas – With You With Me

2022 Australian of the Year and one of the world’s most successful and well recognized Paralympians and disability advocates, Dylan Alcott AO, will join Chris Allison, Vice President (The Americas) at Tourism Australia for a fireside discussion at AUSTRALIA HOUSE.

They’ll explore the nuances between Accessibility and Inclusivity (and how brands can achieve both); Dylan’s innovative Shift20 initiative; the latest innovations emerging from the Australian tourism industry, and the importance of creating experiences and spaces that are accessible for all. 

‘Inspired by Lifestyle. Driven by Opportunity’ That is the vision of Australia’s Gold Coast, the country’s fastest growing city.  Join us for a captivating discussion as we delve into the dynamic intersection of Film, Music, and Technology industries, with a spotlight on why they are some of the key sectors shaping Australia’s Gold Coast. Discover how this coastal gem has made a strategic focus to diversify a visitor economy and become a thriving hub for innovation. Hear from industry leaders, filmmakers, musicians, and tech innovators as they share insights, trends, and stories that showcase how the Gold Coast is embracing the inevitable challenges cities face during periods of extreme growth. How do you change and grow as a city, while retaining the unique lifestyle that is so attractive in the first place? Find out here.

• Cal Davidson – Cake Equity
• Melissa James – Big Pond
• Michael Wrenn – Invisible Republic TV
• Ben Foster – City of Gold Coast

With a New National Cultural Policy and the creation of Music Australia, the Australian music industry has never been better placed to capitalize on its incredible talent pool and make an impact at home and abroad. A must for anyone looking to understand the current pulse of the Australian music market, this panel will dissect and discuss the latest trends shaping the nation’s musical identity. From securing spots on iconic festivals and garnering attention in the market, to the groundbreaking innovations taking the industry in bold new directions, take a deep dive into the country’s burgeoning music scene, what makes it tick and the sonic movements defining Australia right now.

• Claire Collins – SXSW Sydney Music
• Simone Ubaldi – Sundowner Music
• Luke Girgis – The Brag Media
• Dom Alessio – Sounds Australia

Join a diverse panel of AI and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) experts as they explore the powerfully positive impact AI can have, reversing the trend of “product experts” taking power away from loyal consumers in driving product creation. A groundbreaking AI Bar that will create personalized beers for attendees, will provide an example of how enabling consumers intentional, transparent, and democratic control over their data can save the world from AI annihilation while crafting the ideal personalized IPA.

• Denham D’Silva – Founder & CEO, Deep Liquid
• Jessie Hughes – Creative Technologist at Leonardo Ai & American Australian Association Scholar
• Simon Lucey Ph.D. – Director of Machine Learning at the University of Adelaide
• Gautam Rege – Co-Founder & Director at Josh Software