Sydney Water Innovation Festival

Pre-event: Design Incubators

• Dates: 1^st Oct - 22^nd Nov 2024
• Location: Online and Sydney Water Parramatta HUB

Live festival

• Dates: 4^th - 5^th March 2025
• Location: Online and Telstra Customer Insight Centre, Sydney, CBD
• Address: Telstra CIC, Level 2 - 400 George Street. Sydney 2000

Adam Spencer

Laugh and learn with one of Australia’s most dynamic and engaging minds, Adam Spencer is the iconic star of radio and television and now a leading conference MC and keynote speaker on artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, the future of work, and the Chat GPT revolution.

Adam has hosted award-winning breakfast radio shows in Australia’s toughest markets and live current affairs TV. He has won improvised theatre competitions and once interviewed John Travolta in front of 75,000 people. Whether it’s a technically demanding event with dozens of moving parts, or flying by the seat of your pants, Adam prides himself on the high level of energy, engagement and entertainment that he provides whenever on stage, set or screen.

With 25 years experience in television, radio and events, Adam loves curating challenging and thought-provoking conversations and keynote presentations. As a leading conference speaker on artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, the future of work, and the Chat GPT revolution, he's informative, fun and guaranteed to impart take-aways you’ve never heard before.

As an MC and conference host, Adam loves doing the research and crafting the narrative that helps people tell their story - just watch what he can get out of them. He has interviewed prime ministers, Hollywood stars, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel Prize-winning scientists and Australians of the Year… and he was also the first person in the world to ever interview our legendary Thai cave rescuers. All done with an obsessive focus on keeping to time that only 15 years of working in breakfast radio can bring.

Dr Catherine Ball

Associate Professor, Dr Catherine Ball is an academic, company director, bestselling author, futurist and visioneer working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.

A champion of diversity and inclusion, Catherine believes we need points of difference to truly innovate and curate the changes we want to see in the world. Working to protect the natural environment and empowering all members of society through mutual education and respect are core aspects of her chosen projects. As well as supporting Australian start-ups and leaders from all generations; Catherine is particularly passionate about social mobility and equity.

Catherine is an advisor to a broad range of enterprises and philanthropic organisations, including the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and an XPRIZE visioneer and member of their Global Brains Trust.

Catherine’s latest business ventures span angel investments and advisory across the broad emerging technology sector, from insect protein to personalised brain health through AI and neuroscience. Her internationally recognised work on drones and robotics community engagement via the World of Drones and Robotics Global Congress continues and is evolving. Catherine is also a member of Australia’s Robotics Advisory Council.

Professor Christopher Lawrence

Professor Lawrence is an Aboriginal health and wellbeing researcher. He’s been a chief investigator on many research grants, including an NHMRC tripartite study exploring Indigenous resilience in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Professor Lawrence is the Associate Dean Indigenous in the Faculty of Information Technology and the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University.

Underpinning his work at Monash University is a focus on collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia – using technology and innovation to improve their health, wellbeing and education while fostering more ‘tech-smart’ communities through co-design.

Professor Lawrence is also the creator and Head of Monash University's National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena C.A. NISA sends Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university STEM students to NASA/JPL to intern and learn how to become space explorers. 

In addition, Professor Lawrence leads the National Indigenous Innovation Challenge at Monash University which supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs and businesses by embedding innovation in their enterprises.

Lucy Luo

Lucy is an innovation advisor to organisations large and small, helping them seek breakthrough growth opportunities by launching new start-up ideas to future proof their business. She is the head of content and marketing at Strategyzer developing the latest thinking and methodology to turn complex innovation challenges into simple, visual practical tools accessible by all.

Lucy is passionate about resolving social and sustainability challenges. She has worked with organisations such as the Atlantic Council, World Economic Forum Global Shapers, and United Nations using design thinking to solve global challenges.

Dr Dianne McGrath

Dr McGrath is a modern-day explorer of a different kind.

She has lived her life challenging what others thought was possible, whether that was to prepare for a one-way mission to Mars, circumnavigate our planet, run ultra-marathons, cycle extreme distances, sail in gale storms in a tall ship in the Southern Ocean or biohack her body and mind to become Dianne 2.0.

Dianne has been one of seven Australian shortlisted Mars One astronaut candidates in Mars One's one-way Mars Mission. She is also one of Australia’s most highly regarded experts on sustainability.

Dr McGrath is a university lecturer, academic researcher, biohacker, podcaster, author, artist, self-experimenter and Director. She has a special interest in sustainable food systems, something that is critical to ensure our survival on any planet.

Pre-event: Design Incubators

• Dates: 1^st Oct - 22^nd Nov 2024
• Location: Online and Sydney Water Parramatta HUB

Outcomes 

60 participants from different parts of the organisation worked in cross functional teams to address nine identified Sydney Water challenges. Throughout the program, an impressive total of 1,118 ideas were generated, 21 of which were tested on end users, and 12 were selected as top ideas. The teams received positive feedback from the Executives, highlighting the success of the Design Incubator sessions. The outcomes of the DI will be showcased at the Sydney Water Innovation Festival (SWIF25) live event in March 2025.