Advisors & Judges
Our Advisors
Luli Adeyemo
Director and Founder, Best Case Scenario
Luli has over 30 years’ experience curating leadership discussions within the technology, government, fintech and health sectors. She was head of Gartner events for its Asia Pacific conference business, and also headed the Australian Information Industry Association NSW Chapter.
Professor Roy Green
Special Advisor and Chair for UTS Innovation Council and Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle
Roy has published widely in the areas of innovation policy and management, and has undertaken projects with industry, government and public agencies, such as the OECD and European Commission.
Sally-Ann Williams
CEO, Cicada Innovations
Sally-Ann has been involved in driving national engagement and change strategies in innovation and entrepreneurship, computer science and STEM education, including contributing to the COAG STEM Partnership Forum and the foundation of StartupAUS, a non-profit with a mission to transform Australia through technology entrepreneurship.
Professor Alex Zelinsky AO
Vice Chancellor and President at University of Newcastle
Alex is the University of Newcastle’s eight Vice-Chancellor and President and commenced in the role in 2018. Prior to joining the University, Professor Zelinsky was Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist and leader of Defence Science and Technology within the Department of Defence.
Dr Priya Dev
Lecturer at the Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies and Statistics at the Australian National University
Priya is an experienced academic and Fintech entrepreneur with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry and start-ups. She is skilled in statistical modelling and data science, math finance, blockchain and cryptoeconomics.
Adrian Beer
CEO, METS Ignited Australia
Adrian brings extensive experience in the application of technology to the mining sector, and he is an advocate for cross-industry innovation and technology adaption. Adrian has held senior director or board advisory roles at SmartSat CRC, ABB, Austmine Limited, General Electric and the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources.
Liza Noonan
Executive Director, Westmead Health and Innovation Precinct
Liza has over 20 years’ experience in strategy, innovation management, ecosystem development and deep tech. Liza has significant experience in building and leading teams comprised of multiple organisational disciplines with a strongly affiliative style.
Divya Skene
Senior Advisor, Trade & Investment, Austrade
With over 20 years’ experience in trade, investment and policy, Divya has longstanding interest in Australia’s trade with the Asian region, and has assisted tech businesses to invest in Australia, and access markets across North East and South East Asia.
Our Judges
Dr Catherine Ball
Associate Professor, The Australian National University and start-up investor
Catherine is a scientific futurist, speaker, advisor, author, founder, executive producer, executive director and company director working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.
Chris Baxter
Chairman, Baxter IP Patent and Trademark Attorneys
Chris specialises in strategic, cross-jurisdictional intellectual property advice on complex patent portfolios and dispute matters. He acts for multinationals, ASX-listed companies, university spin-outs and a wide variety of SMEs. Chris has broad technological experience spanning, in particular: medtech, defence, software and aerospace inventions.
Adrian Beer
CEO, METS Ignited Australia
Adrian brings extensive experience in the application of technology to the mining sector, and he is an advocate for cross-industry innovation and technology adaption. Adrian has held senior director or board advisory roles at SmartSat CRC, ABB, Austmine Limited, General Electric and the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources.
Ashley Brinson
Founder and CEO of Greener Technologies; Director of Brinson and Associates
Ashley has broad experience in R&D, manufacturing, capital project management, international business expansion, technology transfer and public policy. An inventor on five PCT patent families, his waste recovery technologies in the silicon industry were scaled up from the laboratory to major commercial facilities he constructed, started up and managed in the US, UK and China.
Dr Amanda Caples
Lead Scientist, Victorian Government
Amanda is Victoria's Lead Scientist. She is also a Director of Breakthrough Victoria; Chair of mRNA Victoria's Scientific Advisory Group; Director of Agriculture Victoria Services; a member of the VicTrack Strategic Innovation Advisory Group and the Rail Industry Development Advisory Committee. She chairs the Victorian Inspiring Australia Board and the Victorian Quantum Technology Network.
Brad Chan
CEO of Banna Property Group; Founder and Director of Haymarket HQ
Brad is a property professional and founder of HaymarketHQ, an innovation hub with a focus on helping startups grow into Asian markets. He is on the Board of the Museum of Chinese Australia; previous President of the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, sat for several years on the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Advisory Committee and was the first President of the Australian Asian Association of Bennelong. He was recently a Board Director of Northcross Limited and is also a former board member of the DAWN Network.
David Chuter
CEO and Managing Director, Innovative Manufacturing CRC
David is an experienced senior executive with a strong industry record in leading strategic business growth, innovation, operational management and change in the manufacturing sector. David has more than thirty years of international design, engineering and manufacturing experience. David is a member of Australia’s Industry 4.0 Advanced Manufacturing Forum and is a Director of the Australian Industry Group Centre for Education and Training.
Leigh Dayton
Journalist and PHD in innovation
Leigh has an extensive background as a science writer and broadcaster with a PhD in science innovation. Her doctorate, awarded 2018, builds on her background as a multi-award-winning journalist. She reported for the ABC, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, New Scientist magazine and journals Science, Nature and Nature Index. She has contributed to projects and communications with media, industry, government and non-governmental organisations, and universities.
Andrew Fox-Smith
President International (P&R and Mathys) at Enovis
Andrew is a senior medical device surgery leader with significant experience working with large international companies and mid-size private equity-backed medical device companies. He was the CEO and Director of Global Orthopaedic Technology and Chairman of Optimized Ortho. He is skilled in developing market and product strategies, market analysis, and product launches as well as building strong teams.
Thomas Hajdu
CEO of Disrupter; Professor and Chair of Creative Technologies at the University of Adelaide
Tom's career connects leadership, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Tom is CEO of Disrupter, a US-based innovation company. This year Disrupter is launching uNET, a next generation network company. Tom is also the Director of the Sia Furler Institute advocating innovation and entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Arts.
Alex Harrington
Industry Advisory Board Member for University of Technology Sydney, CEO and Founder of Noegenesis and SheEO Activator for SheEO
Alexandra has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of senior roles bringing together an excellent understanding of digital technology and emerging innovations, with strong business strategy and financial acumen.
Murray Hurps
Director of Entrepreneurship, University of Technology Sydney; Co-Founder and Director of Startup Muster
Murray developed software used by over 100 million users, implemented the largest survey of Australia's startup ecosystem, grown Australia's largest network of startup hubs, designed and implemented Australia's first data-focused accelerator program for Australia's oldest company, Westpac.
Cameron Johns
GM of Innovation, Impact Innovation Group; Co-Director of C+C Creative Studios; Board Member to High Growth Startups
Cameron is an experienced professional who has assisted the private sector, research organisations, governments and for purpose clients across the globe. He has worked with startups and in innovation for over 20 years and have successfully been a startup founder and also investor.
Mark Ledson
Business Development Manager, Office of the South Australian Chief Entrepreneur, Department for Innovation and Skills, SA Government
Mark has worked in commercialisation and innovation roles within both industry and government for more than 25 years, including direct involvement in developing innovative and award-winning new products for global markets.
Audrey Lobo-Pulo
Senior Public Policy & Economic Graph Manager, Australia & New Zealand at LinkedIN
Previously, Audrey was a Senior Policy Advisor at the Australian Treasury, and also partnered with the Canadian Energy Regulator on designing digital platforms for civic engagement. With extensive experience in the 'Future of Work', social and tax policy, data analytics and the skills gap in our digital world, Audrey brings a unique perspective to her work.
Professor Caroline McMillen AO
Chief Scientist for the South Australian Government
Caroline is the Chief Scientist for South Australia after serving as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle for 7 years. She was appointed an AO in 2020, awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Adelaide in 2019, and was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and a Bragg Member of the Royal Institution, Australia in 2015. She has an international research reputation for her work which focusses on the early origins of adult disease.
Andrew Nunn
Chief Entrepreneur for the South Australian Government
Andrew has decades of experience as an environmental consultant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is Co-Founder, Chairman and Executive Director of JBS&G Australia – one of Australia’s largest privately-owned environmental consulting companies –and was awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Central Region in 2017.
Ian Oppermann
Chief Data Scientist for the NSW Government
Ian is the NSW Government’s Chief Data Scientist working within the Department of Customer Service, and Industry Professor at University of Technology Sydney. Ian has 27 years’ experience in the ICT sector and, has led organisations with more than 300 people, delivering products and outcomes that have impacted hundreds of millions of people globally.
Dr Michelle Perugini
Mentor for Faster Capital; Co-Founder and CEO of Presagen | AI Enhanced Healthcare
Michelle is an expert in health, medical research (stem-cell biology and genetics) and AI and has a PhD in Medicine. She has significant experience in commercialising advanced AI technology, boasting a successful exit of advanced AI predictive analytics firm ISD Analytics to Ernst & Young in 2015.
Professor Hugh Possingham
Chief Scientist for the Queensland Government
Hugh has been the Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, as well as the Australian Government's Threatened Species Recovery Hub; the Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy and co-developed the Marxan software for conservation planning. Hugh is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences.
Martin Redhead
Director of Business Innovation, Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
In his current role, Martin’s priorities are developing the Territory’s innovation ecosystem and supporting a culture of innovation in the public sector. Martin is also responsible for representing the NT on the Forum of Australian Chief Scientists, as well as the NT Government on the Board of Inspiring Australia NT, and held previous roles in the as an Adviser in the Office of the NT Chief Minister, Manager of Advancement with Charles Darwin University, QLD Government (Environment), commodity trading, and as a consultant to private sector and multi-lateral organisations based in Indonesia.
Alex Scandurra
Co-Founder & Director for the Spark Festival, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, advisor and mentor
Alex's experience spans across startup, scaleup, corporates and government. Driven by values and purpose, he has exceptional leadership qualities established in the military and refined through high levels of emotional intelligence, transparent vulnerability, humility and authenticity. Multi-skilled in a range of fields from strategy to tactics and with firsthand geopolitical experience across three different continents.
Cori Stewart
CEO of Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub
Cori is an innovation ecosystem leader passionate about securing Australia’s AI-led manufacturing revival. She builds large-scale partnerships between industry, research institutions, government and the community, and is recognised for creating new and successful approaches to tackling industry and society’s most pressing challenges.
Matt Tett
Managing Director, Enex TestLab; Chairman of Enex Carbon security consultancy
Matt has a technical background in network and security systems and has provided advice for the Attorney General Department’s Stay Smart Online program. He is well known globally across industry and government as a very well-connected, highly technical straight shooter.
Pia Turcinov
Director of Mystral Enterprises Consulting and Chair of WA AustCyber Innovation Hub and Women in technology WA Ambassador
Pia has 30 years’ of commercial and corporate experience across multiple industries and has been a proactive and key contributor to the Australian innovation ecosystem since 2010. Pia holds a number of board positions, is the immediate past Chair of Women in Technology WA, co-founder of FundWA and VentureX HQ, and is a passionate STEM and diversity advocate.
Professor Toby Walsh
Professor of AI at UNSW
Toby is an ARC Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of AI at UNSW and CSIRO Data61, and adjunct professor at QUT. He is a strong advocate for limits to ensure AI is used to improve our lives, having spoken at the UN, and to heads of state, parliamentary bodies, company boards and many other bodies on this topic. He is a Fellow of the Australia Academy of Science, and was named on the international 'Who's Who in AI' list of influencers.
Associate Professor Johanna Weaver
Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre, Australian National University
Johanna is a former Australian diplomat, a reformed commercial litigator and an unapologetic international law nerd. In June 2021, she completed her term as Australia’s independent expert and lead cyber negotiator at the United Nations. Earlier, she led the Cyber Affairs Branch at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross Global Advisory Board on digital threats during conflict. She is also a regular guest lecturer at the Australian National Security College.
Marina Yastreboff
National Convener and President, Australian Society for Computers & Law; Legal Counsel at University of New South Wales
Marina is a specialist problem solver - providing commercially viable solutions for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. She is passionate about innovation and translating ideas to results. Currently senior intellectual property lawyer at one of Australia's leading research and teaching Universities.