Convergence Conference

Doors open from 8AM.

A Kaurna Cultural Bearer, an artist, a visual artist and community leader, Karl is modest about his achievements; to him, these are his life works; his purpose of being here.

Join us as the Hon Steven Marshall MP officially opens _southstart [conference] 2019.

In partnership with IPAA SA

In March, it was announced that federal government will develop a national blockchain roadmap and kick-in a further $100,000 for the study, despite its Digital Transformation Agency recently saying the new technology is at the “top of a hype cycle”. Industry minister Karen Andrews has stated that the roadmap will “position Australia’s burgeoning blockchain industry to become a global leader”, with a focus on regulation, skills and capacity building, innovation, investment and international competitiveness and collaboration. Join Nick Giurietto, CEO at Blockchain Australia, for an update on the development of this roadmap.

The Commissioner for Public Sector Employment will outline the aspirations of her office for assisting in developing a public sector that is outward looking, empowered and able to adapt to change.

Stablecoin initiatives are developing at a rapid pace. Alongside the launch of Facebook's "Libra" coin, the development of this form of collateralized cryptocurrency has fallen victim to a world of scrutiny and debate by central banks & regulators. Join our expert panellists as they explore the movement of this cryptocurrency.

Professor Rod Glover will outline the main findings of his ANZSOG report ‘Today’s Problems, Yesterday’s Toolkit’. He will explore the opportunities for public sector institutions to re-invent themselves to become more orientated towards innovation and problem-solving and to build entrepreneurial competencies.

Ever wondered what goes on inside an Investors mind? It must be easy having the freedom to invest money as you please - right? Think again.

Deputy CEO, Adelaide City Council, Clare Mockler will discuss the Adelaide City Council’s aspirations for innovative and responsive services and policies for the City of Adelaide and the capacity building required to achieve them.

The SA Productivity Commissioner will discuss the opportunities and challenges for improving public sector productivity and its risk appetite, as well as the imperative that there is a culture of entrepreneurialism to imagine the innovations that lead to those improvements.

As the SA Government’s Chief Entrepreneur, Jim Whalley will share his thoughts on what the public sector and the private sector entrepreneurial experience can teach each other, as well as how his office and the Advisory Board can assist with public sector balance accountability with entrepreneurialism This session is powered by IPAA SA

Join KPMG Australia's Head of Blockchain Services APAC for an exclusive demonstration.

Panel Session moderated by Charles Landry

One of the most critical factors when raising capital is your company’s valuation. Today, intangible assets (things like data, content, software code, brands, confidential information, inventions, industrial know-how, and design rights) account for more than 87% of all company value. Yet, these critical assets are essentially ignored by modern accounting standards and there is a poor understanding in the market of how to accurately value these critical assets. Traditional valuation approaches mean business’ leave a lot of money on the table - either in terms of additional capital that could have been raised or dilution that could have been avoided. Arbitrary valuations are even worse: leaving huge room for companies to be squeezed down. However, while complex, there are methods of valuing intangible assets that can reliably and accurately predict future value. An intangible asset valuation will involve the assessment of a much broader range of factors than are generally included in a traditional valuations. Join EverEdge to learn about: - What are intangible assets and why are they so valuable? - How to reduce intangible asset risk to increase value? - How to tell your intangible asset story to unlock value? - How to achieve a strong, defensible valuation for your company?"

Join these incredible women as they share how they are using blockchain technology to change the world.

Charles is working on the theme of the ‘Creative Bureaucracy’ across a variety of international jurisdictions. Charles will share the common experiences and emerging trends that are arising from this work.

What can you learn from Israel about building an ecosystem? Why is building an ecosystem very much like cooking a recipe? In this talk, you’ll learn what the essential ingredients for every stage in the evolution of an entrepreneurship ecosystem are and what the secret sauce that makes every ecosystem unique is. You’ll understand why role models are so important to show entrepreneurs the way and inspire them, what kind of investors are required in every stage, and how the government, universities and multinational corporations can support startups and when. You’ll hear about important concepts that made Israel “the startup nation” including the significance of embracing failure, spillover effect and why immigrants make great entrepreneurs. This talk will also help you understand where your entrepreneurship ecosystem is standing, what you should do - and where your ecosystem can get, based on the local assets

Doha, a Year 12 student, has first-hand experience with the work and organisation of ‘School Strike 4 Climate’ movement. She will share her experiences of student activism, the passion of the movement, the entrepreneurial endeavor of students to facilitate student engagement, and observations of how the public sector and more traditional NGOs can be proactive, responsive and engaged with the voice of future generations.

Craig is CEO of the Conservation Council of SA, and has experience working in SA-based public sector and NGO sector organisations. He will explore the important role ‘social entrepreneurs’ have in promulgating and normalising the environmental policy agenda and opportunities for the public sector to appropriately engage with the aspirations of social movements and their entrepreneurs.

What is Decentralised finance? How can it help the unbanked gain access to financial stability? Can it be trusted? Join our experts as they unpack the meaning of DeFi & highlight the challenges and opportunities which come with this new model of finance.

Editor of Knowledge in Action, Kathryn will outline the imperative for both public sector and universities to building stronger ties in unlocking research knowledge to inform public policy and reflect upon the role, skills and aptitudes required of public/social entrepreneurs in Universities and civil services to realise opportunities.

In 2012, the information memorandum for BlackbirdVC’s first fund included this line: “We believe that over the next five years a new group of world-class Internet and software companies will be formed in Australia.” Nick will quantify just how accurate that prediction was.

Greg is the CEO of the History Trust of SA. He will draw on current and previous roles with the Government of SA and his commercial (retail) and social entrepreneurial (Festival of Ideas) ventures, to reflect upon the importance of a vibrant public discourse in shaping the imagination, aspirations and behaviours of an effective and responsive public sector.

As the Australian startup ecosystem continues to mature, join us for a conversation with key influencers for a journey through the past, present & future of the ecosystem and what this means for Australia's potential to nurture high-growth startups.

We’ve teamed up with Youth Inc to bring the Riverside Club to life for _southstart [conference]. Step outside for lunch to soak up the rays, fresh air and good vibes by the banks of the river. You’ll find some of Adelaide’s best food trucks there, plus, there’ll be activities like yoga, a smoothie bike, giant games and a zen area to enjoy. Bring your friends – or make some new ones! Powered by Flinders New Venture Institute.

A growing hungrier world, choosy customers who are informed and have high expectations and a large disposable income will drive global activity and demand products for their diverse diets that meet provenance, sustainability and ethics. Transformative advances in digital technology, genetic science and the introduction of synthetics coupled with a changing world climate will make for a bumpier ride but exciting opportunity to reshape the thinking in productive agriculture.

Countries, regions and cities around the world are striving to build science, technology and innovation based economies; for economic, social and environmental impact. For some this is the obvious next stage of economic growth, for others it is more challenging and yet imperative for their survival. This yields both opportunities and challenges for Australia – opportunities to build our own economy, and challenges to ensure our region remains safe and prosperous. This talk will explore DFAT’s activity supporting both the growth of STI in Australia as well as with its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific.

Global trade, digital connectivity and emerging markets are providing tremendous growth opportunities to startups. This workshop will equip entrepreneurs with the foundations to embed a global mindset in their business from Day 1, with a focus on building an effective market expansion strategy.

Join Michael Batko, COO at Startmate - Australia's top Accelerator, to learn everything you need to know about pitch deck's. Michael will cover topics like: What is an investor pitch? What is the ideal format and length? How to structure a one-liner, What are the key elements of the pitch — problem, solution, team, timing, traction and ask .. and more. If you are raising capital and looking to better navigate the journey - this workshop is for you.

With the global community working together towards putting the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024, innovation is going to be critical. So many times an idea for a solution is developed with a single purpose in mind, but when you step outside of your framework and consider possible applications in other markets, you may be just the missing key for transformation for that market. We will discuss how NASA has used its technologies to help transform markets and spur the next generation of innovators to improve the quality of life for all.

SwarmFarm Robotics has grown to be one of the leading robotic companies around the world with real working robots that farmers pay to use them. Join creator and CEO of SwarmFarm Robotics, Andrew Bate as he shares the secrets to combining his experience as a successful grain and cattle farmer with his deep knowledge of robotics to drive the successful development of the SwarmBot.

Capitalising on Asia's regional economic growth and opportunities for high-potential AgTech startups and Australian investors.

This talk covers the visual and conceptual research methodology used by the most successful contemporary artists today, and why this is relevant for adoption for product design in the technology industry. Alongside this, the talk covers some of the most interesting case studies of art historical referencing used by the NASA award-winning hardware company Canaria Technologies to create their avant-garde aesthetic for predictive wearable devices.

Boards plays a transformational role in the development and growth of startups and in turn, the future of Australia’s innovation economy. So why are so many startups missing this trick? This session aims to support Australian startups by re-writing the playbook – by providing a guide and insight into what best practice should look like. As well as identifying ways to increase diversity, and set benchmarks for governance that enable founders to perform at their best.

The future is where you will spend the rest of your lives. But there are no future facts! So join technologist Nick Byrne & Business Models Inc to invent the future! You will work in teams to author a story of the future past from 2031. Be ready to have your story shared with the world!

With so much of our time spent on social media people are in need of quick fixes different to the past. Hence we are entering the experience economy. Punters want to be entertained with new experiences and will only part with their hard earned dollars if they are in the right mood and the product is interesting, authentic and is good value. Add to this the product must be socially responsible, ideally produced sustainably and with passion. Venues should be massively photosocial multiple ways. Enter The d’Arenberg Cube.

In a world where human values are being eroded and global leaders display ruthless narcissism, how do we navigate the values of goodness, kindness and compassion? How do we navigate the political trend of instigating fear in all its insidious nuances, to instead create a world that is hopeful, positive and activates goodness? How do we create a world that encourages collaboration and mindfulness whilst still being productive, effective and impactful and build a brand in the Third Sector that delivers on its promise? Ronni Kahn will share how she has navigated and built bridges with naysayers, politicians, people in need, and business leaders and has grown a philanthropic enterprise in order to Nourish Our Country by tackling the global issue of Food Waste and transforming lives.

Forget about the US. Instead, tap into the world's largest market—China. In just an hour, find out what you need to succeed in the Chinese market, be inspired by case studies of Australian entrepreneurs that have already achieved success, and walk away with a tried-and-tested model that has worked for 400+ companies. Best of all, you'll get free access to the complete online China Canvas Challenge course to help you define your China strategy.

Come and learn the realities of what it takes to really get started from these legends who have left a pretty impressive dent in the world

Join us for a fireside chat with the founder of the world's leading Culture Analytics platform, Didier Elzinga. Didier was previously the CEO of Rising Sun Pictures (a leading Hollywood visual effects company) and founder of Rising Sun Research (winner of a Technical Academy Award).

The fast-paced world of social media is forever changing. Every company is looking for the next biggest 'thing' to help drive engagement, awareness and business results. Hootsuite has done a tonne of research to provide you with the latest trends on social to get ahead of your competitors! Get your note pads ready!

The workshop structure will guide participants through a mini-Design Sprint that will focus on the first 2 phases of the program; Understanding and Ideation. You will be guided through a structured process to frame and align on a challenge with your team. Then individually you will create a solution design before finally presenting back to your team. Format: Understanding of Design Sprints and how they link to Design Thinking. Learn who your customer is as well as their goals and challenges. How to use How Might We's to ignite innovative solutions. Create a final solution design and present back to your group.

Technology is helping us improve society and address some of the more significant issues facing humanity. It is empowering people and communities to build resources and resilience. It is helping us predict, prepare and respond to climate related disasters. But, technology also has the ability to exacerbate, or create new, more complex, complicated and protracted problems.   As the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, Red Cross sees the impact of technology when it isn’t designed around human needs, when it discriminates against people.    We all have a duty of care to the people we represent and communities we are a part of. To ensure the human experience is central to new technologies, products and services. To be the voice of humanity.

From leadership to self-belief; based on Tea’s personal journey from majority to minority as a senior industry leader and learning to be comfortable as an advocate for LGBTQ, neurodiversity, disability and mental health issues. How she absorbed personal doubt into her professional practice and leaned in to her journey through transition. The future is very uncertain, and needs leaders comfortable with doubt. Tea is that kind of leader – and here, she shares how you can be too.

The story of SpaceIL is the story of a group of engineers with an incredible dream. A dream they were determined to realize despite the odds that were stacked against them. “Journey to the moon and beyond” is their story. The inspiring journey enabled by ingenuity perseverance and determination that have brought a whole country to skip a heartbeat, raise eyes to the moon and realize that anything can be made possible as long as a team of good people on board all the way to the end.   

Neon Treehouse is here to provide some reality checks and hacks for start-ups and businesses who are looking to launch right online. How to define success? What should you be communicating? Is it working? When is it right to stop? What do you need to be aiming for? This workshop aims to define a launch plan and strategic action doc in terms of measuring outcomes and refining deliverables and creative.

Stretch your legs and connect with your new friends!

Design Thinking is a social technology that stimulates innovate ideas and creative solutions from a human-centred perspective. The design process inhibits intrinsic biases, breaking down behaviours that manifest in sub-optimal decision making. Team collaboration unleashes imagination, creative energies and motivation to reframe ill-defined problems, surface concealed problems, and generate numerous beneficial solutions (processes, projects, products, services, business models, experiences, etc). Rapid experimentation through an empathic understanding of the stakeholder generates solutions that are prioritised, prototyped and tested in-field to achieve an outcome that sits within the triangulated nexus of desirability, feasibility and viability. Design thinking skills have strong value in the workplace as consumer and stakeholder needs transform to accommodate the fast pace and constant change experienced in contemporary times.

Startups typically go through 3 stages of growth. From acquiring your first customers to understanding who are the right ones. From not making any money to having consistent revenue. From not knowing anything about your customers' behavior to predicting how they will interact with your product and buy over time. In this class you will learn a framework to help you think through scaling your business from $0 to $100M and beyond.

As we progress through an era of heightened connectivity, society is facing new and growing challenges. How do we best navigate through? How can humanity & technology align to face some of the world's most pressing issues? Join our panelists for a deep dive into the meaning of "impact" and more, as they explore the power (or challenge?) of creating with deep purpose.

FOMENT is an acceleration program designed for start-ups based in wine and tourism tech to develop new customer driven opportunities with the potential to boost top-line growth, using the latest industry technologies (leveraging on Industry 4.0) and agile innovative approaches. FOMENT offers a hands on and interactive approach to increasing your capacity to innovate, explore new markets and scale up by using the right national and international networks.

Happiness Hacker Penny Locaso seeks to challenge the busy epidemic and the barrier it is creating in humanity’s ability to effectively shape the future. Learn why skill in Intentional Adaptability is critical to thriving in the age of exponential technology. Understand why we need to focus on new ways of being, rather than more doing, in order to realise possibility. Leave curious to explore further the concept of IAQ® (Intentional Adaptability Quotient®) and how you might use it to drive the change you seek in your life and the world around you.

Are you ready to look behind the curtain at how culture really works? Do you want to learn how to create change at scale? Do you promise to use that power only for good?

Delve right in to this comms masterclass hosted by Joan Westenberg - an esteemed journalist & writer, responsible for growing the #1 Medium blog in the Asia Pacific region. Joan has been published by TIME, Entrepreneur, Inc.com, Business Insider, Upworthy, The New York Observer, The SF Chronicle, ReadThink & over 40 other publications.

The increase in solar infrastructure is taking a growing number of energy consumers off-grid but Power Ledger is changing the way people consider energy and energy markets. We are empowering consumers giving them the opportunity to monetise their solar investment and operate as community energy retailers, pooling their excess solar to function as a virtual power plant. The AEMC called for electricity distribution networks to urgently rethink their system models, detailing how a grid-enabled trading platform would open up a new world of opportunities for households and businesses. Power Ledger has build the platform to power the new energy marketplace.

Half the world's population can't access basic health services because current transportation models for delivering healthcare are limited and cost-prohibitive, and don't effectively provide essential services to those in need. In rural and remote areas, the geography, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate storage facilities make it near impossible for healthcare workers to do their jobs effectively. At Swoop Aero, we've been quietly scaling the team with the mission to change this story.

In the tech and creative industry, we have the motivation and the power to make real change in the world for the better - but it can sometimes be hard to separate the hype from the helpful. How do we make sure that we avoid doing good, badly?

In his time as founder and CEO of ShopFree.com, Brendan sent over 750,000,000 emails. This talk will show you how to grow, nurture, convert, retain & even win back your customers using email. Email is a powerful and cost-effective tool no startup should ignore.

What’s Planet B? That’s one of the questions you’ll find printed across Sparkke cans, one of the world’s first for purpose beer and wine companies. Under Co-founder Kari Allen’s guidance, the brand’s visual design and bold ideology - tackling issues like climate change, asylum seekers, and sexual consent - has cemented its place as a craft beverage producer with a conscience. Kari launched the disruptive social enterprise in 2016 with the most successful alcohol crowd-funding campaign in Australia’s history. Only growing since then, the company opened brewpub Sparkke at the Whitmore in March this year. Join Kari as she takes you through the journey of risk & soberity.

A new breed of influencer is appearing in our feeds, indistinguishable and just as influential, the era of the Virtual Influencer is almost upon us. In this talk we’ll look at the phenomenon of Virtual Beings as digital influencers and the increasing role these personalities are playing across social platforms while exploring what this means for the future of influencer-audience interactions.

A 101 on how new businesses can structure their business to best prepare for different forms of investment. The session will cover the pro's and con's of different business structures, what you need to have to access grants and concessions, and how best to protect your IP so that you can position your business to be as attractive to investors as possible.

Remote By Default explores how working remote can liberate entrepreneurship, acquire customers globally, form virtual teams, and solve global problems. And everyone's happy too!

As we begin to prototype our future, Game AI and virtual environments create the means testing and simulating outcomes which create new opportunities and thinking. Creating AI in Unity has become accessible and with increasingly high demand, Ron will share their plan for bringing that process to unleash your productivity and imagination.

How do you tell your story? Will that change in 5 years? 10 years? Digital footprints and stories can go a long way. How can your business, startup, brand or simply you as an individual harness creativity to tell your story? Come and learn about the fusion of creativity and the startup mindset, and how to raise money off the back of a creative MVP.

Growing up from humble beginnings in Kenya, Zillah created Zillah Jay Technology & with the vision of making robots from waste. Amo, his new humanoid Robot, is a great example of what we can turn our waste into.