Ideas to change the world: Australian innovators and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) based in Sydney has produced more technology entrepreneurs in the past 15 years and boasts the largest number of the millionaire alumni and top CEOs than any other Australian university.*

It also leads the world in Easy Access IP, a scheme that gives away most of the University’s intellectual property to companies for free, in a radical step to turn more university research into real-world applications.

Now, UNSW is taking its innovation agenda to the world, showcasing the best and brightest of its innovators and start-ups at a major summit in San Francisco.

The inaugural UNSW Alumni Entrepreneurs and Innovation Summit will showcase Australian leaders in finance, IT, health, technology and social innovation as they discuss how they are taking their ideas to the world.

UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons and Atlassian co-founder and UNSW alumnus Scott Farquhar.

UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs, who has led a major innovation drive at UNSW, will deliver a welcome address, followed by introductory remarks from Australia’s Trade and Investment Commissioner and Australian Consul (designate) Ms Frances van Ruth.

“For years Australian innovators and entrepreneurs have made their mark in Silicon Valley, at the centre of some of the most significant start-up successes,” Professor Jacobs said.

“Now with our researchers leading the world in research discovery in areas such as quantum computing and renewable energy, there are exciting opportunities to learn from the US success and put Sydney on the global innovation map.”

Keynote speakers include:

• Peter Lowy, Co-CEO Westfield Corporation.
• Peter Colbert, Founder and CEO Inamo.

Other highlights:

• Robyn Denholm, Vice-President Juniper Networks, will lead a conversation with UNSW alumnus and Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar titled ‘Locally Grown, Globally Known: Taking Australian start-ups and innovations to the world’.

• UNSW Professor Michelle Simmons will deliver a lunch-time address 'From Silicon Valley to Quantum Harbour' highlighting her Australian team’s race to build the world’s first quantum computer in silicon. Simmons is one of only a handful of Australians to be elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences alongside such luminaries as Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein and Alexander Graham Bell.
• Daniel Petre, Partner Airtree Venture, will join panellists Tristen Langley, Amalfi Capital, and Dean Kelly Founder and CEO HeyLets to discuss ‘Turning back-of-envelope sketches into technology that will change the world’.
• Health and social innovation will also be a focus, with presentations from Corrin Varady, who founded IDEA, a social enterprise that creates and delivers STEM digital education content to primary and secondary students, and Peter Farrell and Michael Farrell from Resmed, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of masks, machines and other products that diagnose, treat and help manage sleep disorders.

What: UNSW Alumni Entrepreneurs and Innovation Summit in San Francisco

When: June 23-24, 2016

Where: 23 June, 5pm–8pm: The Bespoke space at Westfield San Francisco Centre 845 Market St, San Francisco. 24 June, 7.30am onwards: The Grand Hyatt Hotel 345 Stockton St, San Francisco.

UNSW Vice-President of Advancement Ms Jennie Lang will be available to meet media in San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon between 4:30–6pm.

See the full program here.

Registrations are essential

* Sourced from CrunchBase 2013, Spear’s WealthInsight 2014 and Leading Company 2012