WA Innovation Calendar

From Science to Start-ups: How Interdisciplinary Thinking Fuels Innovation
2025-11-25 22:00 - 22:30 (Australia/Perth) | online
Entrepreneurship thrives when people can look at challenges from multiple angles. Join Dr. Joe Steensma, Professor of Public Health and Social Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis, entrepreneur, and global innovation scholar, for a 30-minute fireside chat. Joe will share insights from a career spanning science, business, and education, exploring how interdisciplinary thinking, sustainability, and entrepreneurial action can prepare students for “lives of consequence” and create ventures that deliver real social and environmental impact.

WAMR: An Afternoon with Pia Turcinov AM
2025-11-26 15:00 - 17:00 | Long Neck Brewery, 306 Riverside Drive, East Perth, WA
Beyond the Breakthrough: How to Pivot Research into a Commercial Legacy
Innovation is essential—but the real challenge lies in turning scientific breakthroughs into commercial success. Join Pia Turcinov AM for an insightful session on bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.
Drawing on her extensive experience in law, business, and entrepreneurship, Pia will explore how transferable skills can empower a successful pivot into innovation and commercialisation. Gain a deeper understanding of the funding ecosystem beyond grants, learn what funders and venture capitalists are really looking for, and discover why diversity is not just a value—but a strategic advantage in building a legacy that lasts.

IIF Seminar | Building resilient industries: lessons from agritech, AI and circular economies
2025-11-27 11:00 - 14:00 | Bunbury Regional Enertainment Centre (BREC), 2 Blair Street, Bunbury, WA, 6230
The South West Development Commission (SWDC), City of Bunbury & the Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) have announced the Innovative Industries of the Future (IIF) event series, marking a new chapter of discussion, discovery and regional collaboration.
The program will begin with a series of lunchtime events leading up to the IIF Conference in November 2026. The first event, “Building resilient industries: lessons from agritech, AI and circular economies”, will explore how innovation and technology can strengthen the South West’s economic future.

World Nuclear Energy Day 2025 - Australia December 2nd - Webinar
2025-12-02 09:00 - 11:00 | online
Showcasing Nuclear Energy in Australia and Around the Globe

Once again, Innovate Australia proudly serves as the official Ambassador for World Nuclear Energy Day in 2025. For the fifth consecutive year, they invite you to celebrate the remarkable advancements in technology and innovation within the global nuclear energy sector.
This year’s theme, “We are critical mass!” highlights the collective impact and support needed to drive nuclear energy forward as a crucial part of our clean energy future. December 2nd holds profound significance, honouring the groundbreaking achievement of the first self-sustaining chain reaction and the launch of the world’s first commercial-scale electric power reactor. On this day in 1942, Enrico Fermi’s Chicago Pile-1 reactor made history with a self-sustaining chain reaction. Exactly 15 years later, on December 2, 1957, the first commercial reactor in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, reached criticality.
As Australia intensifies its pursuit of zero emissions, nuclear energy continues to gather support and recognition as a vital, clean, and reliable power source. Join in acknowledging this incredible legacy and exploring nuclear energy’s promise as we look to the future.

Activate 2026 | InnovationAus.com Webinar
2025-12-02 10:00 - 11:00 | online
The 2026 InnovationAus.com editorial and production roadmap is ready to roll!
Join us for this exclusive Activate 2026 webinar, designed to show you the calendar of activities for the year ahead – and the best ways to engage your clients.
From industry forums, podcasts, roundtables and whitepapers to the InnovationAus Awards for Excellence – expect a run-through of the 2026 program. plus more details about Innovation.Aus.com’s renewed reporting focus on GovTech and the innovative use of technology in the delivery of government services.
This rapid-fire session will highlight how we can help you and your clients connect with our influential audience of government policymakers and business leaders.

Sustainable Development Goals: Local | Regional | Global Report Launch
2025-12-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Ernst & Young, 11 Mounts Bay Road, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia
Join for the launch of Sustainable Development Goals: Local, Regional, Global, a report that brings together insights from leading academics, practitioners, and policy experts across all 17 SDGs.
This timely publication highlights innovative research, real-world case studies, and evidence-based pathways to accelerate sustainable development in Australia and beyond.
Speakers will explore the current state of SDG progress, examining both the challenges and opportunities shaping implementation at local, regional, and global levels.
Attendees and contributors will have the opportunity to connect across sectors, share insights, and form collaborations that strengthen emerging policy directions and practical strategies for meaningful change.
This event offers a unique opportunity for policymakers, researchers, industry professionals, and community leaders to engage with cutting-edge thinking on the SDGs and explore how collective action can deliver a more sustainable and equitable future.
The launch will feature an opening address from Richard Damania, Chief Economist, The World Bank, followed by a panel discussion with:

Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder, Global Citizen
Pro-Vice Chancellor Academic Advancement & Diversity Fiona McGaughey, The University of Western Australia
Professor Kadambot Siddique, UWA Institute of Agriculture
Professor Jessica Meeuwig, UWA Oceans Institute
Adam Carrel, Climate Change & Sustainability, EY Australia

TERN Webinar - Applying Environmental Data to Forecasting Health Issues
2025-12-03 13:00 - 14:00 | online
The One Health framework recognises a fundamental truth: human health, animal health, and environmental health are inseparable. Understanding our environment is the key to predicting and preventing emerging health crises affecting all Australians.
As climate change accelerates, we’re witnessing unprecedented health challenges at the intersection of environmental change and disease. Extreme heat events, bushfire smoke, droughts, air pollution, allergens and shifting disease patterns are increasingly threatening Australian communities.
This webinar brings together three leading researchers pioneering solutions to these challenges

WTF is deep tech?
2025-12-08 17:00 - 19:00 | The Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation (CERI), Level 1, 22 Stirling Highway Nedlands, WA 6009, 6009, Australia
What is the future of WA?
Will we buy-in to the bold ideas or stick with the status quo?
Will we take the leap and back the forward-thinking visionaries daring enough to reshape our future?
Step into a showcase of what’s possible, where breakthrough ideas and deep tech collide to diversify and transform the Western Australian economy.
This is your chance to see tomorrow, today.

SHIELD CRC Industry Workshop - Online
2025-12-09 09:00 - 10:30 | online
Australia is increasingly reliant on precise and secure Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), and that dependency is becoming a vulnerability.
From banking and energy to transport and emergency services, our critical systems depend on satellite- based positioning and timing, mostly from foreign-operated Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) like GPS. These signals are unprotected, unverified, and easily disrupted by interference, cyberattack, or space weather. As digital transformation accelerates and systems become more autonomous and interconnected, the consequences of a PNT failure multiply risking blackouts, communication loss, navigation failures, and financial disruption.
The SHIELD CRC can change this: Together we can build a sovereign, resilient, and secure PNT ecosystem for Australia – one that detects threats, withstands interference, and recovers quickly so that business continuity, public safety and economic stability are not left vulnerable to forces beyond our control.
The outputs of the CRC will improve productivity and business continuity, simulate new industry growth and strengthen sovereignty national security.

AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI in science and research
2025-12-09 15:00 - 16:30 | online
In this panel discussion, experts from diverse corners of the research ecosystem will discuss how AI is accelerating innovation, the opportunities and challenges it presents, and what this means for trust in science.

Dr Stefan Harrer (Data61, CSIRO) connects safe and trustworthy AI systems with human decision-makers in health, biotech and pharma.
Professor Karin Verspoor (RMIT University) researches AI methods for biological discovery and clinical decision support, using machine learning to extract insights from the academic literature.
Associate Professor Michelle Riedlinger (Queensland University of Technology) is an expert in public engagement and research communication.
Dr Ehsan Nabavi (Centre for the Public Awareness of Science) leads the Australian National University’s Responsible Innovation Lab.

Join for a thought-provoking conversation on the role of AI in the scientific endeavour and what this means for the role of science in society.
The public speaker series is for everyone-Students, professionals, academics, lifelong learners, those interested in science and technology, and those simply curious about the future—this series will give a glimpse into how AI is shaping science, and our world more broadly.

Debate Club & Rockford Equity Presents: Startup Funding Debt vs Equity | Watch founders argue about money they don't have
2025-12-09 18:00 - 20:00 | AWS Perth Offices, 9/240 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000
Debate Club is coming to Perth to shake up the West Coast. Founded and brought together by Orsolya Toth-Pal and Kate Harris, Debate Club has hosted fiery debates across the East Coast at major festivals and conferences including Sunrise by Blackbird, SXSW Sydney and Cannes Crocodiles. Now, for the very first time, they are launching in Perth, and there could not be a better way to do it than as a West Tech Fest Satellite Event.

Future in Question
2025-12-09 18:00 - 21:00 | The Bloom Centre for Youth Innovation, 2 Park Road, Crawley, WA, 6009
Future in Question is a live, unscripted conversation where two seasoned technologists cut through the noise to unpack what’s really at stake. No hype, no fluff — just sharp insights, big questions, and honest takes on the future of AI.
Expect a mix of deep technical context, accessible discussion, and audience Q&A, followed by networking with WA’s innovation community.
This satellite event brings one of the most urgent conversations of our time into the heart of West Tech Fest: the societal impact of AI. By sparking dialogue between builders, researchers, founders, policymakers, and students, we’ll explore both the promise and perils of emerging technologies — and what it all means for WA’s future.
Speakers
Jeroen Van Dalen | Founder & AI Technologist | CEO @ Integral | CPO @ Able | Startups via AITIA & Bloom
Aidan Morgan | Fractional CTO at Run Level Five | Former Principal TPM @ Atlassian | Startup VP/CTO/Founder

Quantum Internet Summit
2025-12-10 08:30 - 13:00 | The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
In an age where AI can fake almost anything — from voices to “breaking news” — and trust online is collapsing, the Quantum Internet promises something revolutionary: a network of proof, where authenticity and identity are guaranteed by the laws of physics, not algorithms or corporations.
The Quantum Internet Summit – Perth 2025 organised by the Western Australia Web3 Association together with Quantum Australia and UWA as a satellite event of the West Tech Fest – marks the world’s first gathering dedicated to the next great leap in communication technologies and digital economy. Quantum Internet is a revolutionary step that could transform our world and ignite a new multi-trillion-dollar global economy built on trust, security, and sovereignty, as never experienced before. It promises ultra-secure communication, super-powered computation, and unprecedented sensing capabilities transforming all sectors.
You will learn what quantum internet is and why it is so exciting; have a quick intro to quantum tech in plain language; learn about the opportunities in the new quantum-digital diversified economy for individuals, investors, businesses, entrepreneurs ($funding opportunities), corporations and governments; connect with innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders in the field. Hear how quantum will change web3, blockchain and all other sectors. You will also hear about the exciting vision for Quantum R&D and innovation revolutionising and diversifying the Western Australian economy.
Entrepreneurs (including creatives) and researchers who explore quantum or quantum related projects will learn about exciting funding opportunities with Quantum Australia!

Show us the Data: Building a Fairer Funding System
2025-12-10 10:00 - 12:00 | The Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation (CERI), Level 1, 22 Stirling Highway Nedlands, WA 6009, 6009, Australia
Show Us the Data: WA Roundtable at West Tech Fest
Moving from anecdote to evidence.
Who’s getting funded – and who’s missing out – is only half the story.
Right now, Australia lacks visibility into the pipeline that shapes those outcomes.
Join Equity Clear for the WA Roundtable of our national Show Us the Data series, as we bring investors, accelerators, policymakers and ecosystem leaders together to ask:

What would it take for the investment sector to start tracking its diversity pipeline?
How can we build the infrastructure for fairer, more transparent funding flows?

Who should attend

Venture capital, private equity and angel investors
Accelerators, incubators, and venture builders
Government and policy leaders shaping innovation and inclusion
Family offices, foundations, and ecosystem enablers
Anyone committed to making Australia’s funding landscape fairer and more transparent

Tranche Two Unlocked: Tech Solutions for Accountants
2025-12-10 11:30 - 13:30 | Riff, 45 St Georges Tce, Perth, Australia
Automation Unlocked: Tech Solutions for Modern Accountants

Join Personr and Sustainable Edge Accounting & Advisory for an exclusive event on how technology is transforming compliance and helping accountants prepare for Australia’s Tranche Two AML/CTF reforms. Featuring a panel discussion and networking session, this event will spotlight Personr’s WA-built innovation, a solution redefining how accounting and regulated industries manage compliance, streamline onboarding, and protect client trust.
Why attend:

Get Tranche Two ready: Understand what the new AML/CTF obligations mean for accountants and how technology can make compliance simple and sustainable.
Leverage local innovation: Discover how Personr, a Western Australian technology company, is empowering accountants to automate risk checks, save time, and stay audit-ready.
Connect and collaborate: Meet founders, compliance leaders, and forward-thinking professionals shaping the future of financial and professional services.
Explore the intersection of tech and trust: Learn how innovation in RegTech is driving growth and resilience across Australia’s most dynamic industries.
Have the chance to win a door prize!

Entangled Workshop - Connecting Quantum Researchers with Entrepreneurs
2025-12-10 13:00 - 16:00 | The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of quantum research and entrepreneurship at the Entangled Workshop.
A Satellite Event of West Tech Fest – Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/entangled-workshop-connecting-quantum-researchers-with-entrepreneurs-tickets-1831479487449

[UIIN Webinar] A Living Lab for Entrepreneurship: Inside H-FARM’s Innovation Campus
2025-12-10 22:00 - 22:30 | online
How do you turn entrepreneurship education into ventures that land real corporate pilots — and do it in a way that fuels regional innovation? In this Fireside Chat, Timothy O’Connell, Senior Partner at H-FARM and Director of its Entrepreneurship & Startup Center, takes us inside Europe’s leading campus where education, startups and corporates co-exist.
Drawing on H-FARM’s experience bridging academia, venture creation, and industry innovation, Tim will share how his team develops “pilot-ready” ventures directly out of coursework, and how their Veneto-based ecosystem has become a launchpad for startups, corporates, and talent alike.

Accelerating Innovation Systems: how ICBs can drive innovation adoption
2025-12-11 18:30 - 19:30 | online
Innovation Unit will unpack their work with The Health Foundation and nine ICBs across the country. They have been exploring how strategic commissioning can be used to accelerate evidence-based innovations that reduce inequalities and improve lives.
This session is designed for those doing the work moving beyond the theory to share practical insights on:

Embedding innovation in commissioning cycles
Leveraging the wider innovation ecosystem
Real-world examples of successful adoption

KPMG High Growth Ventures: The Exit Readiness Gap
2026-01-28 07:00 - 08:00 | online
​On Wednesday, 28 January 2026 (10:00AM – 11:00am AEDT), KPMG will launch their KPMG High Growth Venture Exit Readiness Gap Report with a live webinar with key insiders on the topic to open up the conversation and share actionable ways to build towards successful outcomes.
In this session, hear about:

Why exits stay in the shadows: and the ecosystem‑level impact of that silence
Making exit planning a standing agenda item: practical steps across financial, legal, strategic, and governance disciplines
Rebuilding the exit flywheel; how better preparation recycles capital and talent while strengthening resilience, and improving outcomes for founders, teams, investors and the broader ecosystem

You’ll hear real talk from three operators and advisors on their insights and honest advice they wish they’d had sooner, plus a first look into data‑backed insights that reveal where readiness most often breaks down and how to fix it.

How Meshpoints is building a thriving WA innovation ecosystem
2026-02-04 07:30 - 09:00 | Riff, 45 St Georges Tce, Perth, Australia
In this session, Charlie Gunningham, Head of Ecosystem Engagement at Meshpoints, will outline how the next phase of Meshpoints will operate, building on the foundations of 2022–2025.
This includes:

Refreshed funding opportunities for the ecosystem
New ways for partner organisations and individuals to contribute and collaborate

There will be time for open Q&A, followed by an optional 90-minute workshop (9:00–10:30am) for those who want to dive deeper into the first upcoming funding round. Applications for this round will open on 4 February 2026.
This session is ideal for founders, ecosystem builders, community leaders, and organisations interested in shaping the future of innovation in WA.

TERN Webinar - Lifelines in the Desert – the critical role of oases in biodiversity and heritage
2026-02-04 13:00 - 14:00 | online
This webinar brings together leading experts to explore the multifaceted value of Australia’s desert springs and oases, examining both the challenges they face and innovative approaches to their conservation.
Speakers will discuss the ecological significance of these systems, their role in supporting biodiversity resilience, and practical management strategies being implemented across the continent.

From Vision to Approval: Building the Right Regulatory & Clinical Evidence
2026-02-05 07:30 - 09:30 | Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA, 6000, Australia
Join the Respiradigm team with guest speaker Hugo LeMessurier for a candid & insightful discussion on regulatory & clinical trials strategy.
In this panel, Respiradigm will share what the team is building and why a robust regulatory and clinical trials strategy is non‑negotiable if you want to move fast without costly missteps.
Expect a candid discussion focused on clarity, sequencing, and capital efficiency, so the next steps are the right steps.

World Renewable Energy Congress Lecture: Renewables Will Save The Planet: How?
2026-02-08 17:00 - 18:00 | Murdoch University
Join Professor Peter Newman for this WREC 2026 public lecture exploring the global and local impacts of our transition to renewable energy
We open the 2026 World Renewable Energy Congress at Murdoch University with a public lecture from Professor Peter Newman AO, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University exploring the topic ‘Renewables Will Save the World: How?’ This lecture is open to the public, not just conference delegates.

Webinar: The Smart Processing Mine
2026-02-09 11:00 - 12:00 | online
Join Austmine on Monday 9 February as we continue the series with The Smart Processing Mine. Learn how AI, automation, and digital solutions are helping miners maximise yield and optimise plant performance in this session.
Monday 9 February 2026 | 11:00AM AWST

Our Ocean, Our Future: A Conversation with Mr Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
2026-02-10 18:00 - 19:30 | The University Club of WA, Ground Floor Auditorium, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
The UWA Oceans Institute is pleased to welcome Mr Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, for a public address on the ‘Oceans health and what we are trying to do to fix it’.
Mr Thomson will deliver a personal address on the health of the ocean, the pressures it faces, and the actions required to reverse decline and secure a sustainable and resilient future. The address will be followed by a panel discussion with Professor Christophe Gaudin (Director, UWA Oceans Institute) and special guests, and an audience Q&A.

Innovative engineering in practice across health and energy
2026-02-17 08:45 - 16:00 | Engineers Australia, 77 St Georges Terrace, Perth
This full-day event showcases how innovative engineering is being applied across diverse sectors, from healthcare and advanced manufacturing to energy infrastructure.
The morning sessions focus on bioengineering, highlighting the critical role biomedical and clinical engineers play in patient care within Western Australia’s public health system. Through real-world case studies, presenters will demonstrate how advanced design, analysis and rehabilitation technologies are improving clinical outcomes, supporting surgeons and care teams, and enabling patients with complex needs to return meaningfully to the community.
By attending this presentation, attendees will:

understand how bioengineering and rehabilitation technologies are applied in clinical environments to improve patient care and outcomes
recognise the role of additive manufacturing as a complementary tool in modern manufacturing, enabling new design and production opportunities
gain insight into transmission line planning and infrastructure developments required to support increasing renewable energy penetration in Western Australia
appreciate how technological advances have transformed anaesthesia practice, highlighting the intersection of engineering, physics and healthcare.

“Solving the wicked problem of the gap from research to translation”- Dr. Noel Chambers, CEO, National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation
2026-02-17 10:30 - 11:30 | QEII Medical Centre, Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA, 6009
Learn about NFMRI’s strategy, grants and processes. With a focus on supporting translation across the ‘valley of death’, NFMRI CEO, Dr. Noel Chambers will explain how research applicants can increase their chances of success when applying for NFMRI support.
This is an interactive presentation which explores current philanthropic giving/culture and expectations. It will address early translational research pathways, gaps and how NFMRI’s strategy supports preclinical research to become attractive and competitive when seeking next-step partners that can bring your innovations to communities in need.

Aeroecology: challenges, opportunities and its societal relevance
2026-02-18 16:00 - 17:30 | Murdoch University
University of Amsterdam Professor Judy Shamoun-Baranes shares insights from her study of Aeoecology and its relevance in society.
The first event as part of the Murdoch University HBI Visiting Scholar Lecture Series
Through several examples of long term collaboration and societal engagement, Judy will demonstrate how they have used aeroecological research to sup-port aviation safety, the energy transition and inspire fascination and appreciation for life in the air.

Seminar #1: The “stupid” decisions guaranteed to kill your startup
2026-02-20 12:30 - 13:30 | online
Join us for this brutally honest, highly practical webinar built around real world case studies of founders who did everything they thought was right… and still walked away with scars, sunk costs, and very expensive lessons. This is your chance to learn from their stories so you don’t repeat the same errors.
Guess what? You’re not special. You are in the same situation as every innovator who came before you – including the 90% who didn’t make it.
We cut through the buzz and hype to focus on what actually matters: translating excitement into decisions that hold up in the real world.
We’re not promising you’ll be a unicorn by Tuesday. What we are promising is a clear eyed look at exactly how most startups fail, so you don’t have to repeat their mistakes.
Friday, 20 Feb | 12:30pm – 1:3opm AWST | ONLINE | Register here
About the presenter
Stephen Carroll is a 25-year startup veteran who has seen the good, the bad, and the very ugly of Innovation. Thousands of startups and innovation projects have crossed his desk, giving him a unique insight into the patterns that drive success and the pitfalls that lead to failure.
In this session, Stephen shares the common mistakes founders can avoid and the smart, grounded decisions that separate those who survive from those who don’t.

What Investors Want: Capital Raising in 2026
2026-02-23 08:00 - 09:00 | online
What are investors looking for in 2026?
​The bar for capital raising has never been higher. With greater competition, and AI making timelines from MVP to market much faster, the funding landscape for 2026 looks very different from even a few years ago. For funding, this means increased selectivity, heightened due diligence and a focus on clear pathways to revenue, adding new pressure for founders.
​So what do founders need to know? And what do investors really want? Join us online this February 23rd as we pick the brains of two investors and a KPMG specialist to unpack what they’re looking for in 2026.
​This session is designed to give founders the insights and practical actions they need to prepare for the funding environment in the year ahead.
​You’ll hear from:

​Andrew Poesaste, Partner at Rampersand

​Justine Carzino, Investment Principal at OneVentures

​Sarah Josey, KPMG Partner who has helped early‑stage startups raise with confidence on what she’s hearing on the ground
