South Australia’s annual startup and innovation festival, SOUTHSTART, has announced the first round of inspirational thinkers and techsperts taking part in the three-day event.
This year’s conversations will span everything from regenerative technology and ethical AI, to the future of funding and how technology can be a bastion for good in industries like climate, education and food.
Key speakers this year include Main Sequence Ventures partner Phil Morle, ValAi cofounder Allys Todd, Ben Pfisterer, cofounder of fintech unicorn Zeller, Up Bank and Euphemia founder Dom Pym, The Community Collective’s Paz Pisarski, and New Zealand investor and founder Rowan Simpson whose book, How to be Wrong: a crash course in startup success, is out soon.
Festival director Danielle Seymour said _SOUTHSTART shouldn’t be seen as a conference.
“At a conference, guards are often up, personal agendas are rigid and set well in advance, and there’s a very defined line between speakers and delegates,” she said.
“Instead, we see ourselves as more of a community offsite for founders, investors, and those who champion and create change. For us, it’s about providing the environment to grow, immerse and connect.
“In a startup ecosystem that never stops and never sleeps, we’ve spent over a decade designing an environment to help our community pause, connect, and embrace serendipity. Attendees will uncover meaningful insights, make genuine rather than transactional connections, and be an active participant in shaping what’s next.”
Seymour said that alongside the most popular elements of the gathering, they’re introducing a series of carefully-curated industry summits designed to dive into the topics that will define them.
Founder and investor network Innovation Bay, is partnering with _SOUTHSTART this year to bring its Aurora community of 100+ VC fund partners to foster collaboration, connection, and growth.
This year’s _SOUTHSTART, March 4-6, is structured around events, workshops, networking opportunities and moments to breathe, spread across three days:
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GROW (March 4): At Growth Academy in The Garden of Unearthly Delights, day one will focus on helping attendees grow as a human first, so that they can move into the future in any capacity. Three stages of expert-led masterclasses, curated by actual experts will focus on providing tangible, practical takeaways. Topics will be extensive, from graduating from dreamer to doer and leadership 101s, to brand building and navigating the fundraising process. Day 1 concludes with a garden party.
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IMMERSE (March 5): McLaren Vale will be the scene for a day of conversations, activities and mindfulness amongst the backdrop of nature. Deep, profound questions will seek to answer questions like: What does our planet look like in 2050? How do we get there? What role does the collective ‘we’ and our ideas play in protecting and pursuing that future a reality? Alongside these conversations will be restorative activities for the here and now, from sound baths and meditation to guided breathwork and mindfulness workshops.
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CONNECT (March 6): On the Fleurieu Peninsula, our Industry Summits are a rare chance to truly connect with others in your field. With thoughtfully curated content tailored to focused communities, these summits go beyond the surface, fostering meaningful conversations that lead to real collaboration. In order to drive deep, sector-specific change, it’s critical to understand what innovation looks like in practice, and on day three _SOUTHSTART will provide that in the fields of: sovereign technology, agritech and food security, creative technology, climate and clean energy, community, health and biotech, education and training.
Ticket packages range from $299-$999. Details here.
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