West Tech Fest, WA’s premier innovation festival, returns to Perth with a series of programs covering all aspects of technology.
West Tech Fest, WA’s premier innovation festival, returns to Perth with a series of programs covering all aspects of technology.
Perth will host the latest instalment of West Tech Fest next week, with organisers seeking to position Western Australia as an innovation hub, foster effective collaboration in the community, and create new opportunities for local technology startups.
From December 3 to 9, the annual festival will attract domestic and international heavyweights to Perth for a week of all things innovation – this time at venues from Fremantle all the way up to Exmouth. West Tech Fest continues to have a huge impact on the local startup and tech scene, bringing together founders, investors, tech leaders and innovators from across the globe.
In previous years, the festival centred its activities around the OzAPP Awards, a pitching competition where startups could vie for the top spot and $100,000 in funding.
Past winners have included: SafetyCulture iAuditor, an app that empowers workers to conduct onsite inspections; babysitting app Kindy; and Ollo Mobile, an app that enables seniors to stay in touch with family members.
While the OzAPP Awards won’t feature this year, the West Tech Fest program has grown into a larger series of programs covering all aspects of technology, startups and more.
This year’s focus is on exploration of how emerging technologies and innovation can be applied to engage communities and create solutions for some of humanity’s biggest challenges and opportunities.
West Tech Fest founder, renowned US venture capitalist Bill Tai, said Australia was at the centre of a host of significant technological advancements.
“As West Tech Fest enters its seventh year, we’re proud to continue this tradition of bringing together thought leaders from around the world to discuss the present and future impact of technology,” he said.
“Events like Blockchain Central and the ocean conservation-themed Rotto Tech Fest are amazing additions to the West Tech Fest line-up and demonstrate the incredible variety of ways that tech-driven entrepreneurial thinking can be applied to solving some of the greatest challenges facing our world.”
Curtin University director of IP Commercialisation Rohan McDougall said West Tech Fest was a unique opportunity for business in Western Australia.
“[West Tech Fest] brings together developers, entrepreneurs, tech heavyweights, innovation enablers and investors,” he said.
“We’re proud of our track record in helping young startups become category leaders, as well as doing our part to highlight WA’s extraordinary credentials as a hub for innovation with global impact.”
Some of the notable speakers to feature this year include Samsung NEXT Ventures principal Patrick Chang, Minderoo Foundation chairman and founder Andrew Forrest, and former head of engineering for Google Australia, Alan Noble.
Whether participants are keen to talk blockchain, the health of our oceans, supporting young entrepreneurs, or simply enjoy a drink over good company, there are plenty of opportunities to take part in innovation conversations.
Here are some of the events at this year’s West Tech Fest.
• Monday December 3
StartupWA and StartupNews are hosting a Startup Christmas Party at new co-working space ThinkLab in Fremantle – an evening with entrepreneurs, international guests, DJs and a live podcast recording.
• Tuesday December 4
For those lucky enough to get tickets, the inaugural Rotto Tech Fest is a social and networking event for the startup ecosystem. With lunch at the Rottnest Hotel, a series of tech talks focused on ocean conservation and biodiversity, followed by a sunset beach barbecue, it’s easy to see why this was quick to sell out.
• Wednesday December 5
Following the success of the Blockchain Central event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and the UN General Assembly week in New York City, the signature event is coming to Perth to advance the understanding of blockchain technology among global regulators and business leaders. Conceived on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, the Global Blockchain Business Council is a Swiss-based non-profit body that runs the event. More at http://westtechfest.com/blockchain-central.
# There’s nothing better than seeing young bright minds at work, and the Young Innovator’s Competition Geraldton provides that opportunity. This year, school students from years five to 10 will develop ideas around the health of our oceans and waterways.
# Core Innovation Hub and Unearthed are running the Core Startup Exchange showcasing cutting edge technology for the resources and energy sector. It will be a great opportunity to meet the founders and check out some exciting demonstrations.
# Innovation Bay is hosting its last ‘founder dinner’ for 2018 at Kailis Bros in Leederville. The evening includes drinks, a three-course meal and a space to make meaningful connections with founders and investors.
• Thursday December 6
The key date on the calendar is the West Tech Fest event held at Fraser’s State Reception Centre in Kings Park. Celebrating innovation, investment and entrepreneurship from across Australia and the Asia Pacific region, the event will feature keynotes, panel discussions and open sessions with founders, investors, CEOs and industry visionaries.
There’s plenty to celebrate over the coming weeks and it’s inspiring to see the thriving innovation ecosystem continuing to grow in WA.