Australia 25
Sunrise is Blackbird’s love letter to founders and the beautiful things they create. It’s a celebration of exceptionalism in Australia and New Zealand where people from our startup community come together to dream up the future. Sunrise Australia returns in 2025 on 30 April and 1 May. Join us. Be part of it. Shape the future.
30 April & 1 May
Carriageworks, Sydney
Sunrise is Blackbird’s love letter to founders and the beautiful things they create. It’s a celebration of exceptionalism in Australia and New Zealand, where people come together to dream up the future.
⬤ Sunrise Australia 2025
⬤ 30 April & 1 May
⬤ Carriageworks, Sydney
Ben Shewry
Head chef and owner of Attica, Ben transformed it into one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, championing creativity, collaboration, and a groundbreaking approach to Australian cuisine.
Robyn Denholm
Chair of Tesla and Blackbird board member, Robyn has led global tech giants, shaped Australia’s innovation landscape, and champions the future of sports and technology investment.
Paul Bassat
Paul co-founded SEEK, one of Australia’s most successful tech companies, cofounded Square Peg, a leading VC firm. He most recently founded Amplify, bringing Australians together to solve the country’s biggest challenges.
Kirsha Kaechele
Kirsha Kaechele is an artist, curator, and founder of Material Institute. Known as “Mrs. Mona,” she transforms problems into art through radical projects spanning ecology, social change, and conceptual provocations.
Tim Doyle
Tim Doyle is the Co-founder and CEO of Eucalyptus, a digital clinic network serving 500,000+ patients globally. Previously, he led growth at Koala and advised on digital strategy for the Australian Labor Party.
Alex Zaccaria
Alex Zaccaria is the Co-founder and CEO of Linktree, used by 70M+ globally. He also co-founded Side Stage Ventures and is an angel investor backing bold Aussie startups shaping the creator economy and beyond.
Helen Zhang
Based in Washington DC, Helen co-founded Intrigue Media. She has worked in venture, diplomacy, tech policy, and law—and was once a B-grade dog influencer.
Jessica Ducrou
A driving force in Australian live music, Jessica co-founded Splendour in the Grass, led major festivals, and shaped industry policy. A champion for artists, she continues to influence music’s future.
Brian Goorjian
Australia’s most decorated basketball coach, Brian has led six NBL titles and guided the Boomers to their first Olympic medal. A coaching legend, he now returns to the Sydney Kings.
Jeremy O'Brien
Prof. Jeremy O'Brien is co-founder and CEO of PsiQuantum, dedicated to building the world’s first useful quantum computer. A pioneer in quantum photonics, he’s authored 150+ papers and co-invented key quantum technologies.
Felix Thomsen
Felix Thomsen, Co-founder and CEO of Iceberg Quantum, is designing next-gen fault-tolerant architectures to accelerate quantum computing. He holds a PhD in quantum computing from the University of Sydney.
Vu Tran
Co-founder of edtech unicorn Go1, Vu scaled it from Y Combinator to global success. Now, he’s tackling sovereign defence tech with Black Sky Industries, advancing Australia’s rocket and weapons capabilities.
Annabel Hay
Named by *Forbes* as an entrepreneur to watch, Annabel is the visionary behind CLUTCH Glue, a patented clothing adhesive redefining fashion with innovation, effectiveness, and a commitment to sustainability.
Karl von Randow
Co-founder of Letterboxd, Cactuslab, Cloudcheck. Developer of Charles Proxy, Camera+ and a thousand other random projects.
Shannon Scott
Shannon Scott is SVP, Global Head of Product at Airwallex, leading product strategy across payments, cards, and platform infrastructure. Formerly at Palantir, he built international operations in ANZ and Europe.
Taylor Fox-Smith
Taylor Fox-Smith leads community partnerships at Airwallex, where she champions the builder mindset through the Airwallex for Startups program. She creates spaces that supercharge and future-proof today’s innovators.
Armina Rosenberg
Armina is co-founder and co-portfolio manager of Minotaur Capital, an AI-driven global equities firm. She previously managed portfolios at Grok Ventures, Audant Investments, and began her career in equities research at J.P. Morgan.
Karl Durrance
Karl Durrance, Managing Director at Stripe Australia & New Zealand, helps businesses scale online. A former AWS and Telstra leader, he’s passionate about innovation, data, and building high-performing teams that drive global success.
Sam Bowman
Sam is the Founder of Works in Progress, a magazine of new and underrated ideas in science, technology and economics, which was acquired by Stripe in 2022. He is head of publishing at Stripe where he also oversees Stripe Press.
Jeremy Dicker
A former Australian diplomat, Jeremy served in Mexico, Peru, and the U.S. before leading Intrigue Media. Fluent in Spanish, he’s a UN alum and a recipient of Peru’s presidential medal.
Lauren Meisner
Lauren Meisner is the founder of Centennial World, an award-winning youth media brand reaching 15M Gen Zs monthly. It helps brands connect with young audiences through creator economy insights and digital-first strategy.
Bronwen Clune
Bronwen joined Capital Brief after 15 years in media, startups, and government innovation. A founding team member at Culture Amp, she brings deep expertise in fostering innovation and growth.
May Samali
May Samali is the Founder & CEO of Human Leadership Lab, unlocking leadership potential through coaching, research, and investment. A Harvard graduate and venture partner, her insights have been featured in TechCrunch, Forbes, and more.
Sacha Judd
A lifelong fan and advocate for fandom’s creative power, Sacha advises startups and speaks on internet communities, high-performing teams, and how to build a better online future.
Lauren Capelin
Lauren Capelin is a community strategist and innovation specialist in web3, fintech, and startups. She’s led at AWS Startups, Startmate, and Reinventure, shaping ecosystems, investments, and gender diversity in venture and fintech.
Jaddan Comerford
A fierce advocate for Australian music, Jaddan built UNIFIED Music Group from a suburban bedroom into a powerhouse, managing and elevating iconic independent artists worldwide.
Eddie Harran
Eddie Harran is an AI advisor and intelligence designer exploring AI-native thinking, intelligence augmentation, and human-AI collaboration. Through VAST, he researches and advises on how AI is reshaping creativity, knowledge, and identity.
Georgina Harrisson
Georgina Harrisson, CEO of AMPLIFY, is a policy leader with 20+ years in government reform. She’s shaped the NDIS and led Australia’s largest education system, tackling how to fix broken systems for everyday Australians.
Riannah Burns
I believe big challenges—climate, homelessness, mental health—are solved through collaboration. At 10x10, I manage the Venture Philanthropy portfolio, backing early-stage NFPs and driving impact through $5M+ in grants in 2024.
Cam Price
Cam Price, co-founder & CEO of LeadStory, launched the world’s first personalized news bulletin for SmartTVs and EV screens. A former TV journalist, he now reaches 10M+ viewers globally each month.
Kylie Troy-West
Kylie Troy-West, co-founder and COO of Factor House, led its $5M seed round after bootstrapping global sales. She champions diversity, inclusion, and sustainability while building high-performing, people-first teams in enterprise tech.
Tina Funder
Tina is the founder of Alt. Leather, a 100% bio-based leather alternative that transforms waste-streams and regenerative plants into material for application across fashion, footwear, upholstery and auto.
Amy Firth
Amy Firth is an Interfaith Minister, funeral director, and ceremony designer reimagining death care. Blending creativity with compassion, she crafts bespoke funerals and hosts community spaces for reflection, grief, and connection.
Lucy Hay
Ex-agency creative turned glue mogul, Lucy honed her 8 years in advertising to market CLUTCH Glue to the masses with a social-first (and community-first) approach.
Bryony Cole
Bryony Cole is the world’s leading voice on sextech and host of the Future of Sex podcast. She founded Sextech School and advises global leaders on how tech is reshaping intimacy and relationships.
Pat Stewart
Pat Stewart, NSW State Manager at Radium Capital, helps innovators access R&D financing. With 15 years in finance and an MBA, he’s passionate about startups, green innovation, and AgTech, supporting businesses to thrive.
Annabel Rolley
Annabel Rolley is the Founder and CEO of Interpretr AI, an AI-powered dream interpretation app. A psychologist with expertise in mental health and performance, she merges science and technology for self-discovery.
Brianna Kerr
Brianna Kerr is an impact strategist and entrepreneur, co-founding Kua and Five Bucks. She consults on sustainability, teaches at UNSW, and helps businesses embed impact at their core.
Caroline Vu
Caroline is Chief of Staff at Boundless Earth and a leader in purpose-driven investing. A founding team member of Giant Leap, she advises Tripple and directs the Australian Communities Foundation.
Ed Cowan
Ed Cowan, former pro cricketer turned investor at TDM, blends high-performance mindset with business. He supports portfolio companies, builds community, and hosts the *Scaling Up* podcast. Also known as TDM’s “Head of Vibe.”
Tim Middlemiss
Tim Middlemiss is the founder of Pale Blue Advisory and one of Australia’s leading social impact strategists. From LeapFrog to Harrison.AI, he helps organisations embed impact as a core value driver.
Dave Murphy
Dave is a certified Breathwork and Flow State facilitator, helping leaders and teams unlock creativity, clarity, and performance. He’s worked with Canva, BCG, Blackbird, TikTok, and more to harness flow state.
Kev Jochelson
Kev Jochelson is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Opsize, coaching early-stage founders to rapid growth. With over 250 startups mentored, he turns ambition into action through practical, high-impact strategies.
Samantha Wong
Sam is a Partner at Blackbird Ventures, with broad interests across AI, B2B software, digital health, and robotics. She led Blackbird NZ and now works across Australia and New Zealand.
Derek Troy-West
Derek Troy-West is the co-founder and CEO of Factor House, pioneering user-centric tools for real-time data streaming. A fintech veteran, he’s shaping the future of enterprise tech with next-gen infrastructure solutions.
Iantha Yu
Iantha Yu, with 10+ years in women’s media, is the founder of PicStudio and co-founder of AI agency Future Being, helping retail brands thrive through strategy, creativity, and authentic storytelling.
Annie Liao
Annie Liao is the founder of Build Club, the world’s largest AI community, democratising AI education across 20+ cities. A former BCG consultant and data scientist, she helps enterprises and learners upskill through hands-on AI training.
Patrycja Slawuta
Patrycja Slawuta is a behavioural scientist and founder of SelfHackathon, helping organisations navigate human complexity. She brings evidence-based tools to unlock purpose and clarity—and has run 31 marathons along the way.
Madeleine Hanger (Grummet)
Mads is an ABC journalist, podcast host (Human Cogs, fLounder), and innovation ecosystem specialist. She’s an investor with Flying Fox and Startmate, and founding CEO of edtech platforms Girledworld and Future Amp.
Hayley Saddington
Hayley Saddington, Founder & CEO of Peak Medical, is a healthcare innovator revolutionising patient care. A Telstra Business Woman of the Year and Shark Tank finalist, she blends medical tech and business to drive impact.
Myffy Rigby
An Australian writer, editor, cookbook author, and presenter, Myffy is a leading voice in food storytelling, bringing deep insight and personality to the culinary world.
Bethany Lovell
Beth is the co-founder of FOBOH, building an AI workforce to transform wholesale food. With a background in digital at Woolworths, she’s driven to simplify systems, cut waste, and scale impact.
Kshitija Deshmukh
Kshitija Deshmukh (KD) is Co-founder and CEO of FOBOH, building an AI-powered future for food wholesale. A former Woolworths exec, she’s driven to make food more accessible, affordable, and sustainable.
Kara Zervides
Kara Zervides is the co-founder and CEO of Humpday, a VC-backed offline dating app tackling loneliness. A seasoned dating app founder, she’s building tech that fosters real-world connection and community.
Tim Burrowes
Tim Burrowes is founder of Mumbrella and Unmade, co-host of MediaLand on ABC Radio National, and author of Media Unmade. A 30+ year media veteran, he’s a multi-award-winning journalist and publisher.
Orsolya Toth-Pal
Orsolya is the founder of Suntied and Debate Club, creating spaces for growth and connection. With a decade in media and advertising, she empowers individuals to elevate their careers and confidence.
Sam Kothari
Sam is the cofounder and COO of Everlab, a fast-growing preventative health tech startup. Sam was also an early hire at Airwallex, and looked after sales, marketing, partnerships and strategy in his role as Head of Growth.
Tay Gwyther
First-time founder using technology to amplify human connection, not replace it... think: more good times with great people.
Martin Stewart-Weeks
Martin is a published author, analyst, and facilitator with deep experience across government, consulting, and innovation. He focuses on digital transformation, public sector strategy, leadership, and systemic change in human services.
Steph Darmanin
Steph Darmanin is a 3x bestselling author, coach, and retreat leader helping ambitious women unlock their potential. Certified across multiple modalities, she blends mindset, healing, and creativity to inspire transformation.
Arushi Srivastava
Arushi is a dynamic leader in Ad-tech, e-commerce, and affiliate ecosystems, driving growth and mentoring talent.
Janey Martino
Jane Martino is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, having built and exited multiple companies across media, fintech, and health tech. She co-founded Smiling Mind and recently launched coaching business Kintsugi Way.
Stuart McMinn
Stuart is a cultural man of the Dharug and Gubbi Gubbi Nations, a performer and educator with 17 years’ experience. He shares First Nations culture through dance, workshops, and powerful storytelling.
Johanna Weaver
Johanna is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Tech Policy Design Institute, a non-partisan think tank shaping Australia’s tech policy. A reformed litigator, ex-diplomat, and reluctant public intellectual.
Ali Skiba
Ali Skiba is a breathwork, sound healing, and voice activation facilitator helping professionals reduce stress, prevent burnout, and boost confident communication.
Jack Dean
Jack has spent over a decade helping innovative companies secure R&D Tax Offsets and grants across industries. Passionate about government incentives by day, he’s a Bunnies fan, board game enthusiast, and hockey player by night.
Tishiko King
Tish is a climate justice advocate focused on decolonising climate solutions by redistributing wealth and shifting power to First Nations communities through self-determined, culturally grounded approaches to systemic change.
Mason Yates
Mason Yates is a Principal at Blackbird Ventures, backing daring Aussie and Kiwi founders. A former Startmate mentor and Wild Hearts podcast host, he’s led investments and shaped the startup ecosystem since 2018.
Julian Hovenden
The Land of Rah is a collaborative fantasy world led by Julian Hovenden, blending concept albums, artwork, and live shows. Since 2019, it’s fostered a vibrant, open creative community.
Nicholas Ingate
I help leaders grow through transformational travel. As founder of Sabbatical.Travel: I create journeys that inspire reflection, reconnection, and purpose—because meaningful travel starts from within. Journey inward, travel outward.
Susie Kim
Susie Kim is a relationship and intimacy expert, TEDx speaker, and therapist with a playful, practical approach. A former lawyer, she teaches that love isn’t luck, it’s a skill you can master.
Theia Gabatan
Born in the Philippines and raised in Aotearoa and Australia, I lead grant, community, and impact work at Blackbird Foundation to unleash youth creativity. Outside work, I write, make art, and share stories.
Amelia Vu
Amelia Minh Vu is a Vietnamese-Australian artist from Melbourne’s west, working across film, dance, and events. She’s directed short films, led major street dance events, and creates powerful live performance works.
Henrietta Amevor
Henrietta Amevor is the founder of The Good Gratitude, a movement promoting journaling, community, and connection. She's also an actor (*BUMP*) and works supporting migrant communities at Spectrum.
Solomon Inyang
Solomon is a game developer and PhD researcher exploring how game design and AI can shape simulations for disaster response and agriculture. His latest project, Culture Crafter, lets players build unique virtual cultures.
Chaitanya Kuber
Chaitanya is CTO at Airtasker, leading a global engineering and data team. With over 20 years in tech, he drives AI innovation, scales high-performing teams, and delivers customer-centric products across global marketplaces.
Tammy Olmstead
Tammy leads SiteMinder Pay and brings global experience from Airwallex, me&u, and Klook. Passionate about scaling startups, she also advises HeartStreet, supporting people living with dementia.
Sunrise Program Schedule
What's the point?
Sunrise is a festival of creativity, technology and ambition. At Sunrise, you can immerse yourself in our startup community, become a part of it, and help to shape it.
Announcements
FAQs
What awaits me at Sunrise?
Sunrise isn’t a business conference. It’s not exactly a tech event, either. It's a cultural celebration where you'll be exposed to big ideas, meet new people, and learn something new. We thread creativity and culture throughout every moment to provide meaningful experiences. At Sunrise, we promise:
- You will be inspired by stories of triumph and failure. By visions of a future just out of our reach. By examples of exceptionalism and creativity.
- You will meet new people. Be it your co-founder, your new boss, team member, friend or fellow Traveller.
- You will learn new things. Discover fresh tools, frameworks, and mindsets to level up your journey.
Join us. Be part of it. Shape the future.
When will tickets to Sunrise Australia 2025 be available?
Limited Sunrise Earlybird discounted tickets will be available from 13 February 2025, before switching over to General Admission on 27 February 2025.
When and where is Sunrise Australia 2025?
Sunrise Australia 2025 returns to Sydney on 30 April & 1 May at Carriageworks - 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When will the full program be announced?
The full program is now LIVE! Find it on the home page.
Can I sponsor Sunrise?
Each Sunrise, we work with a small group of partners who are as committed as we are in creating an extraordinary event. We're deliberately pretty picky about who we work with, but if you work with a company that wants to champion startups and the people building them, then flick us an email at sunrise@blackbird.vc and we can chat there.