The countdown to Sunrise 2025 has officially begun, and we’re kicking things off with a bang - our first speaker drop is here.
This year, we’re exploring friction - the tension, resistance, and creative sparks that push ideas forward. And today, we’re dropping the first wave of speakers who embody that spirit. These are the founders, builders, and cultural icons who have faced the heat, embraced the challenge, and come out the other side with something extraordinary.
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Meet Some of the Voices Taking the Stage
Vu Tran [Cofounder @ Black Sky Industries]
Defending the Future - Why We Can’t Afford To Ignore Defence Tech
From building a billion-dollar edtech company to pioneering defence technology, Vu Tran’s journey has been anything but ordinary. He’ll break down why Australia’s sovereign capabilities are at risk, the massive opportunity in defence tech, and why rocketry innovation matters far beyond the battlefield.
Robyn Denholm & Brian Goorjian [Chair @ Tesla & The Tech Council of Australia]
& Brian Goorjian [Head Coach @ Sydney Kings]
In Conversation
What can the boardroom learn from the locker room? Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm and legendary coach Brian Goorjian share hard-won lessons on leadership, high-performance teams, and what it really takes to build something great - whether it’s a company or a championship team.
Pete Shadbolt [Chief Scientific Officer & Co-founder @ PsiQuantum]
Just Get On With it
From teenage dreams to building PsiQuantum, Pete Shadbolt shares a journey of curiosity, friction, and perseverance in bringing the world’s first quantum computer to life.
Jessica Ducrou [Music Industry Executive & Festival Culture Shaper @ Splendour in the Grass]
How to Build a Cultural Institution - The Story of Splendour in the Grass
How do you create a lasting cultural celebration in an industry shaped by constant technological shifts? Jessica Ducrou and Jaddan Comerford unpack the evolution of Splendour in the Grass.
Ben Shewry [Owner & Chef @ Attica]
Uses for Obsession: How Creativity and Persistence Shape the World
For Ben Shewry, obsession isn’t a flaw - it’s fuel. From rural New Zealand to running one of the world’s best restaurants, his relentless pursuit of excellence has shaped his craft. He’ll share why true creativity is born from persistence, reinvention, and an unshakable commitment to craft.
Sacha Judd [Investor, Technologist & Internet Culture Expert]
The Good Internet - How Fandom Can Reclaim the Web
Remember when the internet was a playground of weird websites, fan-made magic, and personal creativity? Sacha Judd does too. In this talk, she makes the case for escaping algorithmic doom loops and rebuilding the internet as a place of true community, curiosity, and creativity.
Helen Zhang & Jeremy Dicker [International Intrigue]
How to Win Friends and Influence Geopolitics - Australia’s Play in the New World Order
From energy security to defence, global trust is eroding - and Australia has decisions to make. Will we step up or sit back? Helen Zhang and Jeremy Dicker break down the shifting geopolitical landscape and what it all means for Australian startups, minus the jargon and doom scrolling.
(Plus, see Helen and Jeremy with special guests on the panel: Giddy Up or Slow Down? The Case for Wild Innovation vs. The Brake Pedal of Regulation)
Myffy Rigby [Restaurant Critic]
The Death of Taste: Why Does Everything Look, Taste and Sound the Same?
When it comes to good taste, has the digital world flattened the curve? We have the entire back catalogue of music from every corner of the world available to us, and we still rely on an algorithm to tell us what to listen to. The question is, do we need better tastemakers, or is taste and originality a thing of the past?
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This is just the beginning. More speakers, more stories, and more moments of friction that spark something new are coming soon.
See you at Sunrise?