Upper Hunter businesses and entrepreneurs with a keen interest in innovation are encouraged to attend this year's Hunter Innovation Festival.
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The festival's main conference will be held at Newcastle's City Hall on October 19 and will feature a stellar lineup of speakers and conference exhibitors across government and industry and will cover topics ranging from attracting and retaining talent, transitioning to renewable energy, and using technology and innovation to solve global and local issues.
"The festival aims to inspire businesses, innovators, and investors, sparking conversations and facilitating collaborations that lead to innovative outcomes. Ultimately, we want our region to be recognised as a knowledge-sharing economy inspiring new age ideas and inspiring productivity," Hunter Innovation Festival Chair, Alex Brennan, said.
"We recognise that there is a lot of knowledge and innovation happening on the Upper Hunter, so we would love anyone who has a passion for forward-thinking to come and join us and share their expertise and ideas."
Australian business and finance leader and Executive Chairman of Yellow Brick Road Home Loans Mark Bouris AM, NSW Modern Manufacturing Commissioner Lisa Emerson, and 2021 Newcastle Citizen of the Year and 2023 NAIDOC Person of the Year, Professor Kelvin Kong, will lead the keynote sections of the conference, each addressing topics that are certain to spark discussion and collaboration.
Mark Bouris AM said he is excited to cover topics ranging from leadership, innovation, success and resilience.
"The Hunter Innovation Festival presents some amazing opportunities to learn about new emerging technologies and their effect on our commercial landscape and relevant industries, and it is also an opportunity to showcase the amazing level of innovation within the region. On top of this, I am a serial learner and love learning about new innovations and technological advancements, and it is especially interesting to see this in a regional community," Mr Bouris said.
Professor Kong will be discussing the field of healthcare and how it is experiencing a transformative shift through continuous innovation, and the profound impact this innovation has on health - spanning from advanced medical technologies and treatments to novel healthcare delivery models.
"I'm looking forward to discussing the synergy between technology and medicine, and how breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, telemedicine, genomics, and medical devices are enhancing diagnostic accuracy, personalising treatment plans, and improving patient outcomes," Mr Kong said.
Alex Brennan is certain this year's event will be the best one yet.
"We have people right throughout the Hunter and Upper Hunter and across all industries - from manufacturing and mining to aerospace and agriculture - making brilliant regenerative changes. It will be great to have exhibitors from across our region who are really making waves in the startup, scaleup, investor, innovator, incubator and accelerator spaces all in the same room," Mr Brennan said.
Tickets for the one-day conference and exhibition are now on sale via the Hunter Innovation Festival website: www.hunterinnovationfestival.org
