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Kristin Gambardella

Jared Christopherson

Angelique Mentis

Stephen Johnston

Franziska Iseli

Paulwyn Devasundaram

Christina Gerakiteys

Joanna Marsh

James Hehre

Lisa Andrews

Bill Tai

Alyse Sue

Jonathan Woods

Peter Xing

Stephanie Liu

Chris Brouwer

Julian Kruger

Ned Moorfield

Tess Brouwer

Will Cosby

Adam Dobson

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WAVIA

Ocean Lovers

SingularityU Australia

Great Barrier Reef Legacy

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<h2>Date</h2>1st - 5th December 2024<h2> </h2><h2>Location</h2>Port Stephens, NSW, Australia This year, ACTAI will hold an impactful experience in Port Stephens Australia as a pre-event to West Tech Fest. This exclusive pre-event will focus on economic empowerment for our Australian startup ecosystem and ocean conservation, supporting the Great Barrier Reef Legacy in their work on the urgent need for the protection of corals around the world.  Staying in beautiful Port Stephens, guests will engage in daily discussions, kitesurfing, stunning nature hikes and experience the history and legacy of former Sea Shepherd flagship, the MV Steve Irwin. Each day will conclude with dinner at the most stunning venues Port Stephens has to offer.

<h1>Kristin Gambardella</h1>

<h1>Jared Christopherson</h1> Jared Christopherson is a co-founder at Superlogic, a web3 technology company that includes OneOf and is currently building a Brazil-based coalition loyalty program. Jared is also a partner at Chainlink Capital (crypto fund of funds), and previously founded and sold several adtech companies.

<h1>Angelique Mentis</h1> Sustainable Parking | EV Charging | Smart Cities

<h1>Stephen Johnston</h1> Stephen Johnston, is Fellow, Healthy Longevity at SOMPO Digital Lab, Managing Director of Fordcastle, an impact-focused consultancy and curates the Looking Forward newsletter. Stephen was co-founder of Aging2.0 (acquired in 2022) and a co-author of Longevity Ecosystems (MIT, forthcoming). He studied Economics at Cambridge University and has an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Fulbright Scholar.

<h1>Franziska Iseli</h1> Franziska is a maverick entrepreneur, leading marketing and brand strategist, mad adventurer, author and the founder of Basic Bananas, Oceanlovers and Moments of Humanity. In 2013 Franziska was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizing her innovation, creativity and philanthropic involvement.  As an EO member and past board member she launched an EO impact initiative called EOcean to inspire entrepreneurs to protect our ocean. Franziska is the author of four bestselling books – Bananas About Marketing, Perception, The Courage Map (foreword by Sir Richard Branson) and Social Media for Small Business.   A Swiss born Australian (or Swaussie) with a sharp-witted humour and the ability to speak five languages, she is known to make up words, which keeps everyone amused. The key to Franziska’s success is her down-to-earth attitude, infectious energy, integrity and courage to take the lead. She is an idea generation machine, loves solving complex challenges and her brain often seems to work on double-speed. Franziska is a big believer in social business and is heavily involved in various ocean conservation and sustainability projects.  In her spare time Franziska loves spending time with her family and friends, going on motorbike adventures, wave surfing, playing music, reading and learning new things.

<h1>Paulwyn Devasundaram</h1> Engineer, Founder @Medoo, Formerly @Canva, Atlassian

Christina Gerakiteys Christina Gerakiteys is a catalyst for change. She is on a mission to enable the enablers and to empower and inspire leaders and emerging leaders to converge minds, technology and fields, to have maximum impact. Christina is CEO of UtopiaX, author of Celebrating Success One Failure at a Time, and Founder of IdeaSparx, an innovation platform. She is a sought-after speaker, facilitator, and program designer, creating interactive educational experiences driven by design thinking, purpose, engagement, and play. The programs disrupt current mindsets to Moonshot thinking, exploring what is possible, rather than what is acceptable or limited. Christina has created highly customised programs for clients including Deloitte, IAG, Employment Hero, Fragomen, Austrade, Bupa, Investa and Dulux. Christina also works coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs. Christina has presented key-notes and workshops for the Singularity University (Silicon Valley, California), Entrepreneurs Organisation, Front End of Innovation Conference in Boston, Vivid Ideas (Sydney), Creative Innovation (Melbourne) and Inspiring Women Leaders Digital Conference in Madrid. Christina writes for several publications, hosts the podcast Inspired for Impact, and speaks on radio about creativity and innovation. She is a contributor to the award-winning Front-End Innovation blog. She is an ambassador for Tech Central, Sydney, on the International Advisory Board for W Startup Community, and sits on the Hunter Medical Research Foundation. Christina is an advocate for innovation committees, produced the annual Hunter Innovation Festival for 15 years, and lectures in Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is a lifelong learner, undertaking doctorate studies in Creativity and Innovation.

<h1>Joanna Marsh</h1> I’ve been in real estate for the past 18 years across Australia and the US - both as a funded founder, and inside some of the biggest property firms globally. I’m passionate about finding new ways to help the largest asset class in the world adapt to what’s now and next - from building high-performing data intelligence teams, to large-scale digital transformation and innovation;from global investment and portfolio strategy, to deal structuring and corporate venture investment. Most recently I had the privilege of leading a world-class advanced analytics and AI team at Investa, with a mandate to create unfair advantage across the business through data science, deep insights, and artificial intelligence. This journey led me to two things: my insanely gifted Co-Founder, Will Cosby, and Unseen - our new AI-powered market intelligence platform that makes hardcore, hedge fund grade analytics for commercial real estate as easy as asking a question.VC-backed, in market, running FAST.

<h1>James Hehre</h1> James is the Founder and CEO of Seawise Labs, an information service for all things Aquaculture, including the rapid growth of seaweed as an emergent industry. He has an extensive background in Zoology, Marine Ecology and Environmental Science.

<h1>Lisa Andrews</h1> Lisa Andrews is a sought after speaker, thought leader, entrepreneur and impact investor who helps individuals and organizations leverage exponential technologies and new business models to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Lisa had her first successful exit from a large scale process control and automation engineering business in 2012 and is now an investor in multiple companies that focus on profit with purpose. She is currently working on projects with international organizations such as Singularity University, United Nations, Deloitte, ANSTO, ACTAI, the Extreme Tech Challenge and EO. To feature some of her portfolio companies, she has a seaweed lab, is securing the world's food supply with BioTech solutions, increasing longevity with synthetic biology studies and protecting identity with Web3 solutions among many others. Lisa is a certified international faculty speaker for Singularity University and a board member of The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA). As a future maker and strategic planner - Lisa sees the first step as achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the second creating a compelling vision for the world in the next 100 years. ?

<h1>Bill Tai</h1> Bill Tai has been funding startups as a Venture Capitalist since 1991 and has had 23 of his startups become listed companies. Personal Angel backer of 3 of the top 10 on "CNBC's 50 Top Disruptor List for 2022" (#3 Lineage Logistics, #4 Canva, #9 Dapper Labs). Companies he has been involved with at their starts surpassed $1 Trillion in aggregate market value in 2021. Originally trained as a chip designer, he joined LSI Logic, a seminal Silicon Valley startup formed by the CEO of Fairchild Semiconductor after earning a BSEE with Honors from University of Illinois. After an MBA at Harvard he was issued Badge #A001 during the formation of TSMC (NYSE:TSM), now among the world’s 10 most valuable companies (~$580 Billion market value as of 2020). He co-founded Treasure Data (acquired by ARM/Softbank) as Chairman and is among the first investors in Bitfury, Canva, Class.com, Color Health, Dapper Labs (originator of Cryptokitties and NBA Topshot), Dyad.net, Metagood, OneOf, Powerledger, Safety Culture, Tweetdeck/Twitter, Wish.com and Zoom Video, where he was the first backer to commit at the company's formation. He is Board Chairman of Hut8 Mining (NASDAQ: HUT), one of North America's largest publicly listed Bitcoin mining operation. He was Founding Chairman & CEO of iAsiaWorks (IPO via Goldman Sachs & Morgan Stanley) and Founding Chairman of IPinfusion (Tokyo:4813). He has served as Board Director of 8 publicly listed companies (AWRD EGHT HUT8 IAWK NPIX TMTA TUNE and IMGO) that grew from startups he funded at their formative stages. He is founding Chairman of ACTAI Global 501(c)3, a community of Athletes Conservationists Technologists Artists & Innovators supporting 1) environmental conservation and 2) economic empowerment via entrepreneurship. He is creator or cofounder of the worldwide startup competition www.ExtremeTechChallenge.org, the annual www.NeckerBlockchainSummit.com and the annual www.WestTechFest.com, a thousand person technology festival held annually in Perth Western Australia where he is an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University focused on “innovation and economic development”. ?

<h1>Alyse Sue</h1> Web3 founder, tech entrepreneur and software engineer. Director of Metaverse at KPMG Futures, where we use game changing technologies to build new business models for the firm. Cofounder of Transhuman Coin, a DeFi project that funds Transhuman projects which use science and technology to overcome limitations of human biology: www.transhumancoin.finance Founding member of FutrDAO, an investment DAO that supports radical impact web3 projects, primarily in climate and healthy longevity.

<h1>Jonathan Woods</h1> Jonathan Woods is a curious soul in search of the next problem to solve. He is currently contracting in banking risk and compliance. In his past he consulted in technology, outsourcing, risk management and gaming in the US, Scotland and Australia. Previous agtech founder and pizzeria proprietor.

<h1>Peter Xing</h1> Peter is the co-founder of Transhumanism Australia, a venture studio and community that works on projects for the global transhumanism movement. He is driving the development of the Transhuman Network State to accelerate emerging technology projects that enhance our intelligence, extend our healthy lifespan and improve our wellbeing. His team advises, educates, incubates, accelerates and invests in research and applications of emerging technologies such as web3, generative AI, robotics, XR, brain-computer interfaces and biotech to bring capabilities to industry.  Peter is also the cofounder of Transhuman Coin and Singularity Group Expert on emerging technologies, leveraging the power of decentralised autonomous organisations, cryptocurrencies and the global emerging technology community of transhumanists and singularitarians to accelerate our transhuman future. Peter previously worked as a Director on global emerging technology initiatives at KPMG and Deloitte to help organisations navigate and flourish in these unprecedented times of accelerating change and disruption.

<h1>Steph Liu</h1> Steph Liu is the founder of Levitate Foundry - a growth marketing firm focused on eCommerce solutions with emphasis on performance media, split testing, multi-device usability, lifecycle/SMS/referral, and long-term sustainable growth. Levitate is the leading female-founded Shopify Plus Preferred Partner in North America, having assisted hundreds of tier 1 eCommerce brands to acquire, retain and increase customer LTV. Some brand launches in the last few years include: Empathy Wines, EOS, DrewHouse, Liquid IV, LiveTinted, Rael, 8Greens, Chili Sleep, U Beauty, and more.  Prior to Levitate, Steph worked for Amazon, Honest co, Sephora, Gap Inc, Meta, and personally launched brands like Tamara Mellon, True Botanicals (Olivia Wilde) and has consulted for 300+ eCommerce companies in the last decade years.  Steph is currently incubating 3 brands under her new venture Levitate Brands.

<h1>Chris Brouwer</h1> Chris is a seasoned Director and Creative with over 25 years experience in agencies providing digital, media and creative services to clients like Makita, CNH Industrial and AISA. Chris is a visionary leader with strengths in building dynamic teams that thrive in a creative environment and is now full- time building the Klip platform.

<h1>Julian Kruger</h1> Nature tech founder, passionately rebuilding the Earth's Ecosystems through the powers of data, communities, markets and art!???

<h1>Ned Moorfield</h1> Previously Co-Founded GoCatch, Australia’s leading homegrown taxi and rideshare booking platform. Raised $8M, powering over 1.5M journeys. Ex Google Product Manager Now exploring new opportunities in advising and working with companies to bring their products to market + exploring new venture ideas around the crossover between AI and investing, particularly in listed companies and property. Come have a chat or reach out if you share an interest in these areas or know of a company or Founders you think could do with my help. Thanks!

<h1>Tess Brouwer</h1> Tess, CEO of Awake Academy, is a corporate athlete with a global track record working with major brands. In 2018, a spinal cord and brain injury changed her life. Seven months of hospitalisation and transformative recovery taught Tess the power of belief. Co-founding Awake Academy with Layne Beachley, AO, Tess draws on her personal training, yoga, and meditation qualifications, coupled with a diploma in positive psychology. Their mission: EMPOWER 1M LIVES TO STRENGTHEN MENTAL FITNESS. Tess is also co-founder of Klip, reconnecting the world through storytelling. A dedicated mother, Tess resides in the Hunter Valley with her family.

<h1>Will Cosby</h1> tl;dr Will is an astrophysicist turned data scientist turned programmer who just really likes tech stuff and working on hard problems that involve working with data and making it actually useful. Will started (and closed) his first company building do-it-yourself customisable AI customer support agents in 2015 ( using the state of the art at the time for natural language processing which was Dynamic Memory Networks (transformers hadn't become that popular yet) , shortly after graduating Astrophysics and Engineering in Virginia. That experience got me properly hooked on the rapidly expanding possibilities around human-computer interactions, natural language processing, and the role that data and information plays in it all. After working across several continents and industries as a Data Scientist, he started to become acutely aware that the systemic complexities and barriers to information access and experience were actually pretty universal challenges. And so he developed a deep affinity for designing out those complexities - specifically by creating intelligent systems that are capable of interacting on a more personal, intuitive level and in more natural ways - particularly for social and environmental benefit. This led him to an ambitious commercial real estate project for Oxford Properties, his Co-Founder, and the genesis of Unseen. Our goal is to make data science, serious analytics, and market intelligence more open, on-demand, template-driven and simpler to use than previously possible.

<h1>Adam Dobson</h1> Adam Dobson, an accomplished entrepreneur and skilled business and personal coach, is the visionary founder of the innovative business recommendation app, Stampp. With a diverse and successful background, Adam has founded and managed multiple ventures across various sectors including IT recruitment, consultancy, construction, and transport. His expertise and leadership are further showcased through his services at AdamDobson.co

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