Program

Welcome to our ON Core 2025 program, set to be packed with dynamic sessions designed to sharpen your skills, spark new ideas and connect you with leading experts in deep tech and innovation. Each session brings together exceptional speakers who will empower and inspire you to expand your impact in Australia’s innovation landscape.

The countdown to ON Core 2025 has begun!

Explore the official program, click on the arrows to see what’s in store and stay tuned for updates as we announce more sessions and speakers!

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Time	EVOLUTION Room (Plenary) Powerhouse Theatre, Level 1	UNITE Room Turbine Platform, Level 1	UPLIFT Room Rooftop Terrace, Level 3	IMPACT Room Underground Theatre, Ground Level
8:30am	Registration + Arrival Tea & Coffee Meet & greet with key stakeholders from national innovation and funding programs , and find your perfect coffee with an AI-powered tasting experience that identifies and matches your flavour profile.
9:30am	Welcome Join us to be officially welcomed to Turrbal, Jagera and Yugara Country, then gain a glimpse of what the day – and the next decades – hold. Speakers: Chris Krishna-Pillay, Senior Engagement Lead, CSIRO Claire Marshall, Founder, If Labs Kirsten Rose, Deputy Chief Executive, CSIRO Tennille Eyre, Executive Manager, Innovation Programs, Science Connect, CSIRO
10:15am	The EVOLUTION Imperative Hear insights from science and innovation leaders about why we – as individuals, communities, organisations, and an ecosystem – must evolve to accelerate our impact. [panel discussion] Speakers: Julia Spicer OAM, Deputy Chair, Australia’s Economic Accelerator Poppy Sykes, Manager, ON Innovation Program, CSIRO (moderator) Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at Australian National University A/Professor Lea-Ann Kirkham, Co-Inventor, Spritz-OM; ON Accelerate 7 Alum
11:00am	Morning Tea
11:40am	Ignite Your Impact AEA Ignite grants can accelerate your path to impact. Join this interactive masterclass to get tips and tricks to enhance your application and increase your chances of success. [interactive masterclass] Speakers: Poppy Sykes, Manager, ON Innovation Program, CSIRO (moderator)	Unite Through Ideas Fire up your brain cells for an ‘ideas hackathon’ as we work together to solve the issues keeping us up at night. [interactive masterclass] Speakers: Andy Lamb, Director, Innovation Studios	Uplift Your Brand A masterclass for all purpose-driven leaders on how to tell your story and make a bigger impact. [interactive masterclass] Speakers: Kate Jenkins, Head of Community & Partnerships at Remarkable Tech	The Future of Impact What do we want our ecosystem to look like in 2035, and how do we get there? Hear about the megatrends and emerging deep tech that are driving the evolution of innovation and research translation. [fireside chat] Speakers: Dr Stefan Hajkowicz, Chief Research Consultant, Analytics and Decision Sciences, CSIRO (Data61) Claire Marshall, Founder, If Labs (moderator)
12:30pm	Lunch
1:30pm		Unite Through Teamwork Learn the essential elements for creating successful, high-performing teams by understanding how to listen better, have tough conversations, and recover from setbacks. [interactive masterclass] Speakers: Julie Trell, Chief Play Officer, Playful Purpose	Uplift Your Presence Set yourself up for success when the stakes are high. Build your individual/team presence when presenting or networking, and learn how to communicate with impact and authenticity. [interactive masterclass] Speakers: Josephine O’Reilly, Presence Leadership Authenticity and Communications Coach	Funding Your Impact Delve into the current landscape of translational funding, uncover emerging trends, and gain insights on effective strategies for maximising the impact of funding. [panel discussion] Speakers: Alastair Hick, Chief Commercialisation Officer, Monash University David Ireland, Co-Founder and Managing Director, The Growth Drivers (moderator) Peter Milic, Priority Manager, Australia’s Economic Accelerator Grace Bird, Head of Atmosphere, Pre-Seed Fund, Main Sequence Ventures Michele Stansfield, Founder and CEO, Cauldron Ferm
2:20pm	Choose your next session
2:30pm	Uplift Your Purpose Re-energise your leadership by putting purpose in the driving seat. Through real-life examples of how to build resilience and perspective, this thought-provoking session will leave you inspired and motivated to continue your impact journey and stay committed in the face of challenges. [masterclass] Speakers: Warren Bingham, Founder and Executive Chairman, MedTech International	Unite Through Connections Strengthen your network, make new connections, and spark potential collaborations in this ‘speed-meet’ session. [speed networking] Speakers: Josh Pitt, Program Manager, Innovation Ecosystem, ON Innovation Program, CSIRO		Indigenous Wisdom Fuelling Impact Learn how we can better elevate Indigenous wisdom throughout the innovation process and hear real-world examples that highlight the positive impact that is sparked when culture meets science. [panel discussion] Speakers: Louisa Warren, Executive Manager, Indigenous Engagement Office, CSIRO (moderator)
3:20pm	Afternoon Tea
4:00pm	The EVOLUTION Journey Hear rapid-fire insights – from the past, present, and future – that reveal the rewarding, challenging, yet hopeful journey to impact. Speakers: Chuhao Liu, Co-Founder, Sunflower AI; ON Prime 7 Alum Karla Heric, PhD Candidate, CSIRO; CSIRO Industry PhD Program participant Keely Perry, Research Assistant, The University of Queensland; CSIRO Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy participant Yastika Choure, Biomedical Engineering Student, University of Sydney; CSIRO Generation STEM Links Program participant
4:35pm	The EVOLUTION Superpower Learn what it takes to succeed in unpredictable environments and how to harness the new competitive advantage in a world of constant change. Leave empowered to drive the industry forward and adopt new ways of thinking to help us evolve toward the sustainable future we envision. Speakers: Tané Hunter, Co-Founder, Future Crunch
5:10pm	The Wrap Take a moment to reflect and reset, as we recap the day’s learnings and reaffirm our roles in shaping the future. Speakers: Chris Krishna-Pillay, Senior Engagement Lead, CSIRO Claire Marshall, Founder, If Labs
5:30pm	ON Core Unwind Come together with the deep tech innovation ecosystem to share insights, meet new friends and old, and celebrate our community.
7:30pm	ON Core concludes

**Please note, the program details are subject to change. Keep an eye on this page as our plans evolve.