That’s a Wrap! Thanks to everyone who joined us at the 2024 Climate Action Week in Sydney and online. We had so much fun hosting three events over the week sharing insights and experiences from the circular economy and clean energy initiatives, trailblazing a path from out of the lab and into global manufacturing.
Here is a quick wrap-up from the inspiring week of talks, panel discussions, and masterclasses!
Real Pathways from Lab to Market – Sydney Startup Hub
This session went into the stories of two academics who have, and are still successfully walking the path from Lab to market: Professor Shawn Kook from UNSW and ARC Laureate Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the UNSW SMaRT Centre.
ARC Laureate Professor Veena Sahajwalla talked to the decades long work to license technologies and work with a number of long-term industry partners to bring them to market, across green ceramics, green steel and a range of other waste to circular materials. Professor Shawn Kook shared his story of balancing both an academic career and being co-founder of his spinout DeCarice, which is converting diesel engines to hydrogen with the ability to immediately retro fit existing assets for the immediate transition, alongside further evolving the technology through his labs.
The key take way was the same for both Shawn and Veena โ it’s all about choosing the right partners, investors, co-founder and team โ where values and appetite to achieve genuine impact are strongly aligned and are keys to long term success.
Both stories are real examples that bust the myths around industry, academia and entrepreneurs working hand-in-hand.
SME and Startup Masterclass – Online
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
In this session we heard a firsthand account of an unlikely industry tackling sustainability goals one lap at a time. Natalie Turmine, Chair & President of The Australian Racing Drivers Club, powering Sydney Motorsport Park offered insights in overcoming challenges towards net-zero and offered advice on how to lead the Board and Executive through the transition.
For Natalie, the need was not a choice, it was critical to re-invent to stay relevant to future generations. They are now ranked number 1 in Australia on the international Sustainable Motorsport Index.
Natalie Turmine, Chair & President of The Australian Racing Drivers Club, powering Sydney Motorsport Park.
Cash for Climate, Demystifying Climate Tech Funding – Online
This session provided a deeper dive into the minds of a Venture Capital investor through our partners Virescent Ventures to understand what they look for when assessing a technology, startup and the founder themselves. For SMEs, funding R&D to stay competitive and meet decarbonisation targets can be one of the biggest challenges. The audience had a chance to hear firsthand how to prepare for and attract investment opportunities.
The session offered some great insights like what type of funding is relevant at the various stages of growth and thinking forward about how to reach scale.
If youโd like to learn how the TRaCE program can help your business, get in touch here.
