At ICC Sydney, we know that building a bright future lies in the hands of the next generation. That’s why supporting development opportunities for young people across Sydney and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow is a high priority.
We support this through our industry leading Legacy Program, actively collaborating with academic institutions, industry experts and community leaders to create a space that supports the entrepreneurial spirit of Sydney’s future talent.
As part of this commitment, ICC Sydney was proud to host the inaugural UTS Startups Summit in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney last month. Building on the premise that “you can be what you see”, over one full day, 2,500 high school students discovered how desirable and accessible tech entrepreneurship can be and learned from the inspiring stories of young people that started their successful businesses by following through on an idea or interest that later became a passion and a career.
Designed to connect the next generation of entrepreneurs with real life founders, mentors, and potential employers, the Summit forms part of our long-term investment in building a more resilient talent pipeline.
Empowering the Younger Generation
The brainchild of Director of Entrepreneurship at UTS, Murray Hurps, the event was endorsed by the NSW Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, The Hon. Anoulack Chantivong and opened by ICC Sydney CEO and Group Director – Convention Centres, ASM Global (APAC), Geoff Donaghy – all lending their support by encouraging young talent to make the most of this opportunity to connect to industry and community during the event.
Attendees heard from entrepreneurs including Angelique Wan, co-founder and CEO of Consent Labs, on founding a youth-led not-for-profit at just 19 years old, and Nakisah Williams, founder of Australia’s fastest growing craft ecommerce platform, Craft Club. Both speakers shared their stories and lessons they have learnt to inspire, educate and encourage attendees to think about their own potential and pathways.