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Career Profiles
At _SOUTHSTART, my role involves connecting startup founders, investors, and industry leaders to the ideas, capital, and networks necessary to drive deep societal change. As Director, my leadership has played a pivotal role in the success of the company, now entering its sixth year, with support from renowned entities such as AWS, CSIRO, Atlassian, and the SA Government.
My journey took an unexpected turn, after aspiring to be a human rights lawyer, when I discovered my passion for interactive learning. Bartending at festivals and pubs, water ski instructing in New York, and volunteering in Nepal and Vietnam were crucial experiences that shaped this realisation. Shifting from Law to Commerce (International Business) during university allowed me to embrace a more flexible career path, taking advantage of global learning opportunities and minimising traditional ‘in-class’ learning. My experiences, including learning about startups in Jakarta via the New Colombo Plan and studying project management in Germany and France, culminated in completing my degree in Denmark. Throughout, I developed a keen interest in bridging the knowledge gap around the opportunity and importance of entrepreneurship, particularly for students.
At the age of 22, I registered a business to work on freelance projects focusing on this effort. I co-founded a pitch feedback tool for startup events, earning a scholarship from Google to participate in the European Innovation Academy. Additionally, I established Unite Adelaide, a project sponsored by Startmate, Australia’s leading Startup Accelerator, aimed at driving student engagement in South Australia’s startup ecosystem.
In 2018, when the opportunity to take over _SOUTHSTART arose, I immediately stepped into the role and haven’t looked back. Alongside this, I have supported the delivery of the Limestone Coast Innovation Festival and co-founded the Adelaide Global Shapers Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. My career stands as a testament to strategic academic choices, diverse employment experiences, and an unwavering passion for innovation.
Pronouns: She/Her
Content supplied by: Danielle Seymour
Edited for clarity by: Dahlia Opala
There are so many incredibly inspiring professionals working in the South Australian festival and events sector. If you would like to nominate someone or yourself for a career profile, please reach out via the form below.
