Engineering the Future: The Venture Catalyst

What does it take to transform a research idea into disruptive, world-changing technologies that improve our lives? Innovation that creates new industries doesn’t just start with a spark – it demands relentless engineering dedication, entrepreneurial drive, and the determination to transform vision into reality.

Join UNSW Engineering for an inspiring and thought-provoking panel discussion on how engineers are driving entrepreneurship and reshaping industries – one breakthrough at a time.

Hear from our international panel of world leading innovators, who’ve made the leap from the lab to the boardroom, turning cutting-edge research into real-world change. Whether you're curious about startups, passionate about research, or eager to create something of your own, this event will show you what’s possible when the engineering mind meets enterprise.

What to expect:

• Real stories from researchers-turned-founders

• Key insights on launching and scaling ventures

• Honest lessons on the risks, rewards, and realities of commercialising innovation

Who should attend? 

Anyone curious about how bold ideas become groundbreaking ventures.

Find out how world changing action starts with fearless thinking – driving progress for all.

Panellists:

• Dr David Skellern AO began his career in radio astronomy and academia before co-founding Radiata in 1997, which is credited for the invention of the first chip-set for the IEEE 802.11a WLAN standard and was acquired by Cisco. He later served as CEO of National ICT Australia and held leadership roles with Capital Markets CRC and RoZetta Institute. He currently chairs Quasar Satellite Technologies, S3B, AIX, and ICRAR, and sits on the boards of Trovio, METS Ignited, and digi.cash.

• Dr Michelle Perugini is a healthcare and AI entrepreneur with a PhD in Medicine and a decade of oncology research. She co-founded two global AI companies, including Presagen, creator of the IVF tool Life Whisperer, acquired by Astec in 2024. She is now Co-Founder and Board Chair of Qubigen, focused on AI-driven drug design, and serves as Head of Commercialisation at the University of South Australia and CEO of UniSA Ventures. Michelle is a strong advocate for AI and women’s health and a recipient of the 2021 Women in AI Healthcare and Telstra Brilliant Women in Digital Health awards.

• Dr Bill Jeffrey is General Partner and Founder of Airstream Venture Partners, a firm advancing early-stage deep tech. He previously led SRI International and HRL Laboratories, and held senior U.S. government roles including Director of NIST, Senior Director at the White House OSTP, and leadership positions at DARPA. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Honorary Member of the International Society of Automation, and recipient of the Navigator Award and Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service. He serves on the boards of TE Connectivity, Diraq, MRIGlobal, The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, and Salience Labs. Dr. Jeffrey holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in astronomy from Harvard, and a B.Sc. in physics from MIT.

Moderated by Ian Gibson, Deputy Dean (Industry Engagement, Innovation and Research, UNSW Engineering)