Cook Government Commits $1.1 Million To West Tech Fest 

The Western Australian Government has announced it will invest $1.1 million over four years in West Tech Fest, our favourite innovation festival, through the New Industries and Innovation Fund. 

“West Tech Fest is our State’s pre-eminent technology and innovation showcase, and the Cook Labor Government is ensuring it can continue to put WA innovation on display with this latest funding announcement,” said Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson.

West Tech Fest is organised and co-founded by Curtin University. Over the last 15 years, the festival has built a strong global reputation and has become the flagship event for WA’s innovation sector, showcasing local talent to the world and drawing leading founders, investors, CEOs, and tech leaders to the State.

It now attracts more than 5,000 attendees annually, including founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders from across Australia and overseas. One in five participants comes from outside WA, and in 2025, 35% of attendees were startup founders. 

Rohan McDougall, Curtin University’s Executive Director of Commercialisation and Co-Founder of West Tech Fest, said, “West Tech Fest is a launchpad for WA success stories, with many startups using the festival as a springboard to major funding and global partnerships. This funding shows WA is doubling down on innovation, helping attract global founders, investors and partnerships while backing the next wave of local success stories.”

“West Tech Fest offers a uniquely WA tailored experience and provides a fantastic opportunity for founders, investors, and corporate attendees,” Dawson added.

“Western Australia has a rapidly growing innovation sector, and the Cook Labor Government is committed to supporting programs such as West Tech Fest which connect our businesses with global opportunities.”

“By investing in our innovation ecosystem with events like West Tech Fest, we help create new job opportunities that arise from emerging industries and startups here in WA.”

The festival will be held in Fremantle instead of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Moving to Fremantle for this year will also bring some slight changes to the festival’s format, along with the opportunity for new events such as Port Pitch, hosted by WA’s five port authorities, where startups can pitch ideas aimed at improving port efficiency, safety, or security. The startup industry has been saying for a while that giving start ups a contract is better than a grant, so this event is a good step in that direction.

More event details, speakers, and sessions will be announced soon, along with early bird ticket sales.