The Speakers & Sessions We’re Most Looking Forward To At West Tech Fest

Can you believe West Tech Fest is now just a couple of weeks away?

Chances are, you’ve already heard all about the week-long tech and startup festival that happens at the start of December every year. Maybe you’ve attended before, have tickets ready for this year, or have it on your wish list.

Whatever the case, there are a few changes this year — the biggest of which is the return of West Tech Fest on Rottnest Island. After a two-year hiatus, the most-loved day on the WTF calendar is back, renamed as West Tech Wadjemup, and will be the last day of the week-long festival. 

There’s a strong lineup of speakers and sessions throughout the week — here are the main ones we’re looking forward to:

Quantum and AI Converge: From Science Fiction to Scalable Reality

Where: West Tech Main
When: December 9, 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Presented by: Petra Andrén

As Quantum and AI converge, Petra Andren explores how the boundaries between science fiction and scalable reality are dissolving and sparking a new era of discovery and scale. Join her as she journeys through the past, present, and future – outlining the wins, redefining what’s possible.

Seeing around Corners — The art of spotting the next big thing

Where: West Tech Main
When: December 9, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
Presented by: Lars Rasmussen and Rick Baker

When visionary founders become investors, their perspective shifts, but their curiosity doesn’t. In this fireside chat, Lars Rasmussen and Rick Baker explore how to spot the commercial signals in transformative technologies before the rest of the world catches on. From the early days of Google Maps to backing Australia’s next generation of unicorns, discover how experience, instinct, and imagination collide to shape what’s next.

The AI Equation — Innovation, investment, and integrity

Where: West Tech Main
When: December 9, 01:55 PM – 02:40 PM
Presented by: Rayn Ong

AI represents both the biggest opportunity and the biggest unknown of our time. Join the audience as the panel digs beneath the surface to explore the grey areas of scaling AI: data sovereignty, ethical responsibility, and the trade-offs behind accelerated progress. A timely, thought-provoking session for anyone building or backing technology that’s changing the world faster than we can regulate it.

The Future of Fashion: Circular economies and sustainable solutions

Where: West Tech Wadjemup
When: December 11, 11:50 AM – 12:35 PM

Join the audience for a deep dive into how consumer businesses can drive environmental value alongside commercial value, exploring how circularity at scale requires both behaviour change and enabling infrastructure. Leaders in fashion technology, behavioural science, and creative design will discuss how to make circular consumption effortless, desirable, and inevitable.

From Ideas to Impact: The power of leveraging brands for good

Where: West Tech Wadjemup
When: December 11, 01:45 PM – 02:00 PM
Presented by: Michael Sheldrick

Global Citizen co-founder Michael Sheldrick takes you inside the strategy behind making other people’s brands work for you, transforming visibility into influence and influence into outcomes, shown through his work harnessing the power of celebrity brand such as Coldplay, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga to mobilise over $43 billion in support for healthcare, education, and climate initiatives. Join him as he breaks down how to build alliances that move systems, markets, and mindsets.