Pause Fest isn’t just a festival—it’s a cultural institution aka ‘Innovation Capital’. For over 15 years, it has shaped the stories, careers and companies that now define Australia’s innovation landscape.
Who WE Work With
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
how We Shine
We believe every future-ready company needs creativity, technology and business working in unison. Our festival model is designed to support that fusion—nurturing talent, accelerating growth and building a lasting network. Before they leap, we call them Explorers. When they build, they become Creators. And when they lead with vision, they rise as Leaders.
meet our brands
01
pause fest
The flagship innovation festival. Our cornerstone event—a 3-day conference uniting 3,000+ thinkers, doers and disruptors with over 40 international speakers—many from Silicon Valley—it’s a globally respected platform with a local heart. Partner-run side events turn it into a full-blown innovation week across Melbourne. Think SXSW, but homegrown.
02
Australia’s benchmark for business excellence. A future-facing awards platform that celebrates impact, not fluff. 100% digital entry and judging process. The winners? Announced at a high-energy in-person awards night, where breakthrough stories get the spotlight they deserve.
03
Ideas in motion. Stories in lights. Each year, 10 emerging global creators are selected to make animated shorts on a set theme—with full creative freedom. Their work goes on to win awards, feature in global press, light up billboards in NYC and LA, and even appear in Hollywood movies and trailers.
04
Where brands find their voice. A strategic consultancy for brands ready to grow their presence through storytelling, community and live activation. From content to campaigns, Pause Studio brings 25+ years of event, marketing and creative expertise to the frontlines of brand growth.
Meet past speakers
Over the years, Pause Fest has hosted more than 1,200 speakers—including 200+ in 2020 alone. What truly sets us apart is the 40+ international speakers, mostly from Silicon Valley, we bring to Australia each year—a pull no other local tech event has matched. Google in San Francisco even ran an internal competition to decide who gets to come.
We’ve featured voices from Amazon, Canva, Netflix, Adobe, NASA, Pixar, Atlassian, IDEO, Airwallex, Adidas, BBC and more. Why? Because our stage isn’t just another conference stop—it’s a platform powered by purpose, driven by vision and backed by a grassroots community to fuel the next gen forward.
We’ve featured voices from Amazon, Canva, Netflix, Adobe, NASA, Pixar, Atlassian, IDEO, Airwallex, Adidas, BBC and more. Why? Because our stage isn’t just another conference stop—it’s a platform powered by purpose, driven by vision and backed by a grassroots community to fuel the next gen forward.
Dominic Price
Work Futurist, Atlassian
Melanie Perkins
Co-Founder & CEO, Canva
Rich Fulcher
UX Director, Google, Material Design
Mike Rigby
SVP Global Head of Brand Transformation, R/GA
Dr. Marissa Rosenberg
Senior Research Scientist – Neuroscience, NASA
Ronni Kahn AO
Founder, Oz Harvest
LaDonna Witmer Willems
Associate Editorial Director, Dropbox Brand Studio
Charles Johnson
Head of Innovation Design, Puma
Dr. James Beacham
Particle Physicist LHC, CERN
Mike Butcher
Editor-at-large, TechCrunch
Sarah Owen
Senior Editor, WGSN
Jack Zhang
Co-Founder & CEO, Airwallex
Numbers That Matter
Pause Fest didn’t join Melbourne’s tech scene—it created it. Before meetups existed, before startups were part of the conversation, we brought creators and thinkers from shadows into the public arena—launching at FedSquare to place future thinking in the cultural spotlight.
Years before government bodies emerged, Pause Fest was already building the foundations of Victoria’s innovation economy. That early leadership delivered real results with $170M+ in social and economic impact, $235M in global media reach each year and a lasting role in defining Melbourne as a global city of innovation.
Years before government bodies emerged, Pause Fest was already building the foundations of Victoria’s innovation economy. That early leadership delivered real results with $170M+ in social and economic impact, $235M in global media reach each year and a lasting role in defining Melbourne as a global city of innovation.
15
Heading
years running
80k
Heading
attendees
20
Heading
Awards
Real Stories, Real Results
Get In touch
In the Area?
West Melbourne
OFFice Hours
Monday - Friday
11am - 3pm
11am - 3pm
Contact
info @ pausefest.com.au
+61 0423 011 409
+61 0423 011 409