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Kickstart your career after high school.
- A full day in-person, live and off campus
- Schools from across the region, in one room
- 100% real-world + career advice from industry
- Keynotes, panels and workshops across the day
- Direct pathway into Future Accelerator, our six-week entrepreneurship program
Trusted by students from schools across Australia
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The innovation program for Restless students
The Innovation Summit is a one-day innovation and leadership conference for high school students, delivered in regional and metropolitan Australia. Students hear directly from Australia’s leading founders, investors and leaders, and their lessons in business. Every session is someone who has built a company, walking students through the failures, the near-misses and how they made it work.
Choose your next step
Building a business or venture will tell you more than any careers night. You’ll get the mentors, the industry context and the real experience to work out a path that actually suits you, instead of choosing a degree and hoping.
Immerse yourself in industry
Our secret sauce is 100% real world and industry learning. That means founders in front of you every week, meeting investors and pitching to judges from across Australia who can back your ideas.
Accelerate your job-readiness
By the end, you’ll have a business idea, an early-stage pitch, a mentor, and something real to put in front of an employer or a university. That holds whether you go to uni, explore new careers or decide to go all-in on business.
How does it work?
Every part of the Innovation Summit is built to show young people what they're capable of in a single day, from hearing leaders share their stories to tackling real-world challenges with their peers. It's hands-on, it's fast-paced, and it's designed to leave you with ideas worth acting on.
Insights from leaders who've been there
You'll get an honest look at the setbacks, risks and decisions behind a real leadership journey, and practical lessons you can apply at school, in your community or in your first business.
Live Q&A with founders, leaders and changemakers
Sit down with Australian founders and investors for unfiltered conversations about building something from scratch.
Hear what went wrong, what worked and what they'd do differently. Then ask them anything you want to know.
Hands-on learning with real-world tools
Learn the same tools startups and global companies use to solve problems. You'll map the challenge, sketch ideas, test them and build a prototype, all in one day.
You'll walk away with a skill set you can use for any problem you take on next.
Team-based problem solving on real issues
Join a tight-knit team of students and tackle a real challenge facing communities today, from homelessness to climate.
You'll figure out who is affected, dig into the root cause and find where you can make a difference. It's your chance to work on something that actually matters.
Skills you will learn
Every student begins with potential and leaves with confidence in themselves. Our programs are designed to strengthen the future-ready skills needed for academic success, leadership and careers.
Click any skill to see how it develops through the learning journey.
Problem Solving
Finding practical solutions with confidence.
Students learn to break a challenge down before building anything, testing what they assume against what customers actually tell them. Most discover that the problem they started with wasn't the real one.
stronger
solve confidently
at the start
Critical Thinking
Making better decisions with evidence.
Students learn to look beyond the first answer and ask what the evidence actually shows. They challenge assumptions, compare different perspectives, and use questioning to make stronger decisions about their venture.
stronger
Reason independently
at the start
Creativity
Turning ideas into something that didn't exist before.
Students are encouraged to question the obvious answer and explore what else might be possible. They generate ideas, experiment with different approaches, and learn how to turn a rough concept into something people actually want.
stronger
Think creatively
at the start
Communication
Making people understand and believe in your idea.
Students practise explaining ideas to people who don't already know their work. Through pitches, presentations and feedback, they learn to communicate clearly, listen carefully, handle difficult questions and speak with confidence.
stronger
Present confidently
at the start
Teamwork
Building something better together.
Students learn that good teamwork is more than splitting up tasks. They navigate different opinions, share responsibility, give constructive feedback and make decisions together while working towards a common goal.
stronger
Collaborate better
at the start
Digital & AI skills
Using technology to make ideas happen.
Students move from simply using technology to actively building with it. They experiment with digital platforms and AI tools to research, prototype, create and solve problems, gaining confidence through hands-on experience.
stronger
Build with tech confidently
at the start
Job readiness
Showing up to work ready to contribute.
Students practise the skills employers actually look for: meeting deadlines, working with unfamiliar people, presenting their ideas and taking responsibility for outcomes. They finish with real experience they can talk about in an interview.
stronger
Feel confident finding work
at the start
Meet your industry mentors.
Every part of this program is shaped by over 30 founders, investors and operators, people who've actually built, funded and scaled real businesses. Their experience runs through everything you learn, and along the way, you'll get to meet a few of them face to face.
this is what learning looks likes
testimonials
Real stories from real learners sharing their experiences, growth, and success with Future Minds.
“Future Minds gave me the perfect support I needed to launch my business. I wouldn't have been able to do it myself."
Founder @ Kayya Crafts
“I’ve grown so much. I've gained the confidence to show my art business and tell my story, and it made me more comfortable applying for future galleries and markets.”
Independent artist
“Future Minds helped us sell at real markets, and we had our best sales day yet. Nearly everyone bought something because they'd come to support us. It was humbling to be so supported and recognised.”
Co-founder @ Gumnut Echo
"It's like a kickstarter for your business. I'm making more connections and building more opportunities than I ever expected."
CEO @ HennaHQ
"It's something you shouldn't miss. The journey of running a business can feel lonely at times, since it's not always seen as a 'stable' path, but the people in this program are truly amazing and inspiring."
Founder @ Floria Touch
“Future Minds surrounds you with people who inspire you to grow, so many incredible connections and really cool people who can genuinely help you.”
CEO @ Ashan Industries
“Future Minds was exactly what I needed. There are many problems in the world, and I knew I wanted to solve them, but it was always difficult to discuss these issues with students my age. It gave me the opportunity to meet with students who wanted to change the world."
Co-founder @ Startup Link UniMelb
"Participating in FutureHack was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The program opened up my eyes to the power and impact of social entrepreneurship. It helped me see that I could combine my love for helping others with business ."
Founder @ Letters Against ISO
"Future Minds kickstarted my career in the social impact space. Their mentorship and guidance helped change me as a leader. "
Former Chair at Victorian Government's Youth Congress
"It opened my mind to social impact and entrepreneurship, something I never would have discovered without participating. Later, I was inspired to attend the Yale Young Global Scholars program, where I got to meet startup founders from all around the world."
Analyst @ Reserve Bank of Australia
"Future Minds has been one of the most influential events in my life! Their ability to scout some of the best mentors and generate an environment of productive innovation is incredible. Immediately after, it helped me land an internship at an edtech startup."
Founder @ Aurora
"It’s different from any other event I’ve participated in. Whether you want to work in a startup or not, Future Minds allows you to meet so many new people and make new connections."
National Lead @ Encode Justice
Key dates, and how long you've got
Explore our academic sessions, workshops, and special programs throughout the year.
Choose a term to discover upcoming courses, events, and learning opportunities near you.
Pitch a 12-minute talk
$30 student rate ends
Full cost covered
$5k prize pool
Innovation happens everywhere
Explore our Innovation Summit locations and discover where young people, industry leaders and changemakers come together to turn bold ideas into real-world impact.
Questions we get asked
Find quick answers to the most common questions about our programs, process, and learning experience.
