Innovation Bay & ARENA 2026 Renewables Startup Showcase
Description
The Energy Supply of the Future won't be built alone. It'll be built in this room.
Back again for it's seventh year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Innovation Bay are bringing together 100+ of the country's sharpest angel investors, VCs, private equity and corporate venture capital - alongside the founders engineering what powers Australia next.
The ARENA × Innovation Bay 2026 Renewables Startup Showcase lands in Sydney on Wednesday, 14 October - a gala night dedicated to the startups rewriting how we generate, store and move energy, and the capital that will scale them.
With special guest speakers:
Dr Larry Marshall - Founder, Author, CEO, Physicist
Fiona Messent - Chief Sustainability Officer at Qantas
Rosemary Barnes - Clean Energy Tech advisor
Katherine McConnell - CEO & Founder of Brighte
Jack Curtis - Chief Commercial Officer at Neara
Whether you invest, build, advise or set policy, this is front-row access to the innovation defining the next wave of the transition. You'll meet the founders behind breakthrough energy and climate technologies, tap into deal flow you won't see anywhere else, and hear directly from the people shaping where Australia's energy system goes from here.
This is where the connections that supercharge the next generation of clean-energy companies get made. The future of energy supply is being decided now - join us and help shape it.
SNAPSHOT DETAILS
WHEN: Wednesday, 14 October 2026
TIME: 5.00pm - 10.00pm
VENUE: Alpha Dining
WHERE: Level 2, 238 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Special Thanks to:
Lineup
Fiona Messent | Chief Sustainability Officer – Qantas
Fiona was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer in January 2025 and is responsible for the Group’s sustainability strategy and targets, and the Qantas Climate Fund.
Dr Larry Marshall | Lead Independent – Fortescue
Dr Larry is a physicist, technology entrepreneur, and seven-time CEO, from startups to billion-dollar revenue scale, with 2 IPO’s.
Rosemary Barnes | Founder & Director, Pardalote Consulting / Engineering with Rosie
Rosemary Barnes is an engineer with a PhD in mechanical engineering and over 20 years’ experience in clean energy technologies. She is the founder of Pardalote Consulting and creator of the Engineering with Rosie YouTube channel.
Katherine McConnell | Tech Council of Australia
Katherine McConnell is the founder and CEO of Brighte. She was appointed as a Board Director for the Tech Council of Australia in February 2026.
Jack Curtis | Co-founder & CCO - Nearis
Jack is the co-founder and CCO of Neara, responsible for commercial strategy and global expansion. With 20+ years of expertise across power and utilities, he works closely with energy operators to solve the greatest challenges facing critical infrastructure.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
