Spark Festival 2026 Opening Celebration – Launch of the Spark Foundation

Spark Festival is back: 21–27 September 2026

Spark is the home of startups in NSW – with every successful startup, venture capital fund, major university and innovation hub in this state having participated in Spark events over the last decade.

It's time for our startup ecosystem to step up once again – and this year, it's more important than ever.

Join us to launch our eleventh annual Spark Festival. We’re delighted to welcome the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO flying in from Washington DC, where he has been based since his term as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States. 

Arthur will draw on his immense experience as former Minister for Innovation and longtime Chief of Staff to the Hon John Howard AC, and will speak alongside the amazing Ranya Alkadamani, former Press Secretary to the Hon Kevin Rudd AC.

In launching the Spark Foundation, Ranya and Arthur will reflect on the dialogue between startups and government in Australia, and how it diverges from the US and other major innovation ecosystems around the world. And we have more exciting speaker announcements still to come! 

In 2026, things are looking quite different for our innovation ecosystem.

We're facing into a long period of uncertainty for Australian founders and investors. Government support, certainty over our tax system, R&D tax incentive eligibility and the ongoing legality of AI development in Australia are all hanging in the balance following significant policy announcements, with minimal consideration of the impacts on our ecosystem.

We are launching the Spark Foundation to make our community's voices heard, to provide a platform for those who can't pay for access, and to spark engagement across Australia's diverse startup ecosystem.

Join hundreds of leaders of the startup ecosystem at the UTS Great Hall for this blockbuster event – featuring a look back at this year’s interactions between government and founders, what we’ve done well, and what we need to do better.

Bar opens: 5:00pm

Formalities commence: 6:00pm

Networking and drinks: 7:00pm

Spark is proudly supported by the CIty of Sydney, Decidr, UTS and HSF Kramer. Learn more at spark.org.au