Zara Crichton
Zara Crichton
Festival Director| Hunter iF
Zara Crichton is a global innovation leader who transforms ideas into valuable assets. She architects ventures and builds ecosystems for commercial success.
About
For over two decades, Zara has worked across the innovation ecosystem, building the networks, structuring organisations, and securing investment for bold ideas to succeed on the world stage.
As the founder of Fundalicious, her work has three key focuses:
Venture Architecture: Designing ventures with robust strategic, commercial, and governance frameworks to attract investment and scale.
Organisational Impact: Leading complex turnarounds for established organisations and non-profits to improve agility and long-term sustainability.
Ecosystem Development: Advising governments and universities on the strategic design of thriving innovation ecosystems.
Her approach is shaped by global leadership experience. As President of the Boston-based Venture Café Global Institute, she led strategy across a network of 16 international locations. This is grounded in world-class governance, with experience as a paid director on over eight international innovation boards and as a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Previously, as General Manager of the Connect Macquarie Park Innovation District and an Executive Director at Macquarie University, she spearheaded one of Australia's premier innovation hubs, driving commercialisation by forging critical partnerships between academia and industry.