24 NOVEMBER 2026 · NEX NEWCASTLE

THE PROGRAM

Three stages, 25+ sessions and 60+ speakers in one day. Plan your day, follow a trail, or just come curious.

GET TICKETS

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM-AT-A-GLANCE

70+

speakers

8+

keynotes

3

stages

25+

sessions

HEADLINE KEYNOTE · 9:30AM · LEARN (MAIN) STAGE

ELECTRIC STEEL RETURNS TO NEWCASTLE

Prof. Ross Garnaut AC

Advisory Group Chair, Greensteel Australia

Australia’s first new steel mill in over 30 years is rising on the old Mayfield site, and it’s fully electric. Ross Garnaut opens the day on where energy meets advanced manufacturing, and what that means for the Hunter and for Australia.

KEYNOTE PARTNER

THE BIG IDEAS · KEYNOTES, ADDRESSES & LIGHTNING TALKS

LEARN

Program card · Lightbulbs On Before We Start.png

Program card · Ancestral Knowledge Meets Modern AI.png

Program card · Innovation NSW Address.png

Program card · Electric Steel Returns To Newcastle.png

Program card · Deep Tech Lands in the Hunter.png

Program card · If $1B Landed in the Hunter.png

Program card · Building Australia’s Premium Industrial Region.png

Program card · From Best-Kept Secret To Global Mission.png

Program card · Lightning Talks (all 16).png

THE COMMON GROUND · DISCUSSIONS · OPENS 11:30AM

CONNECT

Program card · Services Are The New Software.png

Program card · Innovation to Infrastructure Financing Australia’s Industrial Future.png

THE LAB · HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS · DISCUSSIONS

SHARE

Program card · Funded Growth Masterclass.png

Program card · Storing The Energy We Waste.png

Program card · The Megawatt You Don’t Need.png

Program card · Securing That Million Dollar Customer.png

STRAIGHT FROM THE ALLEY

BUILD YOUR DAY IN THE APP

Add sessions to your agenda, get reminders, and book 1-on-1s on the floor. Program subject to change; the app always has the latest.

Where to GO

3 key zones

Our sessions will be held in a variety of rooms across the day. Look in your Festival App to find where each session is delivered. Each speaker is linked to a room Learn, Connect or Share so you’ll find them there!

See the map for more details.