From little things, big things grow
September 9 – 12, 2024
Darwin, NT
Venture Downunder is proudly presented by
Interested in sponsoring? Get in touch with our Partnerships Manager, Alex Vallieres
What is VDU?
Innovation Bay is Australia’s leading membership community for tech founders and investors. Venture Downunder is our hallmark event for our VC community.
VDU offers a unique opportunity to intentionally disconnect from the day to day, broaden and deepen key relationships, delve deeply into topics and quality conversation, and bond over shared experiences away from the hustle and bustle. You’ll be joined by over 120 VC partners from across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond…. it’s going to be epic time spent together.
And this year we’re taking it up a notch! Across three days, each Innovation Bay membership communty – VCs, Founders and Angels – will experience their own strategically and immaculately curated retreat-style adventure, all set against a breathtaking backdrop of one of the most stunning places on Earth, Australia’s Northern Territory. And on the final evening, the entire Innovation Bay community will unite in Darwin for a final celebration of our unique collective ecosystem.
This is a one-of-a-kind event for the Australian and New Zealand tech startup ecosystem and we’d love you to be a part of it. Get your Akubra ready!
Why attend VDU?
Immerse yourself in the collective wisdom of Australia’s most innovative and inspiring people.
Meet investors who are doing, or have done, what you’re doing.
There’s infinite potential to discover new ideas and initiatives to deploy in your business, investment opportunities, cross-business collaboration opportunities, and solutions to key problems.
Forge deeper, more meaningful relationships faster.
There’s only so much you can talk about at networking drinks.
At VDU, you’ll be sharing unique experiences designed to strengthen bonds and build rich connections to propel you forward, professionally and personally.
Solve your biggest challenges with a departure from your day-to-day.
Ignite your mind with a powerful change of scenery and an injection of fresh perspective.
We use neuroscience and our 20+ years of experience in events to craft moments that will unlock your ability to think through some of your most pressing problems.
Experience Australia’s unforgettable Northern Territory like never before.
Innovation Bay has worked in close partnership with the Northern Territory government to create a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary that will immerse you in local indigenous history, connect you with your inner-adventurer and give you the perspective that only this vast and awe-inspiring landscape can offer.
What’s on at VDU
DAY 1: EXCITE
Come excited for another amazing edition of VDU
Aim to arrive by 1:30PM to check-in and enjoy lunch
2:30 pm kick-off
Join us for an unforgettable Welcome to Country and cultural immersion experience.
We’ll end the day with sunset cocktails, followed by dinner at Parliament House.
DAY 2: EMBRACE
Embrace new connections and experiences
Pack your adventurous spirit for a full day of activities only the NT can offer, interspersed with curated small group workshops and discussions.
Wind down and reflect on the day with a waters edge dining experience.
DAY 3: EXPAND
Be ready to expand your perspective and rethink your approach
Connect deeper with your peers over a half day of topical discussions and presentations, followed by a networking lunch.
Unite with Founders and Angels for an afternoon of learning and an evening of laughing together.
DAY 4: ENERGISED
Leave energised to take on the world
Our final morning is all about last minute catchups, souvenirs, and giving back.
Say goodbye and depart from 12pm onwards.
Who’s attending?
Find your people! Here’s a selection of the confirmed attendees for VDU
| Aaron Tan, Principal, KKR |
| Adam Wakerman, Partner, Halkin |
| Alan Watters, Director, Tech Sector Lead AU & NZ, HSBC |
| Alex Farrugia, Investment Manager, Paspalis |
| Alex Guyer, Partner, Firemark Ventures |
| Alex Kewley, Managing Director / Partner, MARS Equity Dragon Funds |
| Alex Mount, Director, MA Growth Ventures |
| Alex Unsworth, Managing Director – Head of Equities, Canaccord Genuity |
| Amit Verma, Senior Manager, Listings, ASX |
| Andrea Gardiner, CEO, Jelix Ventures |
| Angus Blair, General Partner, Outset Ventures |
| Andrew McCowan, Investment Director, NZTE |
| Andrew Poesaste, Partner, Rampersand |
| Andrew Sypkes, CEO, Sypkes Family Office |
| Ash Lambert, Partner, Co:Act Capital |
| Barnaby Marshall, Partner, Icehouse Ventures |
| Ben Grabiner, Partner, Side Stage Ventures |
| Caitlin Iles, Managing Director, EM Advisory & Invest |
| Callum Benson, Senior New Ventures Manager, Monash University |
| Cameron Kavanagh, Principal, Jelix Ventures |
| Charlie Ill, CIO, Investible |
| Cheryl Mack, CEO, Aussie Angels |
| Chris Breidahl, Managing Partner, Upswell Ventures |
| Chris Quirk, Principal |
| Daniel Neilson, Portfolio Manager, Marshall Investments |
| Daniel Tan, Principal, Aera VC |
| David Moss, Partner, Second Quarter |
| David Rowe, Head of Ventures, 1835i |
| Deborah Johns, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin |
| Derek Gerrard, Managing Director, Purpose Ventures |
| Ed Bigazzi, Investor, Five V Capital |
| Edwin Mak, Principal, Burda Principal Investments |
| Eliza Jackson, Partner, Macdoch Ventures |
| Evan Wijaya, Principal, Touring Capital |
| Gary Xu, Investment Director, Touch Ventures Limited |
| Georgia Barkell, Managing Partner, Sprint Ventures |
| Glenn Bartlett, Head of Ventures, Alberts |
| Harley Paroulakis, CEO, Paspalis |
| Ian Beatty, Managing Partner, Second Quarter |
| James McClure, General Partner, Antler |
| Jason Georgatos, Managing Director, Partners for Growth |
| Jason Serda, Managing Partner, Utiliti Management Pty Ltd |
| Jay Chiu, Investment Director, One Ventures |
| Jethro Cohen, Principal, Square Peg |
| Jo Wickham, Partner, Icehouse Ventures |
| Jonathan Chow, Principal, Carthona |
| Joshua Mendoza, Director, SEEK Investments |
| Karen Chan, Portfolio Manager, Perennial |
| Karmen Karamanian, Chief Communications Officer, Paspalis |
| Kate Eriksson, Partner, Co:Act Capital |
| Kate Galpin, Listings, ASX |
| Keaton Swanepoel, Investment Manager, NZTE |
| Kelland Reilly, Partner, Airtree |
| Kevin Wilson, Partner, OIF Ventures |
| Kieran O’Neill, Principal, Tidal Ventures |
| Kylie Frazer, Partner, Flying Fox Ventures |
| Kylie Gerrard, General Partner, Purpose Ventures |
| Llew Jury, General Partner, Sprint Ventures |
| Marisa Warren, Founder & Managing Partner, ALIAVIA Ventures |
| Mark Frayman, Managing Partner, Orion Industrial Ventures |
| Mark Velik, Principal, EVP |
| Marten Peck, Partner, Salus Ventures |
| Matthew Parbhu, Principal, Shearwater Capital |
| Matthew White, Partner, Nuance Connected Capital |
| McGregor Fea, Managing Partner, Altered Capital |
| Melissa Widner, CEO, Lighter Capital |
| Michael Chen, CEO/Founder, SpringCapital Investment Pty Ltd |
| Michael Langford, Head of VC, Google Cloud |
| Michael Macrides, Senior Director, VC Breakthrough Victoria |
| Mike Abbott, General Partner, Antler |
| Mike Nicholls, Partner, Main Sequence |
| Mike Robinson, Cofounder and Partner, Macdoch Ventures |
| Milly Goucher, Head of Corporate Development & Investments, Helia |
| Mitali Purohit, Partner, Nuance Capital |
| Mitchell Bissinger, Investment Manager, Folklore Ventures |
| Nick Gainsley, Partner, OneVentures |
| Olivia Grivas, Principal, Skip Capital |
| Olivia Wensley, CEO, Silicon South |
| Paul Tontodonati, Co-Founder/Director, Platform Advisory Partners |
| Peter Kennedy, Senior Adviser, Burda Principal Investments |
| Phil Morle, Partner, Main Sequence |
| Priya Saiprasad, General Partner, Touring Capital |
| Quentin Wallace, Partner, Archangel Ventures |
| Rachel Yang, Partner, Giant Leap |
| Rajeev Gupta, Partner, Alium Capital |
| Rebecca Schot-Guppy, Partner, Firemark Ventures |
| Richard Du, Investment Manager, MA Growth Ventures |
| Rick Baker, Co-Founder & Partner, Blackbird |
| Sachin Bhanot, Head of Investments, SEA & ANZ, Prosus Ventures |
| Sahil Arora, Investor, Skip Capital |
| Sally Yu Investment, Principal, King River Capital |
| Sam Jacobson, VP, Macquarie Group |
| Simon Betschel, Operating Partner, Possible Ventures |
| Simon Pound, Managing Partner, Previously Unavailable |
| Stephanie Hamlyn, Investment Manager, Partners For Growth |
| Tom Humphrey, Investments Partner, Blackbird Ventures |
| Trent Bagnall, Partner, Melt Ventures |
| Xavier Keary, Special Counsel, Gilbert + Tobin |
| Yash Varma, Founder & General Partner, Empress Capital |
Registration
VDU is exclusively for Innovation Bay members.
Not a member? We have a limited number of openings for prospective members who are exploring becoming joining Innovation Bay. Apply to attend and we’ll be in touch.
Want to get a sense of the
VDU experience?
Watch the videos below to discover more about the adventures and connections you can expect to experience at VDU.
What people say about our events
“The Innovation Bay team structured one of the most relevant events for business leaders I’ve experienced with room full of positive ego professionals invested in success beyond 2024.”
Steve Lewis | Vigilum, Nabu
“Innovation Bay is really unique. It’s an open forum for discussion. We come and connect and share deals and talk about what we’re struggling with or what we’re aiming for. It’s such a great space to be able to get everyone together and all the different ideas in an open forum.”
Georgia Barkell | Sprint Ventures
“The magic happens when you can put lots of people in a room together who have the right values and intentions. What I’m finding is that everyone wants to help each other. We’ve built some really great relationships.”
Yash Varma | Empress Capital
Registration
VDU is exclusively for Innovation Bay members.
Not a member? We have a limited number of openings for prospective members who are exploring becoming joining Innovation Bay. Apply to attend and we’ll be in touch ASAP.
Looking for Explore24? Click here