Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Richmond, Melbourne
Innovation Bay x
ARENA
The Innovation Bay and ARENA 2025 Renewables Startup Showcase is returning for the sixth year!
Every year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) partners with Innovation Bay to bring together 100+ of the country’s leading angel investors, Venture Capital, Private Equity and Corporate Venture Capital community for a gala event that showcases Australia’s most exciting renewable energy and climate tech start-ups, creating the connections to supercharge future growth.
This year, the showcase will be held in Melbourne on Tuesday, 25 November. Selected pitching start-ups will be announced shortly.
Whether you’re an investor, corporate, policymaker or professional working in or passionate about the energy transition, this is your opportunity to gain front-row access to emerging innovation and connect with the ecosystem driving Australia’s net zero future.
Join us for an unmissable event where you’ll connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for renewable energy and clean tech. Get access to cutting-edge deal flow and gain insights into the latest trends shaping the market. Hear from keynote speakers and thought leaders driving Australia’s energy future, and discover the stories behind breakthrough technologies and the visionary founders bringing them to life. Be part of the momentum behind Australia’s transition to net zero and help shape what comes next
Speakers
Heidi Lee
CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE)
Heidi Lee is CEO of Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), an independent think tank driving the climate solutions to power Australia’s clean industrial future. Since 2020, she has transformed BZE into a national leader in decarbonisation and industrial innovation.
With over two decades in sustainable design and environmental leadership, Heidi focuses on practical, scalable change. Under her guidance, BZE has launched major national initiatives including the National Action Plan and regional decarbonisation programs shaping policy and accelerating the clean economy.
BZE is recognised by Giving Green as one of Australia’s top climate organisations, and Heidi has been named a Top Green Power Player by The Australian for three consecutive years. She also serves on the Net Zero Economy Authority stakeholder panel and advises The Energy media platform.
Megan Fisher
CEO & Director, EnergyLab
Megan Fisher is the CEO & Director of EnergyLab, Australia’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation ecosystem dedicated to reaching net zero.
EnergyLab helps talented founders tackling the
climate crisis connect with the mentors, investors, partners and peers they need to succeed.
With a background in product development and innovation, Megan has led the commercialisation and scaling of products and driven novel technology initiatives from pilot to adoption. Her career has spanned industries in the midst of disruption – from telecommunications and media through to energy – giving her
deep experience in transformation and change.
Since 2017, Megan has worked with innovators in the energy sector, supporting startups in Australia and around the world. In 2021, she “jumped the fence” from corporate into the not-for-profit sector to have a greater impact on the climate tech ecosystem, inspired by the more advanced international clean energy
startup communities she had engaged with
Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell
Chief Strategy Officer, 5B
Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell joined 5B in August 2020 as Chief Strategy Officer and leads strategy development, government engagement, and HR. She is also a company secretary.
5B is an Australian clean energy innovator that accelerates the deployment of large-scale solar using its prefabricated, modular, rapidly deployable 5B Maverick technology.
Prior to joining 5B, Nicole spent 10 years with management consulting company Bain & Co working across strategy, innovation and performance improvement, primarily in energy and industrial sectors.
She also has deep subject knowledge and expertise in photovoltaics, having completed a PhD in solar cell devices at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
Kara Federick
Managing Partner, Jekara
Kara is the Managing Partner of Jekara Group, a venture capital firm that has raised institutional and family office capital to back exceptional founders accelerating the global energy transition.
She has extensive global capital market experience on the sell side and the buy side in New York, Silicon Valley, and Australia. Jekara Group was recently listed as one of the Top 100 Green Energy Players in The Australian’s Green List.
Agenda
- Substantial 3-course tapas and cocktails supplied by local zero-emissions, organic catering.
- Key Note – Heidi Lee, CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions
- Panel Presentation – Including
- Heidi Lee, CEO, Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE)
- Megan Fisher, CEO & Director, EnergyLab
- Dr Nicole Kuepper-Russell, Chief Strategy Officer, 5B
- Kara Federick, Managing Partner, Jekara
- Moderated by: Megan Fisher, CEO & Director, EnergyLab
- Six Founder Pitches
- Networking opportunities before and throughout the night
Previous startups who pitched
Start-ups that have been featured at previous events have gone on to receive funding and sign on partners. For example, electrolyser technology developer and manufacturer Hysata featured at the 2023 event received a $172M investment from bp Ventures, Templewater, and TelstraSuper. Other featured start-ups include 5B, RayGen, MGA Thermal, Infravision, Renewable Metals, Sicona and Novalith – many of which have also recently closed additional funding.
Over a series of weeks, Innovation Bay’s program offers not only a chance to present at the gala event in November, but also engage with the broader community to get valuable and unique insights from founders and VC’s on how to hone a pitch and get investment ready.
Want to get a sense of the
experience?
Watch the videos below to discover more about the connections you can expect to experience.
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