Study Melbourne Future Founders Roadshow – Ballarat

There is more than one approach to your career. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to build your own business?

The Study Melbourne Future Founders Program brought to you by Study Melbourne and StartSpace is designed for international students and aspiring founders to inspire your ideas and the start of your business journey.

Come along to the free Study Melbourne Future Founders Roadshow, held at the Runway office and co-working space in Ballarat. The theme is Idea to Impact; to explore how you can start your own venture and create a positive impact at the same time. Join us to:

• hear from experienced founders about their own journey
• learn business modelling, problem-solving and team-building skills in interactive workshops
• network with fellow international students and founders
• enjoy some refreshments and delicious locally made food

Schedule:

• 3.45pm-4.00pm: Registration open and refreshments available
• 4.00pm-5.00pm: ‘Building a Business Model – Impact Included’, Workshop with Linda Wong
• 5.00pm-6.00pm: ‘Build A Tower, Build Your Team’, Workshop with Sakshi Thakur
• 6.00pm-7.00pm: ‘Migrant Founders and Their Stories’, Panel discussion with Usman Iftikhar, Linda Wong and Sakshi Thakur
• 7.00pm-8.00pm: Food, Drinks and Networking

The Roadshow features Linda Wong, Managing Director of Runway, Sakshi Thakur, Founder and CEO of Humanism Global and Usman Iftikhar CEO at Catalysr.

It’s free to participate and we recommend attending all sessions to get the most out of your experience. Register to secure your place.

Tickets:  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/study-melbourne-future-founders-roadshow-ballarat-tickets-415142982837

Please note: Auslan interpretation is available on request for Future Founders events. Our staff require two weeks to plan and book this service. If you would like to request Auslan Interpretation, please let us know by Wednesday 1 March when you register for the event, or email the team to request it: startspace@slv.vic.gov.au

If you have any questions, please contact the StartSpace team: startspace@slv.vic.gov.au.

You can read more about the Study Melbourne Future Founders Program here.

Sign up for further announcements about the Study Melbourne Future Founders Program here.

About Linda Wong

Linda combines over 25 years of professional consultancy and industry experience, which has developed her into a well-rounded, dedicated and astute business woman.

Amongst Linda’s strengths is her ability to bring together the knowledge that she has collected over her career and adapt it to various cultures and circumstances in a non-confronting and engaging manner. As such, she is not only strategic, but has proven capability to execute and deliver outcomes. She has led large and complex change programs to meet the vision and mission of organisations. Her passion for people, learning and horses has driven her to complete a PhD in the area of experiential learning using horses.

In addition to her role at Runway HQ, Linda is a committee member with Regional Development Australia (RDA) Grampians, a board member with the Geelong Arts Centre, Director of Naitingel Limited and founder/Director of a charity organisation Hands of Change Limited.

About Sakshi Thakur

Sakshi Thakur is the founder and CEO of Humanism, a social enterprise that aspires to eliminate global poverty—one job at a time. Founded in 2018, the initiative employs marginalised women in Pondicherry in South India to produce artisanal lanyards and organic cotton tote bags for Australian events and conferences. She also is Manager at SENVIC working towards supporting social enterprises thrive in Victoria, and an EIR at Catalysr supporting migrant and refugees build businesses and startups. Prior to this, Sakshi studied Biomedical Science and Commerce, worked at EY in Finance for a few years, then pursued further study with the Masters of Entrepreneurship at Melbourne Business School where she worked on her first tech startup. To date, she’s been able to raise up to $40,000 of equity-free seed funding and support, in her mission to create an equitable world that leaves no human behind.

About Usman Iftikher

Usman Iftikhar is a systems entrepreneur, passionate about utilising the power of entrepreneurship to collectively solve global problems such as global climate emergency and the global refugee crisis. He is the co-founder and CEO of Catalysr, an award-winning startup incubator in Australia, which empowers migrant and refugee entrepreneurs (aka migrapreneurs) to launch their own startups. Since 2016, Catalysr has supported 750+ migrapreneurs to learn about and launch their own businesses. Catalysr’s work has been recognised in the joint UNCTAD, UNHCR and IOM policy guide on entrepreneurship for migrants and refugees, which was co-launched by Usman Iftikhar at the UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. Usman is also a co-chair of the Program Design and Delivery working group at the Global Refugee Entrepreneurship Network, run by Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) UK.

Usman is a 2020 Stanford GSB alumnus, a 2019 Obama Leader, an EHF Fellow, WEF Global Shaper, 2019 Westpac Social Change Fellow, 2018 AMP Tomorrow Maker, Singularity University’s GSP 2017 Fellow, and a Young Social Pioneer alumnus at FYA. In 2018, Usman was named the 2018 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year.

In 2020, Usman won the ‘Entrepreneurship’ category, for the 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australian Leadership Awards. In 2021, Usman was also given the prestigious Western Sydney Champion award by the Committee for Sydney.

About Study Melbourne

Study Melbourne is an initiative of Global Victoria, the State Government of Victoria’s trade facilitation agency and gateway to global economies and communities. With a network of 23 international trade and investment offices located in key strategic markets, Global Victoria connects Victorian exporters to the right networks and business opportunities. Study Melbourne supports the State’s dynamic community of international students, helping them to have the best possible time while studying and living in Victoria, and leading the nation as the best city in Australia to study in.

About StartSpace

Got an idea for a new business but not sure where to start? StartSpace, powered by State Library Victoria, is a community and business support service for people who have an idea or the very beginnings of a business. Members can access our community network and our full range of workshops, events and other programs. Visit the StartSpace website startspace.hq.com to find out more.