Technology, business and creative are at the core of any industry, and are the three pillars of building a successful start-up that will be featured in a one-stop festival this weekend. In the heart of Melbourne CBD, Federation Square will become the home to some of the finest leaders, speakers and innovative thinkers at the premier creative technology festival Pause Fest.
Now in its seventh year, the event is focused on empowering young creators to achieve when it comes to technology and business, with Pause Fest founder George Hedon creating a collaborative platform for industries to come together, engage and share ideas with each other.
It’s through this ethos that the festival is now segmented into three different streams – creative, technology and business, allowing attendees to decide which stream to attend based on what they want to learn, as well as having the option to attend all three. George gives two reasons for this model.
“Firstly, we needed to come up with something that is easily understood because it is a very collaboration-based. If you don’t have a structure, people don’t really get it,” George says. “Secondly, every start-up needs creative, tech and business to run successfully. Every business needs all three elements so those are the kind of three pillars for every business to exist.”
With Hedon noticing attendees were going to the sessions they knew the least about in past years, with creatives attending technology sessions, and business attending creative sessions, this model is one which cultivates true collaboration for people wanting to start, grow or exceed in their business.
As for what’s on offer, the festival have expanded to having three full stages everyday, allowing access to a whole range of content. Here you will see more than 45 speakers taking to the stages to share their experiences ranging from executives, CEO’s, investors, founders, creatives, marketeers, to scientists and music industry representatives.
Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to content strategist of LucasFilm (the company behind Star Wars) for a session on ‘How to make ideas happen’, creative director of Google Iain Nealie, and Beyond the Valley Music Festival director Filippo Palermo, just to name a few.
There are also a series of experiences (such as 3D Printed Breakfast, screening sessions and Tesla Test Drives), panels (discussing things like how to make ideas happen and discussions on start-up pitches) and workshops (how to “predict the future” and on building your own chat bot). And all that is barely skimming the surface.
“There’s quite a collective of different content put together from various different industries that are very far apart, but really in the end, we are all influenced by one another.”
George, an accomplished designer and DJ with entrepreneurial sights, highlights the start-up expo as an unmissable component of the festival, where visitors can take a look at some of the boldest and brightest start-ups in these sectors.
“Not only is it free to public, so you don’t have to have a ticket to go, but it’s also very vibrant because there is so many different start-ups there, and they are all very excited to be there. People from the industry out there, the ambassadors out there, everyone is excited.
“It’s early-stage start-ups, it’s not start-ups that are super formed or big companies, it’s literally just people who have just started something going, and it’s very interesting to see that.”
For the first time this year, the festival will incorporate breaks after each content session, stagger the program timing to allow more flexibility, and feature ambassadors – a squad of business connectors to help attendees meet who they want to meet, and help make connections between people, to further collaboration within festival.
“It [the festival] has all come from curiosity. I never know what I’m trying to create, it’s an interesting space where people can interact, have fun and come close to these leaders in particular industries to learn and share, and it seems to be a happening place.”
When & Where: Federation Square, Melbourne – February 8 – 10
Head to the website for more information and the full program.
Written by Talia Rinaldo