Start-Up Zone & Pitch Fest

The Highways AU Start-Up Zone is where leaders, investors, and innovators converge to explore the future of infrastructure technology.

Discover a curated selection of start-ups transforming Australia's highways, from traffic management and road safety to smart infrastructure, digital construction, and sustainable transport.

• Infrastructure Leaders: Identify emerging solutions to your technology challenges.
   
• Investors: Discover the next big player in highway and road technology.
   
• Media: Uncover breakthrough innovations and stories shaping the industry.

Meet the start-ups bringing fresh ideas, agile solutions, and disruptive thinking to the road and  infrastructure community.

×

Ambient/Achieva - Startup

John Wheatland, Ambient Technologies: as Sales and Marketing Director I promote and expose my companies and products to the world. These companies include Midwest Traffic Controllers, BABA MARDA Abrolhos Live Rock and KSI Global Australia.

Close

Startup

×

Lift Video Production - Startup

We specialise in creating high-impact video content for the transport and logistics industry. Our services cover marketing, recruitment, and internal communications, helping businesses connect with their audience, engage talent, and streamline...

Close More

Startup

×

RoadAid - Startup

The infrastructure staffing and labour hire industry is fast evolving and RoadAid provides specialist infrastructure solutions for all your maintenance needs. RoadAid is an Australian based infrastructure staffing company which supply labour hire...

Close More

Startup

×

SitePilot - Startup

SitePilot is built to create safer and more efficient construction sites. SitePilot gives you the tools to digitally create vehicle management plans (VMPs) by annotating site maps with safety precautions, entry/exit points and more. Create and edit...

Close More

Startup

×

SiteStory Pty Ltd - Startup

SiteStory makes video compliance easy, fast, and reliable — helping Traffic Management and Construction teams verify site setups with GPS and time-stamped videos called Stories. Built for high adoption in the field, it integrates with your job...

Close More

Startup

×

Unity 5 - Startup

Unity5 is a compliance technology company specialising in user-friendly and intuitive SaaS products. With a focus on simplifying enforcement processes and enhancing operational efficiency, primarily within parking, Unity5's suite of solutions...

Close More

Startup

PITCH FEST

See innovation in action! Join us for a fast-paced, interactive competition where some of the most promising start-ups pitch their game-changing solutions live on stage.

Watch as founders present their ideas, explain the problem they’re solving, and show how their technology can make a real impact in Australian infrastructure.

DETAILS:

• When:  Day 2, Thursday, 16 October 2025, from 2:20pm

• Where:  Main Expo Floor in the Public Transport stage 

• Duration:  Approximately 1.5 hours  

FORMAT:

• Each start-up has 5 minutes to pitch their idea.

• Our panel of judges will select and announce the winner at the end of the session.

Pitch Fest Schedule

Public Transport, Thursday 16 October 2025

09:20

Welcome

Cam Sullings, MC, Master of Ceremonies

09:40

International Keynote: Delivering the world's longest immersed tunnel - The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel

Mikkel Hemmingsen, Chairman, The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel

10:40

Panel: Collaborative design partnerships - driving innovation and productivity in infrastructure delivery

Mikkel Hemmingsen, Chairman, The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel

Angela Hucker, CEO, EPIC - Empowering People In Construction

Kristin Moss, Head of Policy, Australian Constructors Association

Colin Mitchell, National General Manager - Strategy, BMD Group

Moderator: Brent Crockford, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Owned Contractors

×

Day 2 10:40

Panel: Collaborative design partnerships - driving innovation and productivity in infrastructure delivery

Mikkel Hemmingsen, Chairman, The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel

Angela Hucker, CEO, EPIC - Empowering People In Construction

Kristin Moss, Head of Policy, Australian Constructors Association

Colin Mitchell, National General Manager - Strategy, BMD Group

Moderator:
Brent Crockford, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Owned Contractors

Close

Public Transport

11:40

Bus Depot Electrification

Jonathan Anderson, Sustainable Mobility Manager, Keolis Downer

Public Transport

12:05

Panel: Steering the future of public transport – growth, innovation and service excellence

Simon Mueller, Manager, Integrated Transport, Waverley Council

Moderator: Ben Wood, Co-Founder of Hadron Group / Board Chair, Transport Professionals Association

David Gray, Former Director Metropolitan Network, Transport for NSW

Donna Frith, Head of Marketing & Customer Experience, Busways

×

Day 2 12:05, Public Transport

Panel: Steering the future of public transport – growth, innovation and service excellence

Simon Mueller, Manager, Integrated Transport, Waverley Council

Moderator:
Ben Wood, Co-Founder of Hadron Group / Board Chair, Transport Professionals Association

David Gray, Former Director Metropolitan Network, Transport for NSW

Donna Frith, Head of Marketing & Customer Experience, Busways

Close

Public Transport

12:50

Panel: The future of accessible community transport

Moderator: Tara Russell, General Manager, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Community Transport

Bethany Langford, Chief Executive Officer, The Community Transport Company

Greg Stanger, General Manager, Activus

Ben Whitehorn, Chief Executive Officer, RWCTG

Stacey Ryan, Policy Director, ITS Australia

John Nelson, Chair in Public Transport, Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies

×

Day 2 12:50, Public Transport

Panel: The future of accessible community transport

Moderator:
Tara Russell, General Manager, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Community Transport

Bethany Langford, Chief Executive Officer, The Community Transport Company

Greg Stanger, General Manager, Activus

Ben Whitehorn, Chief Executive Officer, RWCTG

Stacey Ryan, Policy Director, ITS Australia

John Nelson, Chair in Public Transport, Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies

Close

Public Transport

13:35

Panel: Decarbonising public transport

Jonathan Anderson, Sustainable Mobility Manager, Keolis Downer

Harman Josan, National ZEB Infrastructure Manager, Transit Systems

Siddarth Rallapalli, ZEB Transition Manger, Busways

Moderator: Danielle Kwik, Associate Director, WSP

×

Day 2 13:35, Public Transport

Panel: Decarbonising public transport

Jonathan Anderson, Sustainable Mobility Manager, Keolis Downer

Harman Josan, National ZEB Infrastructure Manager, Transit Systems

Siddarth Rallapalli, ZEB Transition Manger, Busways

Moderator:
Danielle Kwik, Associate Director, WSP

Close

Public Transport

14:20

Startup Pitch Fest

Jacqui Duncan, General Manager, NSW, Stone & Chalk

Kirk McDonald, Project Manager - Supercharge Australia, New Energy Nexus

Kristin Vaughn, Climate tech investor, Managing Partner, Virescent Ventures

Justin Stuckey, Senior Tech Marketing Specialist, Telstra

Moderator: Cam Sullings, MC, Master of Ceremonies

×

Day 2 14:20, Public Transport

Startup Pitch Fest

Jacqui Duncan, General Manager, NSW, Stone & Chalk

Kirk McDonald, Project Manager - Supercharge Australia, New Energy Nexus

Kristin Vaughn, Climate tech investor, Managing Partner, Virescent Ventures

Justin Stuckey, Senior Tech Marketing Specialist, Telstra

Moderator:
Cam Sullings, MC, Master of Ceremonies

Close

last published: 02/Oct/25 12:45

BOOK NOW