Hunter Climate Innovation & Investment Summit
Event Description
What technologies will shape the next decade? What are the big bets and bottlenecks for the Hunter? Join us at this summit of leaders, investors and innovators!
Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026
Time: 11:00am – 6:00pm (Optional morning tours from 9:00am to MCi Carbon & Orica or FPR Energy & CSIRO)
Venue: i2N Hub, Honeysuckle, Newcastle, NSW
Speakers include:
Andrew Macphillamy, NRFC
Christopher Gianotti, Export Finance Australia
Will Reeves, ARENA
Prof Liz Thurbon, Green Energy State Craft
Annie Lacombe, MGA Thermal
Justin Bain, 3ME Technology
James Bradley, Facet Amtech
Will Gardner, FPR Energy
Nick Ooi, Investible
Claire Goelst, Envest
Anna Sayer, Hunter Angels
Lena Vestad Hansen, TRaCE
Claire Speedy, Energy Estate
John Mellowes, BioCarbon
Todd McHenry, MCi Carbon
Andrew Pease, Catapult UK
Madison Benton, Virescent Ventures
Josh Cosgrave, Net Zero Economy Authority
Amit Misra, Austrade
Clare Larkin-Sykes, HunterNet & NewE
Charlotte Connell, Greenhouse
About the Event
A one-day event in the Hunter region examining how an industrial area is approaching energy transition. Optional morning tours of climate tech sites, followed by discussions with regional leaders, investors, and industry representatives. The day includes an innovator showcase and closes with networking.
Agenda
9-11am - Optional tour
MCi Carbon – world-leading mineral carbonisation technology facility, creating cement and building products and Orica’s Hydrogen facility.
Or
FPR Energy solar storage tech facility and CSIRO tour.
11- 12pm - Registrations and networking lunch on arrival
12pm - Welcome and scene setting
12.10pm - Keynote from Net Zero Economy Authority
12.20pm - Big Bets and Bottlenecks; Coordinated Climate Deployment – what are the priority funding areas for the Hunter in this critical year of delivery
Moderated by Charlotte Connell, Greenhouse
Will Reeves, Investment Manager, ARENA
Andrew Macphillamy, Head of Priority Sector, Investments, NRFC
Josh Cosgrave, Assistance Secretary Regional Transformation, NZEA
Amit Misra, Investment Adviser, Austrade
Christopher Gianotti, National Director, Product & SME lending, Export Finance Australia
1.05pm
Green Energy State Craft – Prof Liz Thurbon, clean energy as a national security multiplier
1.20pm - Building for the world from the Hunter - moderated by Tracey Hamilton
Wil Gardner, FPR Energy — CSIRO solar heat plus storage
Annie Lacombe, MGA Thermal — industrial decarbonisation via thermal storage / heat (critical for industry, not just electrons)
Justin Bain, 3ME Technology — electrification in heavy/defence/mobility (recent MoU with UK + USA Defence to provide electric vehicles)
James Bradley, Facet Amtech — molecules at megascale: deep chemistry into deployment + massive savings / simplification
2.00pm - Networking afternoon tea
2.30pm - Technology shaping the future
The Age of AI and Data Centres, Industrial Heat, New Energy and Nature Nexus - moderated by Zara Crichton, Hunter iF
Claire Speedy, Energy Estate — Data centres with renewable energy, Hunter CaliNewy
John Mellowes, BioCarbon — sustainable steel with biochar
Todd McHenry, MCi Carbon — mineral carbon capture
Madison Benton, Virescent Ventures — Austalia’s largest climate tech VC
3.10pm - Global signals to local scale, what are the big climate bets?
Moderated by Siobhan Curran, Newcastle University
Nick Ooi, Investible — Asia Pacific VC
Claire Goelst, Envest — global community of climate and nature invetsors
Anna Sayer, Hunter Angels — leader in bridging investment gaps for sustainable startups
Lena Vestad Hansen, TRaCE — co-funding and pre-seed investments to commercially scale decarb startups
Andrew Pease, Catapult UK — global perspectives on ecosystem building for industrial decarbonisation
3.45pm - Climate Innovation Showcase
Lightning Pitches from leading edge climate solutions - presented by Phil Crealy, Siobhan Curran and Lena Vestad Housen
4.20pm Closing remarks – Boris Novak, Hunter Net & New E
4.30pm - 6.00pm - Networking Drinks - drinks supplied by Lion’s low-carbon beers
Why Attend?
Explore regional approaches to industrial transition
Meet investors interested in regional opportunities
Connect with founders working on energy and industrial solutions
Learn from industry perspectives on transition challenges
Discover partnership possibilities in the region