Festival Highlights
Throughout the Festival, leading industry and educational associations, private sector organisations and all federal, state and territory governments showcased and promoted innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialisation across all industries.
State and Territory Programs
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory program included the 2nd National Launch of the Festival, as well as high -profile innovators presenting some of the feature events of ICAN - Innovation Canberra. Some of these innovators included James Dyson, the man who revolutionised the vacuum cleaner; Sue Ismiel, the creator of Nad's Natural Hair Removal Gel; forensic profiler Steve Longford who pioneered a behavioural intelligence technique; Canberra restaurateur Simon Robinson, who lost his Mt Stromlo business and his home in the January bushfires; Paralympian champion Louise Sauvage; and one of the youngest women ever to be elected to an Australian legislature, Roslyn Dundas.
New South Wales The New South Wales program had major innovation events throughout the State from Wollongong through to Wagga Wagga, Narrabri, Mullumbimby, Newcastle and all parts of Sydney. In addition to the first National Launch of the Festival at the Sydney Opera House, a major feature this year was the third Wollongong Innovation Week.
Northern Territory Over half of the Australian landscape consists of desert, with the rest of the landscape consisting mainly of a tropical nature. The Northern Territory climate is a mixture of the two, making innovations in these areas, a vital part of life in the Northern Territory. A major focus of the Festival in the Territory this year was the focus on Desert Knowledge and Tropical Knowledge.
QueenslandThe Queensland program of the Festival and the inaugural Gold Coast Innovation Festival opened up doors ranging from the latest in technology to looking at the ways of building bridges using food. This year’s Festival had something for everyone and included events throughout regional Queensland. South Australia
A key feature of this year's Festival program was the Tall Poppy Campaign, which highlighted South Australia's scientific history, with its objective being to inform and inspire future scientific endeavour and to provide stories for young children about achievement in science. A hot air balloon was decorated with the Tall Poppy emblem and was highly visible in Adelaide skies during the two weeks of the Festival.Tasmania
Tasmania may be geographically located below mainland Australia, but in terms of innovation and development, this state has produced world-class innovations especially in the areas of health, marine science, agriculture, the environment and other industry sectors. This year’s program included innovation events in Hobart, Sandy Bay, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie.
VictoriaThe Festival was held extensively throughout Victoria, and covered all aspects of innovation. A major highlight was the launch of the inaugural Latrobe Valley Innovation Festival. This associated festival, together with many country based events from the Victorian Education Week, made a significant contribution in promoting innovation throughout regional Victoria. Western AustraliaWestern Australia’s 2003 Festival programme contained events highlighting innovation across diverse sectors of the community – ranging across industry, government and community. There was a focus on creating the right environment for innovation and events ranged from innovative launches, information sessions to workshops, tours, competitions and displays.