Copyright 2026 HEX
Step 1: Register to skip the queue
Step 2: Book in your interview time
🚨You get to hack the system and skip the queue! No written application needed.
TIM O'SULLIVAN
Tim has launched over six businesses in the beverage and hospitality space, building brands that are loud, bold, and impossible to ignore. Known for his high energy and front-facing role, Tim brings ideas to life through creative marketing and disruptive innovation.
CO-FOUNDER @ BAEJUICE
INCREDIBLE AMPLIFICATION
Hear from our past attendees about their experience at #HEXPO2024
YOUR CURATED BROADCASTERS
Learn from the best. As always, the HEXPO team is curating a stellar roster of innovation leaders to share their journeys and experiences with the community.
(more lineup revealing soon!)
Friday 18th September 2026 @ Melbourne Australia
200+
Attendees
7
Keynotes + Sessions
10+
Legends + Mentors
FRIDAY'S HOT HITS
25 minutes
10:15 am - 10:40 am
We Interrupt This Broadcast
HEX's CEO, Jeanette Cheah, delivers a bold opening keynote challenging the outdated promises of education and work, and inviting industry to help write a better future for the next wave of talent.
Jeanette Cheah
CEO and Co-Founder @ HEX
All Night?
6:30 pm onward
Energy Rave
Wrap up the week with a bang at our HEXPO After Party – a night of bold beats and brilliant minds. It’s your chance to celebrate connections made, ideas sparked, and the magic of the HEX community.
HEXPO2026
Closing up
10 minutes
10:05 am - 10:15 am
On Air : HEXPO2026
HEXPO officially goes live. A short, sharp welcome from the HEX team setting up what the day is really about – not another conference, but a week's worth of frequencies compressed into one flagship morning.
60 minutes
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Registration Open
Come in, grab a coffee, snap some pics, explore the space, and mingle with fellow attendees before the day begins.
The Gallery : 150 Oxford St, Collingwood VIC 3066
This year, HEXPO LIVE is taking over LCI Melbourne – a creative campus in Collingwood built around design, collaboration and experimentation. A fitting home for a day dedicated to bold ideas, new perspectives and finding your frequency.
LCI Melbourne
JESSICA JADE LIEMANTARA
A former Masterchef Australia contestant & self-taught pastry chef, Jessica began her journey at 18, reaching the semi-finals of her first culinary competition and later trained under accomplished chefs. Today, she has fully self-funded her own workshop kitchen — a space to create, innovate, and continue growing as a pastry artist.
MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA ALUM | FOUNDER @ JESS LEMON
Charlie Perelini
Head of Creative @ HEX
Final general tickets are now on sales
Fewer than 20 General Passes left. VIP Sold out.
Tunes in or lockout.
FIND YOUR FREQUENCY
14 – 18 September 2026 · Naarm / Melbourne
No more static frequency.
Traditional conferences ask everyone to tune into the same channel and hear the same story, again and again. HEXPO 2026 spreads the story across a week of immersive activations instead of a single conference day. Come into the space that matches where you're at, and leave tuned into something new.
HEXPO 2026 is a week-long festival of ideas — choose your own frequency across careers, entrepreneurship, education, technology and innovation.
ONE WEEK. ON REPEAT.
7
EVENTS OF FREQUENCIES
Fri 18 Sept
HEXPO LIVE, ALL-STAR DAY
Melbourne
LCI Melbourne
Thu · 17 Sept
Our most anticipated dinner returns. Join leaders from innovative industry, government, education, startups and partners for an intimate evening of conversation and connection before HEXPO Live takes centre stage.
HEXPO VIP Dinner
SOLD OUT
Fri · 18 Sept AM
The flagship finale of HEXPO 2026. Experience a half-day of inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops, founder stories, SEA showcases and bold conversations exploring what's next in innovation, entrepreneurship and the future of work culture and tech.
HEXPO 2026 Live (All-Star)
TICKET · 9 AM - 2 PM
Fri · 18 Sept PM
Powered by one of the energy boosters, Energy Rave is our official festival wrap party. Celebrate an incredible week with live DJs from Your Shot talents, put your boogy on the last tune for the year and vibe on the high energy as the HEXPO community comes together one last time.
Sign Off Energy Rave
AMPLIFY
HEXPO 2026 turns up the volume on fresh perspectives and bold stories that challenge your thinking and tune you into what's next.
✨
CONNECT
Mingle with a frequency of brilliant minds – founders, creatives, rising leaders and changemakers, broadcasting in from all over Australia.
🤝
ACTION
Be prepared for interactive sessions and walk away with a full signal of tools, next steps, and the confidence to put it all into action.
🏆
TUNE IN YOUR FREQUENCY
HEXPO 2026 PROGRAM
Mon · 14 Sept
A cosy co-working night in the cozy space – ask for help, low-vibe network, good music, drinks and snacks. For founders, students or if you're looking to sprint ideas through the night.
Build Night In
Pick your station.
Come for one night or ride the whole wave – every day of HEXPO week tunes into something different.
Tue · 15 Sept AM
Begin the week grounded. Coffee, conversations and community come together in a relaxed mentor walk designed to reset your mind, body and spirit. Start the week feeling energised, grounded and inspired.
Coffee Mentor Walk
Tue · 15 Sept PM
The live Southeast Asia startup pitch night showcasing some of the region’s hottest emerging startups and innovations. Designed to connect investors, ecosystem builders, and industry with what’s making headlines across SEA.
Generation Next: On Air
Wed · 16 Sept
Off Air Wednesday
A quiet frequency by design — a beat to reset before VIP Dinner and HEXPO Live.
This is not for the faint hearted. Only the brave achieve greatness.
⚡️ Founders ⚡️ Startup Community 😎 Early Careers 😎 Career Transitioners 🚀 Emerging Leaders
🌟 Managers 🌟 L&D Managers 🌟 HR Managers 👑 Educators / Teachers 😎 Graduates
Legends from our past year
And the experience supported by our Community Partners in the past years
20 minutes
11:05 am - 11:25 am
Previously, on Tomorrow
From virtual influencers to robot assistants and voice-activated vehicles – pop culture (usually) knows what's up before we do. Marvel in the futures that have already arrived, and check the clues of what's coming next.
STEPH CLARKE
Futurist @ 28 Thursday
25 minutes
11:30 am - 11:55 am
Tuning In: Southeast Asia
The next generation of opportunity is regional. Explore how culture, the digital economy and human connection are opening new pathways across Southeast Asia.
Panellists
SEA & AU Founders
60 minutes
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Commercial Break
Lunch, but with fun activations. Write Letters to Your Past Self, dial into the Confession Hotline, or pick up a paintbrush for Watercolour Stories.
20 minutes
1:05 pm - 1:25 pm
Static or Signal?
Who decides what's worth your attention? Unpack the algorithms, trends and taste-makers shaping your feed – and learn how to choose your own frequency.
Theia Gabatan
Impact Lead @ Blackbird Foundation
25 minutes
1:30 pm - 1:55 pm
Same Story, New Frequency
Fashion, film, music, branding and design all tell stories differently – hear from the creatives redefining how those stories are made, shared and experienced.
Panelist
Rosie Brown & Jessica Dang
20 minutes
2:00 pm - 2:20 pm
The Unwritten Story
A closing keynote from our headline speaker, celebrating the courage to shape what's next – and reminding us that the most important chapter is the one still to come.
Billi FitzSimons
Editor in Chief @ The Daily Aus
10 minutes
2:20 pm - 2:30 pm
Signing Off
That's a wrap for HEXPO 2026 – key takeaways, photos, and we will see you at the Energy Rave later tonight!
Skip the awkward small talk and find the people, ideas and opportunities already on your wavelength.
LOCATION HEXPO2026
Welcome to the frequency of the future. HEXPO is where innovators, creators and changemakers come together to tune into fresh ideas, amplify new voices and connect through experiences that inspire action. Find your signal and join the broadcast.
Prices climb as the week gets closer — the earlier you tune in, the less you pay.
★
[SOLD OUT]
VIP SOLD OUT
$159
Exclusive weekly pass including the VIP dinner. Public passes are now sold; email future@startwithhex.com for further requests.
Price will go up to $189 after.
Full-week pass + Energy Rave + The iconic VIP dinner.
🎫 PICK YOUR PASS
$39 Online Virtual Event Ticket
Day pass. Engage in new friendships, embark on exciting quests, and explore the immersive world of HEXPO2024.
◉
★
STUDENT PASS
$29
Evergreen rate.
Final 10 tickets available.
With valid student ID required.
Full-week pass + Energy Rave.
★
GENERAL PASS
$79
General Pass.
The final ticket release or when the allocated spots are filled.
Full-week pass + Energy Rave.
14 – 18 September 2026 · Naarm / Melbourne
CHANGE THE STATION.
HEXPO 2026 FREQUENCY
Mix and match your HEXPO experience.
Every event is included with the Full Week Pass, or you can purchase individual event tickets.
🦋 CHOOSE YOUR TUNE
CHARLIE PERELINI
Charlie is Head of Creative at HEX, shaping the ideas, stories and experiences that bring the brand to life. He blends creativity, culture, and curiosity to create things people actually want to see, feel, and remember. He's also a DJ & winner of Your Shot AU 2026.
HEAD OF CREATIVE @ HEX
NIKI TUGANO
Founder and CEO of SeenCulture, an award-winning HR tech company using behavioural science and data to uncover untapped potential. A former HR leader and Coaching Psychologist, she’s passionate about making recognition and advancement fairer at work.
FOUNDER & CEO @ SEENCULTURE
JEANETTE CHEAH
Jeanette is a visionary education innovator, reimagining how the next generation learns, works and leads. Named one of The Australian’s Top 100 Innovators, she champions entrepreneurship, diversity and bold new possibilities for the future of education.
CEO & CO-FOUNDER @ HEX
THEIA GABATAN
Theia operates where creativity, culture, capital and community collide. A Filipino-Australian community builder and creative, she backs bold ideas, unlocks opportunities for young people and stays endlessly curious about what – and who – is coming next.
IMPACT LEAD @ BLACKBIRD FOUNDATION
STEPH CLARKE
Steph helps organisations see around corners. She brings a unique blend of skills covering futures thinking, strategic foresight, human centred design, innovation, and facilitation to help leaders and teams challenge the status quo.
FUTURIST FACILITATOR @ 28 THURSDAY
15 minutes
10:45 am - 11:00 am
The Hidden Wavelength
Every person is broadcasting potential, most of us just aren't tuned in. In the age of AI, the most future-proof jobs and skills are the ones we overlook. Nikki Tugano, founder of SeenCulture, on building hybrid human-AI teams, amplifying the rare capabilities now at a premium. Come to find out what they are.
NikiTugano
Founder & CEO @ SeenCulture
BILI FITZSIMONS
.Billi is Editor in Chief of The Daily Aus, Australia’s largest youth news publisher. Leading a newsroom reaching over two million people monthly, she makes news accessible to young Australians through simple, respectful and honest storytelling.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @ THE DAILY AUS
ROSIE BROWN
Rosie Brown is Head of Strategy at Kill Boring Dead, where she turns sharp cultural insights into bold ideas. Passionate about brave brands, she believes playing it safe isn’t a strategy – and boring marketing deserves to die.
HEAD OF CREATIVE @ KILL BORING DEAD
Jessica Dang
Jessica is a deaf, queer Vietnamese-Australian curato. She is the founder of Platform Presents, an arts company established in 2019 that produces participatory exhibitions and live programs across Melbourne’s cultural spaces.
CURATOR DIRECTOR & MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST