Griffith Business School organised the first International Summit on Leading Digital Innovation for Sustainable Future last week.

The event welcomed more than 50 participantsincluding thought leaders and directors from QLD Health, successful startups and SMEs, as well as academics with diverse disciplines from University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Curtin University and many more.

Data-driven industrial revolution provides significant opportunities for technological innovations to contribute towards a sustainable future. The summit focused specifically on digital Innovation for collaborative and circular economy, leadership for transforming organisations, and managing wellbeing during a crisis.

Keynote panels led the ideas for each stream. Speakers included Noel Ainsworth (Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries), Jessica Day (IdeaScale) and Damian Green (eHealth Queensland). There was also an amazing showcase of digital innovation projects including Sebastian Binnewies (App Factory), Rhetta Chappell (Regional Innovation Data Lab), Miriam Carter and Mark Ryan (Griffith MBA project), and Siiri Hatakka (Everledger).

A key message shared across all these presentations was the importance of collaboration in harnessing the rapid pace of technology change for sustainable development goals. Everyone has a role on the mission to achieve real impacts for the society, economy, and environment.

Head of the Department of Business Strategy and Innovation said the interactive workshops showcased the use of digital technologies to address current and emerging global challenges and provided a unique platform for sharing and discussing cutting-edge results and latest developments.

“The summit harnessed new connections and ideas to create impacts in Sustainable Development Goals. It was a great opportunity for networking, engaging, and formulating new projects in emerging topics.”

The afternoon session focused on co-creation of new ideas, alliances, and collaborations to take some real actions for tangible outcomes that contribute towards the UN’s SDG. The three concurrent thematic workshops included: ‘Circular and collaborative economy’, ‘Leadership for transforming organisations’and ‘Managing wellbeing during a crisis’