The future is ours to create.

Save the date – 26–28th July 2019, Wellington

Festival for the Future is an action-packed weekend of inspiring speakers, future-focused panels, workshops and a marketplace for great ideas.

Highlights from Festival 2018

See the 2018 Festival Report >>

Watch the talks from past speakers >>

See all past speakers

“Last weekend was one of the best I have ever had! My whole weekend was filled with awe-inspiring people, amazing workshops, and really good food. I left Wellington buzzing and empowered to put my ideas into action. I can’t wait to come back next year!!”
– Caitlin Powers

2018 Speakers and Panelists

Featured

EZEKIEL RAUI

Ezekiel is a 2018 Queen’s Young Leader Award Recipient, and a champion for improving mental health and wellbeing amongst rangatahi and Māori men.

VANISA DHIRU

Vanisa is the President of the National Council of Women. She’s helping to lead the movement for a more Gender Equal New Zealand.

GUY RYAN

Guy is the Founder and CEO of Inspiring Stories, the instigator behind Festival for the Future, and a former Young New Zealander of the Year.

ALEXIA HILBERTIDOU

ALEXIA HILBERTIDOU

Alexia is a 2018 Queen’s Young Leader Award Recipient. She’s the Founder and Co-director of GirlBoss NZ, and is challenging the status quo.

JUSTIN FLITTER

Justin is the Founder of New Zealand AI, and is passionate about emerging technology and new opportunities to create customer value.

JILL DAY

Jill is the Deputy Mayor of Wellington City – the first Māori woman elected into this position. She plans to make Wellington NZ’s Te Reo Maori Capital.

GULED MIRE

Guled is a former refugee who is passionate about advancing the social wellbeing, inclusion and development of ethnic and refugee communities.

LOUISE AITKEN

Louise is the CEO of Akina, helping to grow social enterprise in New Zealand. The NZ Government recently invested $5.5M to support this.

MALCOLM ALEXANDER

MALCOLM ALEXANDER

Malcolm is the CEO of LGNZ, working across New Zealand’s 78 local, regional and unitary councils, and acting as a voice into Central Government.

JOSIAH TUALAMALI’I

JOSIAH TUALAMALI’I

Josiah is a recipient of the Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Leadership Award, and part of the panel working on NZ’s mental health inquiry.

CHLOE SWARBRICK

CHLOE SWARBRICK

Chloe is NZ’s youngest MP in over 40 years. She is the Spokesperson for Education, Tertiary Education and Youth for the Green Party.

ADITHI PANDIT

Adithi leads strategy and operations, and the social impact practice at Deloitte NZ. She’s passionate solving wicked problems.

HON. ANDREW BECROFT

HON. ANDREW BECROFT

Andrew is the youth principal chief justice, and Children’s Commissioner working with some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable young people.

MATEAWA KEELAN

Mateawa is a business owner who is passionate about empowering Ngati Porou women to achieve financial and economic independence.

MEIHANA DURIE

Head of Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, Massey University's School of Māori Knowledge. His work focuses on rangatahi-centered pathways.

PAMELA BELL

Pamela a former winter olympian, and the founder and CEO of PrefabNZ. PrefabNZ seeks out and creates solutions for NZ’s housing crisis.

See all speakers and panelists >>