Startup Speakers launches to amplify diverse voices in the Australian startup ecosystem

Launched by founders for founders, a new agency aims to foster equal representation for speakers from all backgrounds and genders to increase their visibility.

Walking the talk at tonight’s launch event in Sydney with an all-women, all-paid panel of speakers, Startup Speakers was founded by ex-refugee and Cricket Australia diversity lead Sam Almaliki, with Overnight Success co-founder Will Richards as CEO. 

Startup Speakers ensures all speaking opportunities are paid, arguing speakers deserve fair compensation for their time, while taking care of payment conversations with event hosts that many founders find awkward.

“Helping people tell their own stories and inspiring others, changes lives,” said Sam Almaliki, whose first speaking gig was at Villawood Detention Centre, reading the names of fellow detainees over the PA system.

“I’ve seen it, and I’ve been it. That’s why I’m so excited about the possibilities ahead for our speakers, for event organisers and so many new audiences to hear these ‘inspiring stories’ from the startup world.”

Startup Speakers aims to empower speakers with training and up-skilling workshops including media training, speech writing and public speaking.

“What I’ve learned with Overnight Success is how important it is to tell stories that don’t get told,” said CEO Will Richards. 

“My passion is entrepreneurship. But at many events it’s sadly often the same voices on stage. Diverse founders and founders from smaller startups are an afterthought, and are typically not paid.”

Designed to change that paradigm, Startup Speakers is launching with 35 publicly announced speakers including Doone Roisin, Hannah Moreno, Nikki Tugano, Tina Funder and Startmate CEO Michael Batko.

 “Storytelling is an important part of any entrepreneur’s journey,” said Richards. 

“Pitching, selling, managing, marketing, and recruiting can all be leveraged by the power of storytelling. I’m proud that Startup Speakers can be a place for entrepreneurs to develop this incredible power.”

Global from day one

Startup Speakers has a waitlist of 150 speakers and is proudly global from day one, with speakers from London and San Francisco waiting to join. 

“We’ve started with Sydney and Melbourne, but we’ve got a production day in Brisbane in April, and we’re trying to hit the major cities through the year,” said Richards. 

“And we’ll be adding production days oversees as well.”

All-women, all-paid at launch event

Startup Speakers’ launch tonight in Sydney features an all-women, all-paid panel, including Skale Studio’s founder Joumana Elomar, Artesian VC’s Ananya Sinha (vice-chair at the not-for-profit Women of Colour Australia) and multi-time founder Aimee Stanton.

“I fell into public speaking aged 19,” said Elomar.

“I was the main design lead at ed-tech Atomi, and ran a lot of workshops, talked to a lot of crowds. I feel really alive talking to an audience, it’s an honour to hold the space.”

“You can’t be what you can’t see. Startup Speakers is a really amazing collective from all walks of life. So many lenses: culturally, geographically, social-economically. It’s bringing untold stories to life. If you’re someone in the audience you can see yourself in the panel. They’ve really put in the groundwork.”