September 1, 2025
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
The Studio
WHAT IS IT
Presented by AIBuild and ASPIRE (Asian Professionals for Innovation, Resilience, and Excellence), this panel explores how AI research and development is being transformed into practical outcomes through entrepreneurship, collaboration across sectors, and aligned policy.WHEN
01/09/2025 6:30pm – 8:00pm
WHERE
The Studio
AI to Impact: Innovation through Entrepreneurship
As AI evolves at remarkable speed, how can Australia convert advanced research into real world impact and remain globally competitive?
Presented by AIBuild (AI commercialisation company founded by Yifei Wang) and ASPIRE (Asian Professionals for Innovation, Resilience, and Excellence), this panel explores how AI research and development is being transformed into practical outcomes through entrepreneurship, collaboration across sectors, and aligned policy.
Moderated by Stephen Lew, Founder of ASPIRE and Assistant Director of Strategy in the Federal Government, the discussion brings together leaders from across Australia’s AI landscape, including industry experts, ecosystem builders, and emerging founders creating meaningful impact through innovation.
Yifei Wang, Founder and CEO of AIBuild, will share insights from his experience leading AI-driven projects that bridge cutting-edge research with industry application.
Discover how startups are turning research into products and services, what governments look for when supporting innovation, and how collaboration across disciplines can shape Australia’s digital future.
Event Speakers
Yifei Wang
Yifei is an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, and educator with over a decade of experience in founding and scaling deep tech ventures. As the Founder and CEO of AIBUILD, he has led the company in securing over $20 million in government funding and delivering large-scale innovation projects that translate advanced AI research into real-world solutions. He is a Partner Investigator on several ARC initiatives and lectures in Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship at the University of Melbourne. Bridging academia and industry, Yifei is dedicated to developing technologies that drive meaningful impact across society, research, and enterprise.
Stephen Lew
Stephen Lew is a passionate advocate for technological innovation, both in his role as an Assistant Director for the Australian federal government and as the founder of ASPIRE (Asian Professionals for Innovations, Resilience, and Excellence). Through ASPIRE’s flagship Conversation Series, he has brought together a diverse range of voices, from CEOs to industry pioneers, to explore the frontiers of science, technology, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Ray Ni
Dr. Ray Ni is the co-founder and director of Mem Next, a pioneering company integrating propriety membrane filtration technology with AI to turn complex wastewater, high-salinity brine into ultra-pure water and useful resources. With a strong background in Chemical and Material Engineer, Ray leads the strategic vision and technology innovation that positions Mem Next as a global leader in sustainable water solutions.
Gabriel Gichuhi, Founder & CEO, Kanvo & Splana
Gabriel is developing AI technology to bridge communication gaps between Deaf and hearing communities through Auslan recognition technology. He’s committed to community-first development and ensuring technology serves authentic community needs. Gabriel has worked in the disability services sector for over 8 years in various capacities and is actively working to help NDIS Providers start, grow and scale their businesses.
LEE, Chi Ho Jason, Chairman of Schmidt ID-Tech Limited
LEE, Chi Ho Jason is a seasoned business investor specializing in IT technology projects since 2017. He is the Chairman of Schmidt ID-Tech Limited, a spinoff of the 130-year-old Schmidt Electronics Group, and serves on the boards of several technology companies. He has a proven track record of guiding startups to IPO and profitability, with investment and financing experience in ventures such as CatchOppz Solutions, ORBiz International Limited, Ligo Asia Pacific Limited, Watchat Limited, and Schmidt ID-Tech Limited.
Panel Members
Gabriel Gichuhi
LEE, Chi Ho Jason
Ray Ni
Stephen Lew
