Cake Ventures founder Monique Woodard is heading to West Tech Fest

Monique Woodard, founding partner of US-based Cake Ventures, will headline the annual West Tech Fest in Perth this December. 

Known for championing inclusive innovation, Woodard joins One Earth founder Linzi Boyd and Steve Killelea, founder of the Global Institute for Economics and Peace, among the first round keynote speakers unveiled for the annual event. 

West Tech Festival is December 2-6 at several locations across Perth. They include:

• West Tech Women – Monday, Dec 2, The Maali, Perth Zoo 
• West Tech Coast – Tuesday, Dec 3, Coast, Port Beach 
• Freo Startup Fest – Wednesday, Dec 4, Freo Social, Fremantle 
• West Tech Main – Thursday, Dec 5, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Innovation Showcase – Thursday, Dec 5, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre 

West Tech Fest, hosted by Curtin University, attracts thousands, from local startup founders to global leaders in tech for a showcase Western Australia entrepreneurship.  

Festival Director Danelle Cross said Monique Woodard is a leader who sees the future of technology being driven by major demographic trends including aging and longevity and the increased economic power of women.  

“Just 11% of all venture funding goes to female founders, but investors like Monique are flipping  the script on the world of women-led businesses, providing greater opportunities to build a more inclusive  and forward-thinking tech ecosystem,” she said. 

“Research shows women-led startups perform better with investors seeing a 35% higher rate of return. While there is still a lot of work to be done, the future is undoubtedly female.”  

WA innovation and the digital economy minister Stephen Dawson said West Tech Fest has become a cornerstone of Australia’s  innovation landscape.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for local innovators to gain exposure, connect with  investors and hear about the latest trends,” he said.  

“The Festival has built a strong global network and driven successful investment outcomes, including  announcing over $41 million of funding into the ecosystem and startups at West Tech Fest 2023. It  continues to put our state’s thriving startup ecosystem on the map.”  

Festival passes are on sale now, which give access to all events during the week.

Individual event tickets go on sale from 8 October.