Jessica Wilson
PROFILE
Jess Wilson is a globally recognised tech entrepreneur, keynote speaker and thought leader on innovation, emerging technology, and women’s leadership. Her work sits at the intersection of technology, innovation and leadership – equipping organisations and teams to navigate what’s next.
A repeat founder, Jess launched her first company at 16 and her second at 22, scaling it into 130 countries before being selected as a grand finalist on China’s hit entrepreneurship show The Next Unicorn – broadcast to 15 million viewers per episode.
Jess started her entrepreneurial journey starting her first business at 16, second at 22 and third at 30. She was told by a careers advisor she “didn’t have it in her” for a career in the industry she aspired to in fashion, dropped out and within two years was working internationally throughout Australia, Paris and New York fashion weeks subsequently starting her first fashion tech company at 22 which became globally recognised and award winning.
Today, she is the co-founder of Waves Tech Ventures and Women Making Waves an emerging tech venture advancing women’s rights law reform across Australia and the U.S., in partnership with global brands including Google, Airbnb, TikTok, Speedo, and The Chopra Foundation.
Jess also most recently has been appointed a Contributor for Forbes Australia, where she shares on innovation, technology, and women’s leadership – further cementing her role as an influential voice shaping the future of work and gender equity.
She has worked with Fortune 500 companies and leading global brands including Lenovo, Google, Airbnb, EY, PwC, Accenture, KPMG, Commonwealth Bank, TikTok and Workato – helping organisations navigate innovation, adapt to AI, and engage the next generation of leaders.
A sought-after keynote speaker and event MC, Jess has spoken at flagship events throughout Australia and at select international engagements. She has opened national tours for Tony Robbins, Tom Bilyeu, Deepak Chopra and Richard Branson, and has interviewed icons including Sir Richard Branson, the CTO of Microsoft, Robert Kiyosaki and All Blacks legend Dan Carter to name a few.
Her work has been recognised globally. Forbes named her one of 1,000 entrepreneurs under 30 to change the world in the next 50 years, and she has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The Australian, The AFR, HuffPost, CNN, and Virgin to name a few. She is a three-time member of SmartCompany’s 30 Under 30.
Jess speaks on Innovation & AI, Women in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and the future of business – bringing a unique mix of lived experience, technological insight, and leadership depth to every stage.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Women Leadership
Jess has been an entrepreneur since the age of 16, starting her first tech company at 22 which she scaled into 130 countries – she has raised funding, grown an international team, secured global partnerships with the likes of Google and Airbnb and navigated the successes and also challenges of business refining her leadership style along the way.
Jess imparts key learnings from a mindset and tactical skill perspective for aspiring women entrepreneurs, interprepreneurs and leadership teams, not excluding the men in the audience who will attain the insight of how women lead.
Takeaways:
- This keynote is aspirational, leaving attendee’s leaving upskilled on key mindset skills and insight on what new-age leadership really means, how to grow your leadership skills at a rapid rate.
- Jess shares key stories from her career mixed with tanglible lessons and practical steps others can take to increase their leadership skills.
- A refreshing take on modern leadership presented by a young female entrepreneur with the business credibility years above her age, sure to show your team and audience you invest in and profile leading voices from a diversity, equality and inclusion perspective.
Emerging Technology, AI +Innovation
A look into what new waves of technology look like and how we have experienced throughout history, understanding experiential curves and discussions around current emerging technologies. (Most popular being AI).
Jess speaks on technology with the firm belief that we don’t need to get caught up in jargon, it’s possible and more enjoyable to learn about these new technologies in plain english so anyone can understand – simplifying and portraying the latest in an easy to understand format.
This keynote is ever changing as the AI landscape changes so rapidly, Jess utilises her foresight in the tech industry to craft an engaging and current keynote also hitting the core takeaways list.
Key takeaways:
- A look back at history, understanding the past helps us understand the future: Understanding ‘Waves of Innovation’
- Technology and the method of Zero to one of a new innovation (inspired by co-founder of Paypal Peter Tiel’s work).
- What’s next: Where the opportunity with innovation and AI is for companies and entrepreneurs in the future.
- Strategies to future proof and innovate. What the future may look like in 5-10 years and beyond.
- AI platforms and tools to implement in your business and life today.
- Audience members will walk away feeling empowered opposed to fearful of new technologies, more informed of where the opportunities are and what to expect next.
Gender Equality + Disruption
Jess has a unique experience of being a survivor of sexual assault by a prospect investor, in which she decided to seek justice for herself starting a lawsuit and winning – which became the catalyst for the most empowering moment of her life and her then work within law reform.
Jess and WMW partners with law reform experts who have changed an accumulative 45+ laws and counting across gender equality, equal pay, human rights and harassment. WMW has created a new innovative way to introduce new revenue streams to charities and a disruptive way to further fund their work.
Key takeaways:
- A look at the history of law-reform, inspiring women who have paved the way for radical change.
- Examples of innovators across the world in the gender equality and disruption space.
- How technology can be a catalyst for massive change and the case study of Women Making Waves work and story.
- This keynote will leave audience members informed, inspired and empowered with what the brighter side of what our future has the potential to look like from an equality perspective.
The Entrepreneurs Journey
From a small town as one of 6 in her year at school to being pinned by Forbes as one of 1,000 entrepreneurs under 30 to change the world in the next 50 years. This keynote shares the story and key learnings from a mindset and tactical skill perspective. Jess shares stories from the very beginning of her entrepreneur journey through to dropping out of university, working throughout Australia, New York and Paris fashion weeks spotting a trend within tech and booking a one way ticket to Silicon Valley at 21, starting her first online shopping app Stashd at 22. Through to being a grand finalist on China’s version of Shark Tank x The Apprentice and also starting Women Making Waves.
Key takeaways:
- This keynote is heavy on story telling, and at the end of each chapter of Jess’s story she shares key mindset and practical, tactical business learnings leaving audience members equally parts inspired and ready to take radical action and writing notes to short cut solving a problem in their role or business.
- This is Jess’s most booked keynote and what she toured the country with Tony Robbins speaking on.
Meet more speakers like this!
