Exciting news – the Digital Innovation Festival is on again! 

DIF2021 Festival is back IRL

Victoria's Digital Innovation Festival was announced last week at the Connecting Up Not-for-Profit Tech Awards. Back for the sixth year, the DIF2021 Festival will be held across Victoria from 25 August through to 8 September.

Last week the Victorian Government announced the 2021 Digital Innovation Festival returns for another year. 

It was a fitting occassion, as the Connecting Up Conference and the Not-for-Profit Technology Awards, was one of Melbourne’s first post-COVID events.

The buzz of people being back at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was infectious—in a good way. It combined IRL (In Real Life) with virtual—for a hybrid experience for over 550 attendees.

The DIF team were one of 34 exhibitors alongside Infoxchange, Swinburne Centre for Social Impact, NBN Co. and Fuji Film Codeblue.

Check out our new display above, first outing since the Grand Prix last year. A new stock of lollies and badges and our DIF community partner Find it Locally, who shared the stand, we were set for a great few days.

Hybrid delivery

This year the DIF2021 Festival will also be a hybrid program following this trend in event delivery. Mixed models with in-venue audiences and live-streamed events to DIF Hubs across the state will enable everyone to take part. DIF2021 will draw on our recent experience combining the benefits of remote access and in-person networking.

Each year DIF has something for everyone from business and industry to entrepreneurs and startups. Innovation and digital transformation are also important across the community and public sector as we saw at the Connecting Up conference.

In 2020 the Digital Innovation Festival saw over 300 events delivered by 80 partners to an audience of over 60,000 across the state. Many of the events are now available via the DIF On Demand sessions right here on the DIF Online Event Hub.

The DIF is delivered in collaboration with a network of partners and is open for everyone to get involved. Digital Innovation Futures is an initiative of the Victorian Government to drive the digital economy.

Over the next few months we'll develop a program of online and in-person events exploring emerging tech, learn about jobs of the future and discuss the importance of digital inclusion.

Come along to the next DIF Community Call to connect with others interested in hosting events in this year's Digital Innovation Festival.

Celebrating an inclusive digital economy

Connecting Up Conference is the leading event on the Australian not-for-profit (NFP) calendar. It focusses on assisting community sector organisations improve their performance and impact. 

This year’s theme was ‘’Evolve” empowering NFPs and charities to enhance their organisations through technology and innovation. 

The Leadership breakfast saw David Clements, Deputy Secretary, Employment and Inclusion and Chris Dowling, Executive Director, Telecommunications and Digital Economy present to an audience keen to understand the benefits that technology can deliver the community sector.

Photo: CivVic Labs 2021                       DIF Victoria 2020

The Victorian Government won back to back in the 'Technology for Community Impac - Best Government Agency' category at The Australian Not-for-Profit Technology Awards.

In 2021 CivVic Labs and startup government experts in residence were recognised. Since 2018, CivVic Labs has worked with 39 tech companies across areas like infection control, cybersecurity, agriculture and workplace safety, driving new implementations of commercial tech in government and securing over $1.8 million in funding for Victorian Founders.

The DIF Victoria won the award in 2020, but with only a virtual event, the DIF Team took a moment in the spotlight to celebrate. Borrowing our colleagues award, members of the DIF Communuty took the opportunity for a quick snap.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners and to find out more check out this article on ProBono News.