A focus on defence & aerospace

When most people think of Sydney, there are several things that immediately come to mind – its famous landmarks such as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, its sun-drenched beaches, and its laid-back lifestyle. 

Sydney is also increasingly synonymous with knowledge and innovation.  

Australians are an innovative people, from the histories of invention and innovation of First Nations peoples, to modern-day companies blitzing the world stage, like Atlassian, Canva and AfterPay, which are based in Sydney and add to the dynamic of one of the world’s leading economies. Australia is also consistently ranked high on global lists for innovation and technology. In 2021, KPMG ranked Australia tenth in the world for countries that show the most promise for developing disruptive technologies and identified Sydney as the leading tech city in its  Technology Innovation Hubs Report. 

Sydney is a global city that continues to thrive. It is one of the 10 fastest-growing places in the Western world and in recent years, the city has become home to a developing aerospace industry and has fostered world-leading talents in space exploration.  

Backed by the state Government of New South Wales (NSW), Sydney is committed to creating new innovation precincts and growing existing ones. Identified as a key aspirational pillar in the NSW Government’s 2040 Economic Blueprint, the Defence and Aerospace sector is one of several major investment, support, implementation and commercialisation targets that will cement Sydney as an international hub for research and development. 

The city is already home to Tech Central, a mature innovation precinct surrounding Central Station in Sydney with a thriving ecosystem of world-class universities, ambitious startups and tech giants, which is designed to promote creativity, productivity and innovation and cultivate competition and collaboration. It provides a base for the Sydney Quantum Academy, Space Industry Hub and other innovators working across fintech, cyber and e-health; digital and deep technology including quantum, blockchain, AI, robotics, IOT and analytics; and the creative industries including VR and game design.  

By 2026, a new aerotropolis to the west of Greater Sydney – Bradfield – will be Australia’s first high-tech 22nd century hub and home to advanced industries including defence, aviation, aerospace, logistics, future transport, construction technology, new energy and the circular economy. The aerotropolis will also include an Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility providing infrastructure for collaboration, incubation and innovation, allowing businesses to test, prototype and rapidly scale advanced manufacturing processes.  

In addition to established industries and burgeoning precincts, Sydney is also a place to find remarkable people who are changing the world. Like BESydney Global Ambassador Chris Boshuizen.  

In 2005, Chris Boshuizen completed a PhD in Physics at the University of Sydney with his research focused on the Straylight design of the MONS space telescope, the primary payload of the proposed Danish satellite mission, Roemer. Since then, he has led a global space industry network that supports the United Nations Programme on Space Applications; established a school for studying the consequences of accelerating technological development; launched satellites and developed spacecraft built solely from a smartphone as a Space Mission Architect at NASA Ames Research Center; and co-founded Planet, a pioneering Earth Observation company that uses a fleet of low-cost imaging spacecraft to image the whole world, every day. And in 2021, he became the third Australian to fly into space, on board the Blue Origin space capsule.  

This rapid growth and innovation leadership has not been done alone. Sydney is a forward-thinking city that looks outwards to the world for solutions and collaborations that feed new ideas and creativity. It is an ambitious city that is keenly playing its part in tackling global problems and we know that these things happen best when world-leading minds come together, whatever their specialisation.  

Sydney boasts world-class venues and event partners, as well as an experienced and intellectually curious team at BESydney who are ready to support associations to deliver global meetings that inspire, motivate, educate and connect industry leaders. Its network benefits from strong connections to government and a Global Ambassador program that comprises world leading experts who lend their support to confirm Sydney as one of the world’s premier locations for global industry meetings.