Dr Kate Cornick is chief executive of the Tech Council of Australia, a role she took up in May 2026, succeeding Damian Kassabgi.
She previously led LaunchVic, the Victorian Government's startup agency, from 2016, spending a decade building support for founders and startups across the state. Her earlier career includes a general manager role at NBN Co, and she holds a PhD in optical telecommunications from the University of Melbourne. She is also Deputy Chancellor of Charles Sturt University and a member of its council.
She appeared across Day One's History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem series as LaunchVic's chief executive, including an interview on ways to help more Australians begin a startup.
5 episodes
Start hereKate Cornick on ways to support Australians to begin their startup journeyHer full interview as LaunchVic CEO on what helps Australians start companies.
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem With Mark Pesce, Hayden Williams, Evan Thornley, Tim Fung, Trevor Folsom, Peter Davison, Pete Lead, Terry Hilsberg, Matt Bullock, Allan O'Connor, Rachael Neumann, Maxine Sherrin, Malcolm Turnbull, James Alexander, Alan Jones, Paul Bassat, Hamish Hawthorn, Alfred Lo, Phil Hayes-St Clair, Cameron Adams, Bruce Tulloch, Matt Barrie
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem With Michael Batko, Wayne Gerard, Petr Adámek, Peter Devine, Rohit Bhargava, Terry Hilsberg, Peter Bradd, Zrinka Tokic, Rachael Neumann, Zoe Piper, Susan Oliver, Silvia Pfeiffer, Murray Hurps, Rachel Yang, Yolanda Redrup, Peta Ellis, Sarah Pearson, Niki Scevak, Colin Kinner, Mark Pesce, Colette Grgic, Ian Gardiner, Lauren Capelin, Matt Barrie, Melissa Widner, Cameron Adams, Georgie Turner, Baden U'Ren, Evan Thornley, Alan Noble, Kate Jones, James Alexander, Dharmica Mistry, Emily Rich, Lars Rasmussen
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem With Mark Pesce, Steve Grace, Eloise Hall, Isobel Marshall, Darryl Lyons, Megan Sebben, Phil Ireland, Wayne Gerard, Sam Jockel, Samantha Finnegan, Arthur Sinodinos, Peter Devine, Tim Fung, Peter Tippett, Trevor Folsom, Dean McEvoy, Moira Were, Kate Jones, Daniel Flynn, Mick Liubinskas, Peter Bradd, Rachael Neumann, Chad Renando, Annie Parker, Aaron Birkby, Rachel Yang, Melissa Widner, Sarah Pearson, Colin Kinner, Lauren Capelin, Bruce Tulloch, Matt Barrie, Cheryl Mack, Andrea Gardiner, Niki Scevak
Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem With Leslie Delaforce, Darryl Lyons, Megan Sebben, Wayne Gerard, Nicole O'Brien, Alex Carpenter, Evan Thornley, Baden U'Ren, Tim Fung, Trevor Folsom, Peter Davison, Craig Swann, Moira Were, Colette Grgic, Allan O'Connor, Rachael Neumann, Chad Renando, Annie Parker, Brendan Hill, Aaron Birkby, Malcolm Turnbull, Jodie Fox, Susan Oliver, Silvia Pfeiffer, Yolanda Redrup, Andrew Nunn, Melissa Widner, Alfred Lo, Sarah Pearson, Phil Hayes-St Clair, Colin Kinner, Lauren Capelin, Matt Barrie, Cheryl Mack, Andrea Gardiner, Niki Scevak
The History of the Australian Startup Ecosystem - Interview Series Recorded as CEO, LaunchVic
Key moments from Kate Cornick on ways to support Australians to begin their startup journey.
“If we don't disrupt, we will get mowed over by other economies who are innovating, and we will simply become purchasers of other technology.”
CEO · LaunchVic
Sources: smartcompany.com.au
The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) is the peak industry body representing Australia's technology sector.
2 people · 6 episodes
Adam SpencerHost, Documentary: The History Of The Australian Startup Ecosystem 
Mark PesceFuturist & Host, The Next Billion Seconds 
Hayden WilliamsGroup Product Manager, MYOB 
Evan ThornleyCo-Founder & CEO, LongView 
Tim FungFounder & CEO, Airtasker 
Trevor FolsomCo-Founder and Chairman, Investible 
Peter DavisonCo-founder, Fishburners 
Pete LeadCoach, Scalable Leaders Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 29 October 2026
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