A.I. and Sustainability are two massive forces colliding right now.
Climate Tech Leader & AI Advocate Mick Liubinskas is a leading climate tech advisor, investor, and industry builder who helps founders tackle the world's biggest challenge. He has a keen focus on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence and its interaction with climate technology to create scalable, world-changing solutions.
As the Co-Founder of Climate Salad, Mick has cultivated a vibrant ecosystem of over 700 climate tech companies and 10,000 supporters. He actively nurtures and connects companies that are on the front lines of innovation, many of which leverage AI and machine learning for breakthroughs in precision agriculture, energy efficiency, advanced materials discovery, and climate risk modelling.
Mick’s work extends to providing the entire industry with critical insights. The annual Australian Climate Tech Industry Report and the Australian Climate Tech Insights (ACTI) data platform, developed under his leadership, are essential resources for global investors. These tools leverage data and analytics—the foundational elements of AI—to spotlight Australia's highest-potential companies and guide strategic investment.
A Career Built on Innovation
Mick's journey began with programming a Commodore 64 at age 8 and has spanned the entire start-up lifecycle. He co-founded and invested in influential incubators and accelerators like Pollenizer, Startmate, and muru-D (Telstra's accelerator), collectively investing in and building over 400 companies. His pivot to climate action in 2017 was a deliberate move to apply his two decades of tech experience to a mission-critical purpose, working with leading institutions like UC Berkeley, Stanford, and BCG Digital Ventures before launching Climate Salad.
A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Mick also authored a novel, She’s Building A Robot, to inspire teenage girls to pursue careers in STEM, robotics, and AI. When he's not helping build the future, he loves being a dad, surfing, playing football, and cooking.
Talking Points
A.I. and Sustainability
Code Red to Green Code: How AI is Rebooting Our Fight Against A.I. and Sustainability
Climate Change
Your audience is grappling with two of the biggest stories on the planet: the escalating climate crisis and the explosive rise of Artificial Intelligence. One feels like an insurmountable challenge; the other, an unstoppable force. This essential keynote reveals how these two powerful narratives are converging to rewrite our future.
Mick Liubinskas, a leading climate tech investor and founder of Australia's largest climate tech community, demystifies the convergence of AI and climate innovation. He takes your audience on a journey from the abstract to the actionable, revealing how AI is becoming the most powerful tool we have ever had to tackle our greatest challenge.
Forget dense, academic jargon. This is a dynamic exploration of the revolution happening right now. Mick shares fascinating, real-world examples of AI in action:
The Climate Oracle: How AI acts as our planet's data analyst, predicting risks and helping us understand climate complexity like never before.
The Solutions Accelerator: Discover how AI is optimising renewable energy grids, designing new sustainable materials in virtual labs, and creating transparent carbon accounting systems to eliminate greenwashing.
The Ethical Co-Pilot: A clear-eyed look at the challenges, from AI's energy consumption to algorithmic bias, and a framework for ensuring this technology serves humanity.
Your Audience Will Leave With:
- A clear framework for understanding the AI-Climate nexus.
- Actionable insights into the opportunities emerging in this space.
-Inspiration from the incredible innovations already underway.
- A powerful sense of informed optimism and a clear call to action.
Why Mick?
As the co-founder of Climate Salad, Mick is at the epicentre of Australia's climate tech ecosystem, working directly with the 700+ companies—many using AI—that are building the future. He isn't just a commentator; he's an investor, an advisor, and a builder who lives and breathes this topic every day. He delivers authentic insights from the front lines with the passion and clarity of a seasoned storyteller.
Ready to equip and inspire your audience with a vision of a sustainable, tech-powered future?
Climate Positivity
From Anxiety to Action: The Story of the Greatest Opportunity of Our TimeClimate Positivity
What if the most important story about our climate future isn't one of doom, but one of unprecedented innovation, progress, and opportunity?
In this powerful and energising keynote, Mick Liubinskas moves beyond the headlines to introduce a crucial new mindset: Climate Positivity.
This isn't wishful thinking or greenwashing. It's a pragmatic, evidence-based framework for leaders, focused on the tangible momentum and immense economic and social upside of the climate transition. It’s about focusing on action over anxiety and opportunity over obligation.
Mick dismantles the narrative of burdensome cost and reveals the reality he sees every day on the front lines of innovation:
The Green Gold Rush: Explore how the transition to a net-zero world represents the single greatest economic opportunity since the industrial revolution, with trillions of dollars in new investment and markets being created.
Innovation at Lightning Speed: Go beyond the familiar stories of solar and wind to discover the exponential progress in batteries, green hydrogen, sustainable materials, and AI-driven climate solutions that are rapidly changing the game.
The Power of the Ecosystem: Hear first-hand how a groundswell of brilliant, determined founders—like the 700+ companies in Mick’s Climate Salad community—are building the future, creating a powerful engine for growth and optimism.
Shifting Tides of Capital: Understand how smart money from venture capital to global pension funds is now decisively flowing towards climate solutions, creating unstoppable momentum.
Your Audience Will Leave:
- Re-energised and empowered, with a renewed sense of purpose.
- Equipped with a new mental model for viewing the climate challenge as an opportunity.
- Armed with powerful stories and real-world examples of tangible progress.
- Ready to shift their own and their organisation’s mindset from anxiety to focused action.
Why Mick is the Voice for This Message?
As the co-founder of Climate Salad, Australia's largest climate tech community, Mick has a unique vantage point on the transition. He spends his days immersed with the innovators, investors, and scientists who are building a positive climate future. He doesn't just report on this transition; he helps build it. This allows him to deliver a message that is not only inspiring but also deeply authentic and credible.
Ready to change the climate conversation at your next event and unlock a new wave of positive energy?
Your Path To Sustainability
The Path to Sustainability: A Practical Guide for Every Company and Every EmployeeYour Path To Sustainability
Sustainability is no longer a niche concern or a "nice-to-have." It's now a core driver of brand reputation, customer loyalty, talent acquisition, and long-term profitability. But how do you move from ambition to action?
In this practical and engaging keynote, Mick Liubinskas demystifies the corporate sustainability journey. He provides a clear, jargon-free roadmap that empowers every person in your organisation to play their part. This isn't about guilt or lofty, unattainable goals; it's about practical steps, smart decisions, and building a culture of positive change.
Mick breaks down the transformation into a simple, memorable framework that any business can follow:
The "Why": Finding Your Footing
Understand the real risks of inaction and, more importantly, the huge commercial and cultural advantages of becoming a sustainable business. Learn how to align sustainability with your core business goals.
The "How": Building Your Roadmap
Discover the practical first steps for measuring your impact, identifying high-priority "quick wins," and building a realistic, scalable sustainability plan without needing a huge budget or a dedicated team.
The "What": Empowering Your People
Learn how to embed sustainable practices across every team—from procurement and operations to marketing and HR. This is about creating a shared sense of ownership and turning your employees into your greatest sustainability asset.
Your Entire Team Will Leave With:
- A clear understanding of why sustainability matters to their specific role.
- Practical, low-cost ideas they can implement immediately.
- A shared language and framework to improve collaboration on sustainability initiatives.
- A sense of empowerment and motivation to contribute to the company's goals.
Why Mick is the Perfect Guide?
Mick has spent his career building companies from the ground up and working with some of the world's largest corporates through BCG Digital Ventures and muru-D. He uniquely understands the pressures and priorities of both scrappy start-ups and established enterprises. As the founder of Climate Salad, he is on the front lines of climate innovation. He delivers this talk not as an activist, but as a pragmatic business builder, offering a message that is accessible, empathetic, and, most importantly, actionable.
Ready to put your entire company on the path to a more sustainable and profitable future?
Video
Mick Liubinskas on Going Global Without Boiling the Ocean
Mick Liubinskas, Entrepreneur in Residence at muru-D wants Australia's startups to be more ambitious. Mick Liubinskas is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and industry leader. For the past 18 years, he has cofounded 12 technology startup companies, including Pollenizer with Phil Morle. This is why he started his talk at SydStart 2015 by saying that he's very frustrated at the fact that though Australia is a big country, it's a tiny market.Australia's Massive Climate Tech Opportunity | Mick Liubinskas
This session will delve into: - Why climate tech is critical to save the planet - What does the full climate landscape look like and what is the global climate landscape project - What is the opportunity Australia has in climate tech - Who are the climate tech investors in Australia - Example companies doing big things and the ANZ climate tech 100 - 1 minute climate tech pitches - Q&A on climate tech Mick Liubinskas is a climate tech advisor and angel investor in Cecil Earth, Ripe Robotics, Functionly, FlightFox, Startmate and EnergyLab. Mick co-founder of Pollenizer and muru-D and author of She's Building A Robot.Mick is an absolute legend of the Australian startup scene. In Sydney, he is the gold standard for business advice. On a world scale, I dare say he stacks up pretty damn well too. His advice ... keep reading Mike Cannon-Brookes - Atlassian CEO
Mick Liubinskas is a passionate and authentic public speaker who really engages with his audience. He is an experienced innovation leader with a particular focus on climate tech and always brings the content to life with practical stories and case studies, that challenge us all to take better care of our planet.
Mick Liubinskas is an engaging speaker who has a strong presence. He is an Australian leader in climate tech and brings the content to life with practical stories and case studies.
I can't say enough good stuff about Mick; He sees the big picture and enjoys rolling up his sleeves and moving towards it. He's a true motivator and his excitement is infectious.
I've had the privilege to hear Mick Liubinskas speak publicly on multiple occasions and each time he has been inspirational and knowledgeable about entrepreneurship and climate tech. His mix of personal experience and a genuine desire to help turn Australia into a climate tech global leader makes him a great guest for an event.
Mick Liubinskas is a talented speaker who really engages the audience. He is an Australian leader in climate tech and brings the content to life with practical stories and case studies.
In October 2018 when I was Chapter Learning Chair, I tracked down Mick to run a workshop for our members (and family) called 'The 4-hour Startup.' It was a highly engaging session that allowed our EO Kids to get stuck in and tap into their entrepreneurial talents. I would highly recommend his workshop to other EO chapters!
