Everyone can dream big, some people can see big but there are very few who can build big.
Mike Gore has built brands, organisations, and movements that inspire generosity and drive global impact. His journey—from orphan to CEO—has shaped how he leads, builds, and gives.
As the founder of Charitabl., Mike leads a tech company reimagining how the world gives. With over $70M raised through campaigns and partnerships, he has advised boards, built grassroots and global giving models, and led emergency response work in war zones and humanitarian crises.
He is the architect of the Impact Stage at SXSW Sydney, a three-year partnership platform for impact innovation featuring global thought leaders from Atlassian, Canva, Pledge 1%, and more.
Mike is regularly praised as one of the most engaging, down-to-earth, and thought-provoking speakers in the region. He’s the speaker who stays, listens, and connects—and makes every word count.
Talking Points
The Future of Generosity: Why Giving is Broken and How We Fix It
The way we give hasn’t changed in 50 years—but the world has. Drawing on his journey building Charitabl., Mike explores why traditional models of philanthropy are failing, and how we can use behavioural economics, technology and trust to rebuild generosity in the digital age. Learn what Uber, Spotify and Airbnb can teach us about giving, and how to design experiences that turn donors into advocates.The Future of Generosity: Why Giving is Broken and How We Fix It
Audience: Corporate leaders, nonprofits, tech/startup audiences, social impact innovators.
From Orphan to Entrepreneur: How Adversity Builds Visionaries
Mike's personal story—from being abandoned at birth in India to founding one of Australia’s most disruptive tech-for-good startups—is a keynote that leaves no one unchanged. This talk is a powerful journey through adversity, identity, leadership and the pursuit of meaningful work. It's about how to turn your past into your power, and your vision into something that shapes the world.From Orphan to Entrepreneur: How Adversity Builds Visionaries
Audience: Leadership events, schools/universities, personal development and resilience programs.
10x Your Charity: Innovation, Leadership & Growth for the For-Purpose Sector
Based on Mike’s work leading multi-million-dollar campaigns and founding the Charity Accelerator program, this keynote equips not-for-profit leaders with real tools to scale. Covering topics like donor psychology, digital trust, storytelling, fundraising strategy and AI, Mike gives teams the inspiration and practical skills to grow their impact without losing their soul.10x Your Charity: Innovation, Leadership & Growth for the For-Purpose Sector
Audience: Charities, foundations, nonprofit boards, fundraising teams.
The Start-Up Shift: Leadership Lessons from Building What Didn’t Exist
What do you do when there’s no path to follow? You build one. This keynote explores Mike’s journey from CEO to founder and the lessons he learned creating something from nothing. Perfect for startup audiences, founders, intrapreneurs and dreamers, this talk delivers insight into building teams, managing fear, staying focused, and leading with both grit and grace.The Start-Up Shift: Leadership Lessons from Building What Didn’t Exist
Audience: Startup hubs, tech accelerators, leadership conferences, innovation events.
The 5 C’s of Scaling a Business
What Spotify, Uber & AirBnB teach us about giving.The 5 C’s of Scaling a Business
How do you build generosity that’s effortless, emotional, and scalable? This session explores five key engagement principles that reframe donor journeys from transactional to transformative.
Audience: Startup hubs, tech accelerators, leadership conferences, innovation events.
Let’s Go Fly a Kite: The Founder’s Journey
Leadership lessons from string, wind, and vision.Let’s Go Fly a Kite: The Founder’s Journey
Inspired by Mike’s poetic upcoming book, this keynote delivers a powerful metaphor for anyone building something from the ground up. It’s a story about momentum, grounding, and knowing when to let go—and will resonate with leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents alike.
Audience: Startup hubs, tech accelerators, leadership conferences, innovation events.
Generosity in the Age of Scams
Building trust when everything feels suspect.Generosity in the Age of Scams
As media trust collapses and scam culture rises, how do we protect generosity? Mike explores how Charitabl. was designed for digital safety, and what it means to lead and give with transparency in a world that’s lost its trust.
Audience: Corporate leaders, nonprofits, tech/startup audiences, social impact innovators.
Video
Mike Gore | Saxton Speakers | Founder Story
Mike Gore is a globally renowned speaker, thought leader, and humanitarian whose story is nothing short of extraordinary. With over 20 years of experience in leadership, advocacy, and empowering communities, Mike has dedicated his life to giving a voice to the voiceless. Having worked on the front lines of war zones, he has witnessed the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of hope. Learn how Mike’s experiences have shaped his mission to create meaningful change, ignite leadership potential, and encourage others to make a difference in their own lives. Prepare to be inspired by his powerful message of courage, compassion, and the enduring power of hope. Watch now to discover how one man’s story can transform the way you view the world.Mike was absolutely lovely to work with. He went above and beyond to make the day amazing for our attendees, generously giving his time, engaging with everyone, and offering to help wherever ... keep reading Westpac
As an executive coach Mike has had a huge influence on my life. I have spent years in professional sports with several different coaches but Mike has shaped my personal belief, leadership and business skills more than any swim coach I’ve ever had.
Many thanks for sharing from your experience, business acumen and heart! It was pitched just right, was packed with practical applications that we have set us up so well for the year ahead.
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