If ideas were dishes, then HEXPO 2025 was one unforgettable feast.

Held at the iconic Queen Victoria Market, it wasn’t just a conference, it was a Feastival of innovation, energy, and connection. A place where founders, dreamers, students, and creators came together to taste the future of work, learning, and impact.

From the moment the doors opened, the aroma of ambition filled the air, and every talk, pitch, and conversation added another flavour to the menu.

A Taste of What Was Served

Across 16 unforgettable sessions, HEXPO 2025 delivered courses that left us buzzing, inspired, and hungry for more.

We learned from Mitchell Hughes about the power of youth-led innovation and why student founders are reshaping Australia’s startup ecosystem.

We got inspired by Ailene Wu, whose story reminded us that authenticity, consistency, and creativity are the key ingredients to building a brand that lasts.

We watched the Next Gen founders pitch their hearts out, proving that the future of entrepreneurship is bold, curious, and already here.

Then came the panels that hit deep, Cream of the Crop, Snack to the Future, and Spill the Tea, each one mixing insights from founders, investors, and educators who are shaping the ecosystem one conversation at a time.

We laughed (and argued) through Flavours Without Borders and Hot Takes, debated the value of university degrees, and discovered that innovation doesn’t follow recipes, it rewrites them.

And just when we thought the feast couldn’t get any richer, stories from HEX Ventures, Jess Lemon, Tim O’Sullivan, Rebecca Scott, and Jeanette Cheah reminded us that what we build, share, and serve up in this world can genuinely transform lives.

The Secret Ingredient

Here’s what tied it all together, the reason HEXPO didn’t just feel like an event, but an experience: community.

It wasn’t about the mics or the slides.
It was about the laughter in between sessions, the founders swapping stories over dumplings, the students pitching ideas to CEOs, the shy smiles that turned into bold collaborations.

That’s the HEX secret sauce.
It’s the energy that says: You belong here. You’re part of something bigger.

HEX Hospitality: Serving Futures

At HEX, we’ve always believed that education and innovation should feel alive, immersive, delicious, and a little bit rebellious.

HEXPO 2025 was proof of that belief in full colour and sound.

And as the final applause faded, one truth stood out like a neon sign:
We’re not done cooking.

From HEX Ventures to Generation Next, from Melbourne to Manila and beyond, we’re setting the table for what comes next, a future powered by curiosity, creativity, and courage.

The Aftertaste

As we pack up the plates and wipe down the kitchen counters, there’s one thing we know for sure: HEXPO 2025 wasn’t the end of a meal.

It was the start of a movement.

To everyone who spoke, pitched, laughed, learned, and shared a bite of inspiration with us, thank you. You made this Feastival a masterpiece.

So keep your forks ready, HEX fam.
Because the next course is already in the works.