Launched 18 November 2025 · NSW Parliament House
Parliamentary Friends of INVENT
A bipartisan group of members of the New South Wales Parliament formed to engage with the startup ecosystem. Convened with the support of the Spark Foundation, an independent Australian registered charity.
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The launch of the Parliamentary Friends of INVENT at NSW Parliament House, 18 November 2025. Spark Foundation CEO Harry Godber, far left, was joined by the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong MP, NSW Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, alongside Kristy McSweeney, founder of The PR Counsel, and Nicholas Chilton, founder of Venture Affairs.
What it is
Innovators, Ventures, Entrepreneurs and Technology
The Parliamentary Friends of Innovators, Ventures, Entrepreneurs and Technology (INVENT) was launched in November 2025. With the largest ever crowd to attend such an event in NSW Parliament, the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC, appointed co-chairs the Hon. Jacqui Munro MLC, Jason Yat-Sen Li MP and Mark Coure MP to lead this bipartisan group for the life of the parliament. Through this group, the Spark Foundation helps parliamentarians of all stripes engage with the startup ecosystem and understand the policy needs of our tech sector as it evolves. Spark Foundation CEO Harry Godber was joined by the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong MP, Minister for Innovation, for the launch, together with Kristy McSweeney, founder of The PR Counsel, and Nicholas Chilton, founder of Venture Affairs, who supported this initiative alongside Spark.
Co-chairs
- The Hon. Jacqui Munro MLC Co-chair
- Jason Yat-Sen Li MP Co-chair
- Mark Coure MP Co-chair
The co-chairs were appointed by the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC, to lead the group for the life of the parliament.
