Every year a range of high profile community leaders take time out of their busy schedules to speak at, support, and judge Pitch for the Planet. Whether they are delivering a keynote, exploring the hub with the students, giving feedback, or answering candid questions, these special guests remind students that ‘becoming’ an innovator is also about personal growth, leadership, and community service.

This year we give social thanks to our political leaders The Hon Courtney Houssos, Minister for Finance, and Minister for Natural Resources, The Hon Tara Moriarty, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Western NSW, Trish Doyle MP, Member for Blue Mountains, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment, Heritage, Climate Change, and Energy, Sutherland Shire Councillor, Diedree Steinwall, and Investment NSW.

Thank you to Dr Aparna Lal, 2023 ACT Emerging Scientist of the Year, who spoke on her scientific work and values as a sustainable innovator. Thank you to Duku Fore, Founder of Rich Dreams, who inspired students with his journey as a youth leader and refugee who went on to build a technology 'for good' (which students engage with in the TOI program).

Thank you to our judges of both the competition heats and grand finals: Noga Edelstein, Director of Advisory at Tractor Ventures, Hela Zargouni, Program Manager at Cicada Innovations, Amanda Price, Partner, KPMG Enterprise; Co-Lead Deals and Ventures, Bree Kirkham, Investment Manager at Flying Fox Ventures, Hannah Mourney, Investor at Giant Leap, Jan Mason, CEO at Quest Payment Systems, Meg Panozzo, Senior Consultant at RPS, Brad Delamare, CEO at Tank Stream Labs, James Stewart, CEO at Always Carbon, Wendy Mackay, Managing Director at Pollination, Sharon Swift, Manager at UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute (‘DGFI’), Lu Li, One Ventures, and Ursula Crowley Hogben, Founder and Director at Amara.