Nathaniel Diong

Visionary educator, speaker, and startup mentor

ABOUT NATHANIEL

Nathaniel Diong (张德煌) is an award-winning speaker, innovator and leading authority in the Future of Education. As CEO of Future Minds Network, he’s taught 10000s of young people 21st century skills for the future workplace. Delivering transformative programs in schools and universities across the world, his students learn by building their own businesses.

2021 Young Australian of the Year finalist, Nathaniel is also an international startup mentor and Giant in Residence at Blackbird – Australia’s leading VC firm. He helps early-stage startups streamline their marketing & comms, strategy and measure impact to land corporate partners.

Through immersive workshops, explosive keynotes, and seamless facilitation, Nathaniel helps young people unlock their endless creativity. He helps corporates, NGOs and educational institutions understand how to leverage the potential of Gen-Z, harness innovation and the Future of Work. An international speaker, Nathaniel is a regular MC, moderator and guest lecturer at Monash University, TEDx, and more.

Speaking highlights

2018 SBS World News on the Refugee Crisis
2018 Keynote at ABCN Entrepreneurs Unearthed
2018 Keynote at Crimson Education’s Highschool Entrepreneurship Seminar
2019 Q&A Studio
2019 MC at Social Impact in Economics:
2019 MC at SEED Incubator Pitch Night
2019 Keynote at Leave No One Behind
2020 OGC2020 Australian Ambassador
2020 Crimson “Hustling in High School” (Australia and New Zealand)
2020 MC at CCA Entrepreneurship Evening
2020 Panellist at StartSomeGood Virtual Summit
2020 RMIT Youth Work Panel
2020 National Youth Commission of Australia
2020 ‘Different is Beautiful’ AIESEC Australia
2020 TEDxMacrobHS: Shape Your Story
2020 Spark Festival: Agents of Change (NSW)
2020 Hunter Futurepreneurs Lunch ‘n’ Learn (NSW)
2020 Monash College ‘Art of Crowdfunding’

MENTORING HIGHLIGHTS

2020 Impetus Consulting Mentor (VIC)
2020 hack:now UC Berkeley’s Mentor (USA)
2020 UNITE 2030 “Fight For the Future” International Hackathon – Judge (CA)
2020 RMIT Adobe UX Design Circle – Judge
2020 SparkTeen Accelerator – Judge (USA)
2020 The Global Hack Mentor
2020 WSU Global Scope Mentor (NSW)
2020 SigmaHacks sponsored by Snap (USA)
2020 Mentor at Project Snapshot (CA)
2020 RMIT Career Mentoring (VIC)
2020 EWB Ideathon – Judge
2020 Hult Prize at UTS Mentor
2020 Hult Prize at Monash Foodathon – Judge

Ongoing

RMIT Activator Mentor (VIC)
Millhouse Social Enterprise Mentor (ACT)
Macquarie Incubator Mentor (QLD)
INCUBATE Mentor (NSW)
Remarkable Accelerator Mentor (NSW)
Landers & Rogers LawTech Hub Mentor (VIC & NSW)
Social Impact Hub COVID19 Business Support Mentor (NSW)
Centre for Social Impact and Swinburne University’s Social Startup Studio Mentor (VIC)
Inspiring Rare Birds Mentor (AUS)
EnergyLab Mentor (NSW and VIC)
StartSpace Hackathon Mentor (VIC)
TechStarts x Startup Victoria: Startup Weekend Mentor
Startupbootcamp Mentor
Founder Institute Melbourne (processing, for next cohort)
Young Trailblazers – Mentor
UTS Startup Support – Mentor
Berlin Startup School – Mentor
First Pitch Kids – Judge