Students attend inaugural REVEILLE Defence Investment Conference
A select group of A.B. Paterson College students had the extraordinary opportunity to attend REVEILLE 2026, Australia’s first Defence Investment Conference, held at the Sofitel Gold Coast on Wednesday 9 September.
Significantly, A.B. Paterson College was the only school invited to participate in the conference, providing our students with a unique opportunity to take their place alongside more than 200 investors, founders, Defence leaders, technology experts and industry professionals from Australia and internationally.
The conference was presented by Beaten Zone Venture Partners and hosted by its founder and lead investor, Steve Baxter, one of Australia’s best-known technology entrepreneurs and investors. Many will recognise Steve as a former ‘Shark’ on Shark Tank Australia, but his career extends well beyond television. A former Australian Army soldier, successful technology founder and venture capitalist, Steve established Beaten Zone Venture Partners to invest in emerging technologies that strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence and space capabilities.
The calibre of speakers was exceptional. Among them was Julian Peck, Head of Investment Banking for Australia and New Zealand at J.P. Morgan, providing students with insight into the role major global financial institutions and private capital play in supporting emerging Australian industries and technologies.
Students also heard from Major General Mick Ryan AM, a retired senior Australian Army Officer and Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowy Institute; Dr Michael Smart, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Hypersonix Launch Systems and former NASA research scientist; Matthew Steinhelfer, Senior Advisor for the Australia–United Kingdom–United States (AUKUS) security partnership with the U.S. Department of State; and leaders from the Australian Securities Exchange, venture capital, aerospace, robotics, cybersecurity and advanced Defence technology.
Across the day, the conference explored some of the most significant issues shaping Australia’s future, including the Australia–United Kingdom–United States (AUKUS) security partnership, sovereign capability, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, hypersonics, space technology, advanced manufacturing, investment and national security.
For our students, however, the experience extended well beyond listening to presentations. They had the opportunity to engage directly with senior leaders, entrepreneurs and industry professionals, ask questions and gain a first-hand understanding of industries and career pathways that are rapidly evolving.
Our students received glowing accolades from delegates for the way they represented A.B. Paterson College. Their maturity, confidence, curiosity and professionalism were repeatedly recognised, particularly their willingness to engage in considered conversations with senior professionals throughout the conference.
Being the only school invited to participate made the opportunity particularly significant and reflects the College’s commitment to connecting students with industry and providing experiences that extend beyond the classroom.
Experiences such as REVEILLE form an important part of the College’s growing Pathways program. By creating opportunities for students to engage directly with people who are shaping the future of Australian industry, technology and national capability, we can broaden their understanding of what is possible beyond school and expose them to pathways they may not previously have considered.
The College congratulates our participating students: Charley Chapman, Teresa Cheung, Charli Corkill, Toby Da Silva, Ko Dejima, Romy Jackson, Samuel Longhurst, Imogen Peak, Kirill Piatin and Elena Wang. They represented A.B. Paterson College exceptionally well and should be proud of the impression they made throughout the day.
A special thank you also goes to Sean Tobin, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, for making the initial introduction to the REVEILLE team, which helped open the door to this valuable opportunity for our students.
The College sincerely thanks Steve Baxter, Beaten Zone Venture Partners and the REVEILLE team for extending this exclusive invitation to A.B. Paterson College and for welcoming our students into such an impressive professional environment.
Gina Fulton-Kennedy
Head of Pathways
A.B. Paterson College acknowledges the Kombumerri People as Traditional Custodians of the land, sea, waterways, and skies in which we learn and play. We also pay our respects to elders, past, present, and emerging, and recognise their continuing connection to country and ways of learning.