Women of Cisco Hackathon
Empowering Innovation: ANZ Top Female Talent ProtoComp at Innovation Central Brisbane
The Women of Cisco Hackathon, hosted by Innovation Central Brisbane, marked the exciting start of a three-month ProtoComp, bringing all 24 emerging female leaders from Cisco’s ANZ Top Female Talent program together in person. Over two days, the participants tackled complex business challenges through innovation and collaboration, leveraging their diverse skills and fresh perspectives. As part of Cisco’s prestigious six-month leadership program, the hackathon showcased the remarkable creativity, problem-solving abilities, and leadership potential of these talented women.
The hackathon, co-led by the Women of Cisco community in ANZ, provided a unique platform for participants to engage in ideation, and pitch their solutions to the Cisco ANZ Senior Leadership Team. With mentorship from industry experts, including ICB’s Industry Fellow Nicole Hatherly, the participants demonstrated incredible drive and ingenuity, rising to the challenge with innovative approaches to real-world problems.
Over two intense days, the teams worked tirelessly to develop business cases and digital prototype concepts aimed at addressing critical challenges to address Australia’s digital divide. From tackling inefficiencies to reimagining processes, the teams embodied the spirit of innovation that Cisco and Innovation Central Brisbane champion. The energy, enthusiasm, and passion in the room were palpable as participants navigated the “messy middle” of the creative process, finding solutions to complex issues through teamwork and determination.
The collaboration between Cisco and Innovation Central Brisbane has played a key role in empowering these women, providing them with the tools, mentorship, and support to grow their leadership skills and bring innovative ideas to life. Over the next ten weeks, the teams will continue to refine their their ideas and build their prototypes , with a final showcase set to take place at the end of the year.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the supporters behind the scenes, including Ben Dawson, Murali Jetti, Terry Weber, and many others, whose guidance has been invaluable to the program’s success. Innovation Central Brisbane’s program for Cisco’s ANZ Top Female Talent cohort is more than just an event – it’s a celebration of leadership, creativity, and the limitless potential of these remarkable women.
Congratulations to the FY24 cohort for their achievements so far, and we look forward to seeing the innovative solutions they continue to build as they move forward in this exciting journey.
