Mikaela Jade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mikaela Jade
FTSE
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Speaking at the 2022 World Economic Forum
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| Born |
Georges River, Sydney Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | University of Technology Sydney Charles Sturt University Australian National University |
| Occupation | CEO |
| Known for | Indigenous edu-tech |
Mikaela Jade is an amazing Australian entrepreneur. She started a company called Indigital. This business uses cool augmented reality technology. Its goal is to share important Indigenous stories and history with everyone.
Mikaela has won many international awards for her work. These include the Veuve Clicquot New Generation award in 2018. She was also named a Schwab Foundation Social Innovator of the Year in 2022. In 2021, she received the Indigenous Leader of the Year award. Mikaela was even nominated for ACT Australian of the Year in 2023. She also earned the ANU Indigenous Alumna of the Year award.
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Mikaela's Background and Learning
Her Roots and Education
Mikaela Jade is a Cabrogal woman. Her family comes from the Georges River area in Sydney. This land belongs to the Dharug-speaking nation.
She studied Environmental Science at the University of Technology Sydney. She earned her bachelor's degree in 2002. Later, she studied Indigenous Land Management and Indigenous Studies. She did this at Charles Sturt University.
Mikaela also worked on a special project at the Australian National University. This project was about how digital technology connects with First Nations Australian cultures. She uses "digital twins" in her work. These are like 3D or 4D scans of old cultural sites. Sometimes, these scans are made before a physical site is damaged.
Starting Indigital: Tech for Culture
Mikaela is the CEO and founder of Indigital. This company uses augmented reality to share ancient Indigenous knowledge. Indigital was the first education technology company started by an Indigenous person.
Before starting Indigital, Mikaela worked as a park ranger. She helped protect Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.
Mikaela believes Indigenous people have much to offer science. She said, "We are the original scientists and engineers." She added that Indigenous people have over 80,000 years of cultural knowledge. This knowledge can help in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She sees many chances for First Nations people to create lasting businesses in this area.
Other Important Roles
Mikaela is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council. She is also a delegate for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. This means she helps represent Indigenous people at the UN.
She also worked with the ACT Parks and Conservation service at Stromlo. In 2018, she joined Microsoft Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Board. Mikaela also helps mentor 31 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. She guides them in building their own technology platforms.
Mikaela in the News
Speaking Engagements
Mikaela has spoken at many important events. She spoke at an event celebrating 30 years of the ANU Bachelor of Engineering degree. In 2019, she spoke at the United Nations in New York. There, she talked about how new technologies help Indigenous communities.
Media Coverage of Her Work
Mikaela's work has been featured in the media. The Sydney Morning Herald has written about her entrepreneurship. They highlighted her awards for Indigenous technology. Her career has also been reported by SBS and the Canberra Times.
The Canberra Times also shared a story about her success. A Microsoft executive saw her give a talk. He challenged her to apply her Augmented Reality (AR) content to their product. She had six weeks to do it. If she succeeded, Microsoft would promote her product. Mikaela met the deadline!
Awards and Recognition
Mikaela Jade has received many awards for her amazing work:
- 2015 – Finalist, Sustaining Women's Empowerment in Communities and Organisations.
- 2018 – Instyle Women of Style Awards – Creative Visionary.
- 2018 – Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award.
- 2021 – Finalist "Most impactful Initiative" at Women in Tech Global Awards.
- 2021 – Indigenous Leader of the Year, Women in Digital awards.
- 2021 – YBF Ventures ATSI Start Up or Scale Up of the year.
- 2022 – Schwab Foundation Social Innovator Award.
- 2023 – Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
- 2023 – Nominated for Australian Capital Territory Australian of the Year Award.
