ICOT’s Jewish innovators speak with the AJN

Journalist Carly Douglas spoke with singer, speaker and social entrepreneur Tania de Jong AM, Founder of MiVote Adam Jacoby and Co-Founder of Portable Simon Goodrich about the transformation of the social world, how their Jewish identity has shaped their careers and what advice they have for the next generation of thinkers.

The panel were three of ten Jewish innovators invited to speak at the International Conference of Thinking (ICOT), which was recently postponed until 2023 due to the pandemic.

Tania de Jong AM is not only a singer, she is a global speaker, business woman, award-winning social entrepreneur, and storyteller. She started three charities, and has also developed six businesses. She is considered one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs, named in the 100 Women of Influence and the 100 Australian Most Influential Entrepreneurs.

Adam Jacoby is the Founder & Chairman of MiVote and MiVote Technology, a finalist in the 2016 Singularity University Grand Global Challenge Awards. He spoke at the 2017 & 2019 Codex World’s Top 50 Innovators Conference (London), 2017 World Economic Forum (Davos), March for Our Lives Rally (Houston) and Stanford University.

Simon Goodrich is Co-Founder of Portable, a digital innovation company, which has been recognised by the BRW Fast 100 and SmartCompany Smart50. He sits on the Health Informatics Society of Australia National Committee and is the Australian Ambassador for the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Simon is also a fellow of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre at Victoria University.

Check out the videos

The Transformation of the Social World

Tania, Adam and Simon explain how their fields have progressed over the years and how the social world is changing due to Covid, politics and the utilisation of tech.

Jewish Identity: Religion, Heritage and Family

Tania, Adam and Simon talk Jewish identity, admitting that while some of their beliefs may have altered since they moved away from the Jewish community, the heritage will always be something they’re proud of.

Advice for the Next Generation of Thinkers

Tania, Adam and Simon offer their advice to young entrepreneurs, extending guidance on how to enhance the way you think, lead and innovate.