DayBreak is a one-day shot of skills, ideas and connections
DayBreak is about innovation. That is, the knowledge, connections and skills you need to make meaningful change. Whether you are thinking about projects, communications, policies, strategies, systems or businesses, DayBreak will give you insights and tools you can put in play now and into the future.
DayBreak was held on 25 February at University of Waikato. We will be back in 2027!
Encore sessions
There are some (limited!) spaces left in our workshop encore sessions, so we have opened this opportunity up to the wider public for a fee of $5 per session. Tell your friends!
Sessions are running in March on various dates, so if you have a friend or colleague interested, tell them book asap.
Visit the 2026 gallery
Keynote speaker:
Melissa Clark-Reynolds
Melissa Clark-Reynolds is a street-smart futurist and tech entrepreneur who helps leaders cut through noise, tackle change head-on, and build clear pathways to tomorrow.
Trained by the Institute for the Future and appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the technology industry, she’s worked with everyone from Spark and IAG to NASA and Australian Pork, tackling everything from company strategy to digital disruption. Melissa brings principled insight and practical tools that help teams turn uncertainty into direction.
Watch recorded panels
For our DayBreak attendees who can't get enough – we recorded theese sessions for you to have in your pocket at all times.
Startup Secrets – From the Bay to the Big Time
Under the Hood – What it Takes to Grow a Competitive Organisation
The 2026 DayBreak line-up
Plenary keynote: Turning Signals into Strategy with Melissa Clark-Reynolds
Ever wish your team had a crystal ball? While the future may be uncertain, it’s not unknowable. In this keynote, Melissa will bring sharp analysis and grounded insight to help you see what’s coming – and what to do about it. Melissa doesn't just predict trends; she decodes the 10 most important signals from the future. Expect an energising session that leaves you thinking differently – and ready to act
Morning sessions (choose which to attend)
- Startup Secrets – From the Bay to the Big Time (panel)
- Artificial Intelligence – Real Experience (workshop)
- Leading within Complex Systems for Powerful Change (workshop)
- Future‑ready Organisations: Critical Success Factors for Intrapreneurship (workshop)
Afternoon sessions (choose which to attend)
- Under the Hood – What it Takes to Grow a Competitive Organisation (panel)
- Turning an Idea into a Scalable Business (workshop)
- Be Open to Possibility: Small Shifts, Big Impact (workshop)
- Sparking Action: 4 Simple Brand Tools for Influencing Behaviour (workshop)
- The Role Clarity Roadmap – From Whiteboard to Reality (workshop)
-Community-driven Approaches to Building Youth Capability (workshop)
Ideas and inspiration that sticks
No fluff, just useful tools and takeaways you can start using straight away to re-energise and be future ready. Investigate areas of interest, or challenge yourself with new perspectives, technologies and skills. Expect world-class professional development, with insight into local and global innovation success stories, strategies and opportunities.
Connections and cross-pollination
DayBreak is your chance to connect in a genuine way with people, companies, stories and ideas across the innovation ecosystem. Meet local experts: the doers, thinkers and potential collaborators. It’s all about bringing together a diverse group of people and cross-pollinating ideas.
Not your usual Conference...
No expensive, cookie-cutter conference here! DayBreak celebrates the region’s creativity and innovation, and key elements of the DayBreak experience include: DayBreak Downtown Lunch (where you can connect with fellow attendees at your chosen eatery), The Sundowner – festival finale, Encore Sessions, and a diverse mix of people, from CEOs to students.
