Melissa Sterry is a globally recognised scientist, futurist, designer, and strategic advisor specialising in sustainable innovation, biodesign, and resilience. Founder of several internationally acclaimed first-to-market start-ups and initiatives, she pioneers nature-inspired solutions to highly complex environmental challenges. With 25+ years board-level experience and qualifications including a PhD in designing wildland urban interface resilience to major wildfires, she advises corporations, government agencies, and NGOs on cutting-edge sustainability and innovation strategies. Chartered with the Science Council, a member of the Design Council’s expert network, and fellow of the Design Research Society and the Institute of Science and Technology, her expertise in biomimetics, biotechnology, and ecological systems thinking positions her as an international thought leader in natural hazard resilience, climate adaptation, and regenerative design.

Seasoned in several inter-related fields, with copious creative and technical credentials, including more than a dozen national and international awards, publication in over 60 international titles, coverage in a further 450+more, and over 100 invited keynotes across 40 cities and four continents, in tandem with a network comprised some of the most influential innovators shaping science, technology, and design today, Melissa works to a global clientele comprised many leading organisations. Known for pushing boundaries not paper, walking her innovation talk, and anticipating several of the most significant market risks and opportunities this century, Melissa provides a suite of bespoke services including strategic briefings, convening roundtables, authoring whitepapers, program design, concept ideation, keynote presentations, masterclasses, workshops, and stakeholder engagement delivered online, in person, and in hybrids of both.