The next generation of tech innovation starts here.

I've always believed in the power of technology to solve problems and connect people. That belief took me from building my first computer as a kid to 13 years at Microsoft, eBay, and Google, where I saw firsthand what happens when the right people and the right environment come together.

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When I returned to Australia in 2017, I saw a problem: we weren't producing enough tech talent—the people who create new technology and drive innovation. Our pipeline was broken, and it started in secondary school. Too few students were being introduced to digital technology in a way that sparked their interest or showed them where it could lead.

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I wanted to be part of the solution. In 2019, together with Selina Williams and Kristy Kendall, I founded what was then called CS in Schools. We started small—8 schools, 841 students—matching volunteer tech professionals with teachers to build their skills in the classroom.

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What began as a coding program for the classroom has grown into Tech Futures Australia: a national charity focused on building the next generation of Australian tech talent. We develop free, curriculum-aligned digital technology courses; we train and support teachers to deliver them confidently; and we connect classrooms to industry—so students can see the opportunities in tech and understand the pathways to becoming the innovators of tomorrow.

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From 8 schools to over 1,000. From 841 students to more than 360,000. 

The work is just getting started.

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Hugh Williams
Co-Founder and Chair