Deborah Wai

Deborah is the Innovation Program Manager for Carbonless with over a decade of experience working with startups and relevant public and private sector stakeholders.

She has a passion for new technologies and innovation with a track record of successfully managing award-winning programs for economic development and technology acceleration in the public sector. Deborah has managed funding programs for R&D and supported the commercialisation of new technologies through her work with the Economic Development Agency in Auckland and the Innovation Agency of New Zealand. More recently, she served as the Program Manager for InvestHK’s Global Fast Track 2022 program, focusing on attracting global fintechs to Hong Kong and facilitating business and investment opportunities in the region.

Deborah is deeply passionate about sustainability and decarbonisation and actively seeks out opportunities to contribute to a greener future through the adoption of innovation to drive positive impact. In addition to her professional work, Deborah has volunteered as a mentor and judge for Startup Weekend and Auckland University of Technology’s X Challenge.