Melbourne is a city known for both its thriving business sector and its wealth of cultures, and a new City of Melbourne podcast series aims to provide a voice to those that have experienced the journey of migrant entrepreneurship first-hand. Making it in Melbourne: Conversations With Migrant Entrepreneurs is a 5-episode podcast series sharing the insights of five innovative entrepreneurs who have brought their diverse cultural experiences to Australia’s business landscape.
One of these entrepreneurial voices is Yifei Wang, a leading figure in Australia’s AI innovation space, and a person with a truly unique journey that echoes many of the aspirations held by those seeking opportunities in the City of Melbourne. As a guest lecturer and academic at the University of Melbourne, Yifei holds three Australian innovation patents in the field of Artificial Intelligence, and has worked on several large scale projects supporting everything from the education sector to the healthcare industry.
So, when the City of Melbourne began reaching out to some of the leading migrant entrepreneurs in the city, Yifei and AIBUILD were a natural fit for the type of storytelling journey their team was looking to provide listeners. As an educator within his field of expertise, Mr Wang has worked personally with many aspiring entrepreneurs. This has provided him with a rare insight into both sides of the Melbourne migrant entrepreneurship journey, both as a mentor and previously as an international student himself.
Yifei Wang, AIBUILD, and the City of Melbourne
Since launching AIBUILD in 2017, Yifei has turned his vision for artificial intelligence (AI), mixed reality (MR), and web technologies into a thriving enterprise, growing AIBUILD to a team of more than 20 experts in the span of just three short years. His knack for spotting untapped opportunities and crafting groundbreaking solutions across multiple industries such as biotech, real estate, education, and healthcare has cemented his reputation as a trailblazer in Melbourne’s booming startup scene.
Pictured: Yifei Wang, Founder of AIBUILD
As a key player in Australian Research Council (ARC) projects, Yifei has brought the scope of his expertise to the table across multiple initiatives. His work harnesses AI, robotics, and big data to revolutionise construction and sustainability. He’s also deeply involved in university research collaborations, boosting Victoria’s digital capabilities with AI-driven solutions for real estate and beyond.
How “Making it in Melbourne” Made It in Melbourne
On Thursday, 20 February 2025, some of the city’s best and brightest gathered to unpack this exciting new podcast project from the City of Melbourne. The event was aimed at promoting and showcasing the voices that would be heard through this new venture, as well as giving attendees the chance to get up close and personal with some of the individuals who have shown themselves to be exemplary symbols of what can be achieved as a migrant entering Australia.
Sat in the Create Quarter at State Library Victoria, the event, ideated by City of Melbourne’s Senior Business Development Coordinator for Southeast Asia, Megan Cockroft, saw several guest speakers, including the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Nicholas Reese, and Joel McGuinness, Director of Experience for the State Library, take the stage to discuss the importance and significance of different cultural voices in creating the rich tapestry that is Melbourne’s business landscape.
Why Community & Support Are Vital to Entrepreneurship
Attending the event with his team, Yifei discussed the important role that the Australian government played in his personal business journey, and how initiatives like this were what allowed international talents to truly make a difference in Australia.
“The support of the Australian Government and these diverse communities has allowed many of the people here today to strive for greater things.” – Yifei Wang, AIBUILD
With the Australian government working to create new opportunities for international talents to work directly with government institutions in the research and development sector, it’s initiatives like Making it in Melbourne that show the possibilities available to those who want to make their mark on the culture of this city.
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The Making it in Melbourne podcast series brings you conversations with Melbourne migrant entrepreneurs who are reshaping our city’s business landscape.
Listen to the series wherever you get your podcasts. Search ‘Making it in Melbourne’ on your podcast app.
