Reboot Your Brainstorming: AI Innovation Unleashed

The Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Oceania chapter is celebrating its official launch on 25 November 2025 with a ground breaking event that promises to redefine how entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators approach one of today's most pressing questions: "How should we use AI?"

Taking place at 5:00 PM AEDT, the launch event features Dr. Tessa Forshaw, a Harvard graduate and cognitive scientist who has been making waves in both academic and business circles with her revolutionary approach to innovation and creativity. As co-author of the bestselling book Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World, Forshaw brings a unique blend of scientific rigour and practical application.

In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines yet leaves many feeling overwhelmed, Dr. Forshaw's interactive workshop offers something remarkably different: a pathway from confusion to clarity. Rather than adding to the AI hype cycle, she provides participants with science-backed frameworks that transform abstract concepts into actionable strategies.

The workshop is rooted in the Innovation-ish approach taught at both Harvard and Stanford universities, combining creative problem-solving methodologies with evidence-based coaching techniques. Participants will explore real-world applications of AI, discovering practical ways to integrate artificial intelligence into their work and decision-making processes.

Dr. Tessa Forshaw's journey from Australia to becoming one of Harvard's most innovative voices makes her particularly relevant for the Oceania chapter launch. Originally from Australia, she completed her undergraduate studies at the Australian National University, earned her Master's degree from Stanford University and completed her PhD at Harvard University in 2025.

As a Harvard Presidential Scholar and co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Forshaw is a leading authority on how people learn, work and innovate in rapidly changing environments. Her research focuses on creative cognition, learning transfer, and human-AI collaboration.

What sets Forshaw apart is her unique combination of academic credentials and real-world experience. Before her doctoral studies, she worked as a designer at IDEO CoLab and in Accenture's Strategy, Insight, and Innovation team. This dual perspective bridges the gap between theoretical research and practical application.

Forshaw is the recipient of the Fast Company Design Award for General Excellence, Core77 Industrial Design Magazine Design Awards, and the Australian American Chamber of Commerce Innovation Award.

Currently, Dr. Forshaw teaches design thinking, creativity and innovation at both the Harvard Innovation Lab and Harvard University Division of Continuing Education. She also taught at Stanford's d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design)—institutions that have shaped how innovation is taught globally.

Her teaching philosophy challenges a pervasive myth: the belief that creativity is reserved for a select few "geniuses." When she asks Harvard students whether they consider themselves creative, fewer than 10 per cent raise their hands. Yet ask the same question to five-year-olds, and every hand shoots up.

This observation led to Innovation-ish, a book and methodology designed to democratise innovation. By adding "-ish" to innovation, Forshaw and co-author Rich Braden make the concept gentler and more approachable. It acknowledges that innovation doesn't require perfection; it requires starting.

Innovation-ish, which officially launched in September 2025, hit number one on Amazon's Business Entrepreneurship category whilst still in pre-sale. The book has also been nominated for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year—a remarkable achievement for a debut publication.

What makes Innovation-ish particularly relevant is its focus on cognitive science rather than motivational platitudes. Forshaw and Braden spent over a decade teaching at Stanford and Harvard, consulting with organisations worldwide, and conducting rigorous research into how people innovate. Their book dismantles "innovation mythology"—the harmful narratives about lone geniuses and overnight successes.

Instead, they present six practical mindsets that anyone can adopt. The framework includes mindsets, "moves" (small, actionable tasks), and metacognition (thinking about your own thinking).

As co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, Dr. Forshaw leads research on critical questions facing modern workplaces: How do people build skills in real time? How can organisations create authentic learning environments in fast-paced, AI-driven contexts?

The lab brings together expertise in cognitive science, neuroscience and learning sciences. One of Forshaw's key research areas is "learning in the flow of work"—the idea that the most effective learning happens when people connect new knowledge directly to daily challenges.

This research has profound implications for AI adoption. Rather than massive training programmes that struggle to transfer, Forshaw advocates for integrated learning experiences where AI tools and concepts are introduced in real work contexts.

The launch event represents a significant milestone for Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Oceania, which began as the Australia Chapter in January 2020 before expanding across the broader Oceania region.

Starting in 2025, HAE Oceania focuses on five strategic themes: Small Business Entrepreneurship, AI Transformation Forum, Longevity and Health Forum, Pension Governance and Innovation Forum, and Oceania-Asia Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. The choice of Dr. Forshaw signals HAE Oceania's commitment to bringing world-class expertise on AI and innovation to the region.

The launch event is completely free to attend. Participants can choose between in-person attendance (limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis) or virtual participation via Zoom.

The event is open to Harvard alumni, current students, faculty and staff, as well as qualified entrepreneurs and investors through affiliate membership. This inclusive approach reflects HAE's philosophy that innovation thrives when diverse perspectives come together.

The event is sponsored by Natural Velocity, Differenthinking and Lighthouse Infrastructure, organisations that share HAE's commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

As organisations across Oceania grapple with integrating AI effectively—navigating between overhyped promises and legitimate transformative potential—they need practical frameworks grounded in solid research.

Dr. Forshaw's approach addresses a critical gap. While many AI discussions focus on technical capabilities or speculative futures, her work centres on the human side: How do we think differently about problems? How do we overcome cognitive barriers that prevent innovation?

Her research on "cognitive caution"—the natural human aversion to ambiguity—helps explain why many people hesitate when faced with AI adoption. By understanding these patterns, individuals and organisations can develop strategies to move forward with confidence.

Forshaw's emphasis on making innovation accessible challenges the exclusive narratives that often surround both AI and entrepreneurship. This democratising message is particularly important for diverse Oceania communities.

The interactive workshop format means attendees won't be passive listeners. Drawing on teaching methods honed at Harvard and Stanford, Dr. Forshaw creates engaging experiences where participants actively work through problems and concepts.

Attendees can expect to move beyond AI confusion to develop clear strategies; learn science-backed frameworks for creative problem-solving; discover practical ways to integrate AI into workflows; understand cognitive processes that support or hinder innovation; connect with like-minded innovators across Oceania; and access the broader HAE network.

Through her role at Silicon Valley design firm People Rocket, Forshaw has worked with clients including Airbnb, Google, the United Nations, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Starbucks and the Red Cross on strategic innovation and responsible AI solutions.

The HAE Oceania launch with Dr. Forshaw represents more than just a networking event. It signals the region's integration into global innovation ecosystems and its commitment to building capabilities in AI, entrepreneurship and cross-regional collaboration.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries and societies, regions that can effectively harness its potential whilst maintaining ethical and human-centred approaches will thrive. Dr. Forshaw's combination of rigorous cognitive science, practical design experience and proven teaching methodologies offers exactly the kind of guidance that entrepreneurs and innovators across Oceania need.

Her message that "innovation isn't hard, it's just hard work" cuts through the mystique and makes the path forward clearer. By providing accessible frameworks and demystifying both innovation and AI, she empowers people to take confident steps toward creating meaningful solutions to real problems.

For those interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, AI adoption or becoming more effective at creative problem-solving, the HAE Oceania launch event offers an exceptional opportunity to learn from one of the world's leading experts—an Australian who has made her mark globally and is now bringing those insights home to Oceania.

Registration for either in-person or virtual attendance. With free admission and Dr. Forshaw's track record of delivering transformative learning experiences, this launch event promises to be a highlight of Australia's innovation calendar.

Event Details

What: HAE Oceania Launch Event – Reboot Your Brainstorming Approach
Who: Dr. Tessa Forshaw, Harvard Graduate and Co-author of Innovation-ish
When: 25 November 2025, 5:00–8:00 PM AEDT
Where: In-person (limited seats) and Virtual via Zoom
Cost: FREE