Inspiring the Next Generation of River Leaders

Inspiring the next generation of river leaders

Kicking off the 26th International River Symposium, we invited the next generation of river leaders to pitch bold, innovative solutions for the Brisbane River ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

25 high school students across 8 teams joined the Riverpreneurs Riverpitch Challenge, utilising Minecraft to design a state-of-the-art River Institute and Tourism Centre on the Brisbane River.

Following an inspirational keynote from Jose Fernandez, in just 45 minutes, students explored human- and Country-centred design, green infrastructure, and nature-based solutions to protect and restore our rivers, all while considering the United Nations SDGs.

This year’s Riverpreneurs Riverpitch Challenge winners reimagined the life of Brisbane’s iconic City Cats as not only a means of transportation, but as a floating information centre that collects plastic waste along its journey.

Thank you to our IRS 2025 Youth Program Sponsor, South Bank Corporation, and delivery partner, STEM Punks. This project was supported by the Queensland Government Engaging Science Grants.