David Ireland
InvestorPartner at Significant Ventures · Non Executive Director at Cicada Innovations
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Find your path to David
381 people in our graph share verified history with David — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Sang Won LeeunlockedDavid: together at Brisbane Boys' College (1993–1997)
×4David: together at XPRIZE
David: together at The University of Queensland
×3David: together at Australian Institute of Company Directors
About
A molecular biochemist with 15 years in early-stage innovation across renewable energy, behavioral science, and sustainability. Former GM at CSIRO with exits including RockingHorse Finance and ThinkAction.
Experience
- Cicada InnovationsNon Executive Directorcurrent2026 — presentGreater Canberra Area
- WWF-AustraliaNon Executive Directorcurrent2025 — present
- WWF-AustraliaGovernorcurrent2012 — present
- Additive AssuranceNon Executive Directorcurrent2023 — presentMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Vantari VRBoard Observercurrent2023 — presentCanberra
- Significant VenturesPartnercurrent2023 — presentCanberra
- The Australian National UniversityHonorary Professorcurrent2022 — presentCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- UniQuest Extension FundInvestment Committee Membercurrent2022 — presentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- The Growth DriversCo-Founder and Managing Directorcurrent2019 — presentCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Radian EnergyCo-Founder and Director2019 — 2025Australia
- ThinkActionCo-founder and Director2017 — 2023Washington D.C. Metro Area
- NSW CircularNon Executive Director2019 — 2022New South Wales, Australia
- PentaQuestCo-founder and Director2018 — 2022Australia
- Rocking Horse GroupCo-founder and Director2015 — 2022Sydney, Australia
- The University of QueenslandAdjunct Professor2017 — 2021Australia
- Kinetic Pressure ControlAdvisory Board Member2016 — 2021Delaware, USA
- NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA)Technical Review Committee Member2019New South Wales, Australia
- ThinkPlaceChief Innovation Officer2016 — 2019Canberra, Australia
- ThinkPlaceBoard Member2015 — 2016Canberra, Australia
- XPRIZEJudge2017 — 2019
- Macquarie University Research Centre for Smart Green CitiesAdvisory Board Member2017 — 2019Sydney, Australia
- USTAR – The Utah Science Technology and Research InitiativeLife Science Advisory Committee member2016 — 2018Canberra, Australia
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeCouncil Member2016 — 2017Canberra, Australia
- CSIROGeneral Manager: International and Innovation systems2010 — 2016Australia
- Global Innovation through Science and TechnologyJudge, coach and mentor2014 — 2016Across the developing world
- Australian Federal GovernmentChair - Horizon Scanning Committee2013 — 2015Canberra, Australia
- South Pacific SeaweedsCo-founder2009 — 2010Queensland
- UniQuestManager of Innovation and Commercial Development2008 — 2010
- University of QueenslandPost doctoral researcher2007 — 2008
- KaltheraResearcher and business manager2002 — 2007Brisbane, Australia
- MagneticaAnalyst2005 — 2007
- Atlatl ManagementConsultant2004
Skills & more
Analysis12Strategy31Management23Leadership9Strategic Planning13Translational Research2Economics of Innovation1Impact Investing1Venture CapitalInvestment StrategiesRisk ManagementCorporate Governance
+12 more
Due DiligenceStrategic PartnershipsBusiness PlanningBiotechnologyResearchSustainabilityManagement ConsultingContract NegotiationBusiness DevelopmentCommercializationPolicyFundraisingLanguages Arabic · English
From David's professional profile.
Colleagues at Significant Ventures
Fiona Hindmarsh
General Partner at Significant Ventures
Michele Troni
Partner at Significant Ventures
Nina Kuzmina
Principal at Significant Ventures
Peter Hodgson
Independent Chair at Significant Ventures
Rachel Zhao
Investment Analyst at Significant Ventures
Richard Cawsey
Investment Committee at Significant Ventures
Steve Hardy
Investment Committee at Significant Ventures
Tejas Tagra
Investment Team at Significant Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is David Ireland?
- A molecular biochemist with 15 years in early-stage innovation across renewable energy, behavioral science, and sustainability. Former GM at CSIRO with exits including RockingHorse Finance and ThinkAction.
- Where does David Ireland work?
- David Ireland is Partner at Significant Ventures.
- Where did David Ireland go to school?
- David Ireland studied at Stanford University (Visiting Scholar - Fulbright Fellow); AGSM @ UNSW Business School (Graduate Certificate, Organizational Leadership); Vocational Language Learning Centre (Arabic - Certificate 2).
Same school
Also attended Stanford University2,000
Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockDavid SacksCo-founder & General Partner at Craft Ventures; former White House AI & Crypto CzarKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia Capital
+ 1,994 more
Also attended AGSM @ UNSW Business School51
Guy HedleyCo-Founder & Partner at Stoic VCSamantha RobertsInvestor at SynconaKylie FrazerCo-Founder at Flying Fox VenturesNate WilliamsFounder, Managing Partner at UNION Labs VenturesPeter WallaceSr. Advisor at TransLink CapitalMatthew KoertgeManaging Director at Titanium Ventures
+ 45 more
Also attended The University of Queensland184
Giuseppe IademarcoHead of Global Partnership at P101 VenturesJasmine BettesInvestor at Reinventure GroupEsther GilmoreGlobal Head of the Client Team at Generation Investment ManagementNilay ThakarPrincipal at ARCH Venture PartnersZenetta BurgerPartner at Giant Ventures Global LlpThuy-Linh UongStrategy & Corp. Development Manager at Emerald Technology Ventures Ag
+ 178 more
Also attended Brisbane Boys' College7
Sang Won LeeEntrepreneur in Residence at Storm VenturesAndrew SavageSenior Partner at Roc PartnersRob ScottAssociate Director, Commercialisation Health & MedTech at Swinburne Innovation StudioGlenn StewartChief Financial Officer at CMCC GlobalDon McKenzieManaging Partner at Tribe Global VenturesCielo NicolosiFounder at Alloovium
+ 1 more
Shared employers
Also worked at The Australian National University32
Gordon RausserAdvisory Board Member at Rembrandt Venture PartnersPrathamesh JainInvestor at A91 PartnersAlex SmolaCEO and Co-Founder of Boson AI at PICUS CAPITALSirinchayaa PreechapatsakoolSenior Investment Manager, Thailand at Circulate CapitalAakash JainPartner - North America, Europe, & LatAm at VU Venture PartnersArjan van der HoutExecutive Director at Rabo Corporate Venturing
+ 26 more
Also worked at Kinetic Pressure Control1
Also worked at CSIRO51
Sakura HollowayInvestment Director at Future Planet CapitalCindy StewartAdvisor at Siddhi CapitalTracieAdvisor at Skalata VenturesMichelle DeakerFounding Partner and Managing Director at OneVenturesJack WangPartner at Project AKyoko WatanabeManaging Director at DEFTA Partners
+ 45 more
