The Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) launched his week. It is Australia’s first independent think tank dedicated to technology policy. Founded by three female tech leaders, Johanna Weaver, Zoe Jay Hawkins and Sunita Kumar, TPDi’s mission is to shape technology through independent research, education, and commentary.
TPDi’s launch comes as Australia considers regulation of artificial intelligence, privacy, and accountability of digital platforms. Compounding this, the region is at the centre of the accelerating global tech race and increasing geostrategic tension.
TPDi CEO and Co-Founder Johanna Weaver said TPDi’s establishment fills a gap in Australia by providing an informed and independent voice that will bring together different perspectives on technology.
“Young people’s use of social media, digital identity, cyber security, and technology’s impact on democracy are just some of the tech policy issues on the national agenda in 2025,” said Weaver.
The Institute will be underpinned by a new funding mechanism, TPDi’s Tech Policy Design Fund, which is currently welcoming contributions. The Fund’s founding members already include the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the Department of Finance, Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Atlassian, the Australian Computer Society, Microsoft, and Salesforce.
“TPDi embraces a multi-stakeholder funding model, drawing support from government, industry, philanthropy, and charitable sectors,” said Weaver. “This approach safeguards our independence by preventing capture by any single group.”
TPDi builds on momentum established during three years of incubation as the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. Having now spun out of the university and established as an independent not-for-profit, TPDi will continue to work to:
- Design best practice tech policy through world-leading research;
- Establish a pipeline of leaders that design good tech policy through innovative education;
- Foster informed public debate on tech policy issues in Australia and the Indo-Pacific; and
- Convene multi-stakeholder communities to co-design practical tech policy solution.
TPDi Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder Zoe Jay Hawkins said TPDi will act as a catalyst for more informed public conversations on how policy can be harnessed to shape technology.
“Technology impacts every aspect of our lives,” she said. “Given its rapid evolution, it’s easy to feel like we have little control over where technology is headed, but we don’t have to passively accept the status quo. We can, and must, shape technology through the power of policy.”
