The path to leadership in Australia's vibrant startup ecosystem often begins with a single transformative experience. 

Today, as LaunchVic's new COO, Puji Fernando brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as General Manager of DoorDash Australia, where he scaled operations across Australia and market entry into New Zealand. His journey exemplifies the lasting impact of early exposure to entrepreneurial thinking and global perspectives.

Coming Full Circle: The HEX Impact

Back in 2017, Puji embarked on what would become a life-changing journey with HEX's Global Internship Program. Along with his cohort, he dove headfirst into the bustling startup ecosystem of San Francisco Bay Area for an intensive two-week entrepreneurial adventure. From meeting founders of cutting-edge startups to visiting global tech companies, the program exposed Puji to what's possible in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Fast forward to 2024, and we were thrilled to welcome Puji back to the HEX family – this time as a featured speaker at HEXPO2024, one of Melbourne's most exciting startup events, hosted at the stunning Edge, Fed Square. There's something special about seeing our HEXies return, not just to share their successes, but to actively help shape the next wave of entrepreneurs.

His session was filled with real-world examples, candid stories about both successes and setbacks, and tangible strategies for tackling ambitious goals.

Watching Puji connect with the HEX community was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. His story isn't just about individual success – it's about the ripple effect that occurs when talented, passionate people succeed and then pay it forward. It shows our community that with determination, the right mindset, and a supportive network, they too can turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Building Scale in Dynamic Environments

At DoorDash, Puji turned challenges into opportunities for growth. Joining a small team just before COVID-19, he helped scale the team to hundreds across Australia and New Zealand. During this period, he developed valuable insights on rapid scaling, team building, and market adaptation.

Now in his new role as Chief Operating Officer at LaunchVic, Puji is channeling his commercial experience into nurturing Victoria's next generation of startup success stories. His appointment comes as LaunchVic rolls out its new strategy, following the Victorian Government’s commitment to another four years of funding for LaunchVic. In his new role, Puji will oversee programs designed to accelerate the growth of Victoria’s startup ecosystem.

This includes the 30X30 program, which aims to scale 30 Victorian startups to $1 billion valuations by 2030, and the newly launched Basecamp program, supporting seed to Series A founders to make their first executive hires.

The Road Ahead

It's clear that his journey from HEX to LaunchVic showcases something special about the entrepreneurial spirit we aim to foster. From those intensive two weeks in San Francisco to scaling DoorDash across Australia, and now shaping Victoria's startup future at LaunchVic – Puji embodies the kind of leader we hope every HEXie can become.

Applications for our next cohort of Global Internship Programs are now open! Learn more here.