We’re highlighting our business’ strongest asset: our wonderful team!

Here at the Canberra Innovation Network, we’re passionate about innovation and are here to help you make an impact and change the world. Our team is full of clever, connected and creative people and we’re excited to introduce you to our Creative Engagement & Events Manager, Britt Nichols.

Explain what you do at CBRIN in 25 words or less.
Running events for the startup community and helping to market Canberra as a clever, connected and creative city.

Tell us about what you’re working on at the moment.
We always have new events and programs sprouting up! A big focus for me is First Wednesday Connect (our monthly networking event) and the lead up to the Innovation Showcase which is our big end of year celebration.

Who or what inspires you?
I get inspired by new ideas that challenge the status quo. I love it when things break expectations, surprise you or make you stop and rethink.

What’s your favourite book or podcast?
My favourite book is The Beach by Alex Garland, but I recently read Flames by Robbie Arnott which I can’t stop thinking about. I love listening to ‘Lore‘ and ‘This American Life‘.

What are you most passionate about?
I love art and nature. I get excited by creative design and typography, patterns and colours. I also love the art of storytelling, the ability to feel an emotion you’ve possibly never experienced through images or words is just so cool.

If you could dis-invent one thing, what would it be and why?
Probably pokies. I don’t think our devices would be as addictive as they are without this 100+ year case study into our brain’s reward system.

Drink of choice? 
Have you ever had an Espresso Tonic? Highly reccommend!

What do you work towards in your free time?
Usually I can’t sit still and am trying to learn, improve and create, but these chaotic 20’s have really shifted what’s needed for me to be content. I’m working towards being more chill, being okay with sitting still and trying to appreciate what I have here and now.

On top of that, if I am creating things, I’m creating them just for me. Not posting everything I do on social media, not trying to make everything a perfect ‘salable’ item because bad art is better than no art.

What’s the coolest innovation you’ve read or heard about lately?
There’s some super exciting stuff happening in film, TV and games at the moment with virtual production sets and software like Unreal Engine. The crossover of art and AI is creating some mindblowing stuff!

What’s something that never fails to make you smile?
Bus drivers waving at each other. Birds running. When dogs get surprised by their own farts.

What are you currently watching on Netflix?
I’ll be honest, I’ve been in a YouTube scroll hole for months now – I don’t know when one video stops and another starts anymore.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we may not know.
I’m a freelance designer, and run a fashion project called PRYPT. I used to host a D&B radio show and I’m super freaked out by Christmas beetles.

If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Black, to match my wardrobe.

Thanks, Britt! You can connect with her on LinkedIn or meet her at our office in Civic.