Local government is under growing pressure to modernise services, attract digital talent, and deliver faster, user-centred outcomes. Yet many of the answers already exist — in how startups build, organise, and grow their teams.

This talk explores what public sector leaders can learn from the startup world about building effective digital teams. It unpacks how startups design lean, cross-functional structures; hire for adaptability rather than rigid experience; and embed learning directly into their day-to-day work.

We’ll look at how local government can apply these lessons — creating empowered digital teams with clear roles, continuous training, and genuine career pathways. The goal isn’t to mimic startup chaos, but to capture their agility, customer focus, and learning culture inside a more structured environment.

Attendees will leave with practical ideas for:

* Rethinking digital team roles and structures
* Recruiting and developing people with startup-style learning mindsets
* Building career pathways that attract and retain digital talent
* Encouraging experimentation and faster delivery within public systems