Childcare & Early Learning Real Estate Summit

Where is the Childcare Real Estate headed and what can we expect in the years ahead as Australia goes through unprecedented population growth and opportunities within the sector. 

Nick Anagnostou, Managing Director, Navigator IC

Join Matthew Edwards, the Founder of THINK Childcare and the driving force behind NIDO Education. Drawing on his past successes, Matthew will share his insights into the future direction and opportunities across the Australian childcare real estate sector. With over a decade of experience shaping nurturing environments, this session promises a thought-provoking exploration on how to capitalise on emerging trends and develop key strategies in childcare. 

• What makes childcare real estate attractive to tenants?  
• Evaluating the asset class’s appeal for capital investment and for generating returns to investors 
• Exploring the unique relationship between design, developers and operators of childcare assets 
• Looking back at what made THINK Childcare so successful and what lessons can be applied to NIDO and other childcare facilities? 

Mathew Edwards, Founder and Managing Director, NIDO Childcare

Join us for a power-packed interactive conversation as we delve into the future of childcare real estate development. Our panel will unpack the full spectrum of opportunities and address the dynamic relationship between design, build and operate from the perspective of Australia’s leading childcare developers. 

• Future-proofing childcare assets: Leveraging government initiatives to bolster market stability amidst economic shifts 

• Capturing growth: Analysing market opportunities in childcare real estate amidst demand drivers and economic impact 
• Unleashing the latent value of land: Strategic approaches to maximise future development opportunities 
• The investment landscape: Capitalising on the lucrative opportunities in greenfield, brownfield, new construction, and retrofit childcare developments 

Mathew Edwards, Founder and Managing Director, NIDO Childcare

Sharyn Williams, Chief Financial Officer, G8 Education

Carolyn Morris, Chief Executive Officer, YMCA Victoria

Chris Fischer, Chief Executive Officer, Paisley Park Early Learning Centres

Bradley Air, National Project and Building Manager, Affinity Education Group

In this session we bring landlords, developers, investors, operators, architects, fit-out companies, and tech firms together in small focus groups to discuss challenges and opportunities. This will be followed by a 2-minute wrap by table facilitators. 

Round Table 1: Unlocking investment potential: Key considerations for investing in childcare real estate 

Moderated by: Mark Delaney, Fund Manager – Social Infrastructure, Australian Unity Wealth 

Round Table 2: Designing tomorrow’s learning havens: Innovations in architectural vision for childcare facilities 

Moderated by: Carmine Santomartino, Associate Director, Point Architects 

Round Table 3: Fire safety made simple: One-Stop answers for childcare facilities

Moderated by: Facilitate by Brooks 

Round Table 4: Step Up your space: Safe & stylish furniture solutions for childcare 

Moderated by: Facilitated by Step-4 

Round Table 5: Investing in Play: Building a playground that pays off 

Moderated by: Lukas Ritson, Founder and Play Expert, Wearthy  

Round Table 6: Technology Integration: Enhancing Efficiency and Safety in Childcare Facilities 

Mark Delaney, Fund Manager – Social Infrastructure, Australian Unity Wealth

Carmine Santomartino, Associate Director, Point Architects

Lukas Ritson, Founder and Play Expert, Wearthy

From emerging trends and regulatory developments to market dynamics and investment opportunities, Vanessa will delve into the factors shaping the APAC childcare sector. Gain a deeper understanding of regional nuances, challenges, and growth drivers that impact childcare operations and investment opportunities across APAC. 

• Emerging trends, regulations, and market dynamics in the APAC childcare sector 
• How resilient is this asset class when it comes to economic fluctuations? 
• Understanding the regional nuances and challenges shaping childcare operations across APAC 
• Identify growth drivers and investment opportunities within the APAC childcare industry 

Vanessa Rader, Head of Research, Ray White

In this panel of leading childcare fund managers, we uncover their latest investment insights and look into capital flows and returns for the sector. Dive into long-term compression trends in urban and non-urban childcare centre yields, uncover market momentum, and discover how to maximise your ROI.   

• Unlocking investment potential: Analysing the impact of rising interest rates and inflation on childcare real estate markets 
• Yield dynamics: Assessing long-term compression trends in urban and non-urban childcare centre yields 
• Exploring market momentum: Unveiling real estate and private equity interest in growth potential 
• Capitalising on ROI metrics: evaluating long-term performance indicators in childcare real estate investments 

Panellists

Richard Barresi, Executive Director, MA Financial Group

Cameron Bell, Senior Analyst – Equity Research, Canaccord Genuity

Travis Butcher, Fund Manager Social Infrastructure, Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT

Mark Delaney, Fund Manager – Social Infrastructure, Australian Unity Wealth

Facilitator

Benjamin Martin-Henry, Head of Real Assets Research – Pacific, MSCI

In this rapid-fire session, 5 forward thinking companies showcase how they’re shaping the future of childcare real estate through innovative tech, design and services.  

Talk 1: Furniture – The Starex Difference – Matt Cooke, Managing Director, Starex Manufacturing 

Talk 2: Facilitated by Z-Staffing 

Talk 3: Security & safety 

Talk 4: Design and construction  

Talk 5: Communication, billing & payment 

Matt Cooke, Managing Director, Starex Manufacturing

In this session, we’ll delve into the successful integration of a childcare centre within a Footscray Hospital. Examining the smooth synergy between paediatric care and early childhood education, we’ll uncover the unique challenges and benefits of this approach. Discover how this innovative model contributes to a holistic childcare strategy, positively impacting families, staff, and the broader community. 

Jonathan Wells, Commercial Development Manager, Plenary

Join us for the Tenants Panel Discussion as we unlock the economic and social value in childcare real estate. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from industry leaders on maximising the potential of childcare real estate as we go in depth to explore the following aspects: 

• Nurturing success: Redefining operator and children’s needs in modern and innovative childcare assets 
• ESG in Action: Building sustainable value through childcare real estate developments 
• Tenant-centric leasing strategies: Adaptable approaches to drive client retention and attract quality tenants in childcare real estate 

Panellists

Max Bergh, Chief Executive Officer, Amiga Montessori

Sam Winter, Executive Director – Growth & Development, Only About Children

Nicholas Siliato, Head of M&A, Affinity Education Group

Addy Singh, Owner/Founder, Learning Ladder Boutique Early Learning Centres

Facilitator

Marcello Caspani-Muto, Associate Director, CBRE

In this dynamic locknote session, industry visionary Tom Hardwick will share his key views on what lies ahead for childcare real estate and how you capitalise on this booming sector. 

Tom Hardwick, Former CEO, Guardian Childcare