Nikki Tugano is the Founder and CEO of SeenCulture, an award-winning HR tech company redefining how leadership potential is recognised. A former HR leader, accredited Coaching Psychologist and teacher at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Wellbeing Science, she combines behavioural science, data and lived experience to build technology that makes recognition and advancement fairer and faster at work.
Known as "Moneyball for work teams," SeenCulture helps organisations shine a light on untapped potential through rapid, bias-aware feedback analytics — with a mission that is simple but ambitious: to create a world where everyone feels seen.
The through-line of Nikki's work — from the lecture hall to the boardroom to the product she's building — is human potential: how it's spotted, how bias hides it, and what becomes possible for people and organisations when it's finally seen. Positive psychology gave her the science of human flourishing; HR gave her a front-row seat to how often workplaces miss it.
On stage, Nikki speaks on overcoming bias with data and her own path as an underrepresented, neurodiverse and introverted founder — first “seen” and selected for investment through Techstars, and since backed by investors across Australia and Japan.
She also uses her own product. Every one of the seven people who assessed her rated her higher than she rated herself, with the widest gap on how she shows up for her team — the same underclaiming pattern SeenCulture finds in more than 85% of the leaders it profiles. Her talks are warm, evidence-based and refreshingly honest about what it takes to be recognised for your real impact.
"They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel."
— Carl W. Buehner
Taking out the winning place at the 10th HR + L&D Innovation & Tech Fest — recognised for vision, uniqueness and technology among Australia's HR industry leaders.
See the moment on LinkedIn →
Invited to speak on what leaders can learn from the world of psychology — alongside Didier Elzinga (CEO, Culture Amp), Philippa Watson (CEO, Ubank), Amy Glancey (Chief of Staff, Atlassian) and Jess Blomfield (Airtree).
Read Nikki's reflection →
From pitch nights to conference keynotes — sharing the SeenCulture story of untapped potential with founders, investors and city leaders.
About SeenCulture →Most teams bolt AI onto how they already work, with no structure and no way to know whether it is paying off. A working session that maps your team’s capabilities first, then designs the system around them. You leave with the architecture on one page and three things to do on Monday.
Ideal forLeadership teams, AI adoption and transformation programs, L&D, company offsites
Most organisations ask what AI can replace. The better question is what it makes worth more. Work is consolidating around five human capabilities, and the roles anchored in them keep growing while routine-heavy roles thin out.
Ideal forExecutive teams, workforce planning and HR strategy, future-of-work and AI conferences
The strengths others rely on most are often the ones we have never claimed in ourselves. Nikki opens with her own profile, where the people around her rated her above her own view on every capability, then turns to what changes for teams and results when recognition catches up with reality.
Ideal forLeadership summits, people & culture conferences, executive offsites
Every organisation has undervalued performers its processes overlook. How bias-aware feedback and people analytics find them first, and why the future of work belongs to the companies that do.
Ideal forHR tech, future-of-work, data & AI conferences
An honest account of building a venture-backed company in a system not designed for her, and what it reveals about who gets seen, funded and promoted.
Ideal forDEI programs, ERG events, founder and women-in-tech audiences
Positive psychology has decades of evidence on what helps people thrive and perform. Most workplaces use almost none of it. A practical tour of the research worth acting on.
Ideal forUniversities, executive education, corporate L&D programs
Every talk is tailored to your audience, theme and time slot — available as a keynote, panel, fireside conversation, workshop or guest lecture.
Named among the founders reshaping modern entrepreneurship, alongside the country's most recognisable brands.
Recognised for HR innovation, uniqueness and technology among Australia's top HR leaders.
Awarded for leadership in DE&I workplace innovation.
Awarded for agility, innovation and market responsiveness, recognising SeenCulture's rapid product and traction growth.
One of 12 startups selected globally for the inaugural Techstars Tech Central cohort.
Unmapped with Mike Kelly
Evidence-based, story-driven talks tailored to your theme and audience.
A candid, articulate voice on bias, data, leadership and the future of work.
Interviews and commentary on the future of work, AI, and who gets seen at work.
A 90-minute session to design your team’s hybrid human-AI operating system, or a six-month program to build, embed and grow it.
A regular guest lecturer across leading Australian universities.
Keynotes and panels, podcast interviews and media commentary, workshops and programs, guest lectures. If it is about people, potential or performance, Nikki will leave the room seeing all three differently. Tell her what you have in mind.
Prefer email? hello@seenculture.com · Connect on LinkedIn