Fiona Holmstrom is the Co-founder of STEM Punks Education, an organisation that has transformed how students experience learning in a technology-driven world. Her journey combines education, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration, all aimed at helping young people build the confidence and skills they need to thrive in future workplaces. Over the years, she has worked with schools, government bodies, and corporate partners to design and deliver scalable STEM programs that are aligned with school curriculums and real-world industry needs. Recently, she led the company’s transition from a services-based model to a productised one, introducing Innovation Learning Guides and Innovation Kits that allow schools and organisations anywhere in the world to access high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences.
Fiona’s inspiration for starting STEM Punks came from a mix of inequity and opportunity. She often met bright and curious young people who loved problem-solving but couldn’t see themselves in STEM careers. To them, science and technology seemed distant, difficult, or unwelcoming. Fiona realised these perceptions stemmed from systemic barriers such as limited access to hands-on tools, low confidence, and a lack of real-world context connecting STEM to meaningful careers. Determined to change this, she founded STEM Punks to make STEM learning accessible and relatable. The organisation connects students with real industry challenges, helping them discover how science, engineering, and innovation can improve their lives and communities.
STEM Punks stands out in the education market because it blends innovation, measurable impact, and strong industry partnerships. Unlike generic programs, each initiative is co-developed with partners from industries such as energy, aerospace, and agriculture to teach the exact skills needed for the future workforce. The programs also help companies build their talent pipelines by transforming corporate social responsibility into long-term, strategic capability-building. Through its Innovation Kits, Learning Guides, and teacher-led programs, STEM Punks ensures consistent and measurable learning outcomes globally, proving that education can be both purposeful and scalable.
Like many growing ventures, STEM Punks has faced challenges. One major hurdle was scaling without losing quality. Initially, the company relied heavily on in-person facilitation, which limited growth. Fiona overcame this by introducing digital tools, scalable content, and structured reporting systems that maintained high quality while expanding reach. Another challenge was aligning multiple stakeholders with different priorities. Fiona solved this by adopting a co-design approach, creating pilot programs to test and refine solutions before full-scale implementation, ensuring each partnership added real value.
Among her many achievements, Fiona is most proud of the organisation’s global impact. From starting with six local children in her garage, STEM Punks has now reached over a quarter of a million students worldwide. She finds the greatest reward not in awards or recognition, but in seeing students realise that they, too, can pursue careers in technology and innovation.
Looking ahead, Fiona believes the education industry is shifting from traditional sponsorship models toward strategic capability building. Companies are moving beyond short-term CSR events and focusing on programs that directly feed into their workforce needs. She also sees inclusion and data-driven impact as defining trends, with organisations increasingly demanding measurable outcomes that align with ESG goals.
Innovation and technology sit at the core of STEM Punks’ success. The company not only teaches innovation but embodies it. Its Innovation Kits and Learning Guides translate complex concepts like robotics, AI, and sustainability into engaging, hands-on experiences. At the same time, digital delivery tools enable global reach, helping teachers and partners measure impact and ensure consistent quality across different regions.
Fiona describes her leadership style as heart-centred and outcomes-driven. She focuses on purpose, collaboration, and measurable impact, encouraging transparency and shared accountability across her team. For her, leadership means balancing empathy with evidence, ensuring that every initiative serves both the students and the partners who support them.
To young professionals and entrepreneurs, Fiona offers three key lessons: anchor your vision in solving real problems, co-create with your community rather than for it, and protect your energy by building strong systems and habits. She believes that purpose fuels creativity, but structure sustains it.
Looking to the future, Fiona aims to expand STEM Punks’ reach across Australia, the USA, the UK, the Middle East, India, and Asia. Her vision is to make world-class STEM education accessible to every community, empowering students and supporting companies in building diverse, skilled workforces. For her, success means more than growth – it means unlocking futures at scale and ensuring that innovation becomes a shared opportunity for all.