Craig Dunn, chairman of fintech hub Stone&Chalk, talked about driving economic growth through technology, to executives interested in the digital future, at the Business School this week.

The visit came a day after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed the federal government's $1.1billion "investment in the ideas boom".

And just hours after the PM was at Stone&Chalk's Circular Quay base, for the announcement that First State Super would be investing tens of millions of dollars in fintech startups.

The invitation-only lunch was attended by executives from industry, government and professional bodies.

Professor Nick Wailes, who heads the Business School's digital and innovation strategy and hosted the CEDA "trustee lunch", said the main game for innovation and entrepreneurship was actually taking place on campuses across Australia and UNSW was the "startup" capital.

More than 80 entrepreneurship activities or competitions occur across campus and more than 5000 students have taken part in activities at the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, which opened in August.

"Competitions like the Peter Farrell Cup and the China Hackathon are just the ​tip of the entrepreneurship iceberg at UNSW. A record number of students are learning about entrepreneurship by actually doing it. It's these students who will form the ventures and take the risks that will underpin the next stage of Australia's economic growth," said Professor Wailes.