Biotech Meetups Melbourne

Tech & Business Networking in Melbourne

📍 **Registration is on Luma — Meetup is not our RSVP platform.** Please register here to secure your spot: https://luma.com/6rtzru3r 🚀 **Join our event in Melbourne!** We design Pitch and Networking nights to help founders sharpen their thinking through direct, candid feedback and to give strong investors access to serious teams. **Our pitch night is complemented by a structured networking session before and after the pitch session.** ▶ **See how our pitch nights look:** https://vimeo.com/877496618 **💡 What to expect:** - **Startups pitch live and receive focused feedback** from angels and VC partners - **Structured networking session** before and after the pitches - Entrepreneurs, startup founders, and operators are joining to network, exchange ideas, and build strong connections - Active investors and venture scouts joining to discover the best startups early **🤝 Who you will meet at the event:** - Founders - Investors, VC partners, Venture Scouts - Marketers, Salespeople, Business Advisors - Industry Disruptors - AI Experts - Entrepreneurs from Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom **💼 We Welcome New Investors:** We invite investors to our event to expand their network, get acquainted with new startups, evaluate them, share feedback, and participate in discussions with early-stage and serial founders. We offer **complimentary tickets to institutional investors, angels, and venture scouts** with a proven track record. Please [apply via Luma](https://luma.com/6rtzru3r) or send us an email so we can issue the ticket. If you'd like to **access our database of promising startups** or **provide mentorship support to our best startups**, please fill out this short [Investor Application Form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdn1s8f5_R3iaqYoJ4aU2q1IxcFXIZIQElD6cEcv8YkRQhaUA/viewform), and our team will contact you. **🎤 Want to Pitch?** A limited number of founders will have the opportunity to pitch their startup or business **to a panel of investors and experts.** 4-6 selected founders will pitch their startup, followed by a short Q&A where participants can ask questions and share feedback. Apply by filling out the [Pitch Application Form](https://forms.gle/CuscVQibyXBbi1Fv7) and sending us your pitch deck. Spots are limited, and we select founders in advance. To maintain high-quality pitches, you are required to present with a pitch deck. We will share our **pitching guide** and, if you'd like, **coach you** so you're fully prepared for pitch night. 🏆 **The best startups will be featured** across our social media and included in our **investor newsletter.** **Requirements for attendees:** - Dress code: smart casual. Bring good energy. **🎟 Join our event and secure your ticket today!** **About us:** [Startup Valley](https://startupvalley.club/) is a global event organizer hosting pitch nights in 25 cities since 2023. Since then, **we have hosted 850 events for 40,000 attendees**. Over these years, we connected countless outstanding early-stage startups to serious investors, and we are not planning to stop. We maintain strategic partnerships with VC funds in the US, Europe, and Asia to support our community. Do you have a **question, a partnership proposal, or want to clarify something**? Reach us at hello@startupvalley.club **Agenda** - 18:00–18:30 — **Registration**: Guests register, receive badges, and event programs. This is an opportunity for casual networking, making first connections, and preparing for the event. - 18:30–19:00 — **Event Kickoff & Interactive Networking**: Official welcome from the organizers with a brief overview of the event goals and schedule. Interactive networking session to connect with key contacts. - 19:00–19:50 — **Startup Pitch Session**: Startups present their projects to investors and experts. Each team has 5 minutes to pitch, covering the project’s core idea, business model, and target market. - 19:50–21:00 — **Chill & Networking**: Participants enjoy casual conversations with investors, discuss collaboration opportunities, and exchange ideas over refreshments. **FAQ** **Can I pitch?** Yes! To pitch, please purchase a Pitch Ticket and fill out the Pitch Application Form. We will contact you to discuss and approve your pitch. The pitch duration is 5 minutes. You will also have some time to answer questions from the audience. **How does the pitch go?** Selected founders present on stage to the audience and the investors in the room. You get 5 minutes to pitch your idea, business model, target market, and investment ask, followed by a short Q&A. The best startups are featured across our social media channels and in the investor newsletter. **Who will I meet?** Founders, angel investors, VC partners, venture scouts, AI experts, engineers, operators, marketing and sales experts, and international entrepreneurs from across Europe, Asia, and the US. **Do investors get free tickets?** Yes! Please apply via Luma (the link is in the event description) or email hello@startupvalley.club, and we will issue a complimentary ticket for you and your team. **Can I request a refund?** Yes. Refunds are available if requested at least 24 hours before the event start time. Please submit the refund request on the platform where you purchased your ticket, or email us at hello@startupvalley.club

Tech Networking Event by Startup Valley
in Melbourne

📍 **Registration is on Luma — Meetup is not our RSVP platform.** Please register here to secure your spot: https://luma.com/6rtzru3r 🚀 **Join our event in Melbourne!** We design Pitch and Networking nights to help founders sharpen their thinking through direct, candid feedback and to give strong investors access to serious teams. **Our pitch night is complemented by a structured networking session before and after the pitch session.** ▶ **See how our pitch nights look:** https://vimeo.com/877496618 **💡 What to expect:** - **Startups pitch live and receive focused feedback** from angels and VC partners - **Structured networking session** before and after the pitches - Entrepreneurs, startup founders, and operators are joining to network, exchange ideas, and build strong connections - Active investors and venture scouts joining to discover the best startups early **🤝 Who you will meet at the event:** - Founders - Investors, VC partners, Venture Scouts - Marketers, Salespeople, Business Advisors - Industry Disruptors - AI Experts - Entrepreneurs from Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom **💼 We Welcome New Investors:** We invite investors to our event to expand their network, get acquainted with new startups, evaluate them, share feedback, and participate in discussions with early-stage and serial founders. We offer **complimentary tickets to institutional investors, angels, and venture scouts** with a proven track record. Please [apply via Luma](https://luma.com/6rtzru3r) or send us an email so we can issue the ticket. If you'd like to **access our database of promising startups** or **provide mentorship support to our best startups**, please fill out this short [Investor Application Form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdn1s8f5_R3iaqYoJ4aU2q1IxcFXIZIQElD6cEcv8YkRQhaUA/viewform), and our team will contact you. **🎤 Want to Pitch?** A limited number of founders will have the opportunity to pitch their startup or business **to a panel of investors and experts.** 4-6 selected founders will pitch their startup, followed by a short Q&A where participants can ask questions and share feedback. Apply by filling out the [Pitch Application Form](https://forms.gle/CuscVQibyXBbi1Fv7) and sending us your pitch deck. Spots are limited, and we select founders in advance. To maintain high-quality pitches, you are required to present with a pitch deck. We will share our **pitching guide** and, if you'd like, **coach you** so you're fully prepared for pitch night. 🏆 **The best startups will be featured** across our social media and included in our **investor newsletter.** **Requirements for attendees:** - Dress code: smart casual. Bring good energy. **🎟 Join our event and secure your ticket today!** **About us:** [Startup Valley](https://startupvalley.club/) is a global event organizer hosting pitch nights in 25 cities since 2023. Since then, **we have hosted 850 events for 40,000 attendees**. Over these years, we connected countless outstanding early-stage startups to serious investors, and we are not planning to stop. We maintain strategic partnerships with VC funds in the US, Europe, and Asia to support our community. Do you have a **question, a partnership proposal, or want to clarify something**? Reach us at hello@startupvalley.club **Agenda** - 18:00–18:30 — **Registration**: Guests register, receive badges, and event programs. This is an opportunity for casual networking, making first connections, and preparing for the event. - 18:30–19:00 — **Event Kickoff & Interactive Networking**: Official welcome from the organizers with a brief overview of the event goals and schedule. Interactive networking session to connect with key contacts. - 19:00–19:50 — **Startup Pitch Session**: Startups present their projects to investors and experts. Each team has 5 minutes to pitch, covering the project’s core idea, business model, and target market. - 19:50–21:00 — **Chill & Networking**: Participants enjoy casual conversations with investors, discuss collaboration opportunities, and exchange ideas over refreshments. **FAQ** **Can I pitch?** Yes! To pitch, please purchase a Pitch Ticket and fill out the Pitch Application Form. We will contact you to discuss and approve your pitch. The pitch duration is 5 minutes. You will also have some time to answer questions from the audience. **How does the pitch go?** Selected founders present on stage to the audience and the investors in the room. You get 5 minutes to pitch your idea, business model, target market, and investment ask, followed by a short Q&A. The best startups are featured across our social media channels and in the investor newsletter. **Who will I meet?** Founders, angel investors, VC partners, venture scouts, AI experts, engineers, operators, marketing and sales experts, and international entrepreneurs from across Europe, Asia, and the US. **Do investors get free tickets?** Yes! Please apply via Luma (the link is in the event description) or email hello@startupvalley.club, and we will issue a complimentary ticket for you and your team. **Can I request a refund?** Yes. Refunds are available if requested at least 24 hours before the event start time. Please submit the refund request on the platform where you purchased your ticket, or email us at hello@startupvalley.club

Where do you thrive? Your product fit across startup, scale-up & corporate

**Where Do You Thrive?** *Finding your product fit across startup, scale-up and corporate* Managing a product at a 10-person startup looks markedly different to managing one at a scale up or established corporate. While the title is identical, the day-to-day job requirements, the influence, the pace, and the path forward have key differences. So how do you know where you thrive most? Join Product Women Melbourne for a panel conversation with product leaders who've built careers across startups, scale-ups and corporates. We'll explore: · What actually changes about the role at each stage — and what stays the same · The trade-offs nobody tells you about (autonomy vs. resources, speed vs. structure, ambiguity vs. process) · How to know if you're in the right environment for where you are in your career · What it's really like to move between stages — and what surprised our panellists most **Panellists:** [Anna Kelk,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-kelk-743587a7/) Chief Product Officer, Splose [Kelly Nguyen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellynnguyen/), Senior Product Manager APAC, Heidi [Teresa Huang](https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresajhuang/), Head of Product Bupa Whether you're considering your next career move, curious about a different kind of company, or just want to know if the grass really is greener in a different setting, this session is for you. Expect honest conversation and insights and time to connect with the Product Women Melbourne community afterwards. **Venue**: Preacta, 260 Collins Street, Melbourne (Melbourne CBD) **Date:** 06 August 2026 **Time:** 5:30-7:30pm Kindly sponsored by Preacta: Talent Acquisition Solutions and Recruitment

AI and the Limits of Human Judgement

**Skeptics Café will be held in the Function Room at [The Stolberg Hotel](https://stolberg.com.au), 197 Plenty Road Preston. The 86 tram route is close, and Bell train station – situated on the Epping line – is a short walk away. It will also be a virtual event accessible via Zoom, as per the details [here](https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/events/).** **Start Time:** 6:00pm for dinner and a chat. Talk and Zoom session starts at 7.30pm. We aim to wrap up after 9:00pm. **More Moral Than Us?** *Why the question matters for alignment, moral progress, and long-term flourishing* **TL;DR:** On some measurable moral tasks, today's AI already looks competitive with humans, or better, and the alignment community is oddly quiet about it. But moral capability is not the same as moral motivation: a system can compute the right answer without being moved by it. Pulling apart knowledge, reasoning, judgement and motivation is what makes the question tractable, and what makes the honest answer uncomfortable. Caveats attached, in quantity. Almost nobody working on AI alignment wants to say this out loud, at least not about current systems. So let's say it: AI might already be [more moral than us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/), in some measurable respects. Two questions fall straight out of that: * Why does it feel like a dangerous thing to claim? * And is human moral reasoning really a standard worth bragging about as an alignment target? The provocation isn't idle. In a modified Moral Turing Test, people rated a large language model's moral reasoning as better than other humans' on almost all measured dimensions - see [paper Attributions toward artificial agents in a modified Moral Turing Test](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58087-7) + associated [interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quNwpv0zhtM) and [talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLmzDUPhVo) with lead author Eyal Aharoni.[1] Findings like that are easy to over-read and easy to wave away, which is most of the problem. Provocative questions? Yes, and they are backed by empirical research. In a modified Moral Turing Test, people rated GPT-4's moral evaluations as better than other humans' on almost every dimension, though they could still tell which was the machine ([Aharoni et al. 2024](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58087-7); I [interviewed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quNwpv0zhtM) and [hosted a talk by](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLmzDUPhVo) lead author Eyal Aharoni).[1] The result has since been [contested](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25046-9) and [defended](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25047-8), which is exactly the kind of thing this evening is for. Findings like that are easy to over-read and easy to wave away, which is a problem that may obscure appropriate interpretations. The claim gets tabooed for reasons that aren't stupid. Premises do get smuggled in unnoticed. Morality is bound up with identity and tribe, so "AI is more moral" can land as an attack rather than a hypothesis. And it sits close to AI-worship, or to motivated reasoning looking for an excuse to defer to the machine, and deferring to AI on moral questions is genuinely epistemically risky. So the caution is understandable. The trouble is that it has hardened into a taboo, and the taboo now costs more than it protects. Most of the bad arguments, on both sides, come from running four different things together: * Moral knowledge: knowing the facts that bear on a decision. * Moral reasoning: drawing sound inferences from values to conclusions. * Moral judgement: applying principles well in a messy particular case. * Moral motivation: actually being moved by moral considerations, not merely computing them. Group the first three as epistemic competence: marshalling the relevant knowledge, drawing sound inferences, judging the particular case. Now grant, purely for argument, that AI already does all three better than we do. Notice what happens to the alignment problem. It doesn't dissolve. It relocates, wholesale, onto the fourth thing: whether the system is actually moved by any of it. Concede every epistemic point and the hard question is untouched. That gap, between knowing and caring, is where alignment actually lives. A system could plausibly beat humans on the first three while having nothing resembling the fourth. Keep them apart and the conversation becomes tractable. Collapse them and you get overclaiming and underclaiming in the same breath, which is roughly what the current debate produces. There's also a real risk in how the framing gets used. Point it one way and it justifies handing AI authority over human decisions. Point it the other and it's ammunition for painting alignment researchers as unhinged techno-utopians. Both feed motivated reasoning. Worth naming out loud, not a reason to stop. None of this settles the answer, and the evening won't pretend to. The narrower claim is enough: once a serious community stops itself from asking whether AI could have better-grounded moral reasoning than humans, the taboo has become the expensive thing. It's a question worth putting on the table, with every caveat attached. Come and help pull it apart. Also see: **- [More Moral than Us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/)** **- [Why Are We Afraid to Ask Whether AI Could Be More Moral Than Humans?](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/)** [1] AI didn't pass as human, it was rated as better than human. The same study found that when participants were then asked to identify which evaluation came from a machine, people performed significantly above chance levels. So GPT-4 didn't fool anyone. The authors' reading is that people could pick the AI out not because it reasoned worse but because it seemed to reason better, i.e. its perceived superiority was the tell.

SVI presents: Decoding the Future of Medical Research (National Science Week)

Join me for a fascinating evening exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping medical research — from predicting disease to designing more personalised treatments. This is a free National Science Week event hosted by St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research (SVI). It's hosted by technology commentator Steve Sammartino and features presentations from Associate Professor Davis McCarthy (a computational biologist and AI researcher) and Associate Professor Elizabeth Paratz (a cardiologist and clinician-scientist), followed by a panel discussion with experts working at the forefront of medical innovation. Together they'll dig into the opportunities, challenges and ethical questions around AI in healthcare. We'll meet at 5:25pm at the ticket scanning spot at the ACMD Building so we can head in together, then the presentations run from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. It's a short, punchy session — in and done within the hour. This is a casual social meetup arranged so we can go along together — it isn't run by, affiliated with, or endorsed by SVI. Please book your own free ticket directly with them; an RSVP here doesn't include entry. **Who this is for** * Anyone curious about AI, medicine, science or the future of healthcare — no background needed. * A relaxed, sit-and-listen event, so it's easy to come along solo. Solo attendees are very welcome. **Links** * Meetup start point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KEFA24yuJCemgFX16 * Free tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/svi-presents-decoding-the-future-of-medical-research **Timeline** * 5:25pm – Meet at the ticket scanning spot at the ACMD Building and say hello * 5:30pm – Presentations begin * 6:30pm – Presentations wrap up and the meetup finishes **Tickets / cost** Please book your own ticket through the Humanitix link above — free events can still fill up, so grab yours early. Your Meetup RSVP is not a ticket. **Transport** The venue is at 27 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, right on the edge of the CBD and well served by trams along Victoria Parade. If you're driving, allow time to sort out parking nearby. **Bring** * Your ticket (on your phone is fine) for scanning * Your curiosity and any questions for the panel **Expect** * Vibe: relaxed, informative, science-curious * Pace: an easy hour of talks and discussion * Group style: friendly and low-pressure, easy to join on your own **Important notes** * Please book your free ticket directly with SVI in advance — an RSVP here doesn't include entry. * If your plans change, please update your RSVP so numbers stay clear.

Welcome to the next 2026 AWS Melbourne Well-Architected User Group Meetup!

Hi Architects, Welcome to our next AWS Melbourne Well-Architected User Group Meetup for 2026, including more exceptional speakers and topics! :-D At each meetup we covered off various pillars in detail, best-practices and insights from industry leaders that specialise in the Well-Architected Framework. And giving away drones, of course. Lots of drones. **Please also note that AWS Security now requests a company name and company email where it is available. If you are a student, please list your institution and your student email address at that institution 👍** We'll be announcing more speakers on [https://well-architected.me](https://well-architected.me/) and previewing presentations during the coming weeks - our speakers and details this month include: * **Mystery Speaker** **AWS Partner Revenue Management; A New Dawn or... ;-)** Partner Revenue Measurement (PRM) is the biggest change to the AWS Partner Network (APN) and in this session we will dive deep into the details and importance - essential for any AWS partner or customer. This month's menu will include: * Pizzas * Beer: Nastro Azzurro * Wine: Big and red 🤤 NB: Please check in up the stairs from the ground floor to the Mezzanine Level. So come join us at 5:30 for a 6pm **SHARP** start, followed by beer, wine, pizza and friendly networking after our talks :-) Tired of Linkedin’s "thought leadership”, spam and advertising? Join https://well-architected.me/ , the AWS community built for architects, developers and cloud professionals. * Connect with experienced AWS practitioners * Preview upcoming AWS Meetups and relive past content * Create and review beautiful AWS case studies in minutes * Prepare for AWS certifications with curated quizzes * Show your manager and reports you’re well-architected (Please note that by registering to attend you agree to your details being shared as and where required with Amazon Web Services and AWS Well-Architected User Group partners)

Product Camp 2026

Join us on Saturday, August 8th for a day of product goodness. And madness. With learning new things and meeting new friends. Kick off / Keynote @ 9:00 am Doors 8:30 am What is Product Camp? * It’s a day long community driven event consisting of participant led talks which are voted on by you (aka an ‘unconference’). * Brings together people who are involved in making products - product managers, product owners, product marketers, designers, researchers, UXers, BAs, engineers and more. * Organised by volunteers, Product Camp is a free event for attendees and is only possible with the support of sponsors! **Keep updated by joining the ProdAnon Slack**: (there's a camp channel) [https://bit.ly/pcmelb26](https://bit.ly/pcmelb26) **Want to give a talk or lead a discussion?** Get your ideas in early so we can promote you on the website & socials! More info here: [https://bit.ly/pcamptalks2026](https://bit.ly/pcamptalks2026) We’ll be kicking off at 9am sharp for a full day of activities, learning, food and fun - including a keynote). Plus an after party once we wrap up around 4:30pm. See the [Camp ](https://productcampmelbourne.com)website for pix from previous years & additional info. Is your company interested in sponsoring? Reach out to Jen, Steve or any of the Product Camp volunteers. Join these amazing organisations: **Thank you to our host - Seek!** [SEEK ](https://www.seek.com.au/Product-Manager-jobs)has been helping Australians live more fulfilling and productive working lives for 28 years. SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprised of a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. As a market leader in online employment marketplaces that span ten countries across Asia Pacific and Latin America, SEEK makes a positive contribution to people’s lives on a global scale. **Thank you Amplitude!** [Amplitude](https://amplitude.com/?utm_source=3rd-party-event&utm_medium=measurecamp&utm_campaign=2026-08-08-apac-tradeshow-productcamp-melbourne) is the leading AI analytics platform, helping over 4,900 customers—including Atlassian, Burger King, NBCUniversal, SafetyCulture, and Zip—build better products and digital experiences. With powerful AI Agents embedded across our platform, teams can analyse, test, and optimise user experiences faster than ever. Ranked #1 across multiple categories in G2’s Winter 2026 Report, Amplitude is the best-in-class solution for product, data, and marketing teams. **Thank you Everest!** [Everest Engineering](https://www.everest.engineering/) helps clients step into the future by designing, building and scaling smarter digital products, delivered by trusted experts in product, design, engineering and AI. Smarter products, powered by AI. Built with people you can trust. **Thank you Mixpanel!** [Mixpanel ](https://mixpanel.com/)is the decision analytics platform built for fast-moving teams. By combining intuitive self-serve reporting, enterprise-ready scale, and seamless integrations with your data stack, Mixpanel helps product, marketing, and growth teams align faster, uncover what matters, and take confident action. **Thank you Fabric!** [Fabric Group](https://www.fabricgroup.com.au) and Cursor have partnered to help organisations accelerate the future of software engineering. Combining Cursor’s industry-leading AI-powered development platform with Fabric’s deep engineering expertise and enterprise consulting capabilities, the partnership empowers teams to build, deliver and innovate faster. Together, we’re enabling organisations to embrace AI-native engineering, unlock greater productivity and solve complex business challenges with confidence. **Thank you Easygo!** [Easygo ](https://easygo.io/)is the force behind brands with global reach, through products and platforms people actually choose to experience. We do what’s exciting, not expected. That means big ideas, tight execution, and teams that are trusted to ship, learn, and ship again. **Thank you Octopus Deploy!** [Octopus ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/octopus-deploy/posts/?feedView=all)makes it easy to deliver software to Kubernetes, multi-cloud, on-prem infrastructure, and anywhere else. Automate the release, deployment, and operations of your software with a tool that can handle CD at scale in ways no other tool can. **Thank you Figma!** [Figma ](https://www.figma.com/)is a cloud-based digital design and collaboration platform primarily used to design, prototype, and test websites and mobile apps. It allows designers, product managers, and developers to work together in real-time within the same file, acting as an all-in-one planning and visual sketchbook tool. **Thank you Notion!** [Notion ](https://www.notion.com/en-gb/product/notion-for-product-development)is where teams and AI agents collaborate to get work done. Your knowledge, projects, and AI tools live in one place, so AI has the context to summarize, draft, and take action. Automate busywork, reduce tool sprawl, and keep work moving with enterprise grade security and controls. **Thank you Middleton Executive!** [Middleton Executive ](https://www.middletonexec.com.au/)partners with technology leaders to build the teams and leadership capability required for growth. Combining AI-enabled hiring practices with experienced talent leadership, we help organisations improve hiring quality, strengthen decision-making and create the conditions for sustained business performance. **Thank you The Outlook!** **Thank you Preacta!** [Preacta ](https://www.preacta.com)is a specialist talent partner helping organisations build high performing technology, digital, product and executive leadership teams. We provide permanent recruitment, contract recruitment, executive search, talent intelligence and embedded talent solutions, combining deep market expertise with data driven insights to help clients make better hiring decisions. Our focus is on building long term partnerships, delivering exceptional candidate and client experiences, and helping businesses attract the talent they need to grow. **Thank you Product Academy!** [Product Academy](https://www.productacademy.io) helps PMs become AI Product Builders in the AI Era! We teach real-world work, builder blueprints and insider interview strategies. If you know someone trying to get ahead in the AI PM era, send them our way — we’ve helped thousands, and it’s all taught by a hiring manager (Dave Wang) so he knows exactly what’s needed to succeed. **Thank you Leading the Product!** [Leading the Product (LTP)](https://www.leadingtheproduct.com/conference/) is an Australian product community and events platform that helps product professionals learn, connect and improve how they lead, build and deliver products. At its core, LTP supports the community through leading the conversation, leading the craft and leading the connections.

R-Ladies+ Melbourne & Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) Networking Event

R-Ladies+ Melbourne and the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) Victoria are excited to bring our communities together for an evening of networking and connection. **Event details** 📅 Wednesday 12th of August 2026 🕕 6:00pm 📍 Hotel Nacional, Level 3 Rooftop (it is undercover with heaters) 23-25 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 3000 If you use R for programming, data analysis, visualisation, statistics, or you're a statistician looking to connect, this event is for you. We're looking forward to bringing our two communities together for a relaxed evening of networking and sharing knowledge and experiences. Whether you're a regular attendee of either organisation or joining us for the first time, you'll be warmly welcomed. And yes… food will be provided! 🎉 **Please RSVP by 4th of August** (for catering purposes - we kindly ask you update your registration so we can accurately notify the venue and order appropriate amount of food)

Stem Cell Lightning Talks

From Search to AI: Building Smarter Applications with Elastic & GenAI

AI applications are only as good as the data behind them. Join us for an evening exploring how modern teams are using search, retrieval, and GenAI to build intelligent experiences powered by real-world data. ​ Whether you’re experimenting with LLMs, building RAG pipelines, or looking beyond AI demos into production systems, this meetup brings together developers and builders working at the intersection of search and AI. ​ Connect with the local community, hear practical stories from the field, and explore how Elastic helps bridge the gap between raw data and intelligent applications. ​ **What You’ll Explore: ​** * The Search Layer Behind Modern AI: See why search has become a key building block for AI applications and how retrieval, relevance, and indexing shape better user experiences. * ​RAG, Vector Search & LLM Workflows: Learn how teams are connecting language models with enterprise and application data using modern retrieval techniques. ​ * Building AI Systems That Scale: Go beyond prototypes and explore practical approaches for creating systems that are reliable, observable, and ready for production environments. ​ * Turning Data Into Intelligent Experiences: Understand how structured and unstructured data can work together to create smarter products, workflows, and applications. ​ **Location:** ​The Wharf Hotel Melbourne - Portside Room. 18/38 Siddeley St, Docklands ​ **Agenda:** ​ \- 16:00 Arrivals & Networking Drinks \- 16:30 Welcome Comments \- Chris Frost \- 16:45 Speaker 1: New features you can access \- Chris Frost\, Solution Architect \- 17:00 Speaker 2: Why your AI is lying to you and how you can fix it \- Mike Calizo\, Customer Architect \- 17\.15 Speaker 3: Customer Use Case presented by Insignia and Elastic \- 17:30 Networking Drinks \- 18:00 Farewell Comments **Who Should Attend:** ​ This meetup is designed for a wide range of participants: ​ * Developers and engineers exploring GenAI or search ​ * Builders working with LLMs, RAG, or vector databases ​ * Anyone curious about how AI works with real-world data * ​Elastic users looking to deepen their understanding ​ * Professionals interested in scalable AI system design ​ No matter your experience level — if you’re interested in the intersection of AI and data, you’ll feel right at home. ​​ **Interested in giving a talk?** Have you ever considered presenting on your Elastic use case? We welcome lightning talks of 5-10 minutes, 45-minute deep dives, and everything in between. If you're interested, please submit via our [CFP](https://sessionize.com/elastic-meetups) or email us at kartikay@elastic.co

'GENESIS' - The Generative AI Filmmaker's Networking Event

**Welcome to 'GENESIS' - The Generative AI Filmmaking Networking Event!** ***THIS MAY BE A LIMITED EVENT - PLEASE MAKE SURE TO RSVP.*** This group is for individuals interested in exploring the intersection of generative AI technology and movie making. Whether you're a filmmaker eager to discuss movie production, a technician looking to collaborate, or simply wishing to learn more and discuss AI in film, this group is for you! Join us at the Emporium food court (located behind Grill’d Burger Restaurant in the CBD, not near Melbourne Station) to discuss AI technologies, workflows, productions, AI ethics, government responsibility and more. After 7pm, we continue the evening with Happy Hour drinks at a nearby bar and a chance to grab dinner together. Feel free to bring friends interested in AI filmmaking; it’s a great way to introduce new faces to our expanding network. RSVP to help us gauge attendance and become part of a growing network of film professionals and enthusiasts. Though the event begins in the afternoon, the relationships you build here can last well into the night and beyond. At 7 PM, we move to The Carlton Club, a five-minute walk away, where we continue networking in a more formal rooftop setting over drinks and food. This change of venue offers an ideal environment to keep conversations flowing. We want to foster a supportive network for creativity, film and television production, and collaboration between the world of cinema and AI. Connect with like-minded individuals and explore the exciting world of generative AI filmmaking together at GENESIS.

[Sydney] AI Agents for Business Growth: Automate, Scale, and Compete Smarter

Sydney-based businesses face intense competition and rising operational costs. This workshop focuses on how AI agents can deliver measurable efficiency gains—helping businesses automate processes, improve responsiveness, and scale smarter. Attendees will learn how to identify high-impact AI opportunities and implement solutions that deliver ROI without unnecessary complexity. Local relevance: Startups, professional services, retail, technology-enabled businesses, and scale-ups.