Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Ever had an idea? Do you look at things and say "I can do that better"? If this is you then you will find our monthly inventor's meetings a great place to visit. For just $20 payable at the door you can attend a meeting from 7:15pm to 9:30pm at Mount Waverley Youth Centre, 45 Miller Crescent, Mount Waverley. See someone present their invention and learn how they did it, listen to an interesting guest speaker and pick up tips for your own inventions. Join 35+ other inventors for an interesting and informative meeting. Ends with great finger food and coffee. Members enjoy other services including invention evaluation, mentoring, Free patent searching tool, YouTube video of their product, product showcase webpage, "Inventor" name badge, inventing guide and more. Cost of membership is $200 with renewal each year of $80 and meeting evening cost of $5. Discount for country and tertiary student members. Need patenting information? Before each meeting there is a patent attorney answering questions from 6.30pm to 7.20pm (pay your visitor fee at the door first) who will help you understand patenting and other intellectual property options. Ask any question, learn about patenting costs, pitfalls, advantages. This also covers registered designs.

Care to organize something? Step up as event organizer. Please RSVP yes here and you will be contacted via meetup/

This event is for all business owners in Melbourne, who are looking to grow their business. This event will have combination of networking and business education/discussion

Join renowned Business Coach, **Rakesh Singh**, for an immersive and transformative experience at the highly anticipated Business Growth Seminar. This empowering event is specifically designed for business owners like you who are eager to unlock the full potential of their enterprises and achieve unprecedented success. Throughout this engaging seminar, Rakesh will delve into crucial areas of business management, including marketing, sales, operations, financials, strategy, planning, time management, and people management. Drawing from his extensive experience working with diverse industries, Rakesh will provide actionable strategies and techniques that can be implemented immediately to drive positive change within your organisation.

**Register now to attend! =>** [https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-03-04](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-03-04) **<=** **Latest promotions** discovered by our community! * Missed **75%** off [LF / CNCF](https://lf.ksug.ai/)? [Get Notified](https://ksug.ai/?notify&ref=meetup) for next BIG drop! * **20%** off [KubeCon Europe](https://ksug.ai/events/?ref=meet) 2026 using code **KSAI20** * Up to **30%** off popular [Books](https://ksug.ai/books/?ref=meet) and [Events](https://ksug.ai/events/?ref=meet) We're excited to welcome you to the upcoming **KSUG.AI Australia Meetup** — happening both in-person at at Amazon and online via [Zoom](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai)! 🎉 We're actively seeking more awesome AI topic speakers! 👉 [https://speaker.ksug.ai](https://speaker.ksug.ai) **Agenda and topics preview:** * Food, drinks and Socializing * Welcome / Introductions by the Organizers @**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** * **Topic 1:** Beyond Patching: Why Distroless is Your Last Line of Defense Against 0-Days by **[Andrew Dean](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ad7/)**, Enterprise SE @**[Chainguard](https://www.chainguard.dev/)** * **Topic 2:** Managing Kubernetes at scale with ClusterAPI, GitOps, and NKP by **[Chris Porter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchrisporter/)**, Principal SA @**[Nutanix](https://www.nutanix.com/)** * **Topic 3:** Era of Resource Efficient AI Models by **[Om Subrato Dey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/om-subrato-dey/)**, Incoming Master of IT with AI @**UoM** * **Quiz time:** nice swags giveaways Food and drinks will be provided between **5.30 and 6 pm** on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a great opportunity to learn and network with our peers. Thanks to our sponsors @**[Amazon](https://aws.com/)**, @**[KodeKloud](https://ksug.ai/kk/?ref=meet)**, **[Nutanix](https://www.nutanix.com/)** and **[Chainguard](https://www.chainguard.dev/)**! **[Register here](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-03-04) to secure your spot!** See you all there! **Location:** Amazon MEL12, Level 13.304 [555 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kbi13GZqj2zDqDz2A) 👉 Join our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/Rp9WzYyKua) and [WhatsApp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D9a9IDiCS7U4cqQ0Sh60cz?mode=gi_t) for latest update! 🔖 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬: ☸ 30% OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Certs - Code: **30K8SUG** ☸ 37% OFF **[KodeKloud](https://ksug.ai/kk/?ref=meet)** Plans - Code: **K8SUGKK** 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬: ✅ Learn 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⚡ ✅ Certify 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 💰 ✅ Grow 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 💪 𝟏𝟖𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎+ follow **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** 🔥 [linktr.ee/ksug.ai](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai) *By registering, you consent to the management of your personal information in accordance with KSUG.AI Meetup's [Privacy Policy](https://k8sug.ai/privacy). Additionally, you agree that our sponsors may contact you.* **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** is an independent community and not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF. Kubernetes, K8s, Kubestronaut are registered trademarks of The Linux Foundation.

**Trainscendence Comedy Club - Comedy.. on a Rooftop... in a Train** Come join us for a night of laughter at **Trainscendence**! Each show so far has sold out!! Have you ever been to a stand-up comedy show in a train carriage in the sky? oh, you have? nice.. Our comedy club features hilarious stand-up comedians ready to tickle your funny bone. Get ready for a night of non-stop jokes and good times. Trainscendence Comedy Club in the newest and most unique Comedy Club in the Melbourne scene, this burgeoning new venue will have you lost in curiousity and imagination. Come along and have a drink at the bar or hang out in the trainscendental lounge while you wait for your show! Grab your tickets now and get ready to laugh until your sides hurt! Only $10 [Book tickets here](https://momence.com/l/b8h1b9D2)

We’re excited to kick off 2026 with our first **Melbourne MLOps Community Meetup** of the year! This event is extra special! For the first time, we’re featuring a married duo, Mr. and Mrs. Badawy. And what better day to announce it than Valentine’s Day? 🚀✨ **🎤 Speakers** We’re thrilled to introduce: **\- Luke Badawy**, Generative AI Engineering Manager *at* Commonwealth Bank. Luke is a seasoned Software Engineer and self-proclaimed AI nerd with years of industry experience. In his talk, *Generating Games Using Only Gen AI*, Luke will explore a fascinating and often overlooked frontier in Generative AI — game generation. **\- Natalie Badawy**, Talent Acquisition Specialist *at* Andromeda. Described by Mr. Badawy as “Initiative Lord 9000,” Natalie is the co-founder of "What the Heck is Tech (?)" and co-organiser of "Melbourne Talent Meetup"*.* With deep experience in the tech recruitment landscape, she’ll share a recruiter’s-eye view of how the job market is evolving in the age of AI and ML in her talk: *How to Get Hired in the AI/ML Era*. **Networking** The Melbourne MLOps Community is committed to fostering a space where AI/ML engineers and practitioners can connect, exchange ideas, and build meaningful relationships. Come ready to discuss: * The tools you’re experimenting with * Trends you’re seeing in ML and MLOps * Challenges you’re tackling * Ways to find peer support We’ll have food, drinks, and the perfect space for great conversations — so feel free to bring along anyone interested in ML, MLOps, or AI more broadly. **Agenda** 🍕 **5:30pm** – Networking, drinks & food 🙋 **6:00pm** – Welcome 🎤 **6:10pm** – Presentation by Luke ❓ **6:30pm** – Questions for Luke 🎤 **6:40pm** – Presentation by Natalie ❓ **7:00pm** – Questions for Natalie 🍻 **7:10pm onwards** – Networking, drinks & food We’re looking forward to seeing you there! **P.S.** If you can’t make it in person, we’ll be streaming the event via Google Meet. Google Meet link: [https://meet.google.com/fxh-hpsg-ryt](https://meet.google.com/fxh-hpsg-ryt)

📚 #InPursuit is a book club for entrepreneurs, creatives, and curious minds who know personal growth fuels business growth. **See a lot of RSPVPs and wonder how it works? We'll break up into groups of 6-8 to share our insights, then swap groups after 30-45min so you can maximise learning from everybody!** *Note: this even is not organised by or affiliated with The State Library of Victoria* **That's what #InPursuit is all about** It’s not a traditional book club, it’s a space for people who are actively designing a better life through the pursuit of business, creativity, and personal growth. This event is for anyone #InPursuit of better business, life and relationships. Instead of reading the same book, we each come prepared to share one powerful insight from something we’ve read in the past 3-months. Anything non-fiction that’s moved us forward. Whether it’s a mindset shift, a productivity system, a new philosophy, or just a truth that punched us in the gut. This is a place to unpack it together and hear what others are learning too. We’re not just here to *read*. We’re here to *integrate*. Because when we grow, our business and our lives grow too. **🔍 Why Join? You'll leave with:** * 5–10 fresh insights from books you may never have picked up * Deeper awareness of how others think, lead, and evolve * New connections with people walking a similar path toward purpose, results, and impact This isn’t a lecture. It’s a room full of people building themselves while they build the thing. **📖 How It Works** First time? No pressure to share, just come curious. We'll break up into groups of 6-8 and share our insights, then swap groups so you can maximise the learning! Returning? Bring one idea you’ve read about in the last 3-months and be ready to speak on: 1. What did you learn? 2. How did it shift your perspective about the world or yourself? 3. How has it changed the way you show up or behave? We keep it structured, but flexible. After sharing, we open up to Q&A, personal stories, challenges, and deep dives. Some of the best insights come from the conversations *after* the share. **🧠 Who This Is For** * Entrepreneurs or side-hustlers finding their footing * Business owners, and doers building toward better * Curious minds who love ideas but care more about action * People tired of shallow conversations and hungry for growth If you’re working on something—or becoming someone—this space is for you. It’s a practice ground for people who want to grow forward. We’re all #InPursuit of mastery, momentum, and the kind of success that starts from within. **Map on how to get there** We're in the Create Quarter on the ground level (back right of the Quad as you enter from Swanson St). We'll likely be on a long table together. https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/SLV-EnglishMap_Jan25.pdf *If there is no room at a table I'll post on the event page that we'll be going to Mr. Tulk Cafe, which is on the corner of the library at Swanson St and La Trobe St.*

* Join us for an evening of professional networking and valuable insights at our Entrepreneur & **Small Business Networking Mixer**. Connect with fellow small business owners, entrepreneurs, and like-minded professionals to share business strategies and exchange ideas for startup success with a drink. * * We have carved a deal with the restaurant of 10% Discount of all Menu items & drinks if you mention the staff "**Friday Business Meetup Deal**" * * We will delve into the power of integrating feminine wisdom with masculine energy for enhanced business strategies and entrepreneurial success. Discover the importance of positive human collisions in fostering innovation and growth, while expanding your network in a dynamic and supportive environment. * * Don't miss this opportunity to meet new contacts, exchange knowledge, and take yourself to the next level! * * **About Host:** Host of the event Sash (Sachin) is qualified accountant in practice. Mostly he is present in the event but it is subject to his prior commitment. However everybody is still invited to chat & socialise whether he is present or not. The place is a platform for everyone to gather,meet & help each other. * * **Address & Timings :** from **6-8 PM** at **500 Victoria Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051 (This event will be on every Friday same time same day unless otherwise advised)** * * Join us to meet new friends, hang out and have some laughs. New people are always welcome 😊🍺🍺 * * Come along to meet new people and see the familiar faces of the regular members. This is a regular weekly group for socialising and unwinding for the weekend. * * **Liability Waiver:** The organizer of this group cannot accept any liability for any loss, damage, injury, or accident to participants or their property at this event. By participating in this event, you're taking responsibility for your safety and well-being.

Girls Who Boss is a community dedicated to helping driven, kind women make new connections in Melbourne. Join us for a casual coffee catch-up on the weekend of International Women's Day, to meet new friends and raise funds for an important cause. All ticket sales from this event will go towards Share the Dignity. As always we are keeping our ticket price low to make it as accessible as possible, but if you'd like to make an extra donation to our fundraiser, you can do so here: https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/fundraisers/girlswhoboss **Share the Dignity** Share the Dignity works to make a real, on the ground difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or doing it tough. They distribute period products to those in need and work to end period poverty here in Australia. When someone is doing it tough, the last thing on their mind should be dealing with their period. They assist those in need by collecting thousands of period products each year through collection drives and campaigns and distribute them directly to charities across Australia.

Our favourite day of the year is almost here - and in honour of a day that's all about celebrating women's achievements, we're bringing you our biggest event yet. A mixture of social and inspiring, this is an event in three parts that combines all our favourite parts of Girls Who Boss. **Here's the agenda:** 2pm - Arrival 2.30pm - Fireside chat with three women who inspire 3.15pm - Activities, including the trivia and board games you've loved this year 4pm - General mingling, friend-making and networking *About the fun, social side* As with all our events, our focus is still on allowing new friendships to develop, and we'll be running some of our signature activities to help you meet new people. We're bringing along board games, icebreakers, trivia and more to help you move around the room with confidence and make new friends. *About the fireside chat* Our fireside chat is themed "Women Who Inspire", and you'll hear from the following women. **Kathy - Thankly** Kathy is the Re-Founder and Creative Director of Thankly, a Melbourne-based online card and gifting business making gratitude simple, personal, and part of everyday life through handwritten-style cards and thoughtful curated gifts. After 13 years in management consulting and advisory across Deloitte, Accenture, and Microsoft, Kathy stepped away from large-scale transformation and change to question what success, impact, and connection really mean. In 2023, she took a career break to reimagine what truly matters and re-launched Thankly as a part-time, purpose-led venture alongside a co-partner, focused on making “thank you” feel human and easy again. Shaped by personal loss and loneliness, Kathy lost both parents by the age of 21 – experiences that deeply inform her mission. In a country where 1 in 3 Australians report feeling lonely, she believes gratitude can be a powerful bridge back to belonging. At the start of 2025, Kathy became the sole owner of Thankly and stepped into founder life full-time, committing fully to re-imaginig a scalable and sustainable, purpose-led brand founded on gratitude and real human connection in the modern world. **Zoe - Owner and Organiser of Girls Who Boss** Zoe's career has spanned more than a decade of charity work (alongside international diplomats and on her own projects), study in five countries, advocacy for safer cities for women, an ongoing career as a lawyer and community building through Girls Who Boss. You'll likely have met her at one of our events - read more about what this event means to her [here](https://open.substack.com/pub/girlswhoboss/p/why-international-womens-day-2026?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=4apm4h). **Julianne Valles - Identity and Decision Authority Coach** Having rebuilt her identity and life from scratch multiple times - across different countries, career pivots, and seasons - Julianne understands the grit required to choose yourself when there are no guaranteed outcomes. She helps women break free from the "work-hard" trap and stop waiting for the "perfect moment" to act by tapping into **unapologetic self-trust.** By anchoring into their own authority, her clients move from paralyzing overthinking into a life defined by purpose and freedom of mind. Julianne works with women who are ready to stop seeking permission and start owning their power, creating a reality that is as bold as their ambitions - no matter their circumstances. Through a facilitated discussion, we'll learn about twists and turns in each panellists journey and take inspiration from how they went about building lives they love. *Come solo, or bring a friend* Guests are welcome at this event - but as with all of our events, friend-making remains central and you are more than encouraged to come alone and meet some new incredible people. *Who is this event for?* In short, this event is for anyone looking for inspiration and to grow in themselves - whether that's in business, career or just life generally. There is no "one size fits all" description of our members and we look forward to the diversity in the room at this event.

TO MAINTAIN A GENDER BALANCE ALL MALES MUST ATTEND WITH A FEMALE FRIEND, NO EXCEPTIONS. All females are welcome to attend alone but encouraged to attend with a female friend too for free drinks and food! MUST TAP “ATTEND” and include all guests. UNLIKE other meetups which are overwhelmingly male dominant, we provide ONLY gender balanced events where females also have a chance to meet other females, not only men. WE ARE COMMITTED TO EQUAL GENDER REPRESENTATION IN THE IT INDUSTRY. 8PM EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY (LAST ENTRY STRICTLY 8.30PM) AT 215 QUEEN’S

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

**Confidence in Bloom: How Creativity Builds Confidence** What happens when creativity becomes an intentional practice? In this month’s Confidence Lab, we’ll gather at **Petals That Inspire: The Flourish Studio** for an evening exploring the connection between creativity and confidence. How making with our hands, engaging our senses, and allowing space for expression can shift how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. Our featured speaker, **Amanda Lorenzetti**, owner of Petals That Inspire, will share how creativity has shaped her own confidence journey and why creative environments play such a powerful role in well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Drawing from her work leading an experience-driven floral studio and a community-centered workforce development program, Amanda will reflect on creativity as both a personal and collective catalyst. Amanda will also guide us through a **hands-on floral design experience**, creating a fresh arrangement in a wide mouth mason jar. No prior floral experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage the process. This evening is an invitation to slow down, create, and reconnect with the part of yourself that grows through care, attention, and imagination. You’ll leave with a floral arrangement to take home, and a deeper understanding of how confidence can be cultivated through creative practices. **Featured Speaker: Amanda Lorenzetti** Amanda Lorenzetti is the owner and founder of [Petals That Inspire](https://www.petalsthatinspire.com/) and The Flourish Studio, a social enterprise florist based in Columbus, Ohio. She brings more than a decade of experience in wedding and event sales, paired with hands-on expertise in floral and event design. Amanda’s connection to the floral industry began early, spending time alongside her godmother, a professional florist on the East Coast. After earning her business degree, she returned to her hometown in Connecticut to work as a floral and event designer, blending creative artistry with strong operational and client-focused skills. In 2020, Amanda returned to the floral industry with a renewed purpose, driven by a desire to build a business rooted in creativity, community impact, and sustainability. During this pivotal time, she founded Petals That Inspire—an innovative floral concept that reimagines the traditional florist model by combining event florals, workshops, and experiential offerings with a mission-centered approach to workforce development. Today, Petals That Inspire is a thriving social enterprise known for its thoughtful design, educational experiences, and commitment to empowering young adults facing barriers to entry in the workforce. Amanda is deeply passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and purpose-driven, and she leverages her strong business acumen to create a scalable & sustainable model that inspires creativity while giving back to the community. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

This month, we are in-person at GameArena!!! We will also be joined by students and their games from [Shawnee State](https://www.shawnee.edu/game-design-programs)! \-\-\- Join us for our our monthly COGG Prototype and Play event @GameArena! Come to play and showcase your games. We're back in the upper levels of the catwalk mezzanine area. It'll be packed with lots of camaraderie playing your game(s) and other's games on the 2nd floor as well as the 1st floor in the gaming room below the mezzanine. Light snacks and water provided but you can buy food and drinks at the bar (alcoholic drink ID required). [https://www.game-arena.co/menu](https://www.game-arena.co/menu) **Attendees:** Don't have a game to show? Not a problem! All are welcomed and invited from all ages and backgrounds. The more we can have to play test our games the better! **Developers:** Do you have a game that you would like to get critical feedback on? Would you like an excuse to work on a game with other talented artists, programmers, musicians, designers, and writers? Digital, table-top, non-experienced developers, and the like are welcomed! We'll provide signage for your game to help others learn more about your work. Wifi, outlets, tables, and seats (though standing tables also) are available. Come to the Prototype and Play workshop to collaborate and meet local game developers for an evening of epic and raw game play fun! Play works-in-progress, show off your own game, work with others to add polish to a game, or even lend your talents to other fellow developers. Can use South Garage at the Gateway with a $5 voucher on your way out. 75 E 11th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9) If you have any questions or comments, as always, feel free to reach out to us at [info@thecogg.com!](http://info@thecogg.com!/)

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

At Evolve Synergy Sessions, you'll be part of a supportive mastermind where we share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and inspire one another to take bold steps in our businesses. Grow your network, gain fresh perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with like-minded women who are committed to success. Whether you’re looking to move the needle in your business or simply need a space to connect and recharge, this is the perfect place to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. [Add Event to Calendar](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/) \*\* Please note, we will be arriving around 8:15a for open networking! Get there early and get connected! Contact Alexis Morley at [alexis.morley@edwardjones.com](mailto:alexis.morley@edwardjones.com) or Terri Lawson at [terri.lawson@e-merge.com](mailto:terri.lawson@e-merge.com) for more information.

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!