Ecommerce Meetups Melbourne

Building the wrong things faster. AI and the Build Trap

**🏢 Hosted at:** Fabric Group **🚀 Building the Wrong Thing Faster: AI and the Build Trap** AI has dramatically compressed the time it takes to build software. But it hasn't stopped us building products that nobody wants. If anything, it's accelerated the problem - to the point we've invented a new word for the output: ***slop***. Drawing on observations from Brendan's consulting work and conversations with friends at ***Google, Meta and Spotify***, He'll explore how this ***isn't really a new problem*** and why now, more than ever, we need human centricity, sound product strategy and product discovery. **🎤 Speakers:** ***Brendan Marsh*** is a Product & Org Advisor and Director at ***Organa***, where he helps organisations improve product strategy, org design and execution at scale. He previously served as ***Chief Product Officer*** of a mental health non-profit and spent five years at ***Spotify*** during its hyper-growth phase, first as an ***Agile Coach*** supporting innovation and product discovery teams and later as a ***Product Manager*** responsible for the Mac and Windows clients (40M+ MAU). ***Ruben Cardoso*** is the ***Head of Product & Design*** at ***Fabric Group***. An experienced UX/UI designer specialising in product design and delivery, with a strong track record running discovery-to-delivery cycles for large enterprise clients. ***Dzmitry Yaltykhau*** is the ***Delivery Practice Lead*** at ***Fabric Group.*** Leads large-scale product design and delivery programs end-to-end from presales through discovery, build and rollout while driving best practices, coaching and AI-accelerated ways of working across the team. **🗓 Agenda:** Arrival and light refreshments Featured Talk Panel discussion with contributions from Fabric and the audience

Immersive CBD Light Show & Taco Bill Dinner

EUXMELB - May Meetup

With our next EUXMELB meetup on the 28th of May, I'm excited to announce that **Natalie Ellis, Partner and COO at The Product Bus, will be presenting 'Your skills *are* the product'.** According to Harvard Business School 95% of new products launched every year *fail.* Natalie is here to argue that the reason for these failures isn't a lack of talent or tools, but because no one stops to ask whether the market actually wants or needs these things before shipping them. Online rhetoric discusses how AI is transforming the design, product and engineering worlds, but from her perspective, Natalie believes AI is actively multiplying the rate of failure because it's now possible to build something no-one asked for in an hour from your Mac mini. Natalie is here to tell us why evidence-based, commercially focused product thinking is more critical than ever for countering the wasted time and resources spent shipping products no one asked for. She will explain why the skills designers and researchers already possess are the real commercial asset and how people in these roles can start treating them as such. Natalie has spent her career turning consumer insights into product and commercial decisions across startups, enterprise, government digital services and institutional programs. Following a decade rising through a global market research agency, she jumped ship to an early-stage market research startup before spending several years as a product strategist designing and delivering national digital health services. As Partner & COO at The Product Bus she is passionate about helping founders, teams and businesses make real progress through evidence based decisions and passionate about helping them stress-test ideas before they commit to building. She escaped the city for rural life in the Alpine Shire several years ago where she has become an accidental pumpkin farmer and enjoys crocheting while watching crime drama. Event will start at 5:30pm with Pizza, Drinks and networking with the talk starting at 6pm. We are in the Jenny Florence Room on Level 3 at The Ross House Association. **Please enter code #TBC and come up to level 3 where you will need to enter the code again to gain access.** This event is sponsored by [askable](https://www.askable.com/) ([https://www.askable.com/](https://www.askable.com/)) and Experience Design "UX" Agency [blueegg](http://www.blueegg.com.au/) ([http://www.blueegg.com.au/](http://www.blueegg.com.au/))

June Community Night - Leon Poggioli and Sanam Makadia + Peter Lake

Hello friends, This month we will (finally!) be an entirely standalone community event, not for profit and volunteer run. We have booked a large event space in the Multicultural Hub across from Vic Market. Pizza and beverages will be graciously funded this month by Dragos, but we would really love to see other food and beverage sponsors in the future. **We can also really use additional volunteers to watch the door, help carry in food and drinks, or help with set up or clean up. Please send us a message if you're able to help.** This event will survive if people are involved and want to make it survive! Cheers, Lesley **Talk 1: A practical methodology to secure critical infrastructure** OT Cybersecurity is current in a “perfect storm scenario”. This is due to: ● Increased OT automation ● Increased regulation ● OT cyber maturity lags IT cyber maturity ● OT cyber risk impacts safety and production While many large organisations are well-resourced with dedicated teams, smaller organisations who aren’t able to appoint a dedicated OT Cybersecurity leader often struggle to deliver an effective OT Cybersecurity uplift program. This talk outlines why practical, lightweight approaches to complicated scenarios suit most critical infrastructure organisations and how such an approach would work in practice. **Speaker:** Leon Poggioli is the founder of NetSeg, an advisory organisation focused on consulting around OT Cybersecurity Strategy and Program Development. He founded NetSeg after recognising that many organisations with OT Cybersecurity obligations don’t have the necessary knowledge and experience to drive a program which requires different capabilities and stakeholders than IT Cybersecurity programs require. OT Cybersecurity is in a “perfect storm” - with increased OT automation and connectivity increasing the attack surface, increased regulations, not to mention the fact that any organisation with an OT network likely relies on that network to conduct their core business! Before founding NetSeg, Leon was the Australia New Zealand Country Manager for Claroty, one of the Gartner leaders for CPS (Cyberphysical Systems) Protection Platforms, and worked with a wide range of Australian and New Zealand organisations to drive their programs using Claroty’s technology. Leon also has a YouTube channel @NetSeg_IO where he shares short-form videos on a range of OT Cybersecurity topics. He has also been featured several times on Australian television and talkback radio. **Talk 2: Managing a Crisis in Critical Infrastructure -** **Incident Command System** Critical infrastructure is increasingly exposed to cyber-physical threats impacting essential services like energy, water, and transportation. This session introduces ICS4ICS, a proven incident response framework adapted for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT). It enables IT, OT, and cybersecurity teams to collaborate with clear roles, shared language, and coordinated response during high-impact incidents. Attendees will gain practical insights into managing cyber incidents that can escalate into physical disruptions, improving resilience and response effectiveness. Designed for cyber, natural, and accidental events, ICS4ICS supports cross-sector and public-private coordination. **Speakers:** Sanam Makadia • Cyber Security Architect and Advisor • Thought leader and advisor with more than 2 decades of experience in design, consulting, architecture, Risk and Governance • Interest in topics such as Cyber strategy, GRC, operational technology/industrial control systems (OT/ICS) and robotics & artificial intelligence (AI) Peter Lake • Cybersecurity Strategy Lead and CTF coach • Passionate about capacity building for neurodivergent young people, coaching, and building Cybersecurity career pathways. • Keen interest in critical infrastructure, space cyber awareness, incident response and management.

Mel<video> with Netflix, Fastly and Eluvio @ Kick HQ. Melbourne Video Tech

We are back for our second of four meetups in 2026. Whether you’re deep in the code or just curious about the future of streaming, it's a perfect chance to grab a slice of pizza, a cold drink, and catch up with the local engineering scene, make some friends and check out Kick.com (Easygo) HQ. Talks in May are from two leaders in Video Technology Industry sharing: **[Garrett Singer (US Remote) - Software Engineer @ Netflix](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gesinger/)** Garrett shared technical strategies and insights on reducing toil and debugging video-related operations in software engineering pipelines. **[Zac Shenker (US) - Senior Director, Media Strategy @ Fastly](https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacshenker/)** We’re making the most of a rare visit from the States from Zac Shenker- a genuinely great guy and renowned leading expert in video streaming who is currently shaping the industry's most ambitious new streaming architectures by drawing on his experience from events like the Super Bowl. **[Sean Curran - APAC Director @ Eluvio](https://www.linkedin.com/in/curransean/)** *Kill the Encode Farm: The Case for Just-in-Time Video* Eluvio is a decentralised, blockchain-backed distribution network that replaces traditional CDNs and cloud stacks by streaming premium video directly from source objects with just-in-time transcoding and built-in monetisation. 📍 Easygo – 271 Collins Street Melbourne 📅 Tuesday 26 May, 6:00–8:00pm 👉 RSVP is essential for Easygo building access **Sponsors** Our thanks to **Easygo** for hosting and sponsoring pizza + drinks at the venue. Melbourne Video Technology is a volunteer group, as part of many groups independently run around the world. Tonight’s hosts will be: [Jeremy Brown - Kick](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremybrownau/), [Nick MacPherson - Fastly](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasmacpherson1/) and [James Broberg - StreamShark](https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-broberg-8654052/)

Spanish English Intercambio/Language Exchange - My Language My Story

Join us for 30 minutes Spanish conversation then 30 minutes in English Conversaremos 30 minutos en español y luego 30 minutos en inglés. Stay on afterwards for more conversation if you wish. Quédate después para conversar más si lo deseas. We'd love to catch up with you and hear your news in Spanish and English. Looking forward to meeting you there. Nos encantaría pasar el tiempo y escuchar tus historias en español e inglés. Esperamos verte allí. ***Please note:*** *For attendance outdoors see disclaimer below:* *By participation in this Spanish English Intercambio Meetup today I agree to do so at my own risk. I know that my attendance and this agreement operates to exclude any liability in negligence for harm that I may suffer. I have been warned that this recreational activity may cause physical harm to me or to someone under my control or accompanying me, and I confirm that I do not have a condition, medical or physical, that could prevent me from, or be aggravated by, participating in this activity. Examples of the risks I have been warned about include: tripping; Tripping, slipping and falling • Collision with someone or something • Something giving way unexpectedly • Back injury, strains • Spillage and burns • Trip hazardBites and stings • Sun • Injury from falling branches*

May 24 | Kismetrix Social Run/Walk + Coffee - The Tan Track Botanical Gardens

## 🌿 **Kismetrix Singles Social Run/Walk + Coffee – TAN Track** [Register Here](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/apr-26-kismetrix-social-runwalk-coffee-the-tan-botanical-gardens-tickets-1985661113844?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl) 📅 **Date: Sunday** 26th of April 🕘 **Time:** 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM (please arrive by 9:45 AM) 📍 **Meeting Point:** Royal Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre 🏃 **Route:** TAN Track loop through the Royal Botanic Gardens 📏 **Distance:** Approx. 3–4 km (relaxed social pace) Or Walk 🎽 **Dress Code:** Comfortable activewear or casual running clothes ## **About the Event** Looking to meet new people, get active, and enjoy great company — without the pressure of a dating event? The **Kismetrix Singles Social Run or Walk + Coffee** is a relaxed, feel-good experience for singles who enjoy movement, nature, and meaningful conversation in a warm, welcoming environment. We’ll run at an easy, conversational pace around the iconic **TAN Track**, giving you plenty of chances to chat, laugh, and connect with different people along the way. There’s no racing, no awkward icebreakers — just a friendly group of singles sharing a beautiful morning together. After the run, we’ll walk back as a group and enjoy **optional coffee and mingling at the Visitor Centre café**, where conversations can continue naturally and comfortably. Many guests tell us these events feel more like meeting new friends — with a spark of something extra. ## **Who It’s For** ✨ Singles who want to meet people offline ✨ Adults 18+ across a wide range of ages (20s to 60s+) ✨ People who enjoy light running, jogging, or active social experiences ✨ Anyone looking for community, confidence, and connection **Singles only. Adults only. No children or dogs.** This helps keep the space relaxed, focused, and socially comfortable for everyone. ## **What to Bring** * Water bottle * Comfortable running or walking shoes * Sunscreen / hat * Light jacket (weather can change) * Positive energy and an open heart 💛 ## 🎟️ This is a **free community event**, with **optional donations** to support the Kismetrix community. While many of our curated singles events are ticketed, this run is part of our **open community series**, created to make connection, movement, and belonging accessible to everyone. Your support helps Kismetrix continue building safe, welcoming spaces where real human connection can grow — romantically or platonically. ### **Hosted by:** **Kismetrix \| True Connection** Because real love starts with real connection. ### **🔗 Stay Connected with Kismetrix \| True Connection** Love this event? We run a variety of experiences to help people meet and connect in meaningful ways. 📧 **[social@kismetrix.com.au]()** 🌐 **[www.kismetrix.com.au](http://www.kismetrix.com.au "http://www.kismetrix.com.au")** 📱 **Follow us on Instagram:** [https://www.instagram.com/kismetrix_/](https://www.instagram.com/kismetrix_/ "https://www.instagram.com/kismetrix_/") **, Facebook & Eventbrite** 🤝 **Collaborations: [collabs@kismetrix.com.au]()** ### **📄 Important Notice** By registering for this event\, you confirm that you have read and agree to Kismetrix \| True Connection’s Terms & Conditions\, Privacy Policy\, Disclaimer and Code of Conduct\. Some events may be non\-refundable as stated in their individual descriptions\.

May 23 | Kismetrix Social — A Hosted Singles Evening at Secret Garden

🎉 **KISMETRIX \| TRUE CONNECTION** [Ticketed Event](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/may-23-kismetrix-social-a-hosted-singles-evening-at-secret-garden-tickets-1988384078304?aff=oddtdtcreator) **Kismetrix Social — Drinks, Conversation & Connection Under the Sunflowers** Hosted by KISMETRIX \| True Connection 📍 Secret Garden Bar: 7/60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182 📅 Saturday 23 May 2026 🕖 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM *(venue open late)* ## A SATURDAY NIGHT TO ACTUALLY CONNECT There's a place in St Kilda where sunflowers hang from the ceiling, the garden feels like a secret you've stumbled into, and the night just slows down a little. That's where we're hosting Kismetrix Social — our most relaxed evening, designed for singles who want real conversation, good company, and a Saturday night that actually feels like one. Think less "dating event"… more a Saturday night you'd actually choose to go out for. ## 💫 ABOUT THE EVENT Tired of dating apps that go nowhere? Over environments that feel forced or awkward? So were we. KISMETRIX \| True Connection was created for people who want something more human — real conversation\, real presence\, genuine connection\. You'll walk into a room full of people who: 🌻 Are open to meeting others 🌻 Enjoy good conversation and social energy 🌻 Prefer real-life interaction over apps 🌻 Are simply here for a good, intentional night out Come for a drink. Stay for the vibe. See where the night goes. ## 🌻 THE VIBE Picture it: warm lighting, hanging sunflowers above your head, the garden buzzing softly around you, and the kind of crowd where it's actually easy to start a conversation. Expect: 🌻 A welcome drink in your hand within a minute of arriving 🌻 A warm, hosted welcome so nobody walks in feeling lost 🌻 Hosted introductions early in the evening to help conversations get started 🌻 Free-flowing mingling with light support from our hosts throughout the night 🌻 Conversation prompts on each table, if the room needs them 🌻 A relaxed, social crowd of intentional singles No rotations. No forced formats. No hookup-bar energy. Just a thoughtfully designed night under the sunflowers, with people who actually want to meet someone. ## 👥 AGE GUIDE: 28–45 Kismetrix Social is open to all singles who care about meaningful connection. We provide an age guide so you know what to expect — most of our guests will fall within this range. The focus of our events is intentional people, not strict age groups. If you're slightly outside this range and the format feels right for you, you're welcome to book. ## 🎯 WHO THIS NIGHT IS FOR This event is for singles who: 🌻 Prefer a relaxed, social way to meet people 🌻 Enjoy conversation without forced formats 🌻 Want something more grounded than the apps 🌻 Appreciate good venues, good drinks, good company 🌻 Are open, friendly, and easy-going Come solo or with a friend — most people come solo. You'll be in good company. ## 🍽️ FOOD & DRINKS Your ticket includes a welcome drink on arrival. Secret Garden has a great food and drinks menu throughout the night, available directly from the venue. Perfect if you'd like to make a full evening of it — and many of our guests do. ## 🎟 TICKETS 🌻 Early-Bird — $39 🌻 Bring-a-Friend Early-Bird — $35 each (paired bookings only) 🌻 General — $45 🌻 Last Minute— $55 Welcome drink included at every tier. Tickets are limited to maintain a comfortable, social atmosphere — early booking is recommended. ## 💡 WHY PEOPLE LOVE KISMETRIX EVENTS 🌻 No swiping. No apps. Just real people 🌻 No awkward formats or forced interactions 🌻 Thoughtful structure without rigidity 🌻 A genuinely enjoyable night — even if you come solo 🌻 Hosted by people who actually care about how the night feels Many guests come "just for a drink"… and end up staying all night. ## ✨ WHERE KISMETRIX SOCIAL FITS Kismetrix Social is our most accessible event — a relaxed, hosted evening for singles who want real connection without the structure of our Elevated Evenings or the formality of our Dinners. It's the easiest way to experience how we do things, and many guests go on to join our other events from here. ## 🔔 IMPORTANT NOTES 🌻 This is a hosted social experience — not speed dating 🌻 A welcome drink is included; additional drinks and food are available at the venue 🌻 Participation in introductions is always optional 🌻 Respect, boundaries, and good energy are essential 🌻 Tickets are non-refundable but transferable ## 🔗 STAY CONNECTED WITH KISMETRIX \| TRUE CONNECTION 📧 [social@kismetrix.com.au](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/may-23-kismetrix-social-a-hosted-singles-evening-at-secret-garden-tickets-1988384078304?aff=oddtdtcreator) 🌐 [www.kismetrix.com.au](http://www.kismetrix.com.au/ "http://www.kismetrix.com.au") 📱 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook & Eventbrite 📄 Important Notice: By registering for this event\, you confirm that you have read and agree to Kismetrix \| True Connection's Terms & Conditions\, Privacy Policy\, Disclaimer and Code of Conduct\. 🤝 Collaborations: [collabs@kismetrix.com.au](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/may-23-kismetrix-social-a-hosted-singles-evening-at-secret-garden-tickets-1988384078304?aff=oddtdtcreator)

Coffee & Conversion

You are probably well aware of the **nightmarish** freelancer marketplaces... Upwork ❌ Air tasker ❌ Fiver ❌ The offers on there are flat-out disgusting. (Pennies and a five star review IF lucky👌). I have a few tips for finding clients in alternative spaces and giving yourself the best chance of landing them. Happy to share these with you guys, and hear some of your own strategies too. Topics Covered: • Free methods for finding prospects that the rest of your industry isn't hunting for. • The two-sequence pitch that is purpose built for uncovering client desires so you can shapeshift your offer to match. • A clean closing system that feels organic. Location and time below, look forward to seeing new and familiar faces. Max capacity = 10

Real‑time & Batch on Fabric

* **Topic:** Real‑time & Batch on Microsoft Fabric * **Date:** Thursday 28th May 2026 at 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm * **Networking:** 6 pm - 6.30 pm and 7.20 - 8 pm * **Presentation Time**: 6.30 pm - 7.20 pm *(includes welcome, presentation 30 mins & community marketplace)* * **Location:** Thoughtworks HQ Level 35/360 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000 * **Ticket:** Free of cost, however, registrations and RSVP are required! * **Sponsor:** Thoughtworks **Real‑time & Batch on Fabric** This session presents the end state of a mixed real‑time and batch analytics platform on **Microsoft Fabric**. Live event streams are handled using KQL/Eventhouse, enabling low‑latency dashboards and operational insights with minimal processing overhead. In parallel, near real‑time and batch data is processed using governed, lightweight Fabric patterns designed for efficiency and scale. The outcome is a single, capacity‑aware Fabric platform where real‑time and analytical workloads coexist cleanly, with Power BI as the unified consumption layer. **About The Speaker** Arjun Shankar has over a decade of experience turning data challenges into scalable, cloud-first platforms that drive real business decisions. He has worked across banking, finance, transport, insurance, and energy, specialising in the Azure stack: Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks, PySpark, and Fabric. From reducing platform costs, to accelerating delivery, and putting self-service analytics in the hands of the people who need it. Outside work, he's usually out on a trail, training for his next marathon, or keeping up with two young boys. We’re excited to bring the Data Engineering Melbourne Meetup group together for an evening with Arjun and his insights!

Tuesday Coffee/Girlfriends’ Chats @ the Salon Champagne Bar & Eatery Myer 3000

Hi Radiant Ladies, Get ready for one of our most popular and glamorous days out! We’re off to the Myer Champagne Bar for a gorgeous lunch together — think beautiful food, wonderful conversation, and the best company around! And because we’re already in Myer, we simply have to take a stroll through the ladies fashion! Shop, treat yourself, browse, try things on — no judgement, all fun! 👗🛍️ This event is always a favourite and fills up quickly, so don’t miss your spot! Come and treat yourself — you deserve it! 💛 Lyn 🌸

TechWalking - Networking Event for Tech Professionals

**"TechWalking" - Networking + Walking** Are you a tech professional looking to network beyond the screen? Look no further than my upcoming #TechWalking event! ‍ Join us for a refreshing walk around the scenic Albert Park Lake. It’s the perfect chance to connect with industry peers while getting in some steps! I know many of you have been tuning in to my online events, but we've never had the opportunity to meet in person. Let's change that! Check out the video from the last event: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MovUsNFg-qk We'll kick things off at **10 am sharp** at the Albert Park Fitness Station. Please, don't be late! We're hitting the trail around the lake as soon as we gather. And trust me, you won't want to miss it – unless you're up for a bit of a sprint to catch up! (we're going anti-clockwise) This event is pet and kid-friendly, as long as your little ones and furry friends can manage a 5 km walk, they're more than welcome to join. Looking forward to meeting you all in real life! Join the TechWalking group on LinkedIn! [https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14477058/](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14477058/) \*\*\* Follow me on LinkedIn for more information: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-martens/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-martens/) Just moved to Australia? Grab your FREE guide to land your tech job! [https://yanamartens.com/first-tech-job-in-australia/](https://yanamartens.com/first-tech-job-in-australia/) Subscribe to YouTube Channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@ITCareerinAustralia](https://www.youtube.com/@ITCareerinAustralia)