What is Meetup used for?

Meetup is a platform that connects people through local groups and events related to their interests, such as fintech gatherings in cities like Melbourne.

How can I find fintech meetups in Melbourne?

Simply use Meetup's search feature by entering 'fintech' and selecting Melbourne as the location to discover relevant groups and events in the area.

What types of fintech events are in Melbourne?

In Melbourne, fintech meetups might include networking events, panel discussions, and workshops focused on innovations, finance technology solutions, and industry trends.

How do I join a fintech group?

To join a fintech group, search for fintech-related groups on Meetup, review their details, and hit the 'Join' button for updates and event notifications.

Can I RSVP to events in advance?

Yes! After joining a group, you can RSVP to upcoming fintech meetups you're interested in attending to secure your spot in advance.

Is there a fee to attend fintech meetups?

Some meetups might be free, while others may charge a fee. Always check the event details on Meetup for any fee requirements before attending.

Are Melbourne's fintech events in-person only?

Melbourne's fintech events may be either online or in-person. Event descriptions on Meetup will specify the format, so you can choose what suits you best.

Does Meetup host the fintech events?

No, events are organized by individual groups or hosts who use the Meetup platform. Meetup itself doesn't host these events but facilitates connections.

Will I meet people with similar fintech interests?

By attending fintech meetups, you'll likely meet individuals passionate about the industry, providing great opportunities to learn and network with peers.

Do I have to attend every group event?

No, you are not obligated to attend every event of the groups you join. Participate based on your interests and availability.

Can I lead a fintech event in Melbourne?

Yes, if you have expertise or a topic you're passionate about, consider reaching out to relevant groups or starting your own on Meetup to lead events.

Who organizes fintech meetups in Melbourne?

Fintech meetups can be organized by industry professionals, enthusiasts, or dedicated groups focused on tech and finance innovations within Melbourne.

Does Meetup guarantee new professional connections?

Meetup facilitates networking but can't guarantee outcomes. Building professional connections often requires active participation and engagement.

Are all fintech meetups in Melbourne active year-round?

Activity levels can vary based on organizer schedules. Stay connected with groups to receive regular meeting updates and new event announcements.

Will my specific fintech interest have a group?

Depending on the topic, not all fintech niches may have active groups in Melbourne. Consider starting one if you see a gap in interests.

Fintech Meetups Melbourne

The Future of Money

Thu, Aug 6, 8:00 AM

From Emerging Tech Hub Australia

4.5

What is happening with our money and how do we create wealth in this regulated environment? Lets hear from the experts [Cloudtech Group](https://www.cloudtechgroup.com.au/) has launched its newest Block Club in Melbourne and is proud to host this free event to discuss the future of money. Crypto promised chaos. 2026 delivered compliance. Australia's new Digital Assets Framework is law. SMSFs are piling into crypto and Gold. Property just lost its golden tax perks. The rebels got regulated — so what's actually left of the "future of money"? Join [Emerging Tech Hub](https://emergingtechhub.io/) x CloudTech for a no-BS panel on crypto, super, gold and property colliding under one compliance regime ### **The Future of Money, you will hear from:** * [Karen Cohen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacohen/)[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacohen/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacohen/")aka “blockmum” is the [Founder and Director of ](https://emergingtechhub.io/ "https://emergingtechhub.io/")[Emerging Tech HUB](https://emergingtechhub.io/), MC * [Lisa Wade](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-wade-she-her/), CCO [Fableration](https://fableration.com/) * [Effie Dimitropoulos](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edimitropoulos/), CEO[ AUDD](https://www.audd.digital/), Stablecoin * [Carmelle Pavan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelle-pavan-micda-a1142012/)[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelle-pavan-micda-a1142012/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelle-pavan-micda-a1142012/")GM Victoria, [As Good As Gold](https://asgoodasgold.com.au/) * [Alan Tsen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-tsen-22742716/), GM [Cremorne Digital Hub](https://www.cremornedigitalhub.com.au/) Join us, light food and drinks will be provided **If you arrive late please call John on 0413 924 696** **Please note** The information provided at this event is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is essential to consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investments are subject to market risk, and there is no guarantee of profits. Investing involves risk, including the potential for loss of principal. You should be aware of the risks associated with investing before making any decisions. The information presented on this website is not tailored to your specific financial situation or investment objectives. It is crucial to consider your individual circumstances and risk tolerance before making any investment choices. **By accepting this invitation your details will be shared with both the sponsor and the speaker organisation. This event maybe be filmed and or photographed.**

18 attendees

Tech & Business Networking in Melbourne

Fri, Aug 14, 8:00 AM

From Startups & Tech Events in Melbourne

4.2

📍 **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

18 attendees

Tech Networking Event by Startup Valley in Melbourne

Fri, Aug 14, 8:00 AM

From Startups & Tech Events in Melbourne

4.2

📍 **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

8 attendees

1. AI & Robotics in Supply Chain Cyber Risk 2. Hardware Hacking a Commercial Cam

Fri, Jul 31, 8:30 AM

From Ruxmon Melbourne

4.8

*Talk Submissions*: [ruxmon@proton.me](http://ruxmon@proton.me%2A%2A/) **1\. Cyber Risk in the age of AI and Robotics in Modern Supply Chains** **\- Aadam \(xXPhantom\)** A few months back I was walking through a warehouse and got a bit of a shock. Robots doing almost everything. They were fast, no breaks, no complaints, just quietly getting on with it while a small handful of people kept watch. It was one of the company's biggest sites in Victoria, and standing there I couldn't stop thinking: what happens if someone breaks into this? The losses to the company would be immense. So I went and dug into it. How these heavily automated setups actually fail, and how attackers go after them. That's what this session is about: where the industry's heading, what it means for security, and how these attacks really unfold in practice. You don't need to know anything about cybersecurity going in, I'll start right from the basics. **Speaker** Aadam Shaik is a graduate student at the University of Melbourne. He started as an incident responder before moving into business development for cloud security, and has run a fair few workshops helping non-technical people get their heads around cyber risk. Outside of work and study he's usually pulling something apart to figure out how it works, or messing around with whatever new tech has caught his attention. He also co-hosts Cyber in Minutes on LinkedIn with Rohit, where they unpack recent cyber attacks and talk through how to stop the next one: [https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16520029/](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16520029/ "https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16520029/") **2\. Pixels vs Pliers: Hardware Hacking a Commercial Cam** At Ruxmon, almost a year ago to the day, an unstoppable force met an immovable objective... This talk runs through what happened when Peter (rankstar) was presented with a challenge after his last presentation - develop a hardware hacking workshop suitable for complete beginners through to pros. The chosen target: a commercial webcam. Co-presented with Claire (weirdc0rn), it will cover the technical details of the project, as well as the design process, challenges and successes. Suitable for those curious about hardware hacking or methods for sharing knowledge with the community. **Speakers** Peter is a secure software developer and vulnerability researcher for Break Point Research. Outside of work he enjoys making devices do things they shouldn’t and then never using them. Peter has previously worked as a vulnerability researcher at Azimuth Security, Penten and Australian Department of Defence. He has previously volunteered for the Bsides Canberra security conference and has developed badge firmware and hardware including the 2019 “Nopia 1337” and 2023 “bPod”. Claire is a cyber security consultant for Bluerydge and has presented on everything from threat hunting, vulnerability analysis and metaphors about prefetch forensics involving ducks. She is also the organiser of the Friday Ironing Club, a soldering group that runs workshops in Hawthorn ([https://www.instagram.com/fridayironingclub/](https://www.instagram.com/fridayironingclub/ "https://www.instagram.com/fridayironingclub/")). **Location** Room 080.02.002 at RMIT (Building 80) - 445 Swanston St, Melbourne **Discord** [Discord Invite](https://discord.gg/2qcaxce8Mw)

128 attendees

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

Wed, Aug 5, 6:00 AM

From Elastic Melbourne User Group

4.7

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

11 attendees

From Conversation to Execution: Building Agents with ERP, Dataverse & MCP

Thu, Aug 13, 7:30 AM

From Melbourne BizApps User Group

4.8

**Melbourne Biz Apps User Group — Session 03** 🎉 We're back for our third event! After two fantastic sessions, this time we're going beyond chat — into the world of AI agents that actually execute business processes. 🤖 **From Conversation to Execution: Enterprise Agents with ERP, Dataverse & MCP** Generative AI is rapidly evolving from answering questions to executing business processes. In this session, we'll explore how AI Agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Dynamics 365 ERP, Dataverse and Power Platform can work together to automate real-world business operations. Using a practical business scenario, we'll demonstrate how an AI Agent can understand business intent, retrieve enterprise context through MCP servers, interact with Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management, update Dataverse records, orchestrate approvals, and complete transactions with governance and security controls. **What you'll learn:** ✅ What Agentic AI means for business applications ✅ The role of MCP in connecting enterprise systems ✅ How Dynamics 365 ERP and Dataverse become agent-enabled ✅ Designing business processes executed by agents ✅ Governance, security and human-in-the-loop considerations ✅ Practical architecture and implementation patterns By the end of the session, you'll understand how to move beyond chat experiences and build enterprise-grade AI agents that perform real business work. 🍕 **Food, Drinks and Networking** Good food, good drinks, and good people. Plenty of time to connect with your fellow Biz Apps practitioners in Melbourne. All experience levels welcome. Come as you are. See you there! 🙌

26 attendees

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

Thu, Aug 6, 7:30 AM

From Product Women (Melbourne)

4.7

**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

40 attendees

AI and the Limits of Human Judgement

Mon, Aug 17, 8:00 AM

From Science, Technology and the Future

4.6

**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.

11 attendees

Startup Pitch & Networking in Melbourne

Fri, Aug 14, 8:00 AM

From Startups & Tech Events in Melbourne

4.2

📍 **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

2 attendees

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

Wed, Aug 5, 7:30 AM

From Global Institute of Artificial Intelligence - Melbourne

3.8

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.

1 attendee

KSUG.AI Australia #65 - Melbourne Meetup @AWS - 4 Aug 2026

Tue, Aug 4, 7:30 AM

From KSUG.AI Australia

4.7

**Register now to attend! =>** [https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-08-05](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-08-05) **<=** **Latest promotions** discovered by our community! * **20%** OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops/?ref=meetup)** Certs Code: **KSAI_20** * **40%** OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** bundles - Code: **JULY26BUNAI** * Missed **65%** off [LF / CNCF](https://lf.ksug.ai/)? [Get Notified](https://ksug.ai/?notify&ref=meetup) for next BIG drop! We're excited to welcome you to the upcoming **KSUG.AI Australia Meetup** — happening both in-person at at Amazon and online (Visit **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meetup)**, Click "**Join online via Zoom**")! 🎉 We're actively seeking more awesome K8s and AI topic speakers! 👉 [https://sessionize.com/ksug-au](https://sessionize.com/ksug-au) **Agenda and topics preview:** * Food, drinks and Socializing * Welcome / Introductions by the Organizers @**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** * **Topic 1:** Designing Data Systems for AI Agents: Architecture Principles for a New Kind of Consumer by [Muhammad Ali](linkedin.com/in/muhammadaliiqbal/), **Langfuse** by **[Clickhouse](https://clickhouse.com/)** * **Topic 2:** Over-Provisioned to Optimized: Building Telkomsel's Autonomous K8s Right-Sizing with ML by **Telkomsel** team ([Doddy Kristianto](https://www.linkedin.com/in/doddy-kristianto-3888ba1a/), [Lutfi Ichsan Effendi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lutfiichsan/), [Nasrullah Pandu Dewantara](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasrullahpandu/)) * **Lighting talk:** by **Ervin Aidy Yusuf** \- youngest speaker from our community * **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/)** and **[Clickhouse](https://clickhouse.com/)**! **[Register here](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-06-03) 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** ☸ 20% OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops)** Certs - Code: **KSAI_20** 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬: ✅ Learn 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⚡ ✅ Certify 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 💰 ✅ Grow 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 💪 𝟐𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎+ 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.

72 attendees

🤖 Group Therapy: An Honest Session on How We Actually Feel About AI

Thu, Aug 13, 8:00 AM

From Melbourne Design Thinking Meetup

4.8

We are finally doing it. A talk themed around AI. But we know it's session nobody wants to admit they need. We've all heard the AI buzzwords - "excited," "leaning in," "embracing the tools", "It's about Taste" But what's the version we tell our partner at 11pm? This session is a confession booth disguised as a meetup: no corporate talking points, no performative optimism, just a room full of professionals finally saying the quiet part out loud. What you'll hear: ✨ The mood ring check-in: Has your relationship with AI actually evolved - curiosity, to fatigue, to something like grudging acceptance? Or are you stuck on repeat? ✨ Empowered or expendable: The gap between the tools making us faster and the fear that "faster" was never really the point ✨ The honesty audit: Are we saying what we actually feel, or reciting the script we think we're supposed to perform? ✨ Slop or stealth: Is AI-generated mediocrity actually improving - or has it just gotten better at hiding in plain sight? ✨ The invoice after the honeymoon: Businesses got the discounted intro rate. Is anyone budgeting for what this actually costs once the novelty pricing ends? ✨ Who's actually watching the risk: How leaders are (or aren't) identifying, assessing, and managing AI risk before it becomes a headline 👉 The debate on the table: "Most people are more anxious than they admit" vs "People are largely fine and adapting" Pick a side. Defend it. Or admit you're not sure, which might be the most honest answer in the room. 📌 The details: * Date: Thursday 13th August * Host: Melbourne Design Thinking Meetup x Scyne Advisory * Refreshments included: Pizza and fizz! Our Speakers: **Liz Collins León** *Experience Architect \| Design Operations Strategist* Liz is an Experience Architect with over 15 years designing systems, campaigns, and communication solutions across retail, telecommunications, and front-to-back office operations. With tenure at Telstra, Google, and more recently Genesys, she is a design leader and mentor whose passion for creating inclusive experiences expands beyond delivering data-driven, digital products. Whether fostering a community effort to found a greenbelt reserve, designing learning spaces, or promoting psychological safety in the workplace, she endeavors to strengthen communities through online and offline connections. **Gemma Mooney** *Product Design Lead \| RACV* With over 20 years of experience spanning UX, digital product design and design leadership. She specialises in helping organisations understand customer needs and translate insights into improved products, services and experiences. At RACV, Gemma leads strategic discovery, research and experience design initiatives across a range of member experiences, including onboarding, emergency roadside assistance, payments, chat and AI-enabled digital services. She also led the design of the RACV app from concept through to launch, helping shape the vision, user experience and member proposition for one of RACV's most important digital products. More recently, she has been helping embed AI into the design practice, developing practical approaches for using tools such as Copilot to support research, synthesis, journey mapping and opportunity identification. Prior to RACV, Gemma was UX Manager at Intrepid Travel, where she established the company's UX practice and championed user-centred design across the organisation. She also led Intrepid's first innovation hackathon, bringing together cross-functional teams to solve customer and business challenges through design-led thinking. Throughout her career, Gemma has been passionate about creating evidence-based, customer-centred experiences and helping teams use research and emerging technologies to drive better outcomes for customers and organisations alike. Her work has been recognised with Intrepid Travel's Outstanding Achievement Award and Travel Weekly's Women in Travel Award. **David Cullen** *Managing Director, Scyne Advisory (GAICD)* David has spent two decades on the front line of Australia's cyber resilience — the kind of career where "incident response" isn't a slide in a deck, it's a 3am phone call. As Victoria's former Chief Information Security Officer, he built the state's Cyber Incident Response Service from scratch and led the response to Victoria's largest-ever public sector cyber-attack, all while establishing the frameworks that now coordinate cyber emergencies statewide. At the national level, David represented Victoria on the National Cyber Security Committee and built the National Operations Subcommittee to get states talking to each other before a crisis, not during one. He's now a Managing Director at Scyne Advisory, leading national incident response capability and helping organisations across the public and private sector get serious about cyber preparedness before they need to. David holds a Master of Public Policy and Management, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is a recipient of the Resilient Australia Award. He brings a rare thing to a stage: someone who's actually been the person picking up the phone when it all goes wrong — and has the scars, systems, and stories to prove it.

29 attendees