Business Support

We've spent the last few years measuring and celebrating AI adoption as if it were one thing - when really it's a deeply personal journey, and no two of us are on quite the same one. How it lands depends on where you're starting from, on how you think you'll be seen and measured for using it, and on what it's quietly doing to the craft you love. Drawing not just on recent research and my own study, but on living it and talking with many others on the same path, this talk weaves those layers together. You'll leave with a clearer sense of your own journey, and that you have far more control over this technology's effectiveness than you might realise. However you're feeling about all of this, you're not doing it wrong. **Agenda (time in Melbourne/AEST)** * 5:30pm Networking * 6:00pm Welcome * 6:05pm Main Presentation * 6:35pm Q&A * 7:00pm Networking * 7:30pm Close **This will be a HYBRID event:** **Zoom link -** will be posted 1hr before event starts. **Our Speaker** **Annie Vella** Annie Vella is a Distinguished Engineer at Westpac New Zealand, where she focuses on AI adoption, governing agentic systems at scale, and transforming the software development lifecycle. With over 20 years of experience across startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises in four countries, she has spent two decades on both sides of the engineer/manager pendulum — and actively encourages others to do the same. Having fallen in love with computers when she got her first Commodore 64 at age six, Annie has cared deeply about the craft ever since. That curiosity led to a Master's of Engineering exploring how professional software engineers experience the impact of AI coding assistants. Through her writing and speaking, Annie's aim is to help engineers and leaders find joy and pride in the work ahead.

Join in at 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra for the Mental Health Foundation Australia Monthly Depression Support Group. Introducing Akshay as our current facilitator. Akshay has completed a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences and is passionate about understanding and managing depression, anxiety and stressed based disorders. Akshay takes a non-judgemental, compassionate approach to addressing mental health issues and engages participants to share in a positive and safe environment. Come along and be with people who understand and share in your experiences. They may start out as strangers but they will quickly become friends. To register your attendance please see: [https://supportgroup.mhfa.org.au/depression-support-group](https://supportgroup.mhfa.org.au/depression-support-group) You can also sign up for the Online Depression Support Group which is held on the second Monday of each month on the same page. For other MHFA support groups please see: [https://supportgroup.mhfa.org.au/](https://supportgroup.mhfa.org.au/) If you need any further information feel free to contact us at supportgroup@mhfa.org.au

**Welcome to our Tuesday Social + Language Exchange Meetup 🌍** We meet weekly at **Fathers Office QV-249 Little lonsdale st (Melbourne CBD).** We ask that you **purchase a drink at the bar** or **pay $3.5 at entry** to support the venue. *** ### 💬 Find your people (New!) Looking to practice a specific language? Post in the discussion using: * **#LearnSpanish** * **#LearnEnglish** * **#TeachEnglish** * **#LearnJapanese** * etc. 👉 This helps others find you faster and makes it easier to connect. *** ### 📲 Join our WhatsApp Community Stay connected before and after the event, meet people, and find language partners: 👉 **Join here:** [https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bi7FlhHP91e0eP7MfdeWcZ) *** ### ⏰ What to expect We consistently have **100–120 attendees** every Thursday (across multiple Meetup groups). People arrive at different times — **best time to come is between 6PM and 9PM.** Come solo or with friends — most people come alone and join conversations naturally. *** ### 🌏 Who attends? A mix of: * Native & non-native English speakers * International students * Backpackers & working holiday travellers * Professionals & expats * Local Australians You’ll meet people from: Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and more. *** ### 🗣️ Why join? 👉 A relaxed, social way to practice English 👉 Meet people from around the world 👉 No pressure, no structure — just conversations *** ### 🍕 FREE DRINKS & FOOD FOR FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS! We’re looking for **friendly volunteers** to help welcome newcomers and keep the vibe social. 👉 You’ll get: * Free drinks (beer/soft drink) * Food (pizza, wedges, etc.) * A fun team to hang out with No experience needed — many of our volunteers are **first-timers too**. Interested? 👉 [www.Linguas.au/Volunteer](www.Linguas.au/Volunteer) *** 📲 **More info:** [https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU](https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU) or **@Linguas.AU**

Whether you're looking for a short, light game or a longer strategy-heavy game, come join the Melbourne Asian Board Gamers on Tuesday night at Marché Board Game Cafe for some fun! To **check in**, please head to the front counter and show your RSVP for the Meetup event to a Marché staff member. They will then point you towards the event host for the evening to take down your attendance. **⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ Cost ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆** Attendees who have registered for the event on Meetup can play at discounted rates, with the following payments to be made: * **$7 in total per session” to cover Meetup subscription and cafe costs. Payment of $7 should be made to Marche at the front counter upon notification to the staff member that you are here for the scheduled meetup. There is now no minimum spend on items at the cafe as there were before. The cafes menu can be found here https://mbgcafe.com.au/menu.pdf . Only attendees on the "going" list are entitled to the discount. attendees that are on the waitlist or didn't register on Meetup are still welcome to come, but will need to pay the regular Marche rate of $22 for three hours of board games (includes one free drink). **Attendance** As our events are highly popular, if you have RSVP as going but can no longer attend, please amend your RSVP to allow others a chance to attend. If we notice people are not showing up when they have RSVP, you will be moved to the waitlist the following week and give priority to those who actually turn up. We appreciate everyone's understanding and co-operation. We really appreciate your support and look forward to playing with you.

AI is no longer a future concept — it's being engineered into production systems today. We're rebuilding a practitioner-led space where Melbourne's AI engineering community connects, learns, and ships better work together. After a year away, we're back – and bigger in focus. Same community, sharper lens: the *engineering* of building AI systems that survive contact with production. Our first event back is themed "Building AI That Ships." Two talks from local practitioners, then time to mingle with the people working on the same problems you are. **Who is this for** AI engineers · software engineers shipping LLM features · ML engineers and data scientists · product managers building AI products · technical leaders. **Important Note** After clicking "Attend" on this meetup, you'll also need to register through this [link](https://invites.envoy.com/group-invite/8UV8AVxbXWNFdtTq/exceeded) to gain access to the venue! **Run time** * **5:30 – 6:00** — Doors open · food + drinks · networking * **6:00 – 6:10** — Welcome * **6:10 – 6:30** — Talk 1: Designing the Harness around AI agents * **6:30 – 6:50** — Talk 2: AI for Future of Engineering * **7:00 – 7:30** — Panel Discussion: The Engineering Day in AI Era * **7:30 – 7:50** — Open networking * **7:50 – 8:00** — Wrap up See you there! 🙌

Come talk maths over a drink or two and maybe a meal. If you have any mathsy puzzles, games or toys, bring 'em along. There'll be a puzzle sheet to solve if you wish, but it's not competitive. No maths background necessary, all welcome. Email melbourne@mathsjam.com to join our mailing list for monthly puzzle sheets. The event is very informal so don't worry if you can't arrive exactly at 7:30pm or have forgotten to RSVP (but please do RSVP if you can!).

* 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.

Once a month Elni hosts our Port Phillip and Bayside socials. It’s a great opportunity to meet others. Our emphasis is on fun and enjoying each other’s company whilst supporting anyone who might need it. We each pay for our own food and drinks. This time, we’ll meet for dinner at Sons of Mary, a lovely place with a relaxed, elegant vibe. It’s a cosy spot with great service and a warm atmosphere — perfect for a friendly dinner and good conversations. We’d appreciate it if you could update your RSVP the day before so we can provide an exact headcount for the reservation. The table is booked under the name Elni. We hope to see you!

**🍻 The Entrepreneur Club – Last Friday of the Month Drinks** **Not your average knock-off drinks.** Join us for a monthly gathering of entrepreneurs, builders, creatives, and self-starters who believe business is more than just work, it’s a personal growth journey. Whether you're scaling something or just starting out, this is a space to meet others who think like you do. **💬 What to Expect** ✅ Real convos with people building something ✅ A place to bounce ideas, swap challenges, and share wins ✅ Opportunities to give value and get it in return ✅ Chill vibes, no pitches, just smart people in good company You don’t need a title or a polished pitch, just curiosity and the willingness to connect. **🗓 Format** **6:30pm** – Arrive, grab a drink, join a convo **8:30pm** – We wrap, or roll on elsewhere 📍 **The Oxford Scholar** We take over a corner of the bar (Back Bar or Atrium), look for the crew with ideas in one hand and a drink in the other. **🎯 This is for you if** * You want more entrepreneurial people in your life * You’re building something, or want to be * You care about growth, not just small talk Bring a question. Bring a challenge. Bring your curiosity. Last Friday of every month. Let’s make it count.

Winter in Melbourne calls for one thing: wrapping your hands around a hot chocolate (or another warm beverage of your choice) 🍫☕ There's something about the cold that makes you want to slow down, find a warm seat, and connect with people in a cosy setting. And that's exactly what we're doing. Join us for an end-of-week wind-down— good conversations, warm drinks, and maybe a little sweet treat or two. A casual, intimate catch-up for women in Melbourne who want to connect in the most genuine, low-key way possible.

🎉 **Melbourne AWS User Group – June Meetup** 🎉 📅 Wednesday, 24 June 📍 NAB Events Hub – 395 Bourke Street, Melbourne ⏰ Food at 6:00 pm, talks from 6:30 pm (with live stream) Join us for our June meetup, featuring two lightning talks and a full technical presentation covering community contribution, generative AI, and cloud-native security. This month also celebrates the AWS community speaking journey. Sanjana Kailash will deliver her first-ever public presentation, while Bharat Wadhwa returns to present after beginning his own public speaking journey at a Melbourne AWS User Group event. This month’s lineup features: • **Matthew Merriel** giving a behind-the-scenes look at how the Melbourne AWS User Group’s regular “What’s New in AWS” segment is prepared—and how other volunteers can get involved. • **Sanjana Kailash** making her first-ever public presentation, demonstrating an automated market-intelligence pipeline built with Amazon Bedrock, retrieval-augmented generation, and AWS-native services. • **Bharat Wadhwa** presenting a cloud-native approach to malware protection for Amazon S3 using Amazon GuardDuty Malware Protection. Bharat also gave his first public presentation at a Melbourne AWS User Group event, making this a great example of where taking that first step can lead. A huge thank you to our sponsors: 🥇 Mantel Group – Gold Sponsor, 🥈 Cevo – Silver Sponsor, 🏛 NAB – Venue Sponsor The event will also be live-streamed on YouTube: 👉 [https://melb.awsug.org.au/live](https://melb.awsug.org.au/live) *** 🗓️ **Agenda** 6:00 pm – Food & Socialising 6:30 pm – Introductions 6:40 pm – What’s New in AWS 6:55 pm – Preparing the “What’s New in AWS” Segment (Level 100); Speaker: Matthew Merriel 7:10 pm – RAG to Riches: AI-Powered Market Intelligence on Amazon Bedrock (Level 200); Speaker: Sanjana Kailash 7:25 pm – Intelligent Malware Protection Using AWS GuardDuty (Level 200); Speaker: Bharat Wadhwa 7:55 pm – Marketplace (Who’s Hiring) 8:00 pm – Networking + Close *** 🎤 **Talk Details** **Preparing the “What’s New in AWS” Segment** Speaker: Matthew Merriel Level: 100 Format: Lightning Talk “What’s New in AWS” is a regular part of Melbourne AWS User Group meetups—but how is the segment put together? Matthew will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the process used to find, shortlist, and prepare recent AWS announcements for presentation at the meetup. This session is designed to help volunteers understand what is involved and make it easier for more community members to take on the segment at future events. No previous speaking experience is required. *** **RAG to Riches: AI-Powered Market Intelligence on Amazon Bedrock** Speaker: Sanjana Kailash Level: 200 Format: Lightning Talk What if a strategy team never had to manually scan more than 50 data sources again? In this lightning talk, Sanjana will walk through how she built a fully automated AI-powered market-intelligence pipeline using Amazon Bedrock, retrieval-augmented generation, and AWS-native services. The solution transforms more than five hours of Monday-morning manual research into a polished briefing delivered directly to inboxes—with no manual effort required. This will also be Sanjana’s first public presentation, and we’re excited to welcome another new speaker to the Melbourne AWS community. *** **Intelligent Malware Protection Using AWS GuardDuty** Speaker: Bharat Wadhwa Level: 200 Format: Full Presentation This presentation showcases a cloud-native malware-protection solution for Amazon S3 using Amazon GuardDuty Malware Protection. The solution replaces legacy antivirus approaches with intelligent, event-driven malware detection and automated security workflows. Bharat will explore how this approach can improve scalability, operational efficiency, and security visibility across AWS environments. Bharat also began his public speaking journey at a Melbourne AWS User Group event and now returns with a full technical presentation. *** 🙌 Could This Be the Start of Your Speaking Journey? This month, Sanjana will take the stage for her first-ever public presentation. Bharat also began his speaking journey at a Melbourne AWS User Group meetup and is now returning with a full technical session. Every experienced speaker started with a first talk. Whether you have an idea for a full presentation, a lightning talk, or would like to help prepare and present the “What’s New in AWS” segment, the organisers are happy to help you take that first step. Speak to us at the meetup or submit an idea through our website: 👉 [https://melb.awsug.org.au/speak/](https://melb.awsug.org.au/speak/)

Dear STAG members, We are back with **🚀STAG In-Person Meetup!** **Topic: Calculating the Savings with AI-Assisted Performance Testing Using LoadMagic and JMeter** Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the way performance testing is performed, but how much time and cost can it actually save? Join us for an engaging and practical session with **[Renard Vardy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/)**[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/)as we explore how AI-assisted automation can dramatically reduce the effort and technical complexity involved in creating and maintaining JMeter performance test scripts. In this session, Renard will demonstrate how **LoadMagic** can automatically correlate a JMeter script, showcasing how AI-assisted scripting can simplify and accelerate this process through a live demonstration. 📅 **Date:** Wednesday, 24 June 2026 🕕 **Event** **Time:** 5.30 PM - 7.30 PM 🕕 **Speaker** **Time:** 6 PM - 7 PM 📍 **Format:** **In-Person Meetup** 📍**Venue**: Level 3, 271 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 **Thanks to our Event Sponsor : [Easygo](https://easygo.io/)** 287 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 ***Food & drinks will be provided.*** 🤝 **Networking** before and after the event. Join us from **5:30 PM** for pre-event networking and stay after the session until approximately **7:30 PM** to connect with fellow testing professionals. **About the Speaker – Renard Vardy** Renard Vardy is a highly experienced Software Quality and Performance Testing specialist with more than 25 years of industry experience helping organisations improve the reliability, scalability, and performance of critical software systems. Throughout his career, he has worked across government, enterprise, and large-scale digital transformation programs, with a strong focus on Performance Engineering, Test Automation, and emerging AI-driven testing practices. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/) If you need any further info, please email at [stag@test-fast.com.](http://stag@test-fast.com./) Join [STAG mailing list](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/membership-for-stag) to not miss any notification & also join the [STAG premium membership](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/premium-membership-for-stag-members) today and unlock a world of exclusive benefits designed to propel your career in software test automation to new heights. [Sign up now](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/premium-membership-for-stag-members) and take advantage! Also, join us on: [Subscribe STAG on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRu6aED3NQbkBW5SxfAF_Lg) (for recordings) [Follow STAG LinkedIn Page](https://bit.ly/3x4mWog) [STAG LinkedIn Group](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6967675/) STAG [WhatsApp channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VagLSlQDTkKBtPYfCi1W) We look forward to seeing you there and making this event a memorable and valuable experience for everyone. **Why Attend?** * **Networking Opportunities**: Meet and interact with like-minded professionals in the software test automation field. * **Knowledge Sharing**: Engage in insightful discussions and share your experiences and challenges. * **Collaboration**: Discover potential collaborations and partnerships within the community. Thanks & Regards, **STAG** *{Empowering Test Automation}*

Free monthly networking for Columbus business owners. Real conversations, real connections, no forced formats. Space is limited. RSVP now. Most owners leave networking events with a stack of business cards and no plan. The best leads quietly slip through the cracks. Networking Night is a monthly meetup for Columbus business owners who want to build real local relationships, not just trade contact info. Every kind of local business welcome. No pitch round, no pressure, no awkward speed-networking. **This month** We are focused on referral relationships. Walk in with a clear idea of who refers people like you. Walk out having met a few owners whose work fits next to yours. **What to expect** Doors open at 6 PM. You get real conversation with other local owners, time to actually connect, and a short marketing lesson woven in. The room is reserved through 7:30 PM. **Who this is for** Any local business owner who wants to grow through relationships, not just paid ads. Service businesses, retail, home services, professional services, online owners building local presence, anyone serious about being part of the Columbus business community. **Not the right fit if** You are here to pitch the room or recruit for an MLM. **Details** * Last Thursday of every month * 6:00 to 7:30 PM * COhatch Easton * Free to attend, RSVP required, space is limited **About the host** Rita Suzanne is a local marketing strategist and the founder of Local Marketing Method. She runs Visibility is Profitability, the membership where local owners build the system that keeps their phone ringing, including tracking the referral relationships built in rooms like this one. Learn more at learnlocalmarketing.com. Register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-marketing-networking-night-tickets-1988510112275](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-marketing-networking-night-tickets-1988510112275)

Have a small business? Ever wish you could just ask some questions around how to grow your business, get more customers or just know what the freak you are doing with sales? Now is your chance!! Every month we are hosting the "Ask an Expert" at the Columbus Metro Library, Main campus. I will be there to answer your Sales related questions. Drop-in for sales coaching designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals sharpen their sales approach. Whether you have questions on how to refine your pitch, are looking to close deals more quickly, or are working on building better client relationships, Smashing Your Sales Goals Coaches are here to help. Drop-in to get expert insights, actionable strategies and real-time solutions to grow your business and generate higher profits. Drop-In Sales Coaching is FREE + OPEN to the public. No appointment needed. First come, first served. EPIC Learning created. Accelerate Columbus supported.

Join us for lunch and meet our very successful group. We are each others sales team...always looking for referrals for our members. If you are looking for new clients, let us help you out! Bring your business cards and brochures to share with us. We have a speaker each week so that we can learn about their business. Because we have only one member per business, we have many of the spots filled. However, we are specifically looking for an estate attorney, a handyman/electrician, and an event planner. We have referrals for you! All visitors are welcome. Any questions contact [pmarchio@farmersagent.com](mailto:pmarchio@farmersagent.com)

Come and grow your business by meeting these other business professionals. We can help you expand your customers.

📊 **Profit from Predictions – Polymarket Strategy** Stop guessing on Polymarket. Learn the analytical system that generates real profit. ⚠️ Complete registration below — RSVP alone doesn't reserve your spot. ### [🔗 CLAIM YOUR SPOT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/Polymarket?city=Columbus&groupurlname=network-of-book-lovers-and-discussion-meetups&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-30T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll learn: - A systematic approach to forecasting outcomes - How to identify high-value markets before the crowd - Polymarket strategies that generate consistent daily profit *The forecasters who win have a system. Get yours.* 🎯

Evolve is all about creating an Authentic Community, Deeper Connections, and Confident Growth. We are a group of entrepreneurial women who connect personally and professionally. We welcome every guest to experience our authentic community with no cliques and no judgment. Come as you are! There's a seat waiting for you. Elevate is an action-oriented connection experience designed to help women entrepreneurs move beyond surface-level networking and into meaningful growth, collaboration, and courageous action. Each session centers around a focused business or personal development topic, followed by intentional breakout discussions that encourage deeper conversations, real relationship-building, and practical next steps. Unlike traditional networking events, Elevate is designed to create momentum. Women are encouraged not only to share ideas, but to actively support one another through accountability, collaboration, brainstorming, and action-based growth. Every meeting is an opportunity to build authentic connections, gain fresh perspective, and leave with a clear action step to implement before the next session. This is a space where women rise together — not through competition or hustle culture, but through encouragement, courage, consistency, and intentional community. \*\*Evolve Women's Collective is a membership based professional women's group. You can find more information at [www.EvolveWomensCollective.com](https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.EvolveWomensNetwork.com&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw0UekYvD4PoVa7WUlFFVHyp). Feel welcome to be our guest anytime! [Join the Call](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://zoom.us/j/7894682064&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw127u1EMKvrsjTOPRaLUJ51)