Startup Businesses

Hey, Melbourne indie hackers! Join us on Wednesday, February 25th at The Imperial Hotel’s rooftop bar—this time we’ve got a booth . It’s a great chance to catch up and chat about the progress on the apps and startups you’re working on—what’s shipped, what’s stuck, and what’s next. Expect relaxed conversations, shared learnings, and good vibes with fellow builders. See you on the rooftop!

Hey everyone We are putting on an in person OpenShift meetup on Wednesday 25 Feb. Come and join us to hear the latest capabilities for OpenShift 4.21, Roadmap, Virtualisation, GPU, AI & MCP servers and more. Having just returned from Red Hat One in Vegas we have a lot to share of what we have seen happening around the world. Its the usual time starting at 6pm with a 7:30pm finish as well as drinks and pizza! Look forward to seeing you there. OpenShift Meetup team https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/achieve-more-red-hat-openshift-421

**"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 Yarra River Short City Loop. 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/Z955MaRHSqI We'll kick things off at **5.30 pm sharp** at Federation Square. Please, don't be late! We're hitting the trail around the river 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 clockwise) Meeting point: Mamas Gozleme, 14 Birrarung Marr Walk, Melbourne VIC 3000 https://maps.app.goo.gl/wDruvccNUzSWkV8y5 This event is pet and kid-friendly, as long as your little ones and furry friends can manage a 3 km walk, they're more than welcome to join. Looking forward to meeting you all in real life! *** Subscribe to YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ITCareerinAustralia Follow me on LinkedIn for more information: 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/) Need more support? Join our 8-week program! https://www.meetup.com/it-career-in-australia/events/312469499/

About our meetings \~ start on time \~ finish on time \~ welcomes cultural diversity \~ welcomes men & women To ask any questions about Rotary, our club, our projects and/or this weeks meeting please email our President on president@rotarymalvern.org.au

RSVP on our Meetup event >> https://www.meetup.com/gdg-melbourne/events/313164035/ RSVP Codeword: NEWYEAR Get ready for our first monthly meetup of the year! This event is hosted at the Mantel Group Office, with the recording of the talks to be shared afterwards on YouTube if you can't make it. There will be food, networking and some surprise swag! Agenda: 6:20 - Intro 6:30 - Talks 8:00 till late - networking & chat (& drinks optional) Talks and Speakers: Kotlin → C#; Experimenting with Cross-Runtime Interop by Isuru Rajapakse, Senior Android Developer at Motorola Solutions Kotlin is a warm, cozy blanket of null safety and garbage collection so that we don't gave to get our feet wet. But what happens when you rip that blanket away, compile your Kotlin code down to a C static library, and try to use it in a .NET application? I did it so you don't have to. And I brought the stack traces to prove it. From Hype to Hands-On: Building Smarter Apps with the Agent Development Kit by Lovee Jain, Google Developer Expert - Cloud | Senior Software Engineer @Prezzee AI agents are more than hype — they’re a new way to design applications. In this talk, we’ll take a practical look at the Agent Development Kit (ADK) and how developers can use it to orchestrate multi-agent workflows. We’ll explore agent types, chaining strategies, and how to integrate tools and context effectively. The session includes a demo of a point-based buying agent that showcases how agents can interact, make decisions, and deliver value in a real-world scenario. Expect less buzzword, more code, and practical lessons you can apply in your own projects. Agentic DevOps: I Gave AI Agents root access to a VM – Here’s What I Learned by Bishal Sapkota, Software Engineer | AI Solutions Architect | Co-founder at Outback Yak Real Automation, self patching, persistent memory, cron jobs, and the obvious loaded gun. How to find us: Doors open at 5:45 PM at our host the Mantel Group, Level 2/452 Flinders St Melbourne. Message via Meetup or Slack if you are arriving after 6:00 as the lifts won't let you up.  This is an in-person only event. If you have any accessibility requirements please reach out via the Meetup or Slack to the organiser group to discuss and we will do our best to help you out. Agenda --- Hosted By Katie Barnett, GDE Android / GDG Organiser Katie is passionate about all things Android. She has taken on a wide variety of challenging projects including in the live event, media and travel space. Her favourite thing is to see someone having a delightful experience using something she has worked on. Katie is very active in the development community, she is a Google Developer Expert for Android, one of the organisers of GDG Melbourne and is a Women Techmakers Ambassador. She frequently runs events, speaks on technical and non-technical topics and enjoys writing blog posts to share her experience with others. Katie is based in Melbourne, Australia but loves to travel the world and outside of tech she enjoys boardgaming and attempting to finish many craft projects. Suesi Tran, Senior Flutter Developer Google Developer Expert in Dart, Flutter & Firebase, Women Techmaker Melbourne ambassador, GDG Melbourne & Flutter Melbourne co-organiser. In short: Flutter is love, and mobile is life. Poornima Sivakumar, GDG Organiser Lovee Jain, GDG Organiser Lovee is a Software Engineer at Prezzee, a GDG Melbourne Organiser and also a Women Techmakers Ambassador. A tech inquisitive philomath, she loves problem solving and solution design. She has worked at a city council where she developed a lot of useful system integrations and while at Prezzee she develops and works on multiple gift card solutions to cater the B2B2C market. Zach Jensz, GDG Organiser Passionate about the web, seamless UX and accessibility. I love attending meetups, find me and come say hi! Ujjawal Raj, GDG Organiser Bramley Turner-Jones, GDG Organiser Yuba Raj (UV) Panta, GDG Cloud Organiser Kartik Arora, Android Engineer Google Developer Expert in Android Android Engineer @ Bilue Carolyn Ai Chi Wong, Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-melbourne-presents-gdg-melbourne-february-2026-meetup/.

Come join us and practise public speaking! All levels are welcome. Take the first step to overcome your fears, build confidence and learn to speak with impact in a friendly, supportive and encouraging environment. Start you public speaking journey with us now to improve your communications skills and elevate all aspects of your life. Please arrive 10 minutes early so we can settle everyone in for a 5.30pm start. See you soon!

# ** Melbourne AWS User Group –** February **Meetup ** ** Wednesday, 25 February** ** NAB Events Hub – 395 Bourke Street, Melbourne** **⏰ Food at 6:00 pm, talks from 6:30 pm (with live stream)** We’re kicking off 2026 properly with a deep technical session and another exciting speaker announcement coming soon This month we’re diving into Kubernetes networking changes that could directly impact your clusters — especially if you’re running Ingress-NGINX. This month’s lineup features: * **Gokul Venugopal** returning with a Level 300 session on the retirement of Kubernetes Ingress-NGINX. * **Warwick Wilson** shares lessons from running and evolving a production AWS Serverless orchestration platform over three years. A huge thank you to our sponsors: Mantel Group – Gold Sponsor, Cevo – Silver Sponsor, NAB – Venue Sponsor The event will be **live-streamed on YouTube** as always. *** # **️ Agenda** * **6:00 pm** – Food & Socialising * **6:30 pm** – Introductions * **6:40 pm** – What’s New in AWS * **6:55 pm** – The Retirement of Kubernetes Ingress-NGINX (Level 300); Speaker: **Gokul Venugopal** * **7:25 pm** – Almost Serverless Spatial (Level 200); Speaker: **Warwick Wilson** * **7:55 pm** – Marketplace (Who’s Hiring) * **8:00 pm** – Networking + Close *** # ** Talk Details** ## **The Retirement of Kubernetes Ingress-NGINX: Impacts, Risks, and Next Steps** Speaker: Gokul Venugopal Level: 300 Description: Ingress controllers are foundational to how traffic flows into Kubernetes workloads — but with the announced retirement of Ingress-NGINX, many teams are asking: what now? In this session, Gokul will cover: * A refresher on Kubernetes Ingress and the role of Ingress-NGINX * What the retirement means in practice * Risks for existing clusters * Migration paths and available alternatives * Pros and cons of the major options If you’re running Kubernetes in production, this is one you don’t want to miss. *** ## **Almost Serverless Spatial** Speaker: Warwick Wilson Level: 200 Description: Warwick manages a Spatial Data supply and distribution platform for DTP, an AWS Serverless orchestration that has now been in production for nearly three years. In this session, Warwick will walk through: * The original architecture and design decisions * How the AWS Step Functions workflows started simple * How they evolved over time as production realities set in * Lessons learned operating and refining long-running serverless orchestration If you're running or designing Step Functions in production, this is a practical, experience-driven session you won’t want to miss. *** # ** Want to Speak at a Future Meetup?** We’re always looking for new speakers and believe everyone has an interesting talk waiting to be shared. If you’d like to present at a future event, reach out at the meetup, via our website: [https://melb.awsug.org.au/speak/](https://melb.awsug.org.au/speak/)

The Melbourne Circle is a curated meetup for people who are building something meaningful - whether it’s a business, a creative path, a personal brand, or a new chapter in life. This is not traditional networking. No pitches. No forced introductions. No surface-level conversations. Instead, we create an intentional space for real conversations, fresh ideas, and genuine connections with like-minded people in Melbourne. ### What to expect: **6:00 – 6:15 pm:** Arrival & relaxed meet and greet **6:15 – 6:45 pm:** Short value session / open sharing on a meaningful topic **6:45 – 7:15 pm:** Real conversations, idea exchange & community discussion **7:15 – 7:30 pm:** Closing & optional connection exchange This is a safe, welcoming room where you can show up as you are - whether you're starting something new, growing quietly, or simply looking to connect with ambitious, positive people. ### Bonus: Free microgreen trays for attendees (while supplies last ) ### What to bring: Just yourself, an open mind, and good energy. Hosted by Manna & Chelsea Limited seats to keep the experience intentional and high quality.

**Attention attendees!** **To register, use** [Luma](https://luma.com/ku860ekb) Warning: The meetup is not a platform for RSVP registration; for this, you need to follow [thisLink ](https://luma.com/ku860ekb)to purchase a registration ticket. The meetup is one of the platforms through which we offer participation in our events. **Startup Valley — Melbourne** A curated pitch night for startup founders, operators, angels and VC partners. We design these sessions to help founders sharpen their thinking through direct, candid feedback — and to give strong investors access to serious teams. **What happens:** • 4-8 startups pitch live and receive feedback from angels and VC partners • Feedback focuses on real decisions and next steps — not surface-level opinions • Investors stay in the room before and after pitches • The format leaves space for real conversations, not rushed networking • Attendance is limited to keep the room focused Designed for clear thinking, not noise. **Who you’ll meet:** * Startup founders * Angel investors and VC partners * Operators in marketing, sales, and tech * AI engineers * Local and international founders * AI Experts * Founders from Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom **Practical details** **For investors:** We invite angel investors and VC partners to participate as judges and contributors. **To become a judge,** and get early access to our startups database, please fill out th[ the form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8CVqvhQJu-AcclIF6PCuwjL4YpQt4w0FchGSoutRkt58v4g/viewform). Join the judge table, meet other investors, and see what teams are building early. Founders need your experienced view. **For pitching startups:** Startups selected to pitch will present live on stage and receive feedback from investors. **After purchasing a ticket:** Please[ submit your pitch deck](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchcZr9gCNJh0RLiKBgbdbDBKEOc-92LNySkzHf8qGPHg5Wpg/viewform) and ensure it is open for viewers. **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 – 19:30** **Event Kickoff & Interactive Networking** Official welcome from the organizers with a brief overview of the event goals and schedule. Interactive networking helps participants set their objectives and connect with key contacts. **19:40 – 20:20** **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. **20:20 – 21:00** **Chill & Networking** Participants enjoy casual conversations with investors, discuss collaborations, and exchange ideas over refreshments.

**Attention attendees!** **To register, use** [Luma](https://luma.com/ku860ekb) Warning: The meetup is not a platform for RSVP registration; for this, you need to follow [thisLink ](https://luma.com/ku860ekb)to purchase a registration ticket. The meetup is one of the platforms through which we offer participation in our events. **Startup Valley — Melbourne** A curated pitch night for startup founders, operators, angels and VC partners. We design these sessions to help founders sharpen their thinking through direct, candid feedback — and to give strong investors access to serious teams. **What happens:** • 4-8 startups pitch live and receive feedback from angels and VC partners • Feedback focuses on real decisions and next steps — not surface-level opinions • Investors stay in the room before and after pitches • The format leaves space for real conversations, not rushed networking • Attendance is limited to keep the room focused Designed for clear thinking, not noise. **Who you’ll meet:** * Startup founders * Angel investors and VC partners * Operators in marketing, sales, and tech * AI engineers * Local and international founders * AI Experts * Founders from Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom **Practical details** **For investors:** We invite angel investors and VC partners to participate as judges and contributors. **To become a judge,** and get early access to our startups database, please fill out th[ the form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8CVqvhQJu-AcclIF6PCuwjL4YpQt4w0FchGSoutRkt58v4g/viewform). Join the judge table, meet other investors, and see what teams are building early. Founders need your experienced view. **For pitching startups:** Startups selected to pitch will present live on stage and receive feedback from investors. **After purchasing a ticket:** Please[ submit your pitch deck](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchcZr9gCNJh0RLiKBgbdbDBKEOc-92LNySkzHf8qGPHg5Wpg/viewform) and ensure it is open for viewers. **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 – 19:30** **Event Kickoff & Interactive Networking** Official welcome from the organizers with a brief overview of the event goals and schedule. Interactive networking helps participants set their objectives and connect with key contacts. **19:40 – 20:20** **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. **20:20 – 21:00** **Chill & Networking** Participants enjoy casual conversations with investors, discuss collaborations, and exchange ideas over refreshments.

* 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.

**Attention attendees!** **To register, use** [Luma](https://luma.com/ku860ekb) Warning: The meetup is not a platform for RSVP registration; for this, you need to follow [thisLink ](https://luma.com/ku860ekb)to purchase a registration ticket. The meetup is one of the platforms through which we offer participation in our events. **Startup Valley — Melbourne** A curated pitch night for startup founders, operators, angels and VC partners. We design these sessions to help founders sharpen their thinking through direct, candid feedback — and to give strong investors access to serious teams. **What happens:** • 4-8 startups pitch live and receive feedback from angels and VC partners • Feedback focuses on real decisions and next steps — not surface-level opinions • Investors stay in the room before and after pitches • The format leaves space for real conversations, not rushed networking • Attendance is limited to keep the room focused Designed for clear thinking, not noise. **Who you’ll meet:** * Startup founders * Angel investors and VC partners * Operators in marketing, sales, and tech * AI engineers * Local and international founders * AI Experts * Founders from Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom **Practical details** **For investors:** We invite angel investors and VC partners to participate as judges and contributors. **To become a judge,** and get early access to our startups database, please fill out th[ the form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8CVqvhQJu-AcclIF6PCuwjL4YpQt4w0FchGSoutRkt58v4g/viewform). Join the judge table, meet other investors, and see what teams are building early. Founders need your experienced view. **For pitching startups:** Startups selected to pitch will present live on stage and receive feedback from investors. **After purchasing a ticket:** Please[ submit your pitch deck](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchcZr9gCNJh0RLiKBgbdbDBKEOc-92LNySkzHf8qGPHg5Wpg/viewform) and ensure it is open for viewers. **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 – 19:30** **Event Kickoff & Interactive Networking** Official welcome from the organizers with a brief overview of the event goals and schedule. Interactive networking helps participants set their objectives and connect with key contacts. **19:40 – 20:20** **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. **20:20 – 21:00** **Chill & Networking** Participants enjoy casual conversations with investors, discuss collaborations, and exchange ideas over refreshments.

** 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.

[iHarvest Coworking Sunshine](https://iharvestcoworking.com.au/) is holding a free open day this Friday so local start-ups, entrepreneurs and small business operators can experience what co-working in our professional and contemporary office suite is all about. Come see for yourself! **Date:** Friday 27 February 2026 **Time:** 9:00am - 5:00pm **Where:** [iHarvest Coworking - L4/301 Hampshire Rd, Sunshine VIC 3020](https://share.google/k7JuK4BTXM6igsfPk) Light refreshments provided.

**PLEASE BUY TICKETS THROUGH EVENTBRITE. RSVP THROUGH MEETUP IS NOT A TICKET PURCHASE CONFIRMATION.** Strive welcomes you to 'General Business Networking', Columbus' hottest networking event! We are set in the perfect central location in Downtown for all to join. Are you interested in business? Want to elevate your career? Meet Consultants, Analysts of all types, Bankers, Software Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and more who are active in the space or are eager to get started. **\*\*This will be a multi-vertical event\*\*** **There will be professionals with backgrounds in the arts, finance, tech, real estate, healthcare, and more. Come with an open mind, and leave with connections that wouldn't be possible otherwise!** Pack some business cards and come with an open mind! Meet your future business partners, employers, coworkers, investors, and friends. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your network and create a brighter future. We will have a space for our event to check-in. The event will go from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (feel free to come at any point in this timeframe). Name tags will be provided. Business casual dress code. Job fair attire. **Remember, it's not who you know, it's who you meet tomorrow!** We look forward to meeting you at the event! Sincerely, Strive Networking Team *Refund requests are permitted up to 24 hours after purchase, so long as we are not within 48 hours before the event start time. Refunds will be made in full and repaid to your method of payment. Note that we are unable to reimburse PayPal fees.* *Disclaimer: By attending Strive Networking events you agree to photos/videos taken during the event being used to promote future events.*

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

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

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)

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

**\*\*\*\* More details and sign up at: https://aifalliance.org/summit-2026/ \*\*\*\*** **What is AI Freedom Alliance?** AI Freedom Alliance promotes the responsible growth of AI guided by practical, commonsense ethics. Our nonprofit is built by professionals from a wide range of industries and is made up entirely of small- and mediumbusiness representatives—never large tech companies. We provide a counterbalance to big corporate influence, focusing instead on how AI can benefit businesses and the world at large. **What’s Happening?** ***The inaugural AI Freedom Alliance Summit.*** This full-day event will explore how we can ensure AI is adopted responsibly through shared ethical standards that empower humanity. The summit will feature interactive and educational sessions led by thought leaders, technologists, policymakers, and advocates who are passionate about making AI fair, transparent, and beneficial for everyone. **Why Attend?** Learn about the legal and technical challenges with implementing AI solutions within your organization. Build better solutions while protecting your organization from legal and compliance risks. And learn how to think strategically about AI as a differentiation tool for your business. This summit is highly recommended for C-Suite leaders to learn as well as interact with each other and our sponsors.