On 3 September 2025, Blackbird is hosting Collisions: an unconference-style gathering of 150 of Aotearoa’s sharpest founders and operators.

Collisions is designed around the conversations that usually happen in the hallways between keynotes - raw lessons, war stories, honest questions, and surprising answers.

The format is simple: hosted sessions where everyone teaches and everyone learns. You’ll leave with five new connections who’ll help you go faster, and three ideas you’ll put into practice tomorrow.

This is not a keynote parade. It’s a space for ambitious people to connect deeply, think tactically, and share what’s actually working (and what’s not).

Programming Sneak Peek

No panels. No slides. No velvet ropes.

Collisions plays out across three spaces inside two neighbouring creative venues - built for live gigs, lounges, and recording sessions. Now reimagined for unscripted huddles, open debate, and hallway magic.

Expect a choose-your-own-adventure of:

Peer-hosted sessions
Off-the-record conversations
Espresso-fuelled chats that spiral into something bigger

The kind of energy where ideas outlast the event, and conversations turn into collaborators.

Who’s in the Room

We’re curating for maximum energy and signal.

You’ll find:

Founders of early-stage and scaling companies
Product leaders, engineers, marketers, and other operators solving real, hairy problems
Kiwis building overseas with deep ties to home
Ambitious new voices with bold ideas and fresh momentum

Not exclusive, just intentional. Everyone in the room is there to build, learn, and share.

Why Come?

Leave with 5 new connections who can help you build what’s next
Take home 3 real ideas you’ll put into practice the next day
Share something, and learn something
An energising reset for your founder/operator brain