Find your Co-Founder or New Hire

As part of Spark Festival 2026, the highly anticipated Find your Co-Founder or New Hire event, proudly hosted by the Western Sydney Startup Hub and powered by Spacecubed, returns for another evening of networking, founder connections, talent matchmaking, and meaningful conversations.

Designed for founders, startup and scaleup teams, experienced operators, and professionals looking to build or join high-growth ventures, this event brings together ambitious people shaping the next generation of technology and innovation companies.

Join us on Wednesday 23 September at the vibrant Western Sydney Startup Hub to connect with a diverse mix of founders, technical builders, commercial leaders, startup professionals, and growth-focused businesses seeking the right people to help scale their vision.

Whether you're searching for a co-founder, making strategic hires, expanding your leadership team, or exploring your next opportunity within a startup or scaleup, this event is designed to foster meaningful connections with people actively building and growing companies.

The evening begins at 5:30pm with networking, drinks and refreshments, followed by an engaging founder panel discussion. Following the panel discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to pitch their business, showcase their experience, or share the opportunity they are exploring through a series of 60-second elevator pitches. Attendees can then continue the conversation during a dedicated networking session, connecting directly with potential co-founders, collaborators, future team members, and businesses that captured their interest during the pitches.

Founder Panel: Building a Business, Finding Your Voice and Growing as a Co-Founder

Join us for a panel discussion featuring two successful Western Sydney founders who have built and scaled businesses alongside their co-founders while navigating the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship.

Hear from Api Yuganathan, Co-Founder of HealthcareLink, one of Australia's leading healthcare workforce platforms connecting healthcare professionals, employers and career opportunities across the country, and Georgina Schepis, Co-Founder and Business & Operations Manager of Handle Branding, a creative agency delivering strategically led design services across government, healthcare, education, infrastructure and the private sector.

Together, Api and Georgina will share their experiences as female co-founders, the realities of building and scaling a business, how they found and continue to strengthen their voice as leaders, the lessons they've learned along the way, and why building the right network can be just as important as building the right product.

REGISTRATION CATEGORIES:

I AM LOOKING FOR A CO-FOUNDER

• I want to meet ambitious people with complementary skills and a shared ambition to build

• I'm looking for potential co-founders, collaborators, or early team members to help bring ideas to life and scale ventures faster

• I want to connect with experienced operators, technical builders, and commercially minded people within the startup and scaleup ecosystem

• I'm looking to build meaningful relationships with people who are serious about innovation, growth, and building companies

I AM HIRING TO BUILD OUT MY TEAM

• I'm growing a startup or scaleup and looking for high-impact talent across technical, product, operations, and commercial functions

• I want to meet people who thrive in fast-moving, high-growth environments

• I'm looking to connect directly with experienced professionals, emerging talent, and future leaders

• I want to build relationships with people who can help strengthen and scale our business

I AM LOOKING FOR A ROLE WITH A TECH STARTUP OR SCALEUP

• I want to connect directly with founders, leadership teams, and growing companies

• I'm interested in opportunities within ambitious startups and scaleups where I can make a meaningful impact

• I want to meet innovative teams building high-growth businesses across a range of industries

• I'm looking to build long-term relationships within the startup, scaleup, and innovation ecosystem

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Wednesday 23 September, 2026

Where: Western Sydney Startup Hub, 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta

Guest arrival, drinks & nibbles: 5:30pm – 6:00pm

Welcome & Panel Discussion: 6:00pm – 6:45pm

60-second elevator pitches: 6:45pm – 7:45pm

Networking drinks & canapes: 7:45pm – 8:45pm

Whether you're a founder searching for a co-founder, a scaleup looking for exceptional talent, or a professional seeking their next opportunity, this is where meaningful connections begin.

Register now and take the next step in building your team, expanding your network, or exploring new opportunities within the innovation community.

We look forward to welcoming you to the event!

By attending this event, you consent that you may be photographed and recorded on video. These photos and videos may be used for marketing and promotional purposes. If you have any concerns, please let the team know upon arrival.