AI Emerging Startups Western Sydney 2024

🚀 EVENT OVERVIEW

Join us on an exhilarating evening at the Western Sydney University Parramatta City Campus where innovation meets ambition. Come along to hear from and meet with emerging founders on the verge of breakthrough in the AI space. We're bringing the brightest minds together in Western Sydney to foster a community that champions future startups. Get an exclusive seat to the newest AI startups and products before they hit it big.

Use our discount code to receive 50% off tickets! 'DISCOUNT50' or use this link: https://events.humanitix.com/new-and-emerging-ai-startup-showcase-sydney-2024-hear-from-founders-who-are-ready-to-enter-into-the-ai-startup-space?discountcode=DISCOUNT50

📅 SCHEDULE

5:00PM to 5:45PM	Workshop with Harini Janakiraman, Buildship
5:45PM to 6:00PM	Break
6:00PM to 6:30PM	Networking + Dinner
6:30PM to 6:55PM	Lightning talks with founders - round 1
6:55PM to 7:15PM	Guest Speaker Q&A with Anoop George, Skwill
7:15PM to 7:35PM	Lightning talks with founders - round 2
7:35PM to 7:55PM	Guest Speaker Q&A with Elizabeth Fuller, Microsoft
7:55PM to 8:00PM	Close

💡 AI WITH BUILDSHIP WORKSHOP

BuildShip is an Australian startup that let's you create your AI solutions with AI-powered no-code/low-code backend builder with a visual workflow interface. Simplify the backend for AI products with templates and integrate Stripe, Sendgrid, WhatsApp, Firebase or Google Sheets. The platform is built on Google Cloud Platform for its scalability and serverless development experience. Come along to the workshop run by BuildShip's co-founder & CEO, Harini Janakiraman. If you're a student, founder or interested in AI and no-code solutions this is the perfect opportunity for you to gain insights and technical know-how walking away with the start of your first AI product! BUILDSHIP.COM

🎤 LIGHTNING TALKS

Harini Janakiraman, CEO & co-founder of BuildShip. Harini is a dynamic leader in the tech industry hailing from The University of Texas, Austin and Anna University. A seasoned pro with an exhilarating background working at Blackrock as their VP of Engineering, Global Partner and Head of Technology at Antler working with 1000s of up and coming founders to angel investing, with her involvement in Cal.com, Inc. since June 2021. Her dedication to the tech community and fostering innovation sees her involvement with organisations like Girls Who Code and Women Who Code. Harini recently spoke at the Women In Tech panel hosted by Google Sydney in February 2024 on her journey from Blackrock to CEO! Harini's startup has achieved a remarkable milestone by securing $3M in seed funding. The investment round was spearheaded by Worklife VC's Brianne Kimmel and included notable Silicon Valley investors Guillermo Rauch of Vercel, Cassidy Williams from Contenda, and former Coinbase CTO/a16z partner Balaji Srinivasan. Their exceptional progress is further highlighted by being selected for the AI Grant from GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and the Sequoia India Spark program. Check them out and read up on their TechCrunch article: https://techcrunch.com/2022/12...

Nakshathra Suresh, co-founder of eiris. Nakshathra is a cyber safety researcher, speaker and co-founder of eiris, a safety tech startup focused on empowering users of digital communities to feel safer online. Holding postgraduate qualifications in criminology and criminal justice, she has received awards for her unique storytelling and innovative presentations. She has spoken on a number of podcasts and presented at conferences both domestically and internationally, such as Metaverse Safety Week. As a member of a number of marginalised communities, she is committed to drawing on her lived experiences to inform her work and adopts an ethical, intersectional view to her approaches. Nakshathra is an avid mental health advocate and leads by example through being vulnerable in digital and physical spaces. She has been involved in a number of highly competitive incubator programs helmed by Startmate, UNSW Founders and Blackbird. Nakshathra has previously held mid-level senior roles in outreach, analysis and law enforcement in the Australian Government.

Raji Aiyer, COO of Immersive Realities. Raji is a visionary leader driving digital evolution through AI and immersive technologies. With over 17 years of diverse experience across industries, Raji pioneers strategic collaborations, reshaping environments with imaginative solutions. As COO of Immersive Realities, she leads the development of cutting-edge AI-powered initiatives, redefining industry standards. Raji's expertise spans financial operations, risk management, and strategic planning, making her a trailblazer in digital transformation. Beyond her professional realm, Raji is dedicated to mentoring startups and empowering communities through AI-driven solutions. With a passion for technology and a commitment to innovation, Raji invites you to join her journey of leveraging AI and immersive technologies for meaningful change.

Dr. Christina Maher, founder of Brainland. Christina is a neuroscientist and biomedical engineer and the founder of Brainland. Her research specialises in combining multimodal data to predict and treat brain disorders. Her broad, unique expertise is built from over 10 years working closely with engineers, neuroscientists, clinicians and patients across the academic, private clinic and corporate sectors. Her mission is to help everyone access quality brain health and health education.

Dinali Jay, founder of Easy AI. With over 10 years of experience in robotic process automation and a growing expertise in AI, I deeply understand the power of automation. My mission is crystal clear: to give businesses the tools they need to succeed in today's competitive world. At EasyAI, I am leading a movement to empower startup businesses with simple and effective AI solutions. By working closely with clients I use AI to boost their ability to find customers, build meaningful relationships and create engaging content like images and videos effortlessly. I simplify daily tasks by setting up automations for processes involved in signing up new clients and managing everything in one place automatically. In a crowded market of AI tools and options, I focus on trustworthy, personalized and affordable solutions that pack a punch with my first hand experience as a business owner I know the struggles small businesses faced I am committed to making AI accessible to all, so startups can reach their full potential. 

Supun Bhagya, co-founder of Imersian. Supun is a Cloud architect and lead developer, boasting over 14 years of experience in the industry. His startup, Imersian, aims to revolutionize home interior design by offering intuitive web-based spatial design tools coupled with a dedicated co-pilot for interior design. Their vision is to empower individuals to create functional spaces that shape our lives. As a self-taught XR developer, Supun holds a provisional patent for a groundbreaking WebXR application. His expertise also extends to AI programming, where he leverages his experience to devise solutions for real-world problems. Imersian was born at the Antler accelerator, and it serves both business clients and consumers worldwide.

Jeevika Makani, co-founder & CEO of Top Road. Top Road is a Y-Combinator backed AI startup enabling developers to monetise their generative AI apps with their world-first payments product, GPT Wallets. She previously established and ran the risk management division at Lendable, an emerging markets financial technology company and automated operations at Fat Llama (acquired by Hygglo). She is currently based in Sydney, and brings a global perspective on business having lived and worked in New York, London, Singapore and Nairobi. She studied economics at the University of Melbourne and has an Insead MBA.

Vyoma Patel, founder of Portfolio, a copilot for solo-capitalists based in Sydney, NSW. Vyoma is a solo founder and self-taught programmer with a background in tech working as a software engineer. In 2023, Vyoma was named a Future Innovator and featured in Vogue Australia's December issue. An alumni of The University of Sydney, she recently placed Top 5 at The University of Sydney Business School Genesis startup program (Cohort 32, October 2023). In 2024, Portfolio was selected to pitch at _Southstart Adelaide for Australia's Top 10 startups showcase.

Darshana Parekh, DEI consultant & Legal Counsel. Over the past five years, Darshana has dedicated herself to fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment within the legal profession. As a prolific contributor to Inview Community, she has explored the complexities of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the legal sector, offering insightful perspectives and practical solutions. Her engaging appearances on various legal podcasts have broadened her reach, inspiring listeners to embrace inclusivity in their professional lives. Her active digital presence, especially through her website and LinkedIn, positions her as a thought leader in DEI, influencing both peers and the broader legal community. Her journey as a woman and mother in law breaks traditional barriers, serving as a powerful role model and demonstrating the possibilities within non-traditional legal career trajectories. She is a recognised voice in DEI, evidenced by her roles as an international speaker and her nominations, such as for the Diversity Ambassador at the Connecting Lawyer Mums Inspire Awards in 2024. As a board member of Club 50, she contributes significantly to discussions on legal careers and DEI initiatives. Through her active participation and organisation of events focused on DEI, she inspires many within the profession to strive for a more inclusive legal landscape.

🎤 GUEST SPEAKERS

Anoop George, CEO & founder of Skwill. With close to 30 years of experience in sales, technology, and business leadership, Anoop has a passion for creating and scaling businesses that make a positive impact on millions of people every day. Before launching Skwill, Anoop founded and grew Mindtree's Asia Pacific business to $100M. Prior to Mindtree, Anoop founded and ran an information risk management startup in the US. Anoop serves on the board of leading startups across Australia and India, where he provides strategic guidance and mentorship. He is also on the board of SP Jain Global Management School. Anoop considers himself a lifelong student of human behaviour. He is an avid reader, writer, cook, and strength training enthusiast. He is also working towards getting is recreational pilot license. Currently, Anoop is building Skwill, a performance coaching SaaS company that leverages neuroscience to help individuals and teams improve their job performance. 

Elizabeth Fuller, Cloud & Security Specialist at Microsoft. Elizabeth is the Azure Cloud Lead for Financial Services clients at Microsoft – partnering with boards, executives and technology teams on their innovation, cloud, security and AI strategy. Prior to this role, Elizabeth led the Customer Acquisition & Small Medium Corporate Business go-to-market strategy, as well as the Cloud Skills Initiative which has trained over 100K Australians to build cloud, security & AI skills. Elizabeth is passionate about gender equity and the participation of women and girls in the digital economy. She is an active member of Women at Microsoft, partnering with schools and non-profits to inspire and engage girls and women on STEM subjects and careers.

🎫 SECURE YOUR SPOT

Limited seats available so grab your ticket for an evening of inspiration, connection and delicious catering!

• Expand Your Network: Connect with new and like-minded individuals in your local startup ecosystem.
• Gain Insights: Learn from the stories and experiences of pioneering startup founders and how they're building AI startups in 2024.
• Foster Innovation and Community: Be a part of Western Sydney's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. At the heart of it is our venue sponsor, Western Sydney University, in collaboration with LaunchPad and the Engineering Innovation Hub.
• Catered Delights: This event is fully catered, please let us know your dietary requirements.
• Convenient Travel: Located 2mins walk from Parramatta station and easily accessible public transport.