CEO Roundtables Sydney

AI SYD

**Note: Meetup RSVPs are closed. Please register on luma.com: [https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3](https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3)** Sydney is home to some of the best AI engineers in the world, from early-stage startups to global enterprises. SYD AI Meet Up is where they come together. Whether you're shipping AI features in production, experimenting with AI SDK, or figuring out how AI fits into your stack - this is your room. ​**The headline: Collaboration with Vercel** ## ​What to Expect ​**6:00 – 6:30 PM: Pizza & Networking** Grab a slice, meet fellow engineers, and connect with the community. ​**6:30 – 7 PM: Lightning Talks** **We planted real CVEs in 16 repos to find out which AI model actually catches vulnerabilities. The best model is a surprise** by Patrick Collins CEO, Dam Secure **From Traces to Trust: Shipping Reliable LLM Apps with Langfuse** by Muhammad Ali, Senior Solution Architect @ ClickHouse ​**7 PM – 9:00 PM: Networking & Wrap Up** **Talk title:** **We planted real CVEs in 16 repos to find out which AI model actually catches vulnerabilities. The best model is a surprise.** Talk Description: Every new model is benchmaxxing and also test against the same public vulnerable repos, like OWASP Juice Shop. That makes the standard benchmarks essentially useless. So we built our own eval suite and benchmark. We mine CVEs from open-source commit history and replay the reverted fix back onto the codebase, across 16 repos. I'll show the results and give a sneak peak into how we built that eval suite and the results. The leading model, which we ran through Vercel will surprise you! This is a talk for developers interested in behind-the-scenes of eval suites and benchmarks. **Speaker:** Patrick Collins CEO, Dam Secure **Talk title:** **Traces to Trust: Shipping Reliable LLM Apps with Langfuse** Talk Description: Building an LLM demo is easy; running one in production is not. This deep dive walks through how Langfuse helps teams move from "it works on my prompt" to measurable, debuggable, cost-aware AI systems. We'll explore tracing and spans for complex agent pipelines, prompt management and versioning, evaluation workflows to catch regressions before users do, and dashboards for cost and latency monitoring. Along the way, we'll look at real traces from a live application and discuss how observability data feeds back into improving prompts, models, and architecture. If you're building with LLMs or agents, you'll leave with a concrete playbook for instrumenting your own stack. **Speaker:** Muhammad Ali, Senior Solution Architect @ ClickHouse Muhammad Ali is a Solutions Architect at ClickHouse, helping teams design high-performance analytics systems and make deliberate choices about data formats, engines, and lock-in trade-offs in the agentic era. ## ​Who Should Attend ​Whether you're at a startup or an enterprise - if you're building with AI, this is for you. * ​AI engineers building intelligent features and applications * ​Frontend and backend developers integrating AI into real products * ​Founders and CTOs exploring AI-native architectures * ​Anyone curious about AI SDK and modern AI tooling **Note: Meetup RSVPs are closed. Please register on luma.com: [https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3](https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3)**

From Chaos to Confidence

Schedule --- • 19:00 - 19:30 General networking starts. Setup space, open the first. Brief Introduction Round (Who are you? What do you do?). FREE drinks • 19:30 - 20:00 What bugs you (i.e. Lean Mastermind)? • 20:00 - 21:00 Topic of the day (see speaker details below). Q & A • 21:00 - 21:15 Last drinks. Closing down. Carry on partying elsewhere. **Details** --- General get together. Share the latest news in the entrepreneurs community. Have a drink with like minded people Exchange stories from the trenches and tips on how to run a better business. **Lean Mastermind Session** --- Share a Challenge or an idea you have for your start up / business How can we help you resolve your problem or help you improve on your idea? ## **Topic of the Day: From Chaos to Confidence** How Smart Content Management Keeps Your Business Compliant, Efficient and Ready to Grow ## **Speaker of the Day: Bruce Wren CEO of revelr.ai** Bruce has created and sold several companies before. Revealr.ai is his latest project and deals with turning the 40 year old PDF into an "online twin". ## **Audience** Suitable for those with a growing business looking to share solutions and experience to accelerate growth and value. Bring a friend/aspiring entrepreneur. **Format** --- Casual get together/Mastermind **Sponsors** --- Thanks for [WOTSO](https://wotso.com/locations/manly) for hosting the event and Michael from https://www.magaconsult.com/about for nourishment (i.e. free drinks and nibbles). Thanks to Amazon Web Services for their ongoing support: [https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started](https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started)

Master your Social Skills and 10x your Income LIVE MASTERCLASS

**Boost your confidence, connect like a pro, and watch your income soar at this live social skills masterclass!** ## Master your Social Skills and 10x your Income LIVE MASTERCLASS Ready to level up your game? Join us in person for this supercharged masterclass where you'll learn how to boost your social skills and watch your income soar! No fluff, just real tips and tricks that work. Don't miss out on this chance to transform your life and connections. Let's get social and get paid! This will be a game-changer if you are an Introvert who wants to break out of their shell or brush up your social skills overall, make an impact and grow your leadership and most importantly.... Multiply your income. ### **Get ready for this immersive experience and full of breakthroughs!!** Please buy your ticket from this link [https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator) **Speaker Profile:** Sam Lee is the Founder and CEO of Connect with Confidence, A Multi Award-Winning and Certified Social Skills Coach, 2x Published Author of “The Social Way” and “Connect with Confidence” which are Self-Help books currently sold through Amazon and Dymocks platforms. He is also a motivational and keynote speaker. He is involved in Non-For Profit Organisations such as Vice-President of Media and Communications for the Australian Vietnam Business Council, Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association and President of Hong Kongers Sydney Social Networking Community. After starting his career as a real estate agent, Sam moved into Helping Introverted Professionals to Master their Social Skills and Multiply their Income. Recently celebrating 6 years of Social Skills coaching over 1000+ students ranging from University students, Teachers, Lawyers, IT Professionals, Accountants, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Top Executives and CEOs. He is also featured in media such as TV and Radio shows and worked with the NSW Government and other listed companies for training purposes. Please buy your ticket from this link [https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator)

SYDNEY 🔥 BOSS LADIES Networking Meetup @ Novotel Darling Harbour

**👠 L​assie & Edward Zia host a monthly Boss Ladies Meetup @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour!🔥** Join Women in Business for a fun and relaxing Networking Meetup hosted by Lassie & Edward Zia. ​​Our events are about creating a platform for fostering and empowering meaningful connections, getting everyone out of their homes and offices to build a stronger Network within our Communities. **​T​he Event:** ​Our gatherings are free to you and pretty casual, with minimum structure to allow natural flow of conversations. Please make a donation, we really appreciate your support. Come along, grab a cold beverage on arrival, ​introduce yourselves, make new friends, take photos for social media and connect with each other on your phones via Linkedin. Our leaders will give a brief introduction while we purchase our own lunch. Feel free to move around and speak to everyone, and enjoy a coffee afterwards​ too. **Before the event** ​Make sure that you have registered and updated your professional profile and install Linkedin on your phone, our preferred social media platform for high quality professionals and Business Partners. **After the event​:** ​Feel free to stay back for more Networking fun in the afternoon. ​Touch base with those you have met and connect with any you may have missed via the event posts on Linkedin created by Lassie on the day. Schedule a coffee meet and or come along to our next event to re-connect with others. **P​arking:** Wilson Parking available underneath the hotel. They are a top option and better if you book the day before too. **First time with Us?** You're in good hands! We've been running​ networking events in ​since 2015 and beyond. **About Us** Our Meetup Business Community has over 16k members and has become one of Australia's largest Business Networking Meetup groups. We host regular Networking events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and zooms throughout the year, supporting a network of ever growing businesses. With over 16,000 members in our Business Community, you have the best chance of meeting like-minded people to grow and scale your Network faster. **[Book into our coming events here and donate to support our work here x](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)**

Tabletop Tuesdays

Are you ready for the next Tabletop Tuesday? Tabletop Tuesdays is back at Game Plus! Developing a board or card game? Or just like playing? Join us at Game Plus on the last Tuesday of the month for Tabletop Tuesdays! If you have a game you are developing then bring it along to playtest with others. If not then either turn up to do some playtesting, or play some other commercially available games. If you own a game you would like to play then bring it along. There should be a few options to try.

We 🧡 RYDE Awesome Networking Meetup @ West Ryde Hotel

We 🧡 RYDE is our legendary Neighborhood & Business Community. We aim to bring local residents, businesses and lovers of Ryde together to make new connections, new friends and build a strong supportive network. **[To learn more, join our Facebook Group here!](https://www.facebook.com/groups/rydevoice)** #MacquriePark #Eastwood #WestRyde #Denistone #Meadowbank #Ryde Our Networking Meetups are fun, social, and casual. A great opportunity to meet and catch up for lunch and more with great locals. This is FREE from us, and please make sure to purchase food and drinks to support our hosts at West Ryde Hotel Your guests are most welcome too! The more the merrier. This event is hosted by Lassie & Edward Zia. **[Learn more about our events + support our work here! ❤️🤛](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)**

IN PERSON | Financial Modelling with Copilot

How I AI: Show & Tell

Curious about how others are using AI in their learning and design work and to build performance in their roles & companies? Come along for an evening of practical examples, shared experiments and conversation. Four fantastic speakers will show how they’re using AI, sharing ideas and insights you can take back to your own practice. You'll see practical examples, and have time for Q&A after each speaker. Whether you’re already experimenting or wondering where to start, join fellow L&D professionals to explore what’s possible, ask questions and swap experiences. **Meet the speakers** * **[Samantha Ferguson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjferg/)** — A passionate learning leader (who's a designer at heart) with experience across a wide range of roles and industries in learning. sharing insights on how AI is being used to design quality learning for a range of clients. * **[Shawna Murray](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawna-murray-02638283/)** — A forward-thinking Learning & Leadership leader, sharing how she's putting AI into practice meaningfully, to build organisational capability. * **[Travers Owers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/traversowers/)** — A leader in what's possible in learning technology, data & reporting sharing how AI can completely change and improve the way you work. * **[Stanley Yip](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleyyip/)** —Is the Manager Learning Innovation & Workforce Programs at the Independent Schools NSW, a not-for-profit member organisation. His current role includes designing and delivering teacher professional learning, innovations such as AI, and teacher workforce strategy. His background is in teaching, learning design, and multimedia. He is currently part-way through a PhD on metacognition, the brain, and AI showing how has AI changed our role as learning designers? Stanley will be sharing how AI is used in his team of learning designers and their toolset, skillset, and mindset. There’ll also be time to catch up with familiar faces and meet others in the learning community before & after the talk. We'll also likely head to a local pub to continue the conversation post 7pm. **Agenda** 5pm - 530pm: Register, mingle, have a snack 530pm - 630pm: Hear from our speakers 630pm - 7pm: Mingle, share ideas 7pm onwards: Wander to a nearby pub to keep the ideas flowing. **When and where** Wednesday 14 October 2026 5:00pm–7:00pm Kindly hosted by our friends at **Hays** Level 14, Chifley Tower 2 Chifley Square, Sydney CBD **Tickets and RSVP** Tickets are **$10 per person**, so we can have some light refreshments (and ensure we're not hangry!) We look forward to seeing you there!

Quality in Small Startups by Sam Connelly & 2026 Job Market by Andrea McHutchon

For our September in-person event generously hosted and supported by Salt Solutions Group, there are two great speakers offering diverse and prescient topics that people have asked us to cover for a while. Sam Connelly, the popular tester and public speaker and former chair of Sydney Testers, will be reprising her talk at Equal Experts: "Small Team, Big Stack", to talk about how she brought in quality practice into a small fintech startup. Andrea McHutchon (Regional Director at Salt) will be giving us the facts and intelligence on the current 2026 tech job market including salary trends and in-demand skills! **Sam Connelly: Small Team, Big Stack: A Quality Toolkit Built from the Ground Up** Most talks about quality assume you've got a QA team, a test framework someone already built, and headcount to spare. This one's for when you don't. **Sam Connelly a.k.a. BugHunterSam**, Principal Quality Consultant within the Equal Experts network in Australia, walks through how a small startup team builds and maintains confidence in what they ship — for a predominantly JavaScript web app — without any of that safety net. **What we'll cover:** * **Unit testing** — what we actually test (and, just as importantly, what we don't) * **BDD, pragmatically** — the test framework we built, and how we've kept it extensible as our underlying model evolves * **Debugging from the outside in** — using analytics frameworks to reconstruct what a user did right before something broke * **Where we're headed** — early experiments including a self-healing UI E2E agent, and using Claude Code as an exploratory testing partner rather than just a coding tool **Andrea McHutchon: An Update on the Sydney Tech Hiring Market and In-Demand Skills in 2026** As part of the event, we will provide an overview of the **current technology talent and hiring market,** sharing - * Real-time insights into candidate availability * Salary trends * In-demand skills * What we are seeing from businesses hiring across the sector. We will also be giving out prizes along with our usual chances for networking and socialisation! Not to be missed

Leading with Inclusion & Empathy: A Practical 1 Day Workshop in Sydney

Wonder how to inspire every voice in your team? Inclusive Leadership shows you how to lead with empathy and equity. **Ready to secure your spot? 🎯 Register now and complete your payment securely via Stripe Checkout!** [Click Here](https://buy.stripe.com/14A3cv1DQ32K55ufyA2oF02) **About the course:** **Duration:** 1 Full Day (8 Hours) **Delivery Mode:** Classroom (In-Person) **Language:** English **Credits:** 8 PDUs / Training Hours **Certification:** Course Completion Certificate **Refreshments:** Lunch, Snacks and beverages will be provided during the session **If you would like weekend training sessions, kindly reach out to us at [info@mangates.com](mailto:info@mangates.com) for availability and scheduling.** **Course Overview:** **Inclusive Leadership** is about creating a culture where every individual feels **valued, respected, and empowered**. This course equips you with the skills to embrace **diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)** as a driver of innovation and collaboration. You will learn how to **mitigate unconscious bias**, foster a sense of **belonging**, and encourage diverse perspectives in decision-making. By the end, you will be equipped to lead inclusively, building stronger relationships, improving team performance, and driving organizational success. **Learning Objectives:** By the end of this course, you will: * Understand how to recognize, reduce, and manage unconscious bias in leadership. * Learn strategies to foster **psychological safety** and belonging in your team. * Develop skills to communicate across differences with empathy and clarity. * Gain techniques to make fair and inclusive decisions that leverage diverse voices. * Build confidence to create long-term inclusive practices within your workplace. **Target Audience:** This course is designed for managers, supervisors, project leaders, HR professionals, and anyone responsible for leading diverse teams in today’s workplace. **Why is it the right fit for you?** This course is the right choice if you aim to become a leader who empowers diversity and ensures equity in decision-making. Our program blends **practical strategies, research-backed frameworks, and interactive learning methods** to equip you with skills for immediate application. You will not only understand inclusion but also practice it through role plays, activities, and case studies. Our trainers bring deep expertise in **leadership and DEI**, ensuring you leave with actionable tools. By investing in this program, you are positioning yourself as a leader who can drive both **people success and business performance** in a diverse and dynamic workplace. **©2026 Mangates Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This content is protected by copyright law. Copy or Reproduction without permission is prohibited.** **Do you want your entire team to benefit from inclusive leadership skills?** We provide **in-house training** designed to align with your organization’s culture and challenges. Our programs can be **fully customized** to address specific team dynamics, industry needs, or organizational goals. Whether your priority is bias mitigation, building psychological safety, or embedding inclusion in culture, our in-house solution ensures **maximum relevance and impact** for your teams. **📧 Contact us today to schedule a customized in-house session: [corporate@mangates.com](mailto:corporate@mangates.com)** **Agenda:** **Module 1: Foundations of Inclusive Leadership** * Defining inclusivity and its importance in leadership * The business case for diversity and equity * Key traits of inclusive leaders * Interactive activity **Module 2: Recognizing and Mitigating Bias** * Understanding unconscious bias and its impact * Strategies to recognize and address bias in decisions * Creating equitable opportunities in teams * Real-world case study **Module 3: Fostering Belonging and Psychological Safety** * Building environments where people feel safe to contribute * Encouraging authenticity and respect at work * Addressing microaggressions and exclusionary behaviors * Group activity **Module 4: Effective Communication Across Differences** * Active listening for deeper understanding * Communicating with cultural awareness * Encouraging voices from underrepresented groups * Role play **Module 5: Inclusive Decision-Making** * Balancing diverse perspectives in team choices * Avoiding groupthink and fostering innovation * Building equitable policies and practices * Case study **Module 6: Leading Diverse Teams with Empathy** * Recognizing individual strengths in diverse groups * Supporting equity in development and promotions * Applying empathy in everyday leadership * Practical activity **Module 7: Embedding Inclusion in Team Culture** * Creating inclusive team rituals and practices * Holding yourself accountable as a leader * Sustaining inclusion in the long term * Group activity **Module 8: Driving Organizational Impact Through Inclusion** * Linking DEI practices to performance outcomes * Measuring progress and setting inclusion goals * Championing inclusion beyond your team * Role play **FAQs** **Q1: How long is the course?** A: The program is a 1-day training (8 hours) with interactive sessions and practical applications. **Q2: Will I get a certification?** A: Yes, you will receive a **Course Completion Certificate** at the end of the training. **Q3: Is this course only for HR professionals?** A: No, it is designed for all leaders, managers, and supervisors who want to lead inclusively. **Q4: Will the course include practical exercises?** A: Yes, it includes **case studies, role plays, and group activities** to practice skills. **Q5: How does inclusive leadership impact performance?** A: Inclusive leaders improve engagement, reduce turnover, and drive innovation in teams. **Q6: Can I apply these skills in hybrid or remote teams?** A: Absolutely, strategies shared are adaptable for both in-person and remote settings. **Q7: What if I am new to leadership?** A: The course covers foundations and advanced skills, making it useful for both new and experienced leaders. **Q8: Does this program cover unconscious bias in depth?** A: Yes, a dedicated module helps you identify and mitigate bias in leadership practices. **Q9: Can the training be customized for my organization?** A: Yes, we offer **customized in-house training** tailored to your team’s unique context. **Q10: How interactive is the training?** A: It is highly interactive, combining discussions, activities, and real-world applications.

SYDNEY 🔥 Awesome Business Networking @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

**🔥L​assie & Edward Zia's Business Community is hosting a Business Networking Event @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour!🔥** **[Book into our coming events + donate to support our work here x](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)** Join like-minded people in Business for a fun and relaxing Networking Lunch and afternoon of Networking that you won't want to miss!​ Our Business Community includes a diverse range of friendly and supportive Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, CEOs, Managing Directors, Boss Ladies, Thought Leaders and Influencers, open and ready to meet like-minded individuals, to connect and grow their Networks! (Not suitable for students) ​​Our events are all about fostering and empowering meaningful connections, getting everyone out of their homes and offices to build a stronger Network within our Communities. **​T​he Event:** ​Our gatherings are free to you and pretty casual, with minimum structure to allow natural flow of conversations. [Please make a donation, we really appreciate your support.](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ExcellenceAbove) Come along, grab lunch, ​introduce yourselves, make new friends, and connect with each other on your phones via Linkedin. Our leaders will give a brief introduction after lunch, feel free to move around and speak to everyone before and after, and enjoy a coffee and or beverages of your choice throughout​ the event too. **Before the event** ​Make sure that you have registered and updated your professional profile and install the LinkedIn app on your phone, our preferred social media platform for high quality professionals and Business Partners. **After the event​:** ​Touch base with those you have met and connect with any you may have missed on the day. Schedule a coffee meet and or come along to our next event to re-connect with others. **​P​arking:** Located in Darling Harbour, prepaid parking directly beneath Novotel Darling Harbour is available at Wilson Parking, provided that you book online 1 day prior, for $16. **First time with Us?** You're in good hands! We've been running​ networking events in ​since 2015 and beyond **About Us** Our Meetup Business Community has over 16k members and has become one of Australia's largest Business Networking Meetup groups. We host regular Networking events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and zooms throughout the year, supporting a network of ever-growing businesses. With over 16,000 members in our Business Community, you have the best chance of meeting like-minded people to grow and scale your Network faster. **[View all upcoming ​events here!](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)** ### Frequently Asked Question​s **What is the dress code?** Smart Business casual and ​be photo ready. **Do many people attend by themselves?** Many of ​our attendees come by themselves​ and friends, colleagues and first timers are always welcomed. **How can I make contact with any questions?** ​Simply direct message [Edward Zia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardzia/) with any further questions. We aim to create High Value and the best Business Networking Events available out there! **Meet - Like - Know - Trust** **Your Network is your Networth!** 🌏🌏🌏💙💙💙🔥🔥🔥 If you love our High Quality Business Networking Events, please Sign up to become a Member of the **[Awesome Influencer Vault](https://edwardzia.teachable.com/p/theawesomemarketingvault)** and help us keep them Running! We really appreciate your ongoing support!

Guided Women’s Business Networking

**A monthly networking experience designed differently!** Our structured networking event is for women who want to grow, not just in business, but as individuals. Through meaningful conversations, thought-provoking reflection questions, and guided table rotations, you’ll gain fresh perspectives, build genuine connections, and challenge yourself to think bigger. **📝 How it works** **1\. Arrive & connect** You’ll be welcomed and seated at a table with a reflection prompt to kick-start the conversation. **2\. Dive into meaningful conversations** Each round explores a different question designed to spark honest discussions around business, personal growth, and the challenges that matter most. **3\. Meet someone new every 20 minutes** We guide every table rotation, so you’ll naturally connect with lots of different women throughout the evening, without any awkwardness. By the end of the night, you’ll leave with meaningful new connections, fresh perspectives, and greater clarity on your next steps. **🔎 How to Find Rabbit Bar** Rabbit Bar can be tricky to spot: 1. Go to the ground floor of **The Galeries** 2. Look for **Toastie Smith** 3. Behind it, you’ll see a semi-enclosed area 4. Walk down into that area 5. On your right, you’ll see a doorway. Enter it 6. Then look for another open door immediately to your right. That’s **Rabbit Bar**! 📲 **Got questions?** Feel free to message me here on Meetup. **Looking forward to a room full of real talk. See you there! xx** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Want to learn more about Her Collective Space?** Follow us on Instagram: [@hercollectivespace](http://www.instagram.com/hercollectivespace/)