AI Leap
Make it happen with Google AI
Thank you for your interest. Registration is now closed.
October 15, 2025
8.30 AM-5:30 PM AEDT
One Darling Island Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia
Google is partnering with SXSW, Build Club and MLAI to bring you AI Leap - an exclusive event hosted at Google Sydney for founders, innovators and investors, showcasing AI’s vast potential.
See how Australia's most innovative founders are using it to build faster and disrupt entire industries. Get the inside track from leading VCs on the latest trends and what it takes to get funded, and discover how Google's powerful AI tools can help your business unlock new efficiencies and revenue.
AI Leap will also feature a number of interactive booths to test out some of the latest Google products and showcase innovation in AI.
Featuring:
- AI keynotes from Google and Google Cloud
- Founder talks, panels and founder showcase
- VC panel featuring some of Australia's leading VCs
- Interactive booths showcasing the latest in AI innovation
- Networking and live music
Speakers
Founder, Build Club
Program Director, AI for Science and Co-Founder, Sciansa
Partner, Blackbird
Head of VC & Startup Ecosystem, JAPAC,
Google Cloud
CEO & Co-Founder,
Springboards
Partner, Airtree
AI/ML Solutions Architect, Google Cloud
Partner, Square Peg
CEO and Co-founder, Linktree
Manager, Accelerated Growth, Google
Head of AI Engineering,
Harrison.ai
CEO, Asseti
Account Executive, Startups & Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud
Co-Founder, Innovation Bay
Investment Manager, Main Sequence Ventures
Head of Marketing, MLAI
Founder and CEO, Everlab
Founder & CEO, Userdoc
Founder, Tactile
Co-founder and CEO, Heatseeker AI
Head of Sales, Tech & Startups, Google Cloud
Head of Insights, Carta
Accelerated Growth Manager, Google
Director, UNSW AI Institute
Executive Technologist, Google Cloud
Enterprise Account Executive, Digital Natives
Account Executive, Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud
Founder & CEO, Velro.ai
CEO & Co-Founder, Trainset.ai
Software Engineer, Google
Chief Exploration Officer & Co-founder, Fleet Space Technologies
Networking and entertainment
BIG Wheels Band
8:30 AM–9:00 AM | Registration & Breakfast |
|---|---|
9:00 AM–9:10 AM | Opening and Welcome Beth Mackay, Account Executive, Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud |
9:10 AM–9:20 AM | Opening Keynote: Leaping ahead with AI Mike Langford, Head of VC & Startup Ecosystem, JAPAC, Google Cloud |
9:20 AM–9:50 AM | Owning the Audience: A Founder’s Journey to Global Scale and AI Innovation Cassandra McGill, Enterprise Account Executive, Digital Natives Fireside chat with Alex Zaccaria, Co-Founder & CEO, Linktree |
|---|---|
9:50 AM–10:25 AM | The Frontiers of Intelligence: Emerging Research Shaping Tomorrow's AI Dr Stefan Harrer, Director, AI for Science and Co-Founder, Sciansa Suneeta Mall, Head of AI Engineering, Harrison.ai Danielle Haj-Moussa, Investment Manager, Main Sequence Ventures Dr Sue Keay, Director, UNSW AI Institute |
10:25 AM–11:00 AM | Advertising in the AI era Featuring fireside chat with Marc Hermann, Founder & CEO, Everlab Elias Lattouf, Manager, Accelerated Growth Team, Google Marc Hermann, Founder & CEO, Everlab |
11:00 AM–11:25 AM | Coffee Break |
11:25 AM–12:00 PM | Accelerating with AI: Scaling Strategies from AI Natives Seb Henrici, Head of Sales, Tech & Startups, Google Cloud Pip Bingemann, CEO & Co-founder, Springboards Aonghus Stevens, CEO, Asseti Kate O’Keeffe, CEO & Co-founder, Heatseeker |
12:00 PM–12:15 PM | Satellite, Underwater & Retinal Imaging - AI for Impact Oscar Wahltinez, Software Engineer, Google |
12:15 PM–12:45 PM | AI Leap: From Earth to Orbit with Fleet Space Matt Pearson, Chief Exploration Officer & Co-founder, Fleet Space Technologies Tina Tran, Account Executive, Startups & Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud |
12:45 PM–1:45 PM | Lunch |
1:45 PM–2:00 PM | The Agentic Tomorrow Natalie Piucco, Executive Technologist, Google Cloud |
2:00 PM–2:20 PM | AI in Action: Live Demos of Applied Agentic Intelligence Nilram Azadpeyma, Customer Engineer, Machine Learning, Google Cloud |
2:20 PM–2:30 PM | Where the Money is Going: A Data-Driven Look at US AI Investment Peter Walker, Head of Insights, Carta |
2:30 PM–3:20 PM | Venture Bets in the Age of AI Ian Gardiner, Co-Founder, Innovation Bay Tom Humphrey, Partner, Blackbird Jackie Vullinghs, Partner, Airtree Dan Krasonstein, Partner, Square Peg |
3:20 PM–4:00 PM | Showcases from Australia's AI Communities presented by MLAI and Build Club Dr Sam Donegan, Head of Marketing, MLAI Michael Reitzenstein, Founder, Tactile Chris Rickard, Founder & CEO, Userdoc Annie Liao, Founder, Build Club Tim Nagle, Founder & CEO, Velro.ai Timothy Yang, CEO & Co-Founder, Trainset.ai |
4:00 PM | Networking and entertainment Kick back with good food and great tunes from Big Wheels! It's the perfect chance to mingle with fellow attendees and Googlers. |
If I have a SXSW Badge am I guaranteed entry? Unfortunately not - the event has strict capacity limits and all guests must pre-register and receive a confirmation email. We'll be operating a waitlist once the event is at capacity. We kindly request that you only come to the venue once you have received a confirmation email. | |
Do I need a SXSW Badge to come to this event? Guests invited by Google do not need a SXSW badge. However we do encourage you to head to sxswsydney.com and pick one up to enjoy all that SXSW has to offer. | |
Do I need to be there for the full day? Once you are confirmed for the event, feel free to come and go as you please. However note that if the event is at capacity you may need to wait so come early to avoid disappointment. |
Can anyone register for AI Leap? AI Leap is reserved for invited guests and SXSW Sydney pass holders. If you are a tech founder or investor, you are welcome to register and we will confirm your spot if there is capacity. |
Agenda
8:30 AM–9:00 AM | Registration & Breakfast |
|---|---|
9:00 AM–9:10 AM | Opening and Welcome Beth Mackay, Account Executive, Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud |
9:10 AM–9:20 AM | Opening Keynote: Leaping ahead with AI Mike Langford, Head of VC & Startup Ecosystem, JAPAC, Google Cloud |
9:20 AM–9:50 AM | Owning the Audience: A Founder’s Journey to Global Scale and AI Innovation Cassandra McGill, Enterprise Account Executive, Digital Natives Fireside chat with Alex Zaccaria, Co-Founder & CEO, Linktree |
|---|---|
9:50 AM–10:25 AM | The Frontiers of Intelligence: Emerging Research Shaping Tomorrow's AI Dr Stefan Harrer, Director, AI for Science and Co-Founder, Sciansa Suneeta Mall, Head of AI Engineering, Harrison.ai Danielle Haj-Moussa, Investment Manager, Main Sequence Ventures Dr Sue Keay, Director, UNSW AI Institute |
10:25 AM–11:00 AM | Advertising in the AI era Featuring fireside chat with Marc Hermann, Founder & CEO, Everlab Elias Lattouf, Manager, Accelerated Growth Team, Google Marc Hermann, Founder & CEO, Everlab |
11:00 AM–11:25 AM | Coffee Break |
11:25 AM–12:00 PM | Accelerating with AI: Scaling Strategies from AI Natives Seb Henrici, Head of Sales, Tech & Startups, Google Cloud Pip Bingemann, CEO & Co-founder, Springboards Aonghus Stevens, CEO, Asseti Kate O’Keeffe, CEO & Co-founder, Heatseeker |
12:00 PM–12:15 PM | Satellite, Underwater & Retinal Imaging - AI for Impact Oscar Wahltinez, Software Engineer, Google |
12:15 PM–12:45 PM | AI Leap: From Earth to Orbit with Fleet Space Matt Pearson, Chief Exploration Officer & Co-founder, Fleet Space Technologies Tina Tran, Account Executive, Startups & Digital Native Customers, Google Cloud |
12:45 PM–1:45 PM | Lunch |
1:45 PM–2:00 PM | The Agentic Tomorrow Natalie Piucco, Executive Technologist, Google Cloud |
2:00 PM–2:20 PM | AI in Action: Live Demos of Applied Agentic Intelligence Nilram Azadpeyma, Customer Engineer, Machine Learning, Google Cloud |
2:20 PM–2:30 PM | Where the Money is Going: A Data-Driven Look at US AI Investment Peter Walker, Head of Insights, Carta |
2:30 PM–3:20 PM | Venture Bets in the Age of AI Ian Gardiner, Co-Founder, Innovation Bay Tom Humphrey, Partner, Blackbird Jackie Vullinghs, Partner, Airtree Dan Krasonstein, Partner, Square Peg |
3:20 PM–4:00 PM | Showcases from Australia's AI Communities presented by MLAI and Build Club Dr Sam Donegan, Head of Marketing, MLAI Michael Reitzenstein, Founder, Tactile Chris Rickard, Founder & CEO, Userdoc Annie Liao, Founder, Build Club Tim Nagle, Founder & CEO, Velro.ai Timothy Yang, CEO & Co-Founder, Trainset.ai |
4:00 PM | Networking and entertainment Kick back with good food and great tunes from Big Wheels! It's the perfect chance to mingle with fellow attendees and Googlers. |
FAQs
If I have a SXSW Badge am I guaranteed entry? Unfortunately not - the event has strict capacity limits and all guests must pre-register and receive a confirmation email. We'll be operating a waitlist once the event is at capacity. We kindly request that you only come to the venue once you have received a confirmation email. | |
Do I need a SXSW Badge to come to this event? Guests invited by Google do not need a SXSW badge. However we do encourage you to head to sxswsydney.com and pick one up to enjoy all that SXSW has to offer. | |
Do I need to be there for the full day? Once you are confirmed for the event, feel free to come and go as you please. However note that if the event is at capacity you may need to wait so come early to avoid disappointment. |
Can anyone register for AI Leap? AI Leap is reserved for invited guests and SXSW Sydney pass holders. If you are a tech founder or investor, you are welcome to register and we will confirm your spot if there is capacity. |
Partners
Registration Closed
Thank you for your interest. Registration is now closed.
