Connect, Collaborate, Create: SXSW Sydney Meet Ups

October 9, 2025

At SXSW Sydney, meet ups are your chance to connect with innovators, creators and curious minds from across industries. Whether you’re looking to collaborate, share ideas, or simply meet like-minded people, these sessions turn casual conversations into lasting connections. 

Across the week you’ll find themed meet ups that bring communities together. From tech and design, to music, film and beyond. Each one is a chance to exchange insights, swap stories and be a part of something bigger. 

Explore the daily meet ups and lock in moments that could spark the next big idea:

Monday

Social Enterprise Australia Pass Holders Meetup

Connect with social enterprise professionals at this inclusive meetup hosted by Social Enterprise Australia and SXSW Sydney, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community connection.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 12:45pm - 1:30pm

Shaping the Future: United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

Celebrate the UN’s 80th anniversary with the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW)  at a free, interactive session exploring the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Connect with changemakers, share ideas, and collaborate on actions for a better future.

Location: Room C3.4, ICC Sydney

Time: 4:15pm - 5:00pm

SydAR SXSW Sydney Edition

Dive into the future of Augmented Reality with SydAR, Sydney’s meetup for creators, developers, and curious minds exploring AR and spatial computing. Experience live demos and hear from the innovators shaping the real-world metaverse.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:15pm - 5:00pm

Flying Solo at SXSW Sydney? A Meetup For the Unaccompanied

Flying solo at SXSW Sydney? Join fellow singles and solo attendees for drinks, quick-fire intros, and meaningful connections—whether you’re after a festival buddy, a collaborator, or something more.

Location: The Abercrombie Rooftop

Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Tuesday

 

Australia Design Thinking SXSW Sydney Meetup 2025

Known for its fun, inclusive meetups, SydDT connects people across industries to share ideas, learn, and create better outcomes for people, planet, and business.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Applying Outlier Thinking to Business Problems

Outlier Social redefines networking, bringing together rebels, change-makers, and big thinkers for bold ideas, lively conversation, and game-changing connections over drinks and friendly competition.

Location: Tumbalong Park

Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm 

Breaking Barriers in Student Entrepreneurship Meet-Up

Join UQIES, Australia’s leading student-run entrepreneurship society, for an interactive meetup connecting young innovators and exploring how student-led initiatives are shaping inclusive, action-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 4:45pm - 5:30pm

WIRED : Not Your (Neuro) MixNMingle

A networking event for those who think differently, celebrating neurodiversity as the secret sauce of innovation through vibrant conversation and fresh perspectives beyond the usual shop talk.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 10:30am - 11:30am

Under 25s Meetup @ SXSW Sydney

Join the founder of Yes Help Network for an under-25s meetup to connect, share ideas, and discover how to make the most of SXSW Sydney. No formalities, just creativity, curiosity, and new friends.

Location: Tumbalong Park

Time: 4:30pm- 5:30pm

Letterboxd Meetup

Join fellow Letterboxd diehards to trade usernames, debate ratings, and celebrate your SXSW Sydney film obsessions—where half stars, hot takes, and diary entries make perfect conversation starters.

Location: Knox Street Bar

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Wednesday

Academic-Industry Connections Meet-Up

Join this meetup connecting academic researchers and industry professionals to share ideas, explore collaborations, and build partnerships that bridge theory and practice in innovative ways.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Walk the Talk: Exploring the Innovation City – Tech Central Walking Tour

Take a walking tour of Tech Central and explore how Sydney’s innovation districts, universities, and industry leaders are shaping a bold vision for Sydney as a global Innovation City.

Location: Discovery Stage Hall 6 & 7, ICC Sydney

Time: 10:00am -11:00am

Aotearoa Meetup: Nau Mai Haere Mai

Connect with the Kiwi creatives, innovators, and industry leaders attending SXSW Sydney at this high-energy meetup in the Ideas Dome, presented by Auckland Council.

Location: Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Indie Filmmaker Meet Up

Connect with filmmakers and creatives at Made in the West’s Indie Filmmaker Meetup. In an open and welcoming session, share ideas, find collaborators, and celebrate Australia’s thriving indie film scene.

Location: Knox Street Bar

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Thursday

GOOD SOULS x SXSW Sydney

GOOD SOULS brings its global community to SXSW Sydney for a relaxed, agenda-free gathering where good people share stories, ideas, and genuine connection over coffee. No egos, just good humans.

Location: The Gallery, ICC Sydney

Time: 10:30am - 11:30am

Robotics Industry Meetup

Connect with Sydney’s thriving robotics community in this hands-on meetup exploring the latest trends, innovations, and collaborations driving robotics and automation across industries.

Location: Next Stage Hall 6 & 7, ICC Sydney

Time: 10:00am - 11:00am

A Third Space For Learning In The Digital Age

Join neuroscientists and creatives for a thought-provoking session reimagining learning through inclusive, interdisciplinary “third spaces” that blend human connection, creativity, and curiosity in the digital age.

Location: The Gallery, ICC Sydney

Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Innovators meetup for Music Tech and Music enterprises attending SXSW Sydney

Join the UK’s BPI Insight & Innovation team for an informal meetup connecting innovators from Australasia and APAC with the UK recorded music industry to explore new collaborations and B2B solutions.

Location: The Lansdowne Hotel

Time: 2:30pm- 4:00pm

Friday

Damn Fine Coffee: A David Lynch Meetup

Step into the Lynchian dreamscape with fellow fans to celebrate the master of the surreal. Share your favourite moments, wild theories, and the strange beauty of his cinematic worlds.

Location: Knox Street Bar

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

The Connectors - For the Women Who Make It All Happen Meetup

Celebrate the women behind the scenes: the producers, planners, and powerhouses making it all happen. Connect, share stories, and toast to creativity, collaboration, and the unforgettable Claire Austin.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 4:30pm- 5:30pm

SXSW Sydney Pitch Alumni Meetup

A space for founders and entrepreneurs who've been part of the SXSW Sydney Pitch to reconnect and share. Whether you were a finalist, a judge, advisor, or anywhere in between, come exchange insights, explore potential collaborations, and catch up with fellow alumni who understand the unique journey of pitching at SXSW Sydney. 

Location: Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

The Ideas Camino: a morning walk for creativity

Join The Ideas Camino, a walking workshop for curious minds that swaps desks for city streets. Sparking creativity, fresh thinking, and meaningful conversations through movement and connection.

Location: The Gallery, ICC Sydney

Time: 8:15am - 9:30am

Swap-tober Meetup Exchange

Join us for a fun afternoon of swapping pre-loved fashion. Simply bring along 3–5 quality items you’d happily pass on to a friend and exchange them for something “new-to-you.” Swap, connect, and celebrate conscious fashion.

Location: The Ideas Dome in Tumbalong Park

Time: 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation! Purchase your SXSW Sydney Pass, and explore the full event schedule to plan your week via the SXSW Sydney app