SXSW Sydney Pitch 2025 Finalists Revealed

The wait is over. SXSW Sydney Pitch is back — and we’re beyond thrilled to reveal the 23 trailblazing startups who will take the stage in 2025.

These ambitious founders represent the very best in early-stage innovation across seven categories, from climate tech to medtech, AI to retail, entertainment to space. Over the last month, our stellar advisory panel of investors, founders and industry experts carefully assessed hundreds of applications to select this year’s finalists.

Now the countdown begins. Over the next seven weeks, the finalists will refine their big ideas with the SXSW Sydney Pitch team and innovation powerhouse 25eight, ready to step into the spotlight.

Since its launch in 2023, SXSW Sydney Pitch has become a cornerstone event in the SXSW Sydney schedule. In 2025, the competition returns bigger than ever, with pitch rounds running Wednesday 15 October, 10:00am – 5:00pm, where local and international judges will select a winner in each category.

Those winners will then face off in the Grand Final on Thursday 16 October, in front of an outstanding judging panel:

• Bill Tai – CEO, Kite VC (Palo Alto, USA)
• Kim Jackson – CEO & CIO, Skip Capital (Sydney, AUS)
• Lars Rasmussen – Co-founder Panathenea & Co-founder Google Maps (Greece)
• Lucy Guo – Founder & CEO, Passes (Los Angeles, USA)

Guiding us through the high-stakes final are our brilliant MCs: Bronte Campbell (Olympic swimmer and co-founder of Earthletica) and Adam Spencer (MC, AI junkie and maths nerd).

The ultimate winner will score a rare and coveted opportunity: to pitch at their choice of SXSW Austin or SXSW London in 2026 — flights included.

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Meet The 2025 SXSW Sydney Pitch Finalists and Judges

Climate Tech & Sustainability

• Circular Sourcing (VIC) – Digital platform transforming the global textile trade.
  
  
• Ivygo (NSW) – Community-powered EV charging network.
  
  
• Plante (VIC) – Compostable horticulture pots made from food waste.
  
  
• Rainstick (QLD) – Variable Electric Field seed treatment technology.
  
  

Judges: Ben Lindsay (Investible), James Tynan (Square Peg), Victoria Denholm (Wollemi Capital Group)

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Enterprise, Big Data & Artificial Intelligence

• Defectech (NSW) – AI-powered asset inspection with 3D scanning.
  
  
• Prefactor (NSW) – Code-first platform for access logic as infrastructure.
  
  
• Springboards (QLD) – AI platform sparking creativity in advertising.
  
  

Judges: Annie Liao (Buildclub), Dan Coughlan (Airtree Ventures), Toby Norton-Smith (CBA x15 Ventures), Matt Pancino (Google)

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Entertainment, Games & Media

• Choosewise (USA) – Interactive streaming platform for filmmakers.
  
  
• Gradcut (NSW) – AI-powered instant graduation video clips.
  
  
• Pactify (QLD) – The IP licensing operating system for creators.
  
  
• SemiReal (NSW) – No-code platform for gamified video content.
  
  

Judges: Jadden Comerford (Unified Music Group), Simon Pound (Previously Unavailable, NZ)

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Future of Retail & Commerce

• CLUTCH Glue (NSW) – First skin-safe adhesive for fashion.
  
  
• Fittora (NSW) – AI-powered made-to-measure fashion from a selfie.
  
  
• Keeyu (NSW) – AI agent preventing e-commerce complaints.
  
  

Judges: Ana Barjasic (European Innovation Council, London), Elli Hanson (Side Stage Ventures), Rohit Agarwal (Peak XV, Singapore)

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Future of Work & Education

• Aether (NZ) – Knowledge activation platform for marketers.
  
  
• Hello Canopy (NSW) – Workplace reporting platform for cultural and safety issues.
  
  
• PONDD (NSW) - Next-gen professional networking platform including modular, dynamic identities and intent-led discovery.
  
  

Judges: Carolyn Breeze (Scalare Partners), Kylie Frazer (Flying Fox Ventures), Stephen Rutter (The Scale Institute)

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Hardware, Manufacturing & Physical Solutions

• Esper Satellites (VIC) – Next-gen Earth observation sensors.
  
  
• Refilled (NSW) – Smart drink dispensers cutting single-use plastics.
  
  
• Sonorus (VIC) – Portable device detecting rheumatic heart disease.
  
  

Judges: Benjamin Chan (NVIDIA Singapore), Danielle Haj-Moussa (Main Sequence Ventures), Mark Dwyer (Hudson Bay Capital, Canada)

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Health, Biotech & Medtech

• Elita Genetics (VIC) – Australia’s first stem cell bank for pets.
  
  
• Heali (NSW) – Digital treatment plans patients can actually follow.
  
  
• Tepy.ai (NSW) – Silent speech headset generating synthetic voice in real time.
  
  

Judges: Dr Daniel Getts (Myeloid Therapeutics, USA), Sarah Meibusch (OneVentures), Rachel Yang (Giant Leap)

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Explore more highlights from the SXSW Sydney Tech & Innovation Festival here.

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