SXSW Sydney 2025 is heating up with 60 new sessions just added to the lineup — bringing the total to more than 100 announced sessions spanning the worlds of tech, business, media, sustainability, culture and creativity.
From lab-grown brains to AI-powered boardrooms, circular fashion breakthroughs to mobile espionage, these latest sessions dive deep into the ideas shaping our world.
Scroll on for a sneak peek at what’s sparking conversations and blowing minds. Want more? You can explore all announced sessions and speakers (so far!) on our website here.
Technology & Innovation
- Mobile Espionage: The Hidden Threats in Our Communications – Christine Gadsby (BlackBerry CISO) reveals the vulnerabilities in our mobile communications and why it's time for IT leaders to get serious about data sovereignty.
- How AI is Changing Astronomy – Benjamin Pope, Associate Professor of Statistical Data Science at Macquarie University, reveals how machine learning is helping researchers capture the clearest images of our universe using the James Webb Space Telescope, and how these same techniques are transforming fields like archaeology, climate science and physics.
- Building Brains Outside the Body: What Comes Next? – University of Sydney Researcher Henry Howard explores how lab-grown neural systems are revolutionising neuroscience, raising new ethical questions, and opening the door to radically new forms of human-computer interaction.
- Trenchcoat not required: The critical role of cyber intelligence in business decision-making – CyberCX’s Katherine Mansted unpacks how cyber intelligence empowers smarter decisions and helps organisations move from reacting to threats to staying ahead of them.
- Peer Reviewed Gossip: Tech and Us – Lee Constable, Dr. Naomi Koh Belic and Elfy Scott spill the well-cited tea on your most-Googled tech questions, from whether AI is wrecking the planet to if beauty devices actually work, all backed by peer-reviewed research and a healthy dose of gossip.
Business & Leadership
- In (un)loving memory: How to Kill Meeting Culture – Atlassian’s Chief People Officer Avani Prabhakar delivers a no-BS roadmap to reclaiming your calendar (and your sanity).
- Of Rams and Reason: What Sheep Sperm Taught Us About Outsmarting AI – Dr Mike Seymour and Katherine Seymour from the University of Sydney share an unexpected tale of human intelligence outperforming AI in the surprisingly high-stakes world of sheep sperm analysis. Yes, really.
- The Boardroom of Tomorrow: Purpose-Led, AI-Powered, and Built for the Future – Chair of the Canterbury Bulldogs Adam Driussi, CommBank IQ CEO Makenna Ralston and top business leaders unpack how artificial intelligence and purpose-driven leadership are transforming the way boardrooms operate and make decisions.
- The Human Advantage: Why AI's Best Gift is Making Us More Creative – Ben Hamley, Global Head of R&D at JLL, and Libby Sander, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Bond University, explore how AI is eliminating the grind of daily busywork and unlocking more time for creativity and meaningful collaboration.
Marketing & Media
- Trust on the Line: Local News in the Fight Against Misinformation – Clare Stuchbery from LINA spotlights the critical role of local and independent newsrooms in keeping communities informed and combating disinformation in the digital age.
- If You’re Listening (Live) – ABC’s Matt Bevan brings his hit podcast to the stage, unpacking strange-but-true global stories and why we’re so bad at predicting the future—even when we keep trying.
- The Marketing Reset: What to Unlearn From 2025 – Neil Patel tears up last year’s playbook with live data from Ubersuggest, Ads Grader and thousands of APAC campaigns. Expect a blunt look at 2025’s failures, the collapse of old‑school SEO, the rise of AI‑shaped media and the formats that actually delivered ROI—so you can make 2026 decisions on real‑time insights, not stale advice.
- How to Save the World from the Shower (7 Lessons in Creativity) – Designer‑author Ben Rennie and comedian Tim Ross argue that world‑changing ideas start with everyday creativity, often in the bathroom. Drawing on projects for Patagonia, Nike, Chanel and more, they share seven punchy lessons for turning personal insight into planet‑wide impact.
- Ethical Marketing is Not an Oxymoron (and Neither are You) - Discover how ethical marketing can drive both trust and profitability, as CHOICE’s Mark Blackburn (formerly of Apple, LEGO, and Carnival) shares insights on aligning values with business success in today’s competitive landscape.
- Brainwaves to Bottom Line: Neuromarketing in Modern Advertising - Unlock the secrets of the brain with neuromarketing expert Sarah Pelecanos, Founder of TwentyTwo Digital, as she reveals how psychology and neuroscience can supercharge your brand’s impact, even without fancy tech or big data.
Future & Sustainability
- Frontlines of Food Justice: From Urban Gardens to Indigenous Kitchens – Featuring Ron Finley, Sean Sherman and more, this panel explores how growing and reclaiming food can transform entire communities.
- A Good Death: Living and Dying Well in 2050 – Health journalist Casey Beros and hospice doctor Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, founder of the End Well Project, lead a provocative conversation about aging, dying, and what it truly means to live, and die, well in 2050.
Culture & Lifestyle
- Threads of Change:The Future of Circular Fashion – Vanessa Vongsouthi, Head of Bioengineering and Discovery Research at Samsara Eco, and other innovators in the fashion space will explore how circular design and sustainable consumption are reshaping the industry for a more eco-conscious future.
- The Power Gap: Converting Youth Activism into Political Power & Change – Youth leaders share how to turn activism into tangible political influence in a rapidly changing world.
- Find the Fun in Fear – Big-wave surfer Laura Enever opens up about courage, reinvention, and chasing giant swells.
- The Rise of the Sports Creator: Meet the Women Disrupting Sports Media – Meet the women driving the evolution of sports media across podcasts, TikTok and more.
These 60 new sessions are just the beginning – there’s still plenty more to come. Whether you’re leading innovation, telling stories, shaping culture or just deeply curious about what’s next, there’s something for you at SXSW Sydney 2025.
Join the innovators, the disruptors, the future-makers at SXSW Sydney this October. Get your pass today here.
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