SXSW Sydney Pitch is thrilled to unveil the lineup of 20 startups chosen to pitch at the very first SXSW Sydney event. Following a fantastic response to the call for applications, our stellar advisory panel made up of investors, founders and industry experts supported the assessment and selection of these high potential startups across 6 categories. The selected startups will refine and prepare their pitch with the support of the SXSW Sydney pitch team together with 25eight.

The SXSW Sydney Pitch rounds will run from 10:30 – 5:15pm on 18th October with a high-profile judging panel selecting a winner in each category. The winners of each category will then go through to the Showcase Final at 3:30pm on 19th October with the grand final judging panel consisting of:

• Cal Henderson (Co-founder & CTO Slack) 

• Melanie Silva (MD, Google ANZ)

• Jackie Vullinghs (Partner, Airtree)

• Samantha Wong (Partner, Blackbird)  

• Steve Maarbani (CEO, VentureCrowd and sponsor of SXSW Sydney Pitch 2023)

• Vicki Stirling and Dickie Currer will MC the pitch rounds with the Grand Final being hosted by Rae Johnston and Jules Lund

The winner of the SXSW Sydney Pitch for 2023 will, amongst other prizes, win the opportunity to present their Pitch during the Winner Ceremony at SXSW in Austin 2024 (to be billed as the ‘SXSW Sydney Pitch Best In Show Winner’).

The 2023 SXSW Sydney Pitch Finalists

Sustainability, Circular Economy & Urban Innovation

• Green Gravity
• Xylo Systems
• Rainstick
• Bandicoot Imaging Sciences

Judges: Megan Fisher, Mick Liubinskas, Eytan Lenko

Healthcare, Biotech, Future of Medicine, Augmenting Humans

• Zymedyne Therapeutics
• In-Confidence Smart Patch 
• Foodini 
• Pending AI

Judges: Emily Casey, Taryn Williams, Maxine Minter

Generative AI and Robotics Innovation

• Ideally
• Octopusbot
• NanoCube Health

Judges: Annie Liao, Alisha Outridge, Dan Krasnostein, David Siroky

Space Habitation, Travel and Transport

• Metakosmos
• Space Machines Company
• Spiral Blue

Judges: Aude Vignelles, Bill Bartee, Jason Held

Law and Order in Cyberspace, Security and Fintech

• Equotee
• Kids O’Clock
• Geniepay

Judges: Toby Norton-Smith, Marisa Warren, Lisa Fedorenko

Game On, Let’s Play

• Arcadify.io
• Stori
• acta

Judges: Lisy Kane, Johan Toresson, Emily Rich