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Bondi Shark Tank, Coastal Walk, AI Meetup, $2m seed for 8seats

Connecting and amplifying inspiring local innovators and entrepreneurs

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Bondi Innovation
June 02, 2025

Bondi Shark Tank is on this Thursday, register here!

And on Friday our next Walk & Talk to Tamarama and back, always a wonderful chance to connect with great people and nature. Forecast great day for a walk.

Our last AI meetup was awesome (read all about it) and next one on Building AI Automations and more will be special. Also be sure to join the Bondi AI Collective WhatsApp group if you’re into AI, lots of great threads and discussions in there…

Read below for details on:

  • Bondi Shark Tank - Thursday 5 June

  • Walk & Talk - Friday 16 May

  • Bondi AI Collective - Tuesday 10 June

  • Bondi Innovators: $2 million seed round for Iain McDonald’s 8seats

  • Join the Bondi Innovation WhatsApp conversation

Bondi Shark Tank - Tuesday 5 June

Bondi Shark Tank by Bondi Pitch Club and Bondi Chamber of Commerce is on Thursday!

Bondi Innovation is pleased to support yet another innovation event in the community. Our wonderful advisory board member Nia Barnabie will be a judge.

Use BONDIPITCH for a $15 discount, welcome drink and nibbles included.

Walk & Talk - Friday 6 June

Enjoy the big outdoors with inspiring entrepreneurs as we walk to Tamarama and back on one of the most famous paths in the world, talking entrepreneurship, life and community.

Bondi AI Collective event - Tuesday 10 June

The Bondi AI Collective is building with a fabulous community and great insights at our meetup each month.

Last month was an awesome session on AI avatars and video generation - read the event report with insights and video!

In our next event we will have:

  • ​How to Build High-Value AI Automations

  • ​SF AI Engineer World Fair debrief

    • ​Chris Adams - Reflections on the event, fresh back from SF

If you’re into AI make sure to join us!

Bondi Innovators: $2 million seed round for Iain McDonald’s 8seats

8seats, founded by Bondi Innovation Premium member Iain McDonald, has raised a $2 million seed round .

“8seats, a messaging platform aimed at revolutionising workplace communication, has raised AUD $2 million in seed funding to support its development and expansion.

The funding round, led by Black Nova and supported by notable investors such as former Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci and tech entrepreneurs Mike Priddis and Greg Miller, is set to expedite 8seats' go-to-market strategy in anticipation of its public launch in 2025. This follows the successful early-access rollout of the platform.”

Join our WhatsApp community!

Join the community here, introduce yourself, share what you’re up to, and connect with like-minded local innovators.

If you’re already in the community, please add those who might like to be in there.

The existing online community will continue with job board, innovator stories, and other longer formats that we can link to.

Help grow the community!

Please support us, by coming to our events, telling the right people about Bondi Innovation, connecting us with anyone who has energy to help make good things happen for the community.

See you at one of our events soon!

Ross, Lou, Marta and the Bondi Innovation team