First Wednesday Connect

Innovators & entrepreneurs

Researchers & academics

Scaleup leaders

Youth & students

Startup teams

SMEs

Mentors and investors

Corporations & community

Hear from Canberra’s emerging entrepreneurs as they take the stage in the high-intensity pitch blitz. Learn about groundbreaking innovations that are pinning Canberra on the map for The City of Innovation.

The Monthly Meetup of our Innovation Ecosystem

What is First Wednesday Connect?

First Wednesday Connect (FWC) is a regular monthly networking event that aims to broaden the innovation ecosystem in Canberra and encourage collaboration.

Networking

Meet founders, researchers, investors, students and professionals from across Canberra’s innovation community. The format is casual and designed to make it easy to start conversations and build useful connections.

One minute pitches

A rapid series of one-minute pitches where entrepreneurs and project teams introduce what they’re working on that is relevant to the innovation community. It’s a quick way to scan new ventures, find collaboration points, access opportunities and stay across what’s happening in entrepreneurship / innovation in Canberra.

Everyone's welcome

You don’t need a startup, business plan or technical background to take part. The event is open to anyone curious about innovation in Canberra and interested in contributing to a supportive, practical community. Bring a friend but do not hesitate - register and engage in conversations.

Total registrations

25,499

All events to date

Events held

120+

Since 2015

Avg per event

222

Registrations

Record year

2025

3,350 registrations