WSTI Festi 2026: Build with AI Innovation Challenge, Sat 14 Nov

Overview
Last Build Day before submission. Two streams, mentor follow-ups, tech support and pitch practice with WSTI. $15.
Build with AI Innovation Challenge Day, Saturday 14 November
The last Build Day before final submission on Tuesday 17 November at 2:00 PM. Start your idea here, or bring the build you began on 7 November or online, and spend the day moving it forward with WSTI mentors. No coding background needed.
WSTI mentors bring design thinking, tech support, business and strategy advice, and a stage to practise your pitch, with feedback on your build and on how customers and investors would see it.
At a glance

🕙 6.5 hours, 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, in two streams: build at your own pace with mentors on call, or learn step by step in guided training
🎟️ $15, lunch included. Ticket money goes into the cash prize pool
🔓 Full challenge details are revealed at the WSTI Festi Opening Night, Thursday 5 November
🔁 Started online or on 7 Nov? Come back for a follow-up with mentors and check where your build stands
🎤 A stage for pitch practice to close the day
👥 Come on your own, bring your team or find one on the day
🏆 Cash prizes on Pitch Night, plus community recognition from City of Parramatta
📍 Western Sydney Startup Hub, 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta

Wherever you are up to

New to the challenge: start in the training stream. Find a team, shape your idea with design thinking, and make your first build, from your first prompt to a working app
Started on Sat 7 Nov or online: keep going in the build stream. Get a follow-up with mentors, check where your build stands, get tech support where you are stuck, and practise your pitch before Tuesday's submission

What WSTI mentors help with

Design thinking: shape the problem and your idea, and test who it is for
Tech support: get unstuck on your build, with the AI tools you use or prefer
Business and strategy: who your users are, and how your idea could work as a business or a community solution
Pitch practice: get your pitch ready during the day, then practise it on stage for feedback on the tech and on how customers and investors would see it

Pick your challenge
Parramatta Possibilities Innovation Challenge, set by City of Parramatta. Choose one of five focus areas:

1. Climate Resilience and Community Wellbeing
2. Better Community Events and Public Spaces
3. Cleaner and More Sustainable Neighbourhoods
4. Smarter Decisions for a Growing City
5. AI for Smarter Asset and Environmental Management

Full challenge details are revealed when the challenge launches at the WSTI Festi Opening Night on Thursday 5 November.
Showcase your skills for the opportunity to have your innovation piloted with the local council.
Open Innovation: bring your own challenge, from your business, your industry or your community. Build it into a business, a working solution or something for your community.
One rule for both tracks: build from scratch. Bring a problem or an idea, but not an existing project or product. Everything you submit must be built during the challenge, from 5 to 17 November.
How the day runs

Welcome, and form or join a team on the WSTI Festi Innovation Portal
Build stream: build at your own pace, with WSTI mentors on call for tech support and follow-ups on where your build stands
Training stream: learn step by step in guided sessions with WSTI mentors, from design thinking to a beginner build, from your first prompt to a working app, plus business and strategy
Lunch
Pitch practice on stage: teams who have their pitch ready practise it in front of mentors and the room, with feedback on the build and the story
What's next: teams finalise Sun 15 Nov at 8:00 PM, final submission Tue 17 Nov at 2:00 PM

What you get

6.5 hours to build, in the stream that suits you
WSTI mentors for design thinking, tech support, and business and strategy advice
Help with the AI tools you already use or prefer
A follow-up with mentors if you started online or on 7 Nov
A stage to practise your pitch before final submission
Feedback on your build, and on how customers and investors would see it
Lunch on the day
A team and a challenge through the WSTI Festi Innovation Portal
A shot at cash prizes on Pitch Night, and a podium for every finalist at the Grand Festival Day
Connections across WSTI's AI community, 4,200+ members on Meetup

From launch to the big stage

Thu 5 Nov: the challenge launches at the WSTI Festi Opening Night
Sat 7 or Sat 14 Nov: your Build Day
Sun 15 Nov, 8:00 PM: finalise your team on the portal
Tue 17 Nov, 2:00 PM: final submission of your pitch video, demo video and live prototype link
Thu 19 Nov, 12:00 PM: finalists announced by email
Fri 20 Nov: finalists pitch live at Pitch Night. The audience votes, and the winners take home cash prizes
Sat 21 Nov: every finalist gets a podium at the Grand Festival Day to show their innovation to the panel, industry and community

Other ways to take part

Build Day, Sat 7 Nov, $15 (book here): at Maker Space PHIVE with Google. Hands-on Antigravity training led by Brett Morgan, Developer Relations Engineer, Google Cloud
Online, free (book here): build from anywhere

Come to one Build Day, both, or take part online.
Who should come
You do not need a tech background. What you know about your field is the most valuable thing you can bring.

Business owners and professionals from any field, such as health, finance, education, property, trades or community services
Founders and startups
University students, recent graduates and young people
Developers, designers and creatives curious about building with AI
Anyone with an idea they want to build

What to bring

Your laptop (essential)
The AI tools you prefer, with your own accounts and licences. Mentors help you get the most out of them
Your own challenge for Open Innovation, or pick a Parramatta Possibilities focus area

With
WSTI · Investment NSW · City of Parramatta · Western Sydney Startup Hub
Part of WSTI Festi 2026, Western Sydney's first grassroots AI festival, 5 to 21 November in Parramatta. See more: wsti.org.au/wsti-festi
Notice of Photography and Filming
By entering this event, you acknowledge that photography, audio, and video recording may occur. Your attendance constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of such media for promotional purposes by Western Sydney Tech Innovators (WSTI). If you prefer not to be photographed or recorded, please inform a WSTI team member upon arrival. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Everyone is welcome, from in and around Parramatta and beyond. When you RSVP, we ask for the postcode where you live, work or study, only for our statistics. If you have one in the City of Parramatta, please use it.