F*ckUp Nights Melbourne: April 2025 edition
Welcome to F*ckUp Nights Melbourne: April 2025 edition!
F*ckUp Nights is a global movement born in Mexico in 2012 and established to help share public failure stories with hundreds of people attending each event around the world. Speakers talk about their f*ckup stories; we’ll learn about their biggest mistakes, what they learned, how they moved on- all whilst sharing invaluable advice along the way.
Speaker 1: Rohit Bhargava- Founder, The Komo Club, The Startup Playbook Podcast & Playbook Ventures
Rohit Bhargava is a multifaceted entrepreneur dedicated to helping founders and leaders excel in every facet of life. As the founder of The Komo Club, he builds high-performance communities that empower entrepreneurs to achieve both business success and personal fulfillment. Through The Startup Playbook Podcast, Rohit shares candid insights and transformative lessons from his extensive career—insights that blend strategy, data, and storytelling to inspire change. Additionally, as a Founder and general partner with Playbook Ventures, he actively supports emerging startups, using his diverse experience from roles at AWS and beyond to drive growth through consistent, impactful actions.
Rohit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohbhargava/
Speakers 2&3: Sérgio Brodsky & Gemma Hunter - Surge Advisory
Sergio Brodsky, a seasoned brand strategy and transformation expert, will share the stage with his business partner Gemma Hunter—a trailblazing creative consultant with over 25 years’ experience in reshaping iconic brands. Together, they embody a powerful synergy: Sergio’s expertise in strategic foresight and business transformation combined with Gemma’s groundbreaking work in creative innovation and leadership. Their journey comes full circle, reuniting 10 years after the original launch of F*ckup Nights to relaunch the project with raw honesty and inspiring lessons from their failures and successes. Join them as they candidly share how their challenges forged a lasting partnership and continue to drive meaningful change in the world of business.
Sérgio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiobrodsky/
Gemma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-hunter-24357030/
Speaker 4: COOPER TIELEN - Co-founder, Gnositukoi
Cooper Tielen is a dynamic force in Melbourne’s startup ecosystem and a passionate advocate for a healthier food future. As the co-founder of Gnositukoi Lyrae—a collective of three student-led startups transforming the global food system—he’s already recruited over 80 students and alumni across three countries, mentored early-stage ventures, and led diverse teams tackling both technical and operational challenges.
Balancing his entrepreneurial pursuits with academia, Cooper is a third-year commerce student at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Management and Finance. He also serves as President of the Healthy Eating & Nutrition Society (HENS), a vibrant club of 500 members dedicated to making nutritious food accessible and creating lasting community memories.
When he’s not innovating in food-tech or leading student initiatives, you might catch him strumming his guitar or planning his next groundbreaking idea. Here to change the world, Cooper is ready to share his unique journey of challenges, lessons, and triumphs.
Cooper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooper-tielen-914874264/
Speaker 5: Olyvia Munro - Founder, Zello
Olyvia Munro is a 23-year-old entrepreneur transforming fashion retail through data. As the founder and CEO of Zello, she’s built a platform that decodes the DNA of every item in a store—empowering retailers to optimize fitting room experiences with precise RFID insights. From developing an MVP in just four weeks to partnering with leading retailers and participating in Startmate’s accelerator, Olyvia is redefining how data drives smarter, more efficient retail decisions. Her journey of challenging the status quo and innovating under pressure inspires a new wave of retail tech innovation.
Olyvia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olyvia-munro-2038a6218/
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At the end of each story, we have a bit of Q&A time where you’ll have a chance to ask questions- nothing too cheeky, but feel free to dig around. You’ll hear stories and advice you won’t get elsewhere - and these stories will (hopefully) put you in good stead to not make the same F*ckUp's.