Building Perth’s AI Hub: Susannah Soon is Shaping the AI Future for Generations 💡

<h1>Perth City Lead Spotlight: Susannah Soon</h1><figure><img height="971" width="1456" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZxaS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa1b413ce-4874-43e5-935b-c7cf829be2b6_5568x3712.jpeg"></figure><p>Susannah Soon has grown Build Club Perth by leaps and bounds in just three months — securing multiple sponsorships and hosting events with 100+ attendees. Her energy, expertise, and passion for AI and community-building are transforming Perth into a hub for innovation and connection.</p><h2>From AI Research to GenAI Excitement 🤖</h2><p>Susannah’s journey began with a PhD in multiagent systems at the University of Melbourne’s Agent Lab, followed by years as a software developer and AI researcher. The rise of generative AI reignited her excitement:</p><blockquote><p>“The whole GenAI movement has led to a massive resurgence in agents. I am so<br>excited agents are coming into their own now!”</p></blockquote><p>What started as friendly AI discussions quickly grew into a vision for Perth’s Build Club. Her alignment with Build Club’s mission made becoming City Lead a natural next step.</p><h2>Building Community That Thrives 🌐</h2><p>“It’s been amazing — and also a lot of fun!” Susannah laughs. By connecting her network, she’s created a vibrant ecosystem where students, alumni, academics, developers, and innovators meet monthly to share, learn, and create.</p><blockquote><p>“Seeing my students succeed — winning hackathons, being hired in start-ups or<br>scale-ups or going overseas for deeptech academies — is incredibly rewarding.”</p></blockquote><figure><img height="485.5" width="728" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aR8d!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb86f2030-77c4-46d9-b10d-095c113977d4_5568x3712.jpeg"></figure><h2>Lessons Learned ⚡</h2><p>Even with stellar GenAI talks, networking sometimes overshadowed hands-on building. Susannah’s solution? A focused agenda that prioritizes creating first and socializing later.</p><h2>Creating Experiences That Connect ✨</h2><p>From industry leaders to passionate students and mentors, Build Club events are all about high-quality content and enthusiasm. The energy is contagious, and the connections are real.</p><h2>Sponsors Who Share the Vision 🤝</h2><p>Susannah leveraged long-term relationships to secure support. Partners like Curtin University, the WA Data Science Innovation Hub, and Bloom have contributed spaces, mentorship, and resources — helping the community thrive.</p><h2>What’s Next 🚀</h2><p>Perth Build Club is gearing up for:</p><ul><li><p>A booth at DDD Perth</p></li><li><p>A West Tech Fest satellite event</p></li><li><p>A delegation to the AI Engineers conference in San Francisco</p></li></ul><h2>Susannah’s Advice 💬</h2><ul><li><p>“Do it if you love AI and have the passion. It’s incredibly rewarding.”</p></li><li><p>“The best part of my career has been the people I’ve met — the camaraderie of tech folks is unbeatable.”</p></li><li><p>“Seeing my students succeed and earn opportunities is why my role is so rewarding.”</p></li></ul><p>With Susannah Soon leading the charge, Perth’s Build Club isn’t just about AI — it’s about people, community, and curiosity. And with her energy, the best is yet to come.</p><p>👉 Connect with Susannah on <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/susannah-soon?originalSubdomain=au">LinkedIn</a> and keep an eye out for more Perth events <a href="https://luma.com/buildercommunityanz">here</a>!</p>