Patient Zero x Southstart 2026: Architecting Agentic AI in Adelaide

Patient Zero is proud to announce our official sponsorship of Southstart 2026, returning to Adelaide from March 17th to 19th. A unique gathering for founders and creative technologists, this year’s RESONANCE program is the perfect stage to move beyond AI hype and into the realm of how it can power start-ups and founders to achieve their goals.

With a dedicated three-year footprint in South Australia, Patient Zero is more than a visitor; we are active participants in the state's innovation economy, advocating for the technical and Australian-first capability required to build the next generation of SA-born successes.

By participating in high-level industry forums and supporting the local startup ecosystem, we are committed to ensuring South Australia leads the national conversation on AI, software engineering, and resilient infrastructure. 

Southstart Adelaide: A Human-First Approach to Resonance 

Since 2013, Southstart has been more than a tech conference; it is a deeply human experience that transforms Adelaide’s laneways and wineries into a global stage for innovation. This year’s theme, RESONANCE, is designed to spark collaboration through openness and curiosity; values that sit at the very heart of Patient Zero. 

The Build Lab: From Chatbot to Coordinated Company 

On Tuesday, March 18th (10:45am – 12:00pm) at Stone & Chalk, we are facilitating a fast-paced, hands-on workshop that moves beyond the AI hype into the realm of real-time execution.

The Zero-Employee Startup: An Agentic AI Build Lab for the Slightly Unhinged 

Hosted by Paul and Demelza, this workshop is designed for founders and leaders who want to feel the definitive moment when AI stops acting like a chatbot and starts behaving like a coordinated company.

Using Claude-powered agent teams inside OpenClaw, participants will install an AI workforce that plans, builds, and launches a startup in real time. We are tackling everything: strategy, brand, pricing, and the operating model. It’s powerful, it’s chaotic, and it works (mostly). 



The Adelaide Challenge: Gen Z Dealcoholised Wine 

For the Adelaide edition, teams will tackle a provocative local challenge: Creating a Gen Z-targeted dealcoholised wine brand. In a nod to South Australia’s world-class wine heritage, we are tasking teams to make a non-alcoholic brand that is culturally relevant, commercially plausible, and socially desirable. To keep the stakes high, Live Gen Z evaluator agents will react to each team’s output in real time on a central dashboard, creating a sharp and entertaining test of relevance and "cringe risk."

Join the Resonance at Southstart 2026 

The future of progress starts with people. Whether we are meeting in the Garden of Unearthly Delights or deep-diving into agentic builds at Stone & Chalk, we are excited to share knowledge with the national and international peers making South Australia their home this March. 

We look forward to building something "slightly unhinged" with you. 

View the Full southstart RESONANCE Program Here 

Explore Our Technical Prowess 

• AI & Emerging Tech: Discover how we deliver practical, secure AI solutions beyond the hype. 
• Embedded Software Teams: Learn how our culture of mentorship builds high-performance delivery teams. 
• App Modernisation & Cloud: See our approach to architecting for scale and long-term resilience.