It’s hard to believe the buzz around SXSW Sydney 2025. The 2024 edition attracted over 300,000 attendees, according to MediaWeek. While the numbers for this year haven’t been officially released, the scale of this event is simply phenomenal. This year’s expo felt like a collision of bold ideas, creative ambition, and next-gen hardware, all under one roof.
Among the hundreds of products and demos, four innovations stood out as genuine “wow” moments: the eufyMake E1 UV Printer, the Airspeeder eVTOL Racing Series, Unitree Robotics’ humanoid robots, and the Hypershell X exoskeleton.
Revolutionizing Printing: eufyMake E1 UV Printer
The first standout is the eufyMake E1 UV Printer, billed as the world’s first personal 3D-texture UV printer. Forget everything you know about printing because the eufyMake E1 takes custom creation to an entirely new level. Instead of melting filament, it layers vibrant CMYK, white, and gloss inks onto virtually any surface.
From textured phone cases and magnetic decals to curved water bottles using a rotary attachment, this printer can handle it all; no heat, no warping, just instant UV curing that locks color and texture in place. With attachments for rolls, films, and even adhesive sheets, you can print everything from tactile stickers to large decals for cars or walls.
The eufyMake E1 UV Printer raised nearly $47 million USD on Kickstarter, becoming the highest-funded campaign ever.
This kind of support shows how much the maker and creative communities have been craving something like this. It’s clear eufyMake isn’t just about pretty prints—it’s about empowering creators to design, print, and personalize on their own terms.
Taking Flight: Airspeeder eVTOL Racing Series
Next up is Airspeeder, not just a tech demo but a whole new sports paradigm: electric flying cars, vertical take-off and landing vehicles, racing in the skies. According to their site, they are building the world’s first VTOL crewed racing series. If SXSW Sydney 2025 had a “sci-fi meets sport” moment, it’s definitely Airspeeder.
Born out of Adelaide and powered by Alauda Aeronautics, Airspeeder is more than just a futuristic concept; it’s already flying. Their current vehicles, weighing under 100kg, can hit speeds of up to 130 km/h, with ambitions to build a Formula 1-style race.
With former Formula 1 leadership involved, sponsors like Acronis, DHL, and IWC, Airspeeder is positioning itself as the next frontier in motorsport.
It’s not just about speed; it’s about pushing flight tech, aerodynamics, and energy systems forward. The races unfold in AR-generated air gates, allowing them to deploy a course almost anywhere in the world, making it clean, fast, and almost cinematic.
Robotics on the Rise: Unitree Humanoid Robots
The third highlight is the Unitree humanoid robots. At the Innovation Expo this year, the “Robotics Arcade” featured Unitree’s humanoids up close. We saw walking, gesturing, interacting—making these machines less “robot stumble” and more “robot stride.” The G1 and H1 models are available for purchase from the website, with price tags starting at $16,000 USD.
What makes them memorable is the tangible sense of automation moving from the stationary, behind-the-fence world into something you can stand beside and feel their presence. This prompts the question: what will humanoid robots be doing in five years? Will they be in our workplaces, homes, service hubs?
The demo at SXSW Sydney felt like the edge of an economic shift, bringing automation into everyday life.
Enhancing Mobility: Hypershell X Exoskeleton
Finally, the Hypershell X exoskeleton is a wearable robotics piece that is lightweight, AI-powered, and built to assist leg motion, reduce fatigue, and boost endurance. I had the opportunity to try one on, and it was definitely an experience. With various modes to assist, boost, or hinder your movement, one can easily see how this can be used for assisting movement, as well as rehabilitation.
The Hypershell X uses sensors and the “MotionEngine” algorithm to deliver timed assistance to leg lifts and forward motion. Unlike earlier bulky exoskeletons, this one weighs around 1.8-2 kg, is foldable, and is designed for outdoor and everyday use.
At SXSW Sydney, the concept of wearable robotics felt personal and relatable, not remote or lab-bound.
Technology in Australia: A Growing Influence
Seeing this level of innovation showcased in Australia is seriously inspiring. SXSW Sydney continues to prove that we’re not just spectators in the global tech scene, we’re contributors. From trying out exoskeletons to chatting with innovators, this event puts world-class tech directly into the hands of Aussie creators and curious minds.
It’s proof that the future isn’t somewhere else; it’s happening right here. Now, anticipation builds for another year of creativity, experimentation, and boundary-breaking ideas at SXSW Sydney 2026.
