People are already turning to AI for therapy, companionship and mental health support. But AI tools will only actually help if mental health expertise is built in from the start — not called in when things go wrong. That's what brought together Asami Koike, founder of culturally-responsive mental health support network Shapes and Sounds, and Yifei Wang, founder of AI firm AIBUILD. In this episode, they talk about what it takes to build a companion robot for older Australians — and why getting it right means two very different worlds learning to work together.

And also: they got to know each other from being a part of Season One of this podcast!

Making It in Melbourne is produced by the City of Melbourne with technical and research assistance from RMIT School of Media and Communication.

Irene Tsang had everything the corporate world says you should want — and she walked away from all of it to move to Melbourne as a solo parent with two young kids. During COVID, she watched women bear the heaviest load in their professional and personal lives, so she started coaching, then building. The result is Lift Women, Australia's first crowdfunding platform dedicated to women founders.

In this episode, Irene talks about running 100 free consultations in two months, raising $1.3 million, and what it means to give women the option to fund their dreams without giving away ownership of them. A story about seeing a gap, and having the courage to fill it.

Making It in Melbourne is produced by the City of Melbourne with technical and research assistance from RMIT School of Media and Communication.

What if discomfort was your biggest professional asset? Alvin Hermanto, founder of digital product advisory firm Relab, has spent his career deliberately putting himself in uncomfortable positions — being the odd one out, taking the harder road, pushing past the easy lanes. This way, when he sits down with clients, he knows exactly what they're facing.

In this episode, Alvin talks about building a business on the principle of lived discomfort, and how discomfort could give us hints on how to pave new ways to possibilities and solutions.

Making It in Melbourne is produced by the City of Melbourne with technical and research assistance from RMIT School of Media and Communication.