In a few short days, the tech world will descend onto the busy streets of Austin for SXSW 2016. With thousands of people and hundreds of events, navigating through the interactive festival can be a difficult task. Where should I go? Is it going to be good? Will I get in? Is there free food and booze?
Don’t fret – we have you covered so that you can minimize FOMO and maximize the time spent in Austin. The following guide covers the best parties, panels, events, and happenings so that you are in the know about what to do while at SX. For your convenience, we’ve put together both a quick primer of must attend, handpicked events in addition to a more comprehensive and larger day-by-day listing. Be sure to check the event links that we have provided for complete and current details.
This by no means is an exhaustive list of every event at SXSW nor it is meant to be. Remember part of the allure and charm of SXSW is the random occurrences that happen when the brightest and best minds in technology converge in one city for a few days. Enjoy…
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SXSW 2016
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
The Complete Guide to SXSW 2016 is presented by Dublin Makes Me. They’ll be rocking throughout SXSW with a number of different initiatives and they are pleased to welcome everyone in our audience to the the following two awesome events:
Dublin Makes Me kicks off on Friday, March 11th @ 7pm at Esther’s Follies Theater on 6th Street with How Dublin Made Me, a storytelling event with renowned Dublin characters, live music, and drinks. REGISTER HERE
The Irish Startup Wake in association with AlleyWatch takes place on Sunday, March 13th @ 6pm. A wake for dead startups, their founders, fans, and sympathizers. We’ll be waking companies in true Irish style, with a book of condolences, ham sandwiches and lots of whiskey to go around at the Palm Door. REGISTER HERE
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Must attend events during interactive: the quick and easy primer
Friday, March 11th
From 12:30PM-1:30PM, angel investor Adam Quinton joins Shari Slate from Cisco for a fun, experiential, and thought provoking session that explores unconscious bias – what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters in the tech industry – Diversity and Tech: Breaking Down Unconscious Bias at the JW Marriott. Find out more here.
At 6PM, our friends at Decoded Fashion, in association with #FashMash, is bringing together the global fashion and tech community to kick off interactive with the Decoded Fashion House & #FashMash Kickoff Mixer at The Decoded Fashion House @ the Hangar Lounge. Find out more here.
At 7pm our friends at Dublin Makes Me kick off their SXSW programming at Esther’s Follies Theater on 6th Street with How Dublin Made Me, a storytelling event with renowned Dublin characters, live music, and drinks. REGISTER HERE
Saturday, March 12th
Set your alarms early. At 9:30AM, our founder and CEO, Reza Chowdhury will be moderating an awesome panel that gets inside the mind of Angels and VCs with Ellie Wheeler, Partner at Greycroft Partners and Brian Cohen, Chairman of the New York Angels. The event will be open to badge holders and will take place at the Hilton Austin – Room 400-402. Find out more here.
Also, starting at 9:30AM, our friends from KITE will be featuring three sessions focused on how brands can embrace innnovation and work with startups at the Austin Hilton. Here’s the full line up:
At 9:30AM, join executives from CrunchBase, GSK, and Metalworks, Maxus as they look at Keys to the New Innovation Playbook.
At 11AM, KITE explores Naked Innovation and Branded Startup Partnerships IRL with Tucker Kain of the Dodgers, Jaime Fabricant of PepsiCo, and Shiv Singh of Visa.
At 12:30PM, brands can learn how to think like VCs when looking at the next billion dollar idea with executives from Coca Cola, Mastercard and LUMA Capital Partners.
Learn more here.
At 5PM, join FWD.us, along with other leading companies and civic organizations, at Tech The Vote, the unofficial tech + politics party at SXSW 2016 at the Summit Rooftop Lounge. Find out more here.
At 6PM, our friends from Dreamit Ventures in association with DigitasHealth host a showcase of healthcare innovation with happy hour at the JW Marriott. This event will be attended by the movers and shakers in healthcare at SXSW. Find out more here.
Sunday, March 13th
TechStyle NYC is hosting a full day of programming with panel discussions, brand showcase, and a cocktail reception focused on the intersection of fashion and technology starting at 12PM and running until 7PM at the Bar Works Pop Up space at the Amala Foundation. Find out more here.
From 1PM-6PM our friends at ff Venture Capital are hosting a full day of programming that is a must attend for any members of the startup community. The day will feature discussions around tech and startups with some of the best in the industry, coupled with interactive installations, a tech fair, networking, food, drinks, at the Empire Control Room.
Here’s the full line up:
1:30PM – VC extraordinaire John Frankel moderates the Startup 101 panel – What do you really need to know to run a startup in 2016?
3PM – Automation, Machine Learning, and the Human Touch – How will the way we work evolve?
4:30PM – A Founder’s Perspective – What can you learn from some of the most successful entrepreneurs?
Find out more here.
The Irish Startup Wake in association with AlleyWatch takes place on Sunday, March 13th at 6PM. A wake for dead startups, their founders, fans and sympathizers. We’ll be waking companies in true Irish style, with a book of condolences, ham sandwiches and lots of whiskey to go around at the Palm Door. REGISTER HERE
Monday, March 14th
Our friends at Dreamit Ventures host a day of programming focused on the key lessons that every startup should learn at the Hilton Austin.
Here’s the full lineup:
9:30AM-10:30AM: How to Get Great Customer Feedback
11AM-12PM: Keys to Quickly & Efficiently De-risk Your Startup
12:30PM-1:30PM: Mind the Gap: Getting from Seed to Series
Find out more here.
Throughout Interactive Weekend
Our friends at Decoded Fashion will be hosting a Mentorship Hub for entrepreneurs interested in connecting with fashion executives and influencers at the Decoded Fashion House @ Hangar Lounge. Find out more here.
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Wednesday, March 9th
If you are in Austin early, check out the Cheekd SXSW Happy Hour at the Driskill from 5PM-7:30PM. Find out more here.
Thursday, March 10th
The biggest party to kick off before SXSW is the ATX Startup Crawl where over 50 Austin based startups throw one huge bash at Capital Factory from 5PM-10PM. If you are in town on Thursday, you need to be here. Find out more here.
At 5:30PM, join the Austin Tech Happy Hour, to meet with the best and brightest in Austin at the Dogwood. Find out more here.
Join the SXSW Interactive Community Meetup from 6PM-8PM at Google Fiber Space to enjoy light refreshments, network with fellow digital creatives, and view a short presentation given by the SXSW Interactive staff. Find out more here.
Friday, March 11th
At 9:30AM, start your day off right and get your mind and body aligned with some rooftop yoga hosted by Wanderlust Yoga at WeWork. Find out more here.
At 11AM, join Ben Lerer (Thrillist/Lerer Ventures) as he discusses the evolution of media at the Hilton Austin. Find out more here.
Starting at 11AM, our friends from General Assembly will be hosting a number of free workshops touching on the hottest and relevant topics in tech today at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center. Programming will run through the Sunday. Find out more here.
At 11AM, the sports, entertainment, and digital world will converge at the MVPindex Sports and Entertainment Lounge at the Four Seasons. Find out more here.
Starting at 11AM, TechSet hosts the Comcast Social Media Lounge at the Convention Center where the best in media and tech will be joined by key influencers. Find out more here.
At 11AM, Fast Company kicks off its SXSW programming with this year’s installment of the Fast Company Grill at Cedar Door with complimentary lunch and cocktails daily. The programming will run throughout interactive and include a party on Saturday evening. This one’s VIP access and invite only. Find out more here.
At 11AM on Friday, join two of the world’s most prominent technology pioneers, investors, and and philanthropists – Steve Case of Revolution and Jean Case — as they share a roadmap for innovators and entrepreneurs who want to change the world in this rapidly evolving, “internet of everything” economy at the Austin Convention Center. Find our more here.
Start at 12PM and running to 5PM starting Friday and running through the weekend, check into Mashable House for a breather at the Main. Find out more here.
At 12:30PM, angel investor Adam Quinton joins Shari Slate from Cisco for a fun, experiential, and thought provoking session exploring unconscious bias – what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters in the tech industry – Diversity and Tech: Breaking Down Unconscious Bias at the JW Marriott. Find out more here.
Also at 12:30PM, you’ll have the chance to ask Gary Vaynerchuk anything in this live question session at the Austin Convention Center. Find out more here.
At 4PM you can check out 20 cool startups from across the globe in SXSW’s Startup Spotlight and enjoy some cocktails as well as the Austin Hilton. Find out more here.
At 5PM, get the brain firing with a thought provocative presentation on new human machine interfaces as the future of work at the Austin Convention Center. Learn more here.
At 5PM, stop by the The Small Business Web SXSW happy hour with open bar which will be presented nightly for 3 evenings – Friday – Sunday AT Coyote Ugly. The crowd will be a mix of CEOs, CTOs, VP business development, VP marketing, investors, resellers, channels, distributors, and media in the industry. If you sell cloud software to small-and-medium-sized businesses, there is no better group of people in the world whom you should know. Find out more here.
At 6PM, our friends at Decoded Fashion, in association with #FashMash, is bringing together the global fashion and tech community to kick off interactive with the Decoded Fashion House & #FashMash Kickoff Mixer at The Decoded Fashion House @ the Hangar Lounge. Find out more here.
Into hardware? Wish SXSW was just another CES? At 6PM check out the Hardware House Opening Party at WeWork. Find out more here.
Dublin Makes Me kicks off on Friday, March 11th at 7PM at Esther’s Follies theater on 6th street with How Dublin Made Me, a storytelling event with renowned Dublin characters, live music and drinks. REGISTER HERE
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Saturday, March 12th
Set your alarms early. At 9:30AM, our founder and CEO, Reza Chowdhury will be moderating an awesome panel that gets inside the mind of Angels and VCs with Ellie Wheeler, Partner at Greycroft Partners and Brian Cohen, Chairman of the New York Angels. The event will be open to SXSW badge holders and will take place at the Hilton Austin – Room 400-402. Find out more here.
Also, starting at 9:30AM, our friends from KITE will be featuring three sessions focused on how brands can embrace innovation and work with startups at the Austin Hilton. Here’s the full line up:
At 9:30AM, join executives from CrunchBase, GSK, and Metalworks, Maxus as they look at Keys to the New Innovation Playbook.
At 11AM, KITE explores Naked Innovation and Branded Startup Partnerships IRL with Tucker Kain of the Dodgers, Jamime Fabricant of PepsiCo, and Shiv Singh of Visa.
At 12:30PM, Brands can learn how to think like VCs when looking at the next billion dollar idea with executives from Coca Cola, Mastercard and LUMA Capital Partners.
Learn more here.
At 11AM, join Creative Capital: Why Agencies are Investing to learn more about the potential benefits that an agency can bring on as a venture investor at the Hilton Austin. Learn more here.
At 11AM, Geek out and learn more about the future of smart cars and smart cities at the Austin Convention Center. Find out more here.
At 11:30AM, Girl Develop It and ChickTech Austin are hosting a luncheon for those who support women in tech at Box. Find out more here.
For all the food techies out there, at 12:30PM the NextGen Food and AgTech Meetup will take place at the JW Marriott. Find out more here.
Also at 12:30PM, Udacity VP of Careers, Kathleen Mullaney discusses how to build a diverse workforce at 0-101: Breaking the Brogrammer Mold at Austin Convention Center. Learn more here.
Calling all data junkies at 3:30PM to join Monaeo’s Vinay Pai as he discusses how Monaeo handled increasing data volumes and user growth through Microservices at JW Marriott. Find out more here.
At 5PM, join FWD.us, along with other leading companies and civic organizations, at Tech The Vote, the unofficial tech + politics party at SXSW 2016 at the Summit Rooftop Lounge. Find out more here.
At 5PM, find out what it takes to design happiness within your company and customer experience from leading experts including Bruce Vaughn of Disney, Gabby Etrog Cohen of Soul Cycle, Mark Wilson of Fast Company, and Randall Stone of Lippincott at the JW Marriott. Find out more here.
At 6PM, our friends from Dreamit Ventures in association with DigitasHealth host a showcase of healthcare innovation with happy hour at the JW Marriott. This event will be attended by the movers and shakers in healthcare at SXSW. Find out more here.
Also, at 6PM Google for Entrepreneurs is hosting a happy hour with CODE2040 to support diverse entrepreneurs at Capital Factory. Find out more here.
It’s Saturday night and it’s time to party. At 7PM check out the Shopgate’s Ritas, Nachos, and Retail @ SXSW which will feature gourmet nachos and margaritas at Shopgate’s new offices. Find out more here.
Later on in the evening, starting at 8:30PM find your way to Crowdtap‘s Annual People Powered Party at the Vulcan Gas Company. This was one of last year’s most talked about events so find a way to get yourself on the list for this invite only soiree that will feature a private concert. Find out more here.
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Sunday, March 13th
Starting at 9AM, it’s breakfast time with the TechBreakfast Showcase. Last year over 1800 people attended. There will be speed demos and free breakfast tacos at Revival Public House. What else could you want? Find out more here.
TechStyle NYC is hosting a full day of programming with panel discussions, brand showcase, and a cocktail reception focused on the intersection of fashion and technology starting at 12PM and running until 7PM at the Bar Works Pop Up space at the Amala Foundation. Find out more here.
Starting at 1PM, our friends at ff Venture Capital are hosting a full day of programming that is a must attend for any members of the startup community. The day will feature discussions around tech and startups with some of the best in the industry, coupled with interactive installations, a tech fair, networking, food, drinks, at the Empire Control Room.
Here’s the full line up:
1:30PM – VC extraordinaire John Frankel moderates the Startup 101 panel – What do you really need to know to run a startup in 2016?
3PM – Automation, Machine Learning, and the Human Touch – How will the way we work evolve?
4:30PM – A Founder’s Perspective – What can you learn from some of the most successful entrepreneurs?
Find out more here.
At 2PM, anyone interested in product management should hit the ProductTank at Little Woodrow’s. Find out more here.
At 3PM – Springboard Enterprises and The New York Fashion Tech Lab will co-host the Dolphin Tank in a Shark Tank inspired pitch and presentation session featuring some of the hottest startups in the FashionTech space. Find out more here.
The Irish Startup Wake in association with AlleyWatch takes place on Sunday, March 13th at 6PM. A wake for dead startups, their founders, fans and sympathizers. We’ll be waking companies in true Irish style, with a book of condolences, ham sandwiches and lots of whiskey to go around at the Palm Door. REGISTER HERE
Starting at 8PM, Tech.Co will showcase 20 startups from across the globe for a night of great conversation and giveaways at Maggie Mae’s. Find out more here.
Also at 8PM, ff Venture Capital will be hosting a private, invite only event at Empire Control Room with performances by Just Blaze, Lucky Chops and Louis the Child, just to name a few. Make sure to get an invite for this if you can.
At 8:30PM, join Spredfast as it hosts it’s social stage party featuring dance to electro-funk masters Chromeo with a custom laser show DJed by Tim Gunter at the Moody Theater. Find out more here.
At 9PM, digitalundivided will cost it’s annual SXSW party with open bar at the Choose ATL House Rooftop. Find out more here.
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
Monday, March 14th
Our friends at Dreamit Ventures host a day of programming focused on the key lessons that every startup should learn at the Hilton Austin.
Here’s the full lineup:
9:30AM-10:30AM: How to Get Great Customer Feedback
11AM-12PM: Keys to Quickly & Efficiently De-risk Your Startup
12:30PM-1:30PM: Mind the Gap: Getting from Seed to Series
Find out more here.
Gaming aficionados – at 11AM check out the panel that explores the intersection of game marketing and brand marketing at the the Four Seasons . Learn more here.
At 12:30PM Glide community manager, Sarah Snow chats about how Glide discovered a completely unexpected user base among the app’s audience in the deaf community. Find out more here.
Starting at 11:30 AM and running until 7pm nightly until the 18th, Spotify House kicks off with 5 days of awesome live performances at 1501 East 6th Street. Find out more here.
Media Temple will be hosting an open House at the Rattle Inn from 12PM-6PM featuring an Open Bar and BBQ.
At 6PM, get to the Hotel Van Zandt for a pool party with Patron and VR hosted by SAP. Find out more here.
At 7PM, Sony is hosting an outdoor party with music, networking, cocktails, and some cool prototypes at their tent. Find out more here.
Tuesday, March 15th
At this point, your body is going to need some restorative healing. At 9:30AM, check out some more rooftop yoga hosted by Wanderlust Yoga at WeWork. Find out more here.
As interactive draws to a close and the music portion of SXSW begins, it’s an excellent time to shine a spotlight on music tech and the latest in innovation in the music world at 4PM at the Hilton Austin. Find out more here.
If you are still in Austin and still partying, make sure to check out the Interactive Closing Party with open bar at Stubb’s at 8:30PM with performances by Biz Markie, St Lucia, and Big Boi.
We’ll be updating the guide on a rolling basis leading up to interactive. If you are interested in having an event included, please furnish all details here. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
