Austinites represent at SXSW 2018
Austin always has a strong presence at SXSW and this year is no different. Heather Brunner, Tim Ferriss, Mayor Adler, Whitney Wolfe, Kendra Scott, Andy Roddick, Rod Favaron, Bijoy, whurley… Here are some of the Austin startup community members that will be on stage who you should show up to support!
Friday, March 9
Attracting VC Funding Outside Silicon Valley Panel with HomeAway founder Brian Sharples & Capital Factory Director Gordon Daugherty
We do a lot of things differently in Texas, including fundraising. Join us and learn how to attract Venture Capital investment in your startup when you live somewhere other than Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, or Boston. Hear from venture investors and successful entrepreneurs to find out what factors they considered and how you can make your pitch stand out from the rest.
Time: 12:30PM — 1:30PM
Location: Hilton — Salon C
Register: SXSW badge required
The Texas Startup Manifesto SXSW Panel with Joshua Baer
The Texas Startup Manifesto is call to action to connect Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and the rest of the state into a Texas Startup Megatropolis, unlocking billions of dollars in capital and unleashing thousands of diverse entrepreneurs. If you live in Texas, find out how you can tap into the network. If you’re not, learn how you can facilitate collaboration across your region with the Union platform.
Time: 2:00PM — 3:00PM
Location: Hilton — Salon C
Register: SXSW badge required
SXSW Report on Trust: Gov’t, Tech & Media with WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner
Join the legendary Dan Rather, Heather Brunner (WP Engine), Jess Clifton (Edelman Digital), moderator Richard Edelman and host Hugh Forrest (SXSW). SXSW and Edelman have partnered to launch a special report of the Trust Barometer — Edelman’s annual study on the state of trust in institutions, industries and media. This new edition explores the opinions of the SXSW community, giving context for the relationship between our creative, influential community and the entities with which we interact.
March 9, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
JW Marriott — Salon FG
Bankrupt to Billionaire with SBA Administrator Linda McMahon & Headspring CEO Dustin Wells
In business — as in pro wrestling — you’re going to take some hits. It’s not how you fall but how you get back up that matters. In this interview, hear how WWE co-founder Linda McMahon fought back from bankruptcy to build her company into a publicly traded entertainment and media powerhouse.
March 9, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
Hilton — Salon C
American Innovators in China with Eisenhower Fellow Chelsea Collier
Four US innovators share their unique experiences traveling through China to discover people, culture, business, and food surprises while the 2016 Presidential election and historic World Series take place back home. Contrasting China via their Zhi-Xing (知 行, “learning and travel”) Eisenhower Fellowship, each person discusses their effort to create greater access to prosperity in a global economy and sustain diverse enterprises in education, economy, and civics.
March 9, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
Hilton — Salon DE
The Future of Capitalism and Everything Else with Brett Hurt and John Mackey
Capitalism needs a re-boot or it needs to go. Can capitalism fulfill its promise to create a shared and durable prosperity for all of us? Join co-founder of the B Corp movement Jay Coen Gilbert in a conversation with John Mackey (Whole Foods), Kesha Cash (Impact America), and Brett Hurt (data.world) as they explore how we can create a culture shift in expectations about the purpose of business and a change in the institutions which govern corporate and investor behavior so that they are hard-wired to create business models that works for everyone, and for the long term.
March 9, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
Hilton — Salon C
Third Coast: Can Austin Be The Next Big Tech City? with Aceable CEO Blake Garrett and BigCommerce CEO Brett Bellm
Austin, we have a problem. Despite regularly being named the “Best City to Live” and attracting 150+ new residents every day, Austin’s tech community lags its coastal peers in both investment dollars and successful exits. Does the city adequately support growing tech businesses? Leaders from Austin-area companies will share their experiences and perspective in this panel.
March 9, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
Hilton — Salon K
Giving Back Rocks: How Austin Brands Do It with John Paul DeJoria, Andy Roddick & Kendra Scott
What do a jewelry designer, hair care billionaire, tennis player, and hospital have in common? Successful businesses that give back to the community, and it’s all on brand. This session highlights how an unconventional collection of panelists: Kendra Scott, John Paul DeJoria, Andy Roddick, Austin’s St. David’s HealthCare — leverage their individual talents and brands for serious philanthropy. How they do it that is as different as each of them.
March 9, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
Hilton — Salon DE
Saturday, March 10
Why Coworking Spaces Don’t Work with Swivel CEO (and Motive co-founder) Scott Harmon
With the growing trend toward coworking and coworking-style offices, are we actually creating workplaces that produce happier workers? This workshop explores how coworking spaces and modern office designs currently function and where they fall short in the quest for a high-quality work life.
March 10, 2018
9:30AM — 11:30AM
Fairmont — Indigo Room
Featured Speaker: Whitney Wolfe Herd
As Founder and CEO of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Herd helms one of the fastest-growing social networks in the world. In 3 years, her strategic vision has led to Bumble’s growth of nearly 26 million users worldwide and has singlehandedly disrupted the way people connect on- and offline. Wolfe Herd’s mission for Bumble was simple: create a female-first platform grounded in positive behavior, which would strive to fix the broken system surrounding antiquated gender norms when it comes to connecting.
Gayle King is co-host of CBS This Morning. An experienced television journalist, King interviews top newsmakers and delivers original reporting to CBS This Morning and all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. She is also Editor-at-Large of the award-winning O, the Oprah Magazine.
March 10, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Hilton — Salon H
When Health Care Goes High-Tech with Michael Dell and Dean Clay Johnston
As a global business leader, Michael Dell transformed the way people buy and use computers. Now, as a philanthropist, he is seeking to transform the way institutions help people get and stay healthy. In this session, Dell will talk with Dr. Clay Johnston, inaugural dean of UT Austin’s Dell Medical School, about the wide variety of health projects he is supporting through the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, from grassroots-level care teams to new hospitals and academic institutions that are reshaping a city. And he will share what 30 years of tech industry lessons show about conquering the massive challenges facing health care in the US.
March 10, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Austin Convention Center — Ballroom D
Data Journalism: We’re All News Nerds Now with Jon Loyens
Data journalism is becoming standard practice. Data literacy is spreading across beats. J-schools are teaching R and Python. Local newsrooms are increasingly interrogating data before reporting. Mainstream outlets are starting to link to relevant data. The fire’s been lit. Let’s pour on the gas. This panel of journalism and tech leaders will share lessons and ideas about removing remaining barriers; localizing, sharing, and finding stories in data, and more.
March 10, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
JW Marriott — Salon FG
Digital Natives Disrupting Time-Honored Industries with Joah Spearman and Julia Cheek
It’s not just media, digital natives are beginning to completely disrupt industries that conventional wisdom would never think could be upended. Austin-based companies PHLUR and EverlyWell are at the forefront of this upheaval. Entrepreneur Mike Smerklo will mediate a discussion between the companies’ CEOs on how they are revolutionizing how millennials think about beauty, health and social responsibility in a digital age — and how it requires a complete overhaul of traditional business models.
March 10, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
Hilton — Room 400–402
Intro to the Austin Startup Scene and Ask Me Anything with Joshua Baer, whurley, Amos Schwartzfarb & David Altounian
Haven’t moved to Austin yet? Join us for a SXSW edition of Intro to the Austin Startup Scene with Capital Factory Executive Director Joshua Baer, Strangeworks Founder & CEO William Hurley, Techstars Managing Director Amos Schwartzfarb, and Associate Dean for Academic Programs and MBA Program Director at St.Edward’s University David Altounian!
March 10, 2018
4:30 PM — 6:00 PM
Capital Factory — 16th floor
Fight Cyberhate/Create Safe Online Spaces Meet Up with Bumble VP of Brand Alex Williamson
While the concept seems simple and intuitive, building a community where people feel comfortable making connections without being worried about trolls, stalkers and fake identities is not easy. Bumble and ADL share their goals, lessons and strategies at this Meet Up and are interested in meeting others who are working in this space.
March 10, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
JW Marriott — Room 213
Bootstrap Meetup with Austin Startup Scene Godfather Bijoy Goswami
This Meetup is for entrepreneurs in all fields — tech, film, music, publishing, etc. Bootstrapping allows you to get started on your venture with whatever resources are at hand. And other bootstrappers are invaluable in providing advice, help and resources to get just-in-time help. Your journey capital — knowledge, skills, relationships and experiences — are invaluable and not to be underestimated. Come share your journey capital and gain valuable insights at this meetup!
March 10, 2018
5:00PM — 6:00PM
JW Marriott — Room 211–212
Sunday, March 11
Social Airbag with Spredfast CEO Rod Favaron
Social networks were under fire in 2017 following foreign interference of the 2016 US election. While the networks worked to build platforms to connect the world, they missed how bad actors could exploit them.
Markets with innovation hit drawbacks. The car revolutionized transportation in the 20th century but lacked safety. Seatbelts and airbags allowed the car to continue innovating while remaining safe for the rider. We will discuss how the networks are creating the social media airbag.
March 11, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Austin Convention Center — Room 5ABC
The Future and Science of Psychedelics with Tim Ferriss
Join bestselling author and newest Austinite Tim Ferriss (Tools of Titans, The 4-Hour Workweek, etc.) as he probes the science, mysteries, and future of psychedelics with Dr. Roland R. Griffiths, a clinical pharmacologist at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Griffiths has been researching mood-altering compounds for more than 40 years, has published more than 370 scientific papers, and started the psilocybin (think “magic mushrooms”) research program at Johns Hopkins nearly 20 years ago. Dr. Griffiths and his colleagues have been leaders in the re-initiation of research with classic psychedelic drugs, which was blocked for a period of several decades. This session will offer details and stories that can help both novices and experienced psychonauts get a better understanding of the applications of these incredible compounds.
March 11, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
Hilton — Salon H
Monday, March 12
How Smart Venture Money Isn’t Smart But You Can Be with Mass Challenge Texas Director Mike Millard
Research shows most venture funds under perform relevant public market indicies, yet the diversification strategies practiced in the public markets can enhance the risk-adjusted returns for investors in early stage companies. Long-overlooked laws are available to lower the after-tax risk, and make profits potentially tax-free for angel investors. We will highlight the research, the available tax laws, portfolio construction strategies, and highlight new instruments available to investors.
March 12, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Hilton — Room 400–402
Texas Fight! How Businesses Battled Bathroom Bills
From selfies to senate testimonials, you will learn how to create and optimize public policy and advocacy efforts. Leadership from GSD&M, IBM, Silicon Labs and the TAB will share how they joined together to battle the Texas “bathroom bills,” discriminatory legislation that put the transgender population, state economy, and business-friendly “Texas Miracle” reputation at risk. These experts will help you decide which hot-button issues to battle by aligning to your org’s culture.
March 12, 2018
12:30PM — 1:30PM
Hilton — Room 400–402
Tuesday, March 13
Funding 2020: Beyond the Status Quo Strategies with Phunware CEO Alan Knitowski
Serial entrepreneur Alan S. Knitowski has had multiple exits over a 15-year period, most recently raising nearly $100 million at Phunware — and often in non-traditional ways. Just this week they announced a merger with a Greek shell company as a fast track to going public. Alan will discuss the ins and outs of funding in different ecosystems on the path to becoming Austin’s next billion-dollar company. Having built, sold and scaled companies from Silicon Valley to Silicon Beach to Silicon Hills, Alan will offer tactical advice for thinking beyond today’s status quo investment strategies.
March 13, 2018
9:30AM — 10:30AM
Hilton — Room 400–402
Innovative Cities against Climate Change with Mayor Steve Adler
This panel aims at discussing the intersection between tech innovation and climate innovation in cities to highlight how the most creative cities are also at the forefront of the fight against climate change. By offering the most fertile ground for dynamic innovation, cities are not only the best place to invent solutions but also to solve the most challenging issues their citizens are facing. These cities’ tech communities are urged on developing resilient and original technologies and organize themselves around creative spaces, ingenious communities and inventive collaborative practices. Mayors from C40 world’s greatest cities will discuss with innovative business leaders to explore how they can collaborate better to rise to the exciting challenge of Climate Change.
March 13, 2018
9:30AM — 10:30AM
Four Seasons — Ballroom AB
Smart Cities Experiences, Solutions & Plans with Jay Boisseau
Smart cities use data and analytics to improve to protect people, improve mobility, conserve resources, promote health, and more. Researchers, companies, non-profits, and city governments are using computing, communications, and sensor technologies to design, develop, and deploy data-driven, analytics-augmented systems, services, and infrastructure. Join us as we build on last year’s standing-room-only crowd: we will collect needs, and share solutions and plans, from cities around the world.
March 13, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Four Seasons — San Jacinto East
Convergence Keynote: whurley
Quantum computing isn’t just a possibility, it’s an inevitable next step. During his Keynote, “The Endless Impossibilities of Quantum Computing,” whurley discusses how it will forever change the computing landscape and potentially the balance of international power. Countries around the world are investing billions to become the first quantum superpower. When we say an emerging technology represents a “paradigm shift,” it’s often hyperbole. In the case of quantum computing, it’s an understatement.
From advancing artificial intelligence and meteorology to driving breakthroughs in molecular modeling and particle physics, to creating next-gen cryptography, and even (potentially) threatening current technologies like bitcoin and blockchain, quantum computing will have an impact. Come discover what quantum computing is, where it’s been, where it’s going, and why it’s important to you.
March 13, 2018
2:00PM — 3:00PM
Austin Convention Center — Ballroom D
Austin: A Global Center for Blockchain Innovation with Multicoin Capital co-founder Tushar Jain and Factor co-founder Tiana Laurence
When one thinks of global centers of blockchain innovation, a number of places come to mind: Silicon Valley, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Switzerland, New York … and now Austin. The blockchain ecosystem in Austin exploded in 2017 with new crypto funds, lending platforms, $35 million+ ICOs and $100 million+ networks relocating their HQ to Austin, as well as the rapid growth of home-grown blockchain companies. Oh, and IBM’s blockchain team in Austin is rapidly expanding too. This panel will discuss why Austin has emerged as a fantastic city for the blockchain and crypto community.
March 13, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
Hilton — Room 400–402
Austin, Y’all! Sustaining a Thriving Music City
Problems faced by the indie music scene are not unique to specific cities — indie venues & promoters countrywide are fighting the good fight to keep doors open, rooms filled, tickets sold & class acts booked. Join folks leading the charge on creating a thriving Austin music community for a frank discussion on how industry bodies, government, data & technology can help indie artists, venues & promoters across the world not just stay afloat but create booming and sustainable live music businesses.
March 13, 2018
3:30PM — 4:30PM
Austin Convention Center — Room 12AB
Intro to the Austin Startup Scene and Ask Me Anything with Joshua Baer, Damon Clinkscales, whurley, Kevin Koym & Bijoy Goswami
Haven’t moved to Austin yet? Join us for a SXSW edition of Intro to the Austin Startup Scene with Capital Factory Executive Director Joshua Baer, Tech Ranch CEO & Founder Kevin Koym, Steward of Meaning Models Bijoy Goswami, Spredfast Engineering Manager Damon Clinkscales, and Strangeworks Founder & CEO William Hurley!
March 13, 2018
4:30 PM — 6:00 PM
Capital Factory — 16th floor
Wednesday, March 14
UT Austin’s Best Undergrad Startups with Longhorn Startup
The University of Texas is a big part of Austin and there are several undergrad startup doing big things. Come to this session and in 60 minutes you’ll learn about five of UT Austin’s Best Undergrad Startups in a fun and fast-paced pitch session.
Time: 2:00PM — 3:00PM
Location: Hilton — Salon A
Register: SXSW badge required
Thursday, March 15
Social Maps and the Future of Location-Based with Silverton Partners’ Roger Chen and Capital Factory’s Kelsi Kamin
Mobile users are becoming increasingly comfortable with sharing their location. This, along with advances in location-based tech and the mainstream adoption of social mapping platforms (Snapchat Maps, Waze) is opening doors to how we use mobile apps to connect with our surroundings. It’s changing the way cities, events and brands engage with local users.
This session will cover the latest in location-based technology and what it means for developers, users, cities, events and advertisers.
March 15, 2018
11:00AM — 12:00PM
Hilton — Salon A
Falling Flat: Can VR be Funny? with Owlchemy Labs Studio Director Cy Wise & SubVRsive CEO Johannes Larcher
Because of its immersive nature, the VR industry has put a huge focus on empathy. We’ve seen countless examples of how VR can stir up our emotions and make us feel. But can it make us laugh? In this panel, we’ll take a look at immersive experiences that tickle our funny bone, discuss what hurdles VR content faces when it comes to conjuring up laughter, and explore what the future of comedy in VR could look like. In short, we’ll discuss whether VR has the power to truly make us laugh out loud.
March 15, 2018
2:00PM — 3:00PM
JW Marriott — Salon 1–2
$100k Blockchain Challenge with Capital Factory
Capital Factory is at it again and is rewarding one promising Blockchain startup with $100,000. After reviewing hundreds of applications, 5 finalist startups will get grilled by expert judges on stage but only one will walk away with a $100,000 investment.
Time: 2:00PM — 4:00PM
Location: JW Marriott — Salon E
Register: SXSW badge required
