Tens of thousands of people will be pouring into Austin this week for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference. The event celebrates the best in tech, film and television, music, education, and culture over nine days of sessions, showcases and screenings. And who knows, you just might find yourself chatting in the barbecue line with the founder of the next unicorn company.
We asked some of our Austin team members to choose a conference session that resonated with their expertise and interests, providing a diverse perspective on the trends that matter most. Whether you're focused on healthcare innovation, tech investment, or creating authentic connections in an AI-driven world, we hope this guide offers a roadmap to maximize your SXSW experience. Join us as we explore the conversations that will define the next chapter of technology, media and communication.
Maria Victoria Angulo, Account Executive
Elevate Your Voice: Championing Your Way to Workplace Success
Self-advocacy is key to career growth, but many professionals find it challenging to authentically promote their goals and contributions. This session provides actionable strategies to build confidence, communicate strengths, and navigate workplace dynamics. Attendees will learn how to advocate for promotions, raises, and recognition while balancing assertiveness with collaboration. By framing their value and fostering strong relationships, participants can amplify their voices and achieve professional success.
Maria’s take: Advocating for yourself at work is an important skill that everyone should know how to do. This session will help attendees build the confidence needed to achieve success in the workplace.
The Future of Scientific Comms Through Podcasting
Podcasting has become essential for communicating science and breakthroughs, offering an accessible and engaging platform to reach diverse audiences. This evolving medium fosters deeper connections by delivering trusted information in accessible and compelling ways. This session explores how audio storytelling is shaping the future of health communication, driving understanding, and empowering audiences. Discover why podcasting is at the forefront of transforming how health information is shared and consumed.
Maria’s take: Podcasts have made an immense splash over the last couple of years and revolutionized how we consume content. This session will focus on how to leverage podcasts for scientific communications in the future.
No Eulogy Necessary: What News and Media Can Teach Us All
The internet was supposed to kill the media and publishing industry. So was social media. And tech. And now AI is too. But this so-called ‘dying’ industry has shown incredible resilience, leveraging technology and innovation to stay alive, and even thrive exponentially. News, media and publishing today offer a reflection and guide to what all modern businesses face — changes in technology, consumer behavior, revenue and monetization, and in cultivating talent. This panel will be led by a trio of media, editorial and digital leaders with more than 20 years of experience across 200 newsrooms.
Maria’s take: News and media continue to evolve over time. This panel will dive into the media and news industry from the perspective of editorial and digital leaders who have witnessed its evolution.
Swipe Right for PR: Brands Find Your Match Meet Up
Ready to find your perfect PR match? Hosted by seasoned PR professionals, our lively meet up connects brands seeking visibility with PR pros eager to share their expertise. It's like speed dating but for your brand's future! In this dynamic, mixer-style gathering, you'll "swipe right" on PR professionals who catch your eye. Share your communication challenges, hear their pitches, and see if there's chemistry. Startups, small businesses, and established brands will find potential matches here. PR experts, showcase your skills, and maybe meet your next client soulmate!
Maria’s take: The place to be to share info about the agency and meet prospective new clients. This meetup will bring together PR pros with startups and small businesses to help foster a connection that could lead to future collaboration.
Sarah Armstrong, Account Manager
Enough with the “Delving” – Staying Human in the Age of AI
Is AI making us better or worse at communicating? On one hand, platforms like ChatGPT have unlocked the ability to instantly create and customize vast reams of messaging – emails, social posts, and more. But the telltale fingerprints of AI, from overused words like “innovative” and “delve,” its preference for middle-of-the-road conclusions, and its tendency to yap at length, are also hurting our ability to actually connect with our audience. In this panel, we’ll explore how both individuals and brands can be better communicators in the age of AI.
Sarah’s take: As a PR professional, AI has the power to enhance our ability to do our jobs effectively and efficiently. I often wonder though how easily AI could be seen as a fast, cost-effective replacement to hiring a PR firm. The fact of the matter is, AI cannot replace human communication and connection. The brands we work with trust our ability to be storytellers, built on our own experiences and education, not by trained code. This track should be very helpful for communicators at any organizational level to ensure they harness the beauty of human communication.
Automation & The Future Of Hospitality
This panel explores the role automation continues to play in the food world, from the front of house and back of house experiences, to the bottom line and beyond. We will discuss how automation drives positive shifts in the human-to-human hospitality experience, bridging the gap between the universal desire to be taken care of and our increasingly innovation-focused world, as well as how we can intentionally implement technology to foster a better future for food service and quality.
Sarah’s take: As a PR professional, I see AI as a powerful tool to enhance our work, making us more effective and efficient. However, I also recognize the concern that AI could be viewed as a fast, cost-effective replacement for many roles. The reality is that AI cannot replicate human communication and connection. The brands we work with trust us as storytellers, drawing from our experiences and expertise, not just algorithms. This is especially true in the food industry, where human connection is at the heart of every concept and guest experience. This track will be invaluable for restaurateurs, helping them blend the power of human storytelling with the innovation of AI in a meaningful way.
The Potential of AI to Tackle Food Waste
Every year, we plant, irrigate, fertilize, transport, refrigerate, package, and ship nearly twice as much food as we actually need. The rest ends up going into landfill and emitting massive amounts of greenhouse gasses. However, a new tool has emerged in the battle against food waste and its impact on climate change: AI. In this panel, we’ll hear from the innovators who are helping to mobilize every actor in the supply chain – from farmers to grocery stores to wholesalers – to harness the power of AI to make our food system more sustainable.
Sarah’s take: I love finding connections between my passion for cooking and my career in PR tech, especially when they come together for a greater purpose. Being closely connected to the food scene, I know that food waste remains a major challenge for retailers, CPGs, and restaurants. AI is transforming industries, but if it can help tackle sustainability issues - especially in areas that hit close to home - then count me in as AI’s biggest fan! This track should be extremely insightful for restaurants, retailers and CPGs looking for ways to improve their food waste management.
Jeff Beckham, Director of Content
The Startup and VC Landscape of Texas
While venture activity has slowed across the country, Texas continues to see an influx of technical and entrepreneurial talent into the state. Valuations for the fastest-growing companies are still strong, as well as those riding the latest wave of excitement around AI. Hear from partners at leading Texas VC firms, as they review the latest fundraising data and share their outlook for Texas-based startups.
Jeff’s take: Treble made a name for itself by working with the VC community in Texas. Some of our favorite VCs are on this panel, and it will be interesting to hear their ideas about how the landscape has developed and where they think things are heading.
Discovering What's Next: From Space to Climate Tech
Join Toyota Ventures founder and general partner, Jim Adler, and Fortune senior finance reporter Allie Garfinkle for a fireside chat on the ever-evolving landscape of early-stage startups and venture capital investment. Their conversation will explore Toyota Ventures’ journey and emerging technologies in areas as far-ranging as aerospace, generative AI, robotics, and hydrogen. Additionally, the pair will discuss how corporate investors like Toyota Ventures are uniquely positioned to help their portfolio companies and what lies ahead for startups in the face of potential market headwinds.
Jeff’s take: This is a question I think about a lot: What’s next? Plus, this session has an added twist in that it features the perspective of a corporate venture leader. Many of our startup clients have seen that investment from their enterprise customers is one of the greatest seals of approval they can get.
Laura Corona, Assistant Account Executive
Future-Proof Healthcare: Leading Through Disruption
As the healthcare industry faces unprecedented challenges and transformations, the need for visionary leadership has never been more urgent. Join us to discuss key issues facing healthcare today - from the impact of AI, a continuing rise in misinformation, to physician burnout, staffing shortages and more - and explore actionable strategies that the leaders of today and tomorrow are using to shape the future of healthcare. Learn how they are embracing resilience, adaptability and cutting-edge approaches to foster innovation and how this can drive success in your role and organization.
Laura’s take: AI is transforming the healthcare industry, but its full impact is still being determined. This session will help provide insights into how leaders are using AI to tackle burnout, boost innovation, and shape the industry's future.
McKenzie Covell, Account Manager
Power To The People: Technology For Citizen Participation
This SXSW session will delve into real-world examples of how technology is enhancing and protecting democracy, rather than undermining it. We will explore successful instances of democracies thriving with technology, with a particular focus on Taiwan's experience. The session will also provide practical insights on how you can incorporate democratic technology into your everyday life, whether in your community, business, union, or artist coop. Join us to learn how civic tech can supercharge citizen participation and foster a more engaged society.
McKenzie’s take: This panel will offer real-world examples of how technology can be leveraged for positive societal and community impact. It will be fascinating to see how tech can be framed as a tool for positive communal/societal change vs. just a commercial product.
Josh Georgiou, Senior Account Executive
Powering Tomorrow: How Big Tech is Redefining the Future of Energy and AI
As the world transitions towards cleaner energy to address climate change, Big Tech is driving new innovations in nuclear energy, battery storage, AI, and more. Join Amazon’s Chief Sustainability Officer Kara Hurst and other energy industry leaders as they discuss how corporations, startups, energy companies are developing cutting-edge technologies and leading collaborative efforts are paving the way for a new era of energy.
Josh’s take: Although AI is extremely helpful for a multitude of applications, it comes with a significant cost to the environment. This talk is of interest since we can learn more about the startups, corporations, and energy companies working together to solve the sustainability crisis when it comes to AI.
The Power of GenAI To Transform the Future of Medical Research
Unleash the future of clinical trials with Generative AI. Explore how AI accelerates drug development, enhances precision, and improves patient outcomes. Our expert panel will showcase real-world applications, tackle ethical challenges, and highlight the transformative power of GenAI in medical research. Join us for an inspiring and informative session at the cutting edge of AI and healthcare, designed to drive the next wave of medical innovation.
Josh’s take: GenAI is poised to transform healthcare by tackling complex challenges in drug development and patient care. This talk is of interest as it offers insights into how AI can drive medical innovation while addressing ethical concerns and improving real-world outcomes.
Social Media in the Era of Cyber Threats, AI and Misinformation
Time spent online is a massive part of modern life and a huge percentage of that time is spent on social media. That also makes it one of the most appealing attack vectors for bad actors. In this session, experts with experience leading security for major social networks, building cybersecurity defenses, and legislating cyberlaw will discuss the greatest threats facing social networks today, how those networks are protecting themselves and their users, and how those users can play their part to help protect themselves.
Josh’s take: The evolving dangers facing social networks today and how users can protect themselves in an increasingly insecure online environment. It highlights the importance of cybersecurity, AI, and privacy in navigating the complexities of social media.
Elizabeth Kalwick, Account Coordinator
This session will help users learn tools to better interact with AI systems, informed by how real users have interacted with existing systems, such as ChatGPT. We’ll look at the existing shortcomings of AI systems, including limits of social intelligence, biases, possible pitfalls of relying too much on AI systems' outputs, and negative impacts of this technology. We’ll also discuss how users can brainstorm and avoid negative risks of their own inputs to the system, drawing from our work in understanding negative impacts and risks of AI.
Elizabeth’s take: As AI becomes a larger part of our lives, it is important for people, not just in the tech industry, to understand the negative implications of AI as well as shortcomings of the tool. This talk will help people navigate this evolving landscape.
Sydney Miner, Assistant Account Executive
Creating Personalized Fashion Experiences In The Gen Z Era
In the beauty & fashion landscape, competition for Gen Z’s loyalty is fierce and the brands that can create the most inclusive experiences are positioned to build enduring value. Inclusivity is essential for building trust with Gen Z, who expect brands to authentically represent the diverse world we live in. While AI can create stellar experiences, challenges such as data privacy and the need for transparency must be addressed. Hear leaders share to create inclusive experiences that exceed Gen Z expectations & leverage responsible AI to drive retention and loyalty.
Sydney’s take: Retailers worldwide are deploying artificial intelligence technologies into their physical and online shopping experiences to meet changing consumer demands and expectations. This panel will discuss how retailers can successfully utilize responsible AI to create more personalized experiences for one of the most powerful consumer groups: Gen Z.