They monitor the web, music & interactive scene always unveiling some of the most interesting start-ups and music groups (mainly from the U.S.). Every valuable idea & group get their free slot in one of the most respected & relationship-builder showroom: South by Southwest.
What started in 1987 as “another” music festival suddenly become an ideas rave after adding in 1994 the interactive and film conferences and today represents the highest revenue-producing special event for the Austin economy…. Most of the “cool” brands want to sponsor it (Pepsi, Aol, Microsoft…) because they know innovation & independent are truly linked to this event.
The interactive conferences have become a synonym of exciting unveilings after seeing tweeter and last year’s foursquare being presented. All great ideas are welcome, from video games, to websites, new technologies… and the best is that if you want to grab some attention from Silicon Valley all you need is a good innovative idea and obviously be chosen.
The music part showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over eighty stages and the film conference and festival is also a rich niche of good talent & industry heavyweights.
Maybe the only negative part of it (but in the end it’s always been like this) is that all this culture and creativity only comes together as a mean to an end: do lucrative business….. we’re in the States ladies & gentlement, it couldn’t be otherwise.
SXSWeek 2010: March 12-21
Interactive: March 12-16
Film: March 12-20
Music: March 17-21
oh! and prepare at least a few several hundreds of dollars to attend 🙂
