How to Get Your Boss to Send You to SXSW

With March only a few months away, now is the best time to approach your manager with the pitch for you and your co-workers to attend the 2019 SXSW Conference & Festivals, the world’s largest gathering of creative professionals.

You may have already seen our recent announcements – including hundreds of Conference sessions and Music Festival Showcasing Artists – or maybe you're anxiously awaiting the Film Festival lineup (coming soon in January), either way you likely need more hard takeaways to justify putting the trip on the company card.

Read on to learn a few of the top reasons your boss should send you to SXSW this March 8-17 in Austin, TX.

SXSW is a Hub for Startups and Tech

Austin, Texas has long been a destination for tech startups, entrepreneurs, and investors. For years, SXSW Pitch, SXSW Release it, and the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards have supported new ideas, driven early-stage deals, showcased the future of emerging and innovative technology, and brought thousands of startups from around the globe to Austin.

Join us in March to honor the most forward-thinking advancements in the digital space and explore 2018’s most innovative digital projects during fast-paced pitch competitions, product demonstrations, and award ceremonies. Don't miss your chance to network with top VC's, learn from the technology market’s most impressive startups, and discover what's next in tech.

Inspirational Talks from Thought-Leaders

Already announced for the SXSW Conference, hear from Keynotes Jessica Brillhart (Film), Joseph Lubin (Interactive), Shirley Manson and Lauren Mayberry (Music), Marti Noxon (Film), and Kevin Systrom with Josh Constine (Interactive).

Featured Speakers joining the 2019 lineup include Clovyr co-founder Amber Baldet; SM Entertainment’s Head of A&R Chris Lee; actress and producer Elisabeth Moss; futurist and author Amy Webb; 2017 Time Person of the Year Susan Fowler; cannabis rights activist Steve DeAngelo; musician Wyclef Jean; former Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz and The Daily Show host Trevor Noah — with so much more to come. Join us for powerful conversations and presentations by diverse visionaries from the ever-evolving worlds of Interactive, Film, and Music. Get inspired by these sessions and turn that passion into innovation.

Make Lasting Connections at Networking Events

SXSW attracts thousands of registrants from across the globe that are looking for new ideas, new collaborators, and an opportunity to create meaningful connections. Meet Ups are an excellent way to get connected with the dynamic SXSW community while mixing and mingling.

SXSW Lounges, Parties, and other events provide opportunities to meet and network with other creatives from around the world while enjoying complimentary food and drinks. Meaningful, career-enhancing, one-on-one connections are a major part of what makes attending SXSW so valuable.

Career and Industry Training at the Conference

Continuing ed is the name of the game. Featuring speakers from organizations such as Amazon, CAA, Google, NASA, PBS, Gucci, ProPublica, Slack, BBC, MIT, Dell Medical School, Rotten Tomatoes, and more, the 2019 SXSW Conference offers 25 Tracks of programming presented in a variety of sessions formats including panels, workshops, podcasts, book signings, and more.

Mentor Sessions offer one-on-one coaching with professionals from all aspects of the music, film, and interactive industries. Get advice from industry experts, entrepreneurs, creatives, and executives at our mentor sessions, workshops, and round tables (RSVPs open in January).

To highlight some examples of where ideas and technologies will merge together at SXSW 2019, we have identified 10 significant programming trends that we think will lead discussions this March.

Meet With Hundreds of Premiere Exhibitors

Attend the SXSW Trade Show to connect with hundreds of forward-thinking exhibitors ranging from promising startups to established industry leaders. As the largest exhibition at SXSW, the Trade Show highlights the incredible convergence of industries and programming at SXSW each year. See our list of 2019 Exhibitors here.

For even more material to convince your boss, browse our SXSWeek overview for a daily snapshot of programming broken down by time and event category. Then dive into the 2019 Schedule to browse all confirmed programming and events.

More 2019 announcements are on the way – subscribe to SXSW newsletters to stay up to date.

Once you have the sign off from your boss, we encourage you to register early for the great savings as well as the best available selection of hotels. And if you're unsure which SXSW Badge is right for you, take our Badge Quiz to find out!

Bringing a group of 10 or more? Learn more about our Group Registration deals. If you haven’t decided who will be attending yet, you can still purchase registrations using placeholder names. Once your group is registered, book hotel accommodations through SXSW Housing & Travel.

Stay tuned to SXSW News and follow us in all the usual social spots for updates – Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

We look forward to seeing you in March to help us write the next chapter of SXSW!

Featured Image Photo by Katie Marriner