ROUND ROCK CHAMBER 2024 SXSW RECAP

The Round Rock Chamber team spent the past week diving into all things SXSW attending various events and networking opportunities to promote business and entrepreneurship in Round Rock across a multitude of industries from defense innovation to health and life sciences, as well as cross-culture business opportunities and the creative arts, education and more.

We compiled an overview below that highlights all the events from our previous, jam-packed week to take you on our 2024 SXSW Recap journey!

THE EXPERIENCE BY DELL TECHNOLOGIESWe kicked off SXSW at THE EXPERIENCE by Dell Technologies to hear from the pivotal industry pioneers and game changing innovators themselves.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PANEL In celebration of International Women’s Day, we sat in on a brilliant panel of Women Trailblazers dominating across all industries (including a featured panelist for our upcoming Women Who Mean Business Power Lunch, Ingrid Vanderveldt). They discussed their experiences on the path to achieving success, how they carry on that mentorship to other women and what they hope to see for empowering future generations to come.

SDI SHOWCASE RECEPTION & BOUNDARY BREAKERS: THE NEXT LEAP IN GOVERNMENT AND DEFENSE INNOVATION We were thrilled to return and sponsor the Space & Defense Innovation (SDI) Showcase & Reception for the second year. This cutting-edge event celebrates forward-thinking leaders and emerging technologies that are advancing the defense innovation ecosystem. We also joined the Outpost for their Boundary Breakers event, which was an insightful experience that reflected how gov-tech collaborations are the cornerstone for breakthroughs and fostering an ever-advancing future for the defense innovation industry.

ALL ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS + YTEXASDuring last Monday’s SXSW event hosted by YTexas and All Entertainment Business, we heard from a star-studded panel of directors, producers, actors and entertainment leaders discuss the variety of opportunities for film works in Texas as well as the importance of maintaining support of investments in the creative arts. The Texas film industry will continue to grow creating jobs and prosperity for Texans, and incentives for the creative economy will continue to accelerate economic opportunity for the Central Texas region.

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL INNOVATION LABWe made our way to SXSW Interactive to attend Texas State University’s return of the Annual Innovation Lab, and we were thrilled to check out all the entrepreneurial endeavors the student and faculty teams conquered this year! …And we just so happen to recognize the winner of the Round Rock Chamber’s 2023 Pitch Competition, Hem Support Wear, being promoted at the event as well!

CENTRAL TEXAS LIFE SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM XCHANGEWe also returned to the second annual Central Texas Life Science Ecosystem Xchange event, presented by the Austin Community College Bioscience Incubator, Texas State University STAR Park and Opportunity Austin, which reassured the ongoing development and support for the—existing and continuously growing—life sciences hub in Central Texas.

BILLION DOLLAR TEAMS: THE FUTURE OF AN AI POWERED WORKFORCEThe team also attended several workforce development panels presentations including Featured Session: Billion Dollar Teams, which discussed AI’s role in powering future workforce. Beyond the discussion, there were demonstrations of how new team structures, workflows, and cultures are built, including several experiments they implemented into their own organization using AI to enhance employee productivity and performing specific tasks.

ASIA X AUSTIN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS SUMMITLast but certainly not least, the ASIA X AUSTIN Market Summit featured leaders who are forging new, bilateral business ecosystems within the startup landscape, what we can expect for technology advances, and new business opportunities available between some of Asia’s most dynamic and innovative markets and the greater Central Texas region!

Well, there you have it – the Round Rock Chamber Team’s 2024 SXSW Recap. We were thrilled to attend all these insightful and engaging events that further expand our knowledge of new opportunities and what’s to come as we continue our committed efforts in ensuring Round Rock remains the best place to live, work, play and build a business. Until Next Year!