2018 SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event

 

SXSW Accelerator returns for its tenth year to showcase some of the global startup ecosystem most exciting, innovative and cutting-edge technology! This event provides an outlet for companies to present the latest ideas in Enterprise and Smart Data Technologies, Entertainment and Content Technologies, Health and Wearables Technologies, Hyper-Connected Communities Technologies, Payment and FinTech Technologies, Security & Privacy Technologies, Augmented & Virtual Reality Technologies, Social & Culture Technologies, Sports and Performance Technologies, and Transportation Technologies to a panel of industry experts, early adopters, and representatives from the Venture Capitalist / Angel community. We invite you to attend this incredible pitch event as we highlight Startup technologies most impressive new innovations. Past judges have included Tim Draper of DFJ, John Sculley of Apple/Pepsi, Tim O’Reilly of O’Reilly Media, Paul Graham of Y Combinator, Naval Ravikant of AngelList, Guy Kawasaki of Alltop, Werner Vogels of Amazon, Shervin Pishevar of Sherpa Capital, Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures, Albert Wenger of Union Square Venture, Bob Metcalfe of 3Com/Ethernet Co-Founder, and Laurie Segall of CNN to name a few.

 

Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your emerging technology product or service in front of industry leaders by participating in the 2018 SXSW Accelerator. This event takes place on March 10th and 11th as a part of the SXSW Festival, during which you can improve your product launch, attract venture capitalists, polish your elevator pitch, receive media exposure, build brand awareness, network, socialize and experience all that SXSW Interactive has to offer.

The deadline to register is Friday, November 10^th at 11:59pm CST., a few months away, so visit SXSW Accelerator Website today.

 

Past Participants Research:

Of the 403 companies who participated in SXSW Accelerator between 2009 and 2017, over 70% received funding, with combined funding in excess of almost $4.63 billion (does not include undisclosed grants, angel and seed funding). Of these 403 companies, 16% have been acquired by the likes of Google, British Telecom, Huffington Post, Apple, Live Nation, OpenTable, Constant Contact, and Harmon. For more information on past alum please visit SXSW Accelerator Alums

 

Launch date eligibility requirements:

1. The company’s product or service must have launched no earlier than March 10, 2016;
2. The company’s product or service must not launch after June 10, 2018;
3. Each company may only enter one product or service to SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event;
4. A company that enters more than one product or service will not be eligible to participate in SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event;
5. Founders of the company applying must retain some portion of ownership in the company;
6. Each applicant is only eligible to present in one of the SXSW family of startup events (SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event, SXSW Release It, SXSW Launchedu). In contrast, if you have applied for one of these events (other than SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event), and were not accepted to participate, then please feel free to apply to SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event.
7. The Company must not have raised over ten (10) Million Dollars in funding from combined funding sources; and
8. The product or service must fall into one of the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event categories.

 

Is there an application fee?  Can it be waived?

1. Yes, a non-refundable $220 entry fee will be required from all applicants who would like to be considered for participation in the event.
2. Waived Fee – If a company is interested in having the fee waived please have them contact me.  We don’t heavily advertise this, but we want companies to participate and in no way, do we want to be exclusive which is why we are so open to waiving the fee.

 

Applicants must be within one of the ten categories:

• Augmented & Virtual Reality

Technologies using augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other novel visualization technologies, including applications for Cardboard, Oculus Rift, and other emerging offerings from industry giants. These applications may address such uses as gaming, entertainment, data visualization, education, medical care, warfare, transportation, and many more subject.

• Enterprise & Smart Data

Technologies that facilitate the comprehension and application of informational data through workflows and analytics. These startups seek to improve productivity for businesses and/or individuals by using big data through a number of ways that include (but are not limited to) data collection, management, analysis, presentation, interpretation, and augmentation.

• Entertainment & Content

Technologies and applications that are reinventing the ways in which we learn, relax and enjoy our time. Examples of included sectors include (but are not limited to) gaming, music, film, television, video, news and publishing, streaming and digital storytelling, as well as new and hybrid forms of entertainment.

• Health & Wearable

Technologies focused on human-centric health applications that connect the “health optimizer” and those with illnesses, their care teams, primary and specialist clinicians, inpatient and outpatient facilities, benefit providers, and corporate wellness programs to share timely, relevant health data and drive better outcomes at affordable and sustainable cost levels.

• Hyper-Connected Communities

This category showcases new products, services and apps that help hyper-connected communities (such as what occurs on-site at SXSW) better navigate and maximize their engagements. In addition to the kind of technologies that thrive in March in Austin, this category is for any creative and innovative app, product or service that does not fit elsewhere in the Accelerator lineup. Examples of technologies that might fit into this category include (but are not limited to) Internet of Things, energy, space, natural resources, agriculture and robotics.

• Payment & FinTech

Technologies relating to the consumer and business financial space that include delivering new payment methods, new forms of currency, extending credit and other lending processes, equities trading, transaction processing, asset management, insurance, and/or any other functions traditionally provided by banks and investment banks.

• Security & Privacy

Technologies revolutionizing sectors related to data security and privacy on the consumer and enterprise level. With interests rising in this field, examples of innovations include (but are not limited to) cybersecurity, encryption, data storage, infrastructure protection, incident analytics, ad targeting, identity management, and many other forms.

• Social & Culture

Technologies that push the boundaries on how we navigate and interact in life with ourselves, our community, and our world. Examples of such sectors include (but are not limited to) social media, networking, dating, travel & hospitality, food or dining, fashion, the environment and social good.

• Sports & Performance Data

Technologies impacting the before, during, and after in the sports and athletics sector. Whether geared towards novices or elite professionals, innovations in this field include (but are not limited to) the way we experience, prepare for, and participate in sports and outdoor recreation by using hardware or software applications focused on data-centric intelligence, measurement, and other analytical forms.

• Transportation:

Technologies transforming and optimizing the transportation industry on a consumer and enterprise level. These innovations create efficiency in the way we move from point A to point B through (but are not limited to) the connected car, data routing applications, on-demand or ridesharing services, autonomous vehicles, and other new disruptive means.