What do a Coachella CEO, global authority on AI and the Co-Founder of Slack all have in common?
Well, they’ll all be heading to the inaugural SXSW Sydney in October, joining more than 1,000 speakers and panellists that will be appearing across the packed week. We’ve already announced a stack of speakers that will be descending on the Harbour City in October, and there are many more to come.
We’re also incredibly excited to announce that we’ve added over 60 new artists to the line-up for our Music Festival, covering every corner of the globe and every inch of the genre spectrum. If you’re searching for the Next Big Thing, you’re gonna find it at SXSW Sydney.
Additionally, you can now have a look over our event schedule, meaning you can start planning out your week and figuring out the best way you can experience SXSW Sydney.
There’s a lot to dive into, so let’s get started by getting to know our newest speakers.
Since its inception more than two decades ago, California’s Coachella has risen to become much more than just a music festival. It’s a cultural phenomenon, having hosted the biggest artists in the world and delivered the most spectacular festival performances we’ve ever seen (see: Beyoncé in 2019).
The man behind the phenomenon is Paul Tollett, who began his career as a rock promoter in the company Goldenvoice back in the ‘80s, before taking the reins of the operation in the ‘90s. Goldenvoice is now one of the most important pillars of the global industry, and Tollett has expanded their festival offering to include the beloved Stagecoach country festival, which has hosted artists like Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, and Brad Paisley. Paul knows the music industry like the back of his hand, and we can’t wait to welcome him to SXSW Sydney.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last few years, it’s how uncertain our future is. Thankfully, there are people like our first keynote speaker Amy Webb leading us through. Webb is an American futurist and founder of the Future Today Institute – a strategy firm that helps organisations and leaders prepare for the challenges ahead.
She teaches a course on strategic foresight at the NYU Stern School of Business, is a Fellow at numerous education institutions such as Oxford University’s Säid School of Business – and she’s also a best-selling author of three books, with her latest, The Genesis Machine, exploring the collision of biology and artificial intelligence.
Not many people around the world can claim they have changed the way we work but that’s exactly what Cal Henderson has done, as the Co-Founder and CTO of messaging platform Slack.
Henderson is an expert in web scalability and created the basis for OAuth and oEmbed, frameworks that changed the face of the internet. In 2019, he was named a Fortune 40 Under 40 honouree and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Few are better placed than Henderson to speak on tech that’s building the future.
These innovators are joining a range of world-leading speakers and industry leaders including: Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin, Google Australia MD Mel Silva, Reddit CMO Roxy Young, broadcaster Osher Günsberg, advertising icon David Droga and World Surfing Champion Layne Beachley.
SXSW Sydney will be an event like no other, delving deep into the present and future of Tech & Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture. For seven days from October 15-22, the SXSW Sydney event precinct will come alive with festivals, parties, challenging and thought-provoking panels and discussions, workshops, a tech expo, showcases, and so, so much more. Calling it a conference or a festival simply doesn’t do it justice.
SXSW Sydney will take over the city with over 700 speakers, 150 games showcases, 400 artist performances, 150 screenings and 100s of expo exhibitors over seven massive days.
The Screen and Music Festivals, in which you can witness the future music superstars and hear from the creatives that will shape our entertainment world for years to come. The Games Festival will explore the pressing issues and exciting future of one of the world’s fastest-growing and most innovative industries, through live playthroughs, showcases, e-sports tournaments, product launches, and more.
And if you want to see the future of society take shape before your very eyes, the Tech & Innovation Expo will offer it up to you on a platter – while world-leading futurists and tech experts will contemplate artificial intelligence, the food revolution, medical breakthroughs, and everything else you can possibly think of.
Whatever you’re coming to SXSW Sydney for, and whatever industry you come from, you’re going to encounter so much more than what you bargained for.
Think this all sounds exciting? We know – we’re excited too. So don’t miss out on the biggest event of the year: grab your SXSW Sydney Badge now and start planning your epic week.
There are two Badges you can get your hands on – the Platinum Badge, and Industry Badge. For a brief rundown about which is right for you, have a read over our handy explainer here.
Our second release pricing will end at the end of July, so secure your Badge now to secure big savings. If you purchase your Badge now, you’ll save up to $200 on Industry Badges, and up to $400 on Platinum Badges (when compared to our final release prices).
For more information and to buy your SXSW Sydney badge, head over here.
Of course, SXSW Sydney isn’t just an event to attend – there are plenty of ways for you and your team to get involved.
Submissions are currently open for a number of events across various industries, including Games, Expo and SXSW Sydney Pitch.
For more information on how you can get involved, head over here.
