Tech & Innovation Applications 2025

be a part of sxsw sydney

The selection process considers a combination of public voting, feedback from SXSW Sydney's Conference Producers, and comments from our evaluators.

SXSW SYDNEY PITCH

SXSW Sydney Pitch showcases the next wave of ground-breaking, impactful, and exciting startups that will disrupt industries and change our lives for the better. Startups from around the world will pitch their big ideas to a panel of industry experts, high-profile media professionals, and venture capital and angel investors - all in front of a live audience.

The Grand Final winner is invited to pitch their idea at either SXSW in Austin or SXSW London 2026 along with flights. LEARN MORE

NEW: STUDENT PITCH

Introducing the SXSW Sydney Student Pitch, for tertiary students to pitch their big ideas around “what’s next.” The next generation of innovative thinkers from any sector should seek nomination by their faculty. 12 finalists will have 3-minutes to pitch their idea at SXSW Sydney on October 18th, on the Next Stage within the Innovation Expo. The winner will be invited to present their idea at SXSW in Austin or SXSW London, in 2026 including a $2,000 travel contribution. Tertiary Institutions who would like to nominate a student or team can contact pitch@sxswsydney.com for more information.

NEW: TECH & INNOVATION SHOWCASE

Featuring groundbreaking projects from tertiary students and early-stage innovators at the pre-commercial phase, this 2 day exhibition within ICC Sydney will highlight interactive technological advances of all kinds.We’re looking for innovations with a focus on physical/hardware prototypes or interactive software that lends itself to a showcase environment. Any individual or team from the tertiary sector including undergraduate programs, post graduate programs, PHD, university accelerators or TAFE are eligible to apply.

HACKATHON

The SXSW Sydney Hackathon brings together top engineers, founders, and curious minds to solve big challenges with AI. Kicking off with an expert-led brainstorming session, this multi-day experience invites technical builders and AI learners to team up, code, create, and compete for prizes and bragging rights. COMING SOON.
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Conference Tracks

2050

2050 programming is long range and forward looking offering a glimpse into our future or possible futures. Featuring the latest scientific and technological advancements such as life extension research, nanotech and quantum breakthroughs, interplanetary travel and habitation, and other innovations that continue to shape our world.

Advertising & Marketing

Hear from leading agencies across the Asia Pacific and globally on the power and impact of brands, and uncover strategies to engage audiences through traditional, digital and experiential marketing. These sessions are geared towards agencies, in-house teams and organisations that want to explore new ways to connect with their communities.

AI & Robotics

Discover the expansion of AI across all industries and the coming wave. Sessions in this track may also explore regulation, ethics, misinformation, cyber & data privacy, the impact of AI on an evolving workforce and the integration of AI & robotics.

Creator Economy

Hear from key opinion leaders, agencies and content creators on the trends, tools, and monetisation strategies fuelling the creator economy. From how to build communities and brands, to the opportunities and challenges that come with this shift in how people work and connect.

Culture, Society & Media

From local to global, our collective interactions, engagements and experiences give our lives meaning, influencing how communities function and individuals thrive. Programming explores the dynamic interplay of culture, communities, government, and the policy directions that impact us all.

Cyber & Your Data

Programming in this track examines the critical measures and practices designed to protect our sensitive information, and to ensure the integrity of digital systems. Topics span deepfakes, cyber threats, employee training and risk management, encryption and the future of security technologies.

Design

The designers, developers, architects, and creatives who build our physical, digital and virtual worlds, with an emphasis on design's role in fostering innovation and addressing complex challenges.

Education & Skills

Bringing together educators, industry professionals and thought leaders on the future of education and EdTech. This track explores evolving approaches in learning, from personalised learning experiences, microlearning, recruitment and workplace training, to the impact of emerging technologies across the sector.

Energy, Climate & Sustainability

Explore the latest innovations, solutions, and approaches to building a sustainable and resilient future. Programming focuses on the energy sector, including alternative and renewable energy sources, ClimateTech, and promising ideas on mitigating (and living with) the effects of climate change.

Fashion, Lifestyle & Beauty

A dynamic and ever-evolving sector, encompassing a wide range of people, styles, trends & products. From research, design and manufacturing, to logistics, retail and end-use, explore how we experience and engage with these industries and their impact on our lives.

Food

Hear from chefs, growers, creators, and tech innovators transforming the food industry and explore how we will grow, prepare, and experience food. Bringing together the brightest minds in the food industry across production, technology, agriculture, distribution, retail, and consumption.

Future of Work

With a focus on the evolution of when, where, and how we work, programming explores the changing nature of societal expectations, remote collaboration, physical workspaces, technological advancements, and the impact of these changes on individuals, organisations, and communities.

Games Industry

With the games industry's continued rise as a dominant entertainment platform, programming explores its integration across industries including new technologies, e-commerce, entertainment, social media investment opportunities and Esports.

Health & MedTech

Health & MedTech sessions explore the latest advances in healthcare, improving patient outcomes, and driving technical innovation in the medical field, from gene editing technologies, through to personalised medicine, psychedelics and mental health outcomes.

Money, Markets & FinTech

Programming examines the influences impacting a tech-driven global economy, including the changes and challenges to our systems of commerce, AI, economic trends, the evolution of financial services, the dynamics of crypto, inflation, supply chains and other disruptions in our world.

Music Industry

Explore how technology continues to re-invent how we create, discover, distribute, promote and experience music. Hear from leading figures across the industry, including artists, record labels, brands, streaming platforms, and live events on the enduring power of music to shape culture. Programming also offers professional development, touring and career guidance.

Screen Industry

The creative and business processes behind creating screen, episodic & self-produced content. Hear from iconic creatives including producers, directors, and actors; and explore current and future trends in audience engagement, screen technology, distribution, financing and streaming platforms in this ever-changing industry.

Sports Industry

From icons to innovators, discover the breakthroughs in technology, biometrics, data analysis, fan experiences, brands, health, revenue streams, media and sponsorship that continue to reshape this global industry.

Startups

These sessions will feature the brightest new entrepreneurial ideas, unexpected founders, funders, success stories and epic failures that make up the experience of launching a new venture.

Technology: Presented by CommBank

Technology sessions delve into the people, platforms and technological solutions creating the next wave of change. This track will explore emerging and existing technologies, with a focus on growth across the Asia Pacific as well as Australia and global players.

Transport & Smart Cities

Tackle the technological advances transforming transport and the development of smart cities. With a focus on electric and autonomous vehicles, sessions can also explore digital grids, aviation breakthroughs, commercial space travel, shipping technology, high speed rail, alternative fuels, and new ideas in micro-mobility.

Travel & Leisure

Discover the destinations and new experiences that have become increasingly popular as well as emerging trends, breakthrough technologies and challenges these industries continue to face.

XR & Metaverse

Explore the latest developments in immersive technologies, from virtual and augmented realities to digital identities and the metaverse. Sessions navigate the potential of these mind-bending experiences across industries - from healthcare to entertainment - through new software and hardware technologies.

Tech & innovation Submissions 2025

Tech & Innovation

be a part of sxsw sydney

Conference Tracks

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