Did today's PanelPicker deadline sneak up on you? No worries! We present you with the gift of time! We have extended the proposal entry deadline through the weekend. So, make those last-minute tweaks to your SXSW Interactive, SXSW Music or SXSW Film proposal and be sure to have the final draft entered by 11:59pm CDT on Sunday, July 27.

If you've just started working on your PanelPicker proposal, then take a quick look at this page and make sure to also peruse the PanelPicker FAQs.

Good luck! We're looking forward to reading all of your inspiring and wonderful ideas. After all, we couldn't produce such a unique and successful event without YOU, the community!

Public voting for all proposals that made it by the extended deadline will begin Monday, August 11 and run through 11:59pm CDT on Friday, September 5.

Photo creds, clockwise from top left: Ziv Kruger Ernesto Castillo Chinwei Hu Matthew Caballero

Did you hear about the SXSW Interactive Scholarship Program but felt that time was running out? Never fear, because we are extending the deadline to 11:59 pm CDT on July 31 to make sure that we get as many quality entries from individuals using innovative technology and new media to address significant community challenges as possible. Nominate your self, nominate a friend or nominate a community leader who is using technology to help improve the lives of others. If chosen, you will both receive a complimentary registration to the SXSW Interactive festival in 2015.

Individuals can be volunteers, entrepreneurs with their own business or startup or work at a charity or non-profit for a living. All are welcome to participate. Just give SXSW Interactive a glimpse into the good work happening in your community and you could be one of ten deserving community scholarship winners. Check out the criteria here and get to work on your essay today.

Photo courtesy Adrianne Schroeder

The SXSW Eco 2014 schedule is now live! Get organized and plan your experience for this year by browsing through sessions, workshops and special events and adding them to your personalized schedule.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to hear from the innovators that are leading the way for a thriving future - register to attend SXSW Eco today and save before next week's registration deadline!

Exciting newly announced sessions added to the schedule include:

• A Life Rocked by Mountains: Barry Blanchard

• Breaking the Inevitability Frame

• Bycatch, Should It Be Your Choice of Seafood?

• Can Disruptive Technologies Solve Climate Change?

• Community Mobilization: Activating Your Digital Advocates

• Eat Dirt

• Entrepreneurial Approach to Ecosystem Collaboration

• Fashion Detox: Innovation + Integrity

• From Niche to Mainstream: Bringing Green Travel to the Masses

• Growing Liberty: Freeing Entrepreneurs in the Ag Industry

• How Consumerism Can Actually Save the Environment

• How Networks Are the Future of Fish

• How to Green Your Business

• Innovative Ways to Connect With Risk

• Intro to Energy Markets for Entrepreneurs

• "Peak Travel" : Envisioning the Post-Air Travel Age

• Practical Tools to Increase Animal Welfare in Food

• Recycling More Vs. Recycling Right in America

• Rethink Cancer: Inspiring Action in Young People

• Slow Is Fast: On the Road at Home

• The Sunny, Windy West: Clean Energy & Public Lands

• Thinking Like the Dutch in a Post Sandy World

• War Stories: Why Cleantech's Future Is in China

• Why Soil Matters - Our Food Lifeline

Photos (clockwise l-r) by Merrick Ales, Debbie Finley and Amy Ellinger

SXSW 2015 will bring over 75,000 industry professionals from 80+ nations for its conferences, exhibitions and festivals this coming March 13 - 22.

SXSW offers a unique opportunity for maximum exposure to the music, film and interactive industries. Those industries use SXSW as a launching pad for their latest creative endeavors to draw world wide attention. Meeting people face to face in order to share ideas and do business is what makes SXSW invaluable.

Maximize your experience at SXSW by registering and making your hotel reservations early, and stay up-to-date at sxsw.com where you'll find news, announcements, and tips and tricks for navigating the event.

We hope to see you in March!

Roland Swenson Co-Founder/Managing Director

Photo credits from top l-r: Butler Park by Tye Truitt, Lady Gaga by Michael Loccisano / Getty Images, Lena Dunham by Hutton Supancic / Getty Images, Neil deGrasse Tyson by Amanda Stronza, Trade Show by Julian Basjel

Calling all environmentally-conscious hackers, coders and data experts – the SXSW Eco Hackathon returns this October!

Join the SXSW Eco Hackathon on Sunday October 5th, presented by World Wildlife Fund, one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, and use your hacking expertise to help save the beautiful and iconic monarch butterfly. Equipped with powerful data from Monarch Joint Venture and others, hackers will join teams and have 24 hours to create useable tools (websites or mobile apps) that will help the public participate in monarch conservation. If you are a programmer, developer, coder or proud geek this challenge is for you!

The SXSW Eco Hackathon is a great chance to meet other sustainably-minded hackers, build a portfolio, team-build next to other industry leaders and have a fun time. Every hacker will receive a complimentary registration to SXSW Eco. There will be food and drinks along with experts in wildlife conservation and technology to guide the way.

Stay tuned to sxsweco.com/hackathon for more details and a sign up form coming soon!

Photo by Merrick Ales

We are excited to announce that Tom Steyer, philanthropist, investor and founder of NextGen Climate, will deliver a keynote at SXSW Eco on rewriting the political narrative on climate change.

Climate Change on the Ballot

Philanthropist and clean energy advocate Tom Steyer has called climate change “the most pressing issue we face, and one that if not addressed will have profound consequences for our kids.” Hear Steyer outline his strategy to re-write the political narrative on climate change for the 2014 midterm elections. This November, Steyer's NextGen Climate is bringing climate to the forefront in competitive races nationwide—supporting leaders who will empower American business and innovators to build on the clean energy momentum already happening across the country.

Tom Steyer is an investor, philanthropist and advanced energy advocate. He is also the President of NextGen Climate, an organization that acts politically to avert climate disaster and preserve American prosperity. Before retiring from the private sector, Tom founded and was the Senior Managing Member of Farallon Capital Management. He also was a Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee at Hellman & Friedman. Tom is actively engaged in climate politics and works to promote economic development and environmental protection in the state.

In 2012, Tom served as co-chair with former Secretary of State George Shultz for Yes on Proposition 39, which closed a tax loophole for out-of-state corporations and created jobs in California. In 2010, Tom teamed again with George Shultz to defeat California’s Proposition 23, an effort by out-of-state oil companies to dismantle California’s groundbreaking clean energy law, AB 32.

Don't miss the opportunity to hear this inspiring keynote session, register to attend SXSW Eco today and save before Friday's registration deadline.

Photo courtesy of NextGen Climate

Photos of confirmed 2015 Featured Speakers. Top row: Dr. Patricia Galloway (Credit: Bruce Coe / Knockout Photography), Franz von Holzhausen, Elliot Kotek and Josh Klein. Middle row: Nicole Glaros and Phil Libin. Bottom row: Jessica Lawrence, Dan Pink (Credit: Rebecca Drobis), Bill Gurley and Genevieve Bell.

The SXSW Interactive community gathers March 13 - 17, 2015 to hear from those who push the boundaries of the status quo and develop innovations shaping our future. The 2015 season is ripe with opportunity as our creative, tech and media landscapes continue to evolve. In eager anticipation of reviewing all of the proposed sessions during the PanelPicker public voting phase beginning August 11, we'd like to offer a tease of some of the staff curated-programming up our sleeve – specifically a handful of Featured Sessions.

The Featured program zeros in on the masterminds behind the innovations of our future and offers them a platform to share their mind-expanding ideas and principles on the big stage. Featured rooms for 2015 will be Exhibit Hall 5, Ballroom A and Ballroom D (all located in the Austin Convention Center.) Featured Sessions range in topic and theme to offer diverse backgrounds and perspectives, but one thread remains consistent throughout the program – when you're in these rooms, you're going to have your mind blown.

Here is a preview of 2015 Featured Speakers:

• Genevieve Bell, Intel
• Dr. Patricia Galloway, Hyperloop
• Nicole Glaros, TechStars
• Bill Gurley Benchmark
• Josh Klein, Hacker
• Elliot Kotek, Not Impossible Labs
• Jessica Lawrence, NY Tech Meetup
• Phil Libin, Evernote
• Daniel Pink, danpink.com
• Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla

Help shape the 2015 program by joining in the public voting period beginning Monday, August 11 and running through Friday, September 5. The first large programming announcement will take place in early October.

Registration opens today with the lowest rates of the season! Take advantage of the early bird rate and place your hotel request for the best chance at your preferred hotel.

We are thrilled to announce that Evan Handler, actor and activist, will be the host of this year's SXSW Eco Awards Ceremony. The second annual Eco Awards will take place at the Austin Convention Center on October 7, 2014.

At the show, winners of the Startup Showcase, Place by Design and Hackathon competitions and Ping Pong Tournament will be announced following a live musical performance and complimentary happy hour for all SXSW Eco registrants.

Evan Handler is an actor, author, screenwriter, and journalist who is probably best known as one of the stars of the HBO television show, and films, “Sex and the City,” as well as Showtime’s hit comedy “Californication,” currently airing its seventh and final season. Prior to his work in film and television Evan earned acclaim in the theater, playing leading roles in seven Broadway productions including John Guare's “Six Degrees of Separation”; Neil Simon's “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Broadway Bound”; and Athol Fugar's “Master Harold…and the boys.”

We look forward to the energy and excitement Evan will bring to the SXSW Eco Awards this year! In addition to hosting the awards, Evan will also be speaking on the panel, "How Chemicals in Everyday Products are Killing Us" with Michael Green of the Center for Environmental Health on Wednesday, October 8 at 4:45pm.

Don't miss the opportunity to see Evan and all of the exciting speakers confirmed for SXSW Eco 2014. Register to attend today!

Photo of Evan Handler courtesy of Matt Sayles

Community PanelPicker voting is open!

Ten Featured Speakers Confirmed for 2015

Why do our attendees love SXSW Interactive?

Email us

Artists, it’s time to begin making your plans for SXSW 2015! Artist applications for the 2015 SXSW Music Festival will open next Tuesday, July 8.

As in past years, Sonicbids is the official application platform for the SXSW Music Festival. Apply through Sonicbids between Tuesday, July 8 and Friday, September 12, 2014 and pay only $33. The fee for applications submitted after September 12, 2014 is $45. All applications must be submitted no later than the final deadline of Friday, October 10, 2014. Deadlines are subject to change.

Don’t miss this opportunity to perform with thousands of acts from all over the world! Of the 2,300-plus showcasing artists in 2014, nearly 600 international acts performed, representing 57 different countries.

Please visit the Showcase FAQ for more information about performing at the SXSW Music Festival, and check our applications page beginning July 8 to apply.

Vance Joy photo by Noor Atarji

Have a digital project that you'd like showcase to an international and creative audience? The Interactive Innovation Awards, previously the Interactive Awards, is the perfect platform to get exposure for that project you or your company has invested all of that blood, sweat and tears into.

Creativity, Innovation and Inspiration are the drivers behind everything we do at SXSW Interactive. It's important to us that we provide a space that highlights the burgeoning and multifaceted breadth that is the digital industry. The re-imagined categories embrace multiple platforms, software, apps and devices to honor the best and latest advancements in 2014 and the people that made them – YOU! Get the best exposure and join the prestigious list of previous winners like Twitter and Foursquare.

Make sure to enter your project before the early-entry deadline at 11:59pm CDT on Friday, September 26 for a chance to save big bucks on your registration.

The winners will be announced at the Interactive Innovation Awards Ceremony which takes place on the evening of Tuesday, March 17. It's an event you won't want to miss, so plan your trip to Austin accordingly!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.

Written by Brittany Guy

We are excited to announce two sessions that will join the Straight-to-the-Point (STTP) speaker series at SXSW Eco this October:

Mapping: Creatively Combining Advocacy + Science

When discussing the widening disconnect between human and nature, technology is often viewed as part of the problem rather than a solution. Here at SXSW Eco we know there are many sides to every story and strive to feature new developments that are bridging the gap between us and the great outdoors.

That’s why we are excited to announce the addition of a new session Mapping: Creatively Combining Advocacy + Science to the 2014 schedule. This Straight to the Point talk will be led by Serena McClain and Devin Dotson from American Rivers, a river conservation organization based in DC. Join them as they discuss their recent collaboration with Google Maps Street View and the future of maps as tools for collecting data and inspiring action.

Thanks to American River’s partnership with Google Maps, you can now virtually explore 286 breathtaking miles of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon from anywhere using the interactive technology. Users can trek through America’s most endangered river and marvel at it’s beauty while learning about the massive threats facing the Colorado.

Check out the river for yourself here and visit the American River website to learn more about their efforts to protect our water sources. Join us in October to hear more about the project and get tips on how to leverage mapping tools and collaboration to reach new audiences with your message.

Direct Public Offerings for Healthy Communities

As part of the Business and Finance programming track, John Katovich from Cutting Edge Capital will present a Straight to the Point Talk on Direct Public Offerings for Healthy Communities.

Direct Public Offerings or (DPO’s) are a type of investment crowdfunding that allows small and medium sized companies to sell securities directly to the public. DPO’s don’t require investors to be accredited and therefore allow anyone to impact businesses and startups they are passionate about.

During his Straight to the Point, John will address the problems inflicted on communities by mainstream capital raising, and the solution that Direct Public Offerings provide. He will explain how the direct and more personal nature of investment crowdfunding can foster community and loyalty for a healthier neighborhood, and encourage growth of socially responsible companies.

Join John at SXSW Eco in October to learn how you and your company can be part of the New Economy, and the movement to “move your money from Wall Street to Main Street.”

Photos courtesy of American Rivers and CuttingEdgeX

The jury has spoken and the results are in! Announcing the SXSW Eco 2014 finalists for the Startup Showcase and Place by Design competitions.

This year's group of finalists come from all over the world and tackle sustainability challenges through innovation in entrepreneurship, technology and design.

Register now to attend SXSW Eco and save before the next registration deadline of September 12.

Photos courtesy of the Place by Design finalists and Robin Murphy

Who doesn’t love a free show for a good cause? SXSWfm is returning to present a free concert as part of HAAM Benefit Day on Tuesday, September 23 at Palm Door on Sixth (508 E. 6th Street) here in Austin, Texas. Punk-rockers Residual Kid will open the evening, followed by indie rock group The Sour Notes, while one-man folk band Possessed by Paul James is slated to close out the show!

The concert will be free and open to the public; doors will open at 7:00PM and the music will begin at 8:00PM. All cash and card donations plus 20% of bar sales will go directly to HAAM. There will be chances to win 2015 SXSW Music Festival wristbands during a silent auction. Donations are already being accepted here. Please visit sxswfm.com/haam for more information.

HAAM is the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, an Austin-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide access to affordable health care for Austin’s low income, uninsured working musicians, with a focus on prevention and wellness. The nonprofit's annual HAAM Benefit Day is a community event where businesses and residents of the city of Austin come together in support of local musicians, and SXSWfm is proud to be a part of it once again.

A special thanks to our contributing partners who are helping make this fundraiser possible: HAAM, Palm Door on Sixth, Pink Avocado Catering, The Austin Chronicle, Vigilant Security & Event Services, and The Whitley Group.

Front page & teaser photo credits, clockwise from top:
Possessed by Paul James courtesy of the artist
Residual Kid by Brantley Gutierrez
The Sour Notes by Ankur Khanna

Great news! After a handful of very serious meetings here at SXSW, we've finally decided to extend the PanelPicker voting deadline through the weekend. So whether you've been busy with work or Fantasy Football, there's still time to make your last-minute PanelPicker votes. We've extended the deadline to 11:59PM CT on Sunday, September 7 for Music, Film and Interactive.

That means you have two additional days to search, browse, vote and comment on the proposals you want to see at SXSW 2015. Community voting accounts for 30% of the overall decision on whether or not a session makes it – so, your vote helps shape the event in a big way.

All things PanelPicker come to a head in mid-October when we make our first round of SXSW Programming announcements. You’re probably best-served bookmarking the SXSW homepage, because starting October 16, the happenings are nonstop. Check out our exciting calendar of events below!

Only four days remain to buy your SXSW Interactive badge at the lowest rate of the season.

Here are 12 more reasons you can't miss SXSW Interactive 2015! The following Featured Speakers are scheduled to impart their wisdom and innovative thinking March 13-17, 2015:

• Sandy Carter— IBM General Manager, Social Business Evangelist and author of Get Bold
• David Chang— Chef and Founder of Momofuku
• Hugh Herr— Head of Biomechatronics at the MIT Media Lab
• Ari Horie— Founder of Women's Startup Lab and hit speaker at SXSW V2V
• Robert Kirkman— Skybound Entertainment and creator of The Walking Dead
• Lawrence Lessig— Founder of Mayday PAC and Professor at Harvard Law School
• Sarah Lewis— Author of the best-selling book on creativity The Rise
• Nilofer Merchant— Business innovator and best-selling author
• Eric Ries— Founder of The Lean Startup movement
• Reshma Saujani— Founder of Girls Who Code and author of Women Who Don't Wait in Line
• Bryan Stevenson— Equal Justice Initiative Founder and Director and author of Just Mercy
• Talithia Williams— Statistician and Associate Professor at Harvey Mudd College

These speakers represent the depth and width of the 2015 event. For instance, Robert Kirkman will be speaking at SXSW Gaming. Additionally, David Chang will speak as a part of SouthBites programming, our food track being expanded for 2015.

The 12 thought leaders above join 10 Featured Speakers announced in early August: Genevieve Bell (Intel), Dr. Patricia Galloway (Hyperloop), Nicole Glaros (TechStars), Bill Gurley (Benchmark), Josh Klein (Hacker), Elliot Kotek (Not Impossible Labs), Jessica Lawrence (NY Tech Meetup), Phil Libin, (Evernote), Daniel Pink (danpink.com) and Franz von Holzhausen (Tesla).

More than 400 sessions selected through the SXSW PanelPicker process will be revealed on Monday, October 20. Stay on top of important dates and deadlines by reviewing our 2015 timeline.

Registration rates increase this Friday, September 12 at 11:59pm CT! Save $470 off the walk-up price by registering today and experience the inspiration and visionary ideas shared at SXSW Interactive 2015.

Photo Credits Top Row: Reshma Saujani (Credit: Adrian Kinloch), Eric Ries (Credit: Nick Wilson), Ari Horie (Credit: Women's Startup Lab), Hugh Herr, Bryan Stevenson (Credit: Nina Subin) | Middle Row: Talithia Williams, Sandy Carter | Bottom Row: Sarah Lewis (Credit: Annie Leibovitz), Robert Kirkman, Lawrence Lessig (Credit: Yanai Yechiel), David Chang (Credit: Gabriele Stabile), Nilofer Merchant (Credit: Cooper Bates)

Friday, September 12 marks the first registration deadline for SXSW 2015. It's your last chance to take advantage of the lowest rates and save money on what's sure to be another stellar event!

SXSW Interactive just announced 12 new Featured Speakers to their lineup including Momofoku'sDavid Chang, Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and best-selling authorNilofer Merchant.

Friday is also the first artist applications deadline for the SXSW Music Festival. Aspiring bands, show us what you've got.

Filmmakers, don't wait til the last minute, submit your priceless celluloid now, before the SXSW Film October 2nd early deadline.

And don't forget our awesome family of events. Please join us for SXSW Eco next month and SXSWedu in March.

What does registering get me, you ask? No matter which badge you buy, there's a bevy of goodness coming your way.

The SXSWfm HAAM Benefit Day Showcase just got even better: Otis the Destroyer has been added to the lineup! Otis the Destroyer's psych rock closing the showcase adds another element to the already eclectic lineup, which includes punk-rock openers Residual Kid, indie group The Sour Notes and one-man folk band Possessed by Paul James.

Come hang out with SXSWfm on Tuesday, September 23 at Palm Door on Sixth in Austin (doors at 7:00PM, music at 8:00PM); it's free and open to the public! All cash and card donations, plus 20% of bar sales, will go directly to HAAM. You'll also have chances to win 2015 SXSW Music Festival wristbands during a silent auction. And to get ahead of the game, click here to donate now and here to join the Facebook event.

SXSWfm is proud to participate once again, along with our contributing partners: HAAM, Palm Door on Sixth, Pink Avocado Catering, The Austin Chronicle, Vigilant Security & Event Services, and The Whitley Group.

Front page photo courtesy of Otis the Destroyer.

>> Read the full article here

SXSW Interactive brings you another evening of inspiration with the SXSW Speaker Series. Join us on Tuesday evening, October 14 at the Palm Door Sabine to hear Suzi Sosa, Co-founder and CEO of Verb, talk about her passion for worldwide social innovation through entrepreneurship.

Sosa is responsible for the overall strategy and execution of Verb, where their mission is to unleash the power of entrepreneurs for social good. Verb runs the World's largest social innovation competition and has activated over 8,000 enterprises in 100 countries in its seven years.

Prior to founding Verb, Sosa led the Dell Social Innovation Challenge at the University of Texas at Austin, where she secured a five-year, $5 million gift from Dell which ultimately helped grow the project from a relatively small business plan competition to a global virtual accelerator for student social entrepreneurs.

Sosa was also the Founder and President of the MPOWER Foundation and Chief of Staff of MPOWER Labs (now Rev Worldwide). She also co-founded several local non-profits that focused on social innovation and entrepreneurship, including Innovation+ and Austin Women Entrepreneurs.

Doors for the Tuesday evening, October 14 event open at 6:30pm. Suzi Sosa will speak at 7:00pm. Following her talk, network with fellow Austin-area creatives until 8:30pm.

Admission to the October 14 event is free and light refreshments will be served — but capacity is limited, so RSVP here. Don't forget to bring your business card for a chance to win a FREE 2015 SXSW Interactive badge!

Photo by Scott Van Osdol