South By Southwest Conferences and Festival

South By Southwest Conferences and Festival

http://sxsw.com/

South By Southwest Conferences and Festival is a Privately Owned, US-based company that functions as a tier 1 media tech buyer. Founded in 1987, the company employs approximately 630 individuals. It specializes in hosting conferences and festivals related to technology, film, music, education, and culture.

Revenue

Founded

1987

Headcount

630

Headquarters

United States

Primary Segment

Media and TV services

Ownership

Privately Owned

News Summary:

On September 15, 2026, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced the initial keynotes and featured speakers for its 2027 Innovation Conference, scheduled for March 15-20, and the SXSW EDU Conference & Festival, set for March 13-16, both part of the broader event running March 15-21, 2027, in Austin, Texas. Keynote speakers include AI expert Timnit Gebru, Mac Barnett, and Amy Webb, with featured sessions to present Timm Chiusano, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth, Rahul Vohra, and Joanna Lepore. This followed news on August 31, 2026, that co-founder Nick Barbaro and 29 other long-time investors sold their stakes in SXSW to a West Coast media conglomerate, making it the brand’s sole owner. Earlier, on August 28, 2026, Penske Media Corporation (PMC) announced its transition from a majority stakeholder to full owner of SXSW, with co-founder Nick Barbaro confirming he sold his stake to PMC, marking the end of his co-ownership of the festival he helped establish.

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Sep

17th

2026

11:09

Events, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences, Management Changes

US Event Industry News for September 17, 2026

AUSTIN, TEXAS: South by Southwest announced the first speakers for the 2027 SXSW Innovation Conference (March 15-20) and SXSW EDU Conference & Festival (March 13-16). Speakers for the former include AI expert Timnit Gebru, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth, and social psychologist Amy Cuddy.

Sep

15th

2026

06:30

Events, Emerging Tech, Artificial Intelligence, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences

SXSW Announces First Keynotes and Featured Speakers for the 2027 Innovation Conference and SXSW EDU

SXSW Innovation Conference and SXSW EDU announced the first keynotes and featured speakers for the 2027 event. Keynotes include Timnit Gebru, Mac Barnett, and Amy Webb, while featured sessions feature Timm Chiusano, Allison Ellsworth, Rahul Vohra, and Joanna Lepore. The event will take place in Austin, Texas, from March 15-21, 2027.

Aug

31st

2026

10:28

Events, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences

Hollywood media giant becomes sole owner of SXSW

One of Austin’s cultural fixtures is closing a big chapter. Co-founder Nick Barbaro and 29 other longtime investors are selling their stakes in South by Southwest (SXSW) to a West Coast media conglomerate, making it the brand’s sole owner.

CultureMap Houston

Aug

28th

2026

06:30

Events, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences, Management Changes

Chronicle Owner Nick Barbaro to Sell Stake in South by Southwest to Penske • The Austin Chronicle

It’s the end of an era today as Nick Barbaro, co-founder and co-owner of South by Southwest, has announced that he is selling his stake in the conference and festival to Penske Media Corporation. Barbaro, who helped turn the festival into an international institution and a core aspect of Austin’s identity, is also the co-founder of The Austin Chronicle, of which he remains president and sole owner.

The Austin Chronicle

Aug

28th

2026

06:30

Business Expansion, Partnerships and Alliances, Emerging Tech, B2B Tag, Partnerships, Geographic Expansion

Penske Media Corporation Increases Ownership of SXSW

SXSW, the largest cultural event in the United States, today announced that Penske Media Corporation has transitioned from a majority stakeholder to full owner. The move represents a seamless evolution of a multi-year strategic partnership built on shared ambition, strong financial growth, and international expansion.

Aug

18th

2026

09:30

Events, Emerging Tech, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences

SXSW Reveals 2027 Changes: Podcasting Festival, New Hubs for Music Programming & More

South by Southwest (SXSW) is introducing a number of changes to its 2027 edition, including a new podcast festival, a reordering of the event’s footprint and a new badge designed exclusively for C-Suite executives and founders, the festival announced on Tuesday (Aug.

Aug

18th

2026

02:30

Events, B2B Tag, Events and Conferences

SXSW Sets Podcast Festival, Locals-Only Perks and Changes in Music Venues for 2027 Event in Austin

South by Southwest has unveiled plans for a podcast festival, new locals-only perks and temporary changes in music venues for the 2027 event that will unfold on the streets of Austin, Texas in March. SXSW will run from March 15-21.

Jun

23rd

2026

08:49

Events, B2B Tag

All the biggest artists have one thing in common: They played at SXSW.

Cardi B shut down Fader Fort six months before she became a superstar. Megan Thee Stallion, Wet Leg, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, all played to 200 cap venues in Austin before they went onto arena tours and global dominance.

Jun

9th

2026

19:48

Events, Emerging Tech, B2B Tag

SXSW Announces Initial Featured Speakers for 2025 Conference

SXSW has announced its initial Featured Speakers for the 39th edition of its annual Conference, which takes place March 7-15, 2025 in Austin, Texas. The Featured Speakers include Dr. Peter Attia, Johanna Faries, Nadia Murad, Douglas Rushkoff, Dr. Laurie Santos, Amy Webb, and more. The Conference is organized into 23 programming tracks, and Announced Featured Sessions include topics such as AI, emerging tech, design, and human rights.

Jun

5th

2026

07:51

Events, Emerging Tech, Artificial Intelligence, B2B Tag

SXSW London: More Wired than Cannes?

By Dan Best, SVP Clients, DAIVID Have you been to SXSW London yet? No, neither had I until this year. Well, why not? Good question. Partly because there’s a lot of competition for my time and money on the events calendar, and if I’m honest, I wasn’t exactly sure where it fits in my schedule or whether it was really for me.

New Digital Age

Jun

5th

2026

07:50

Events, B2B Tag

Jeremy King Reflects on a Life in Restaurants at SXSW London

Jeremy King looked back at his career at SXSW London. Hospitality legend Jeremy King took to the stage at SXSW London on 4 June 2026. He is behind several of London’s most celebrated restaurants, including FACT Dining Awards London nominees Simpson’s in the Strand, The Delaunay and The Wolseley.

Jun

4th

2026

11:00

Events, Emerging Tech, B2B Tag

Piers Morgan: AI Is So Powerful, A Deepfake Of Me Duped My Own Mother

Piers Morgan has lamented the rise of AI-generated clips of him ranting on topical subjects. In an interview at SXSW London, Morgan revealed that his own mother was unable to spot that a viral video of the YouTube presenter was in fact a deepfake.

Deadline Hollywood

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