Three days of SXSW are behind me, and it's time to draw conclusions. To do so, I asked some other Bavarian attendees what their experiences were? Were their expectations met? And what surprised them?
I spent the last few days with a group of German participants, mostly from Munich and Bavaria, at the Innovation Camp just outside of downtown Austin. Organizers Lisa Kohl and Florian Bergmann rented several Airbnb homes in a very ordinary neighborhood. A group dynamic developed that the participants found particularly beneficial. I spoke with some of them about the extent to which their expectations were met and how they personally assess SXSW.
“A conference about the whole world”
Andreas Zeitler, founder and CEO of Vuframe (Regensburg)
"I actually came here with few expectations, as I joined the group very spontaneously. So far, I've found it very interesting because you can delve into topics that relate to your everyday work—in my case, technologies like VR and AR, which I deal with daily—as well as completely new topics. For example, I attended a NASA presentation on "Discovering New Planets," which simply provided completely new insights. That was definitely an unexpected highlight for me. (...) I like getting a glimpse into unfamiliar fields, and there are so many opportunities for that here. What's special about SXSW compared to other conferences is that it's not specific to one field; it's actually a global conference, covering all topics from technology to society, culture, and politics. Simply a conference for everyone. I would definitely go back."
Robin Hartmann, Project Manager Games at WERK1 (Munich)
"This is my first SXSW, and I came here with very open expectations, as I planned the trip at very short notice. However, it was clear to me from the start that I would go to the Village with Lisa and Flo to be part of the group, because I've already experienced on other trips that the group dynamic in this context is fantastic. You get to know all the participants, and the contacts you make here help you again and again later on. I can only recommend anyone who has the opportunity to take part in something like this.
I didn't have great expectations for SXSW. I just kept hearing that it was supposed to be cool. It was clear to me that the games sector here wasn't as mature as at GDC (Editor's note: Game Developers Conference), which starts next week in San Francisco. We have two events here in Austin: a release party for Travian Games and a games dinner where Bavarian and Austin-based games entrepreneurs will get together and connect. Munich Mayor Josef Schmid will also be there, which is pretty cool. Let's see how we can further expand our collaborations here.
“Fear of missing out is real here”
Regarding the conference content: For me, SXSW is an event that allows you to think outside the box. Especially in the first few days, I didn't find much specific to my own topic, which is pretty strange, because you have so many topics running parallel here. The fear of missing out is real here. It's really impossible to take in everything. You can try to pick a few highlights, but you should always consider alternatives, because the lines can sometimes be long and the distances between the individual locations can be long. (…)
I've especially taken something from topics that have nothing to do with my main area. For example, I found a NASA talk really fascinating, where I learned about quantum computing, as well as about areas of blockchain – it feels like every third talk here. At the same time, it's interesting to see how companies present themselves here. What are they currently focusing on? What direction are trends heading in? How are conversations being conducted? I find it very fascinating that everything is spread across the entire city. I can take advantage of many event formats here and learn from the way topics are discussed here. And as I said: Just think outside the box. My recommendation is definitely to come here with a clear goal, even if that clear goal is to look beyond the horizon. I don't think it's a good idea to just go with the flow, as I've heard others do here, because I think you'll have even more trouble focusing on things and end up missing out on everything.
Saskia Aicher, Head of Brand Activation, Häberlein & Mauerer (Munich)
"I've always noticed how enthusiastic people have been coming back from SXSW in recent years, and so I thought I definitely wanted to check it out. My expectation was that the topics would be very exciting and inspiring, but at first I thought it would be a bit more like a trade show because I couldn't imagine the action being spread across the entire city. It's totally overwhelming when you arrive here. So I wanted to just go with the flow and see what happens. I find it really extremely exciting and inspiring here. I think it's important not to just look at topics you're well-versed in. I thought it was really cool to get involved in a talk like the one with Melinda Gates, for example, or just generally explore topics that aren't part of your daily life, and I'll take that as a lesson: stay open to new or unknown things. I would definitely go back to SXSW next year."
For me personally, the conference was an incredibly exciting and inspiring experience, one that I highly recommend to everyone. Thematically, there's something for everyone, and the way the topics are prepared and presented in an incredibly cool setting, like nothing I've ever experienced before, is beyond impressive. With that in mind: Thank you, Austin! Keep it weird!
SXSW 2018: Between queuing and standing ovations
