South by Southwest announces keynotes, featured speakers and sessions for 2017

PRESS RELEASE:

South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 10-19, 2017) announced its third wave of Keynotes and Featured Speakers, plus more than 700 sessions for the 2017 event. Conference Keynotes include filmmaker Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla, and Monsters); Adam Grant, author of Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World; Creative Director and L.A. Anchor for Beats 1, Zane Lowe; and Mt. Everest photographer Cory Richards. They join previously announced KeynotesLee Daniels, Jennifer Doudna, and Jill Soloway. Featured Speakers includeTransparent actor Kathryn Hahn and global design icon Marc Jacobs along with business and tech influencers Whitney Wolfe and Padmasree Warrior, covering subjects that range from user privacy to next-generation entertainment options. The full list of announced Keynotes and Featured Speakers can be found here.

"The programming announced today reflects a lot of the bigger-picture trends we think will be getting the most buzz in March 2017,” said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. “These trends include innovation in the transportation space, the rise of artificial intelligence, more emphasis on innovation within healthcare, and an increase in creative industry inclusion. Of course, the biggest trend for SXSW is always the convergence of the technology, music, and film industries, as different people from different sectors gain incredible value by sharing new ideas and new approaches to common challenges.”

Every year the SXSW community, conference programming staff, and Conference Advisory Board spend weeks reviewing, analyzing, and deciding which proposals will be featured in the 2017 event program. These sessions represent the most innovative, forward-thinking, and inspiring topics from more than 4,300 proposals received this year via SXSW PanelPicker^®. The first 700+ announced sessions can be found at SXSW.com, with details of three Featured Sessions below. Additional Keynotes, Featured Speakers, and Conference sessions will be announced in the coming months.

SXSW’s next registration deadline is October 21, 2016, at 11:59pm PT. Early registrants benefit from discounted rates and better hotel options. New for 2017, the Interactive, Film, and Music badges will now include expanded access to more of the SXSW Conference & Festivals experience. Attendees will still receive primary entry to programming associated with their badge type but now also enjoy secondary access to most other SXSW events.

Featured Sessions

Elephant on Madison Avenue (Workplace) - In a follow-up to the SXSW 2016 Elephant in the Valley Keynote, the Elephant on Madison Avenue Featured Session will discuss sexual harassment and gender bias in the advertising industry, and how it compares to tech.
Panelists: Michele Madansky, Michele Madansky Consulting; Lisen Stromberg, CEO and Founder of PrismWork; and Leslie Wingo, President and CEO of SandersWingo.

Collaborative Innovation in the Digital Health Age (Health) - In our increasingly interconnected world, the future of healthcare can at times read more like a Gene Roddenberry story than, well, the future. Join consumer wellness and big data giants as they discuss cross-industry partnerships and the convergence of health and IT that’s delivering improved health outcomes and transforming the patient experience.
Panelists: Alex Gorsky, Chairman & CEO of Johnson & Johnson; Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President & CEO of IBM Corporation; and moderator Clay Johnston, Dean at Dell Medical School.

Is Government Disrupting Disruption? (Government) - Mark Cuban and other panelists will discuss how they’re working both with and against government regulation in achieving successful disruption - particularly in regulated marketplaces such as ride-sharing, travel, ticketing, and now insurance.

Panelists: Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and investor, and Adam Lyons, CEO at The Zebra, interviewed by Michele Skelding, Senior Vice President Global Technology and Innovation, Austin Chamber of Commerce

SXSW Deadlines

SXSW Film Festival is accepting Feature Film, Short Film & Music Video submissions until October 20, 2016. Submit now for a reduced rate.

SXSW Music Festival is accepting Artist Applications through Sonicbids until October 21, 2016. Apply early for a discounted rate.

SXSW is accepting entries for inventive startups for the SXSW Accelerator^® Pitch Event until November 11, 2016; the best digital creative work for the Interactive Innovation Awards until December 2, 2016; video game projects for the SXSW Gaming Awards until December 2, 2016; and a special pitch competition in Startup Village^® called SXSW Release It until January 13, 2017.

SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2017 will take place March 10-19, 2017.

SXSW 2017 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy, Bud Light, Capital One, McDonald’s, The Austin Chronicle, and Sonicbids.