Texas McCombs @ SXSW 2024

McCombs alumni and affiliates are taking the stage to showcase their talents, creativity, and expertise at South by Southwest. Be sure to add these highlights to your festival schedule.

It’s that time of year: South by Southwest is about to take over Austin. The annual megafestival brings together the best and brightest thought leaders from around the globe to celebrate innovation across industries. But some of the best and brightest don’t have to travel far to make their mark at SXSW — many members of our McCombs community are taking part in the festival as speakers, mentors, and judges. Here’s a roundup of all the Texas McCombs talent you can see this year.

UT @ SXSW — The Hook ’Em House

Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9 at Antone’s Nightclub, 305 E. 5th St.

UT Austin is hosting its own SXSW activation, with two days of live music and expert panels at iconic Antone’s nightclub downtown. Sessions include:

• Brain-Computer Interface Transforming Health and Healthcare
• The Future of AI-Enabled Robots in Our Homes
• Austin’s Next Startup Boom — Life Sciences
• Creator Economy: Digital Stars Go Mainstream
• The Future of Sports Performance and Health Wellness

Kendra Scott, founder of the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, will kick off Friday’s festivities with a special brunch to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Some UT @ SXSW sessions will be open to the public (no badge required), so be sure to RSVP for free on EventBrite to secure your spot.

SXSW EDU

Solving for ‘P’: Empowering the Pandemic Generation

Tuesday, March 5, 4:00–5:00 PM, Hilton Downtown, Salon C (4th Floor) — 500 E 4th St.

McCombs alumna and business advisory council member Tamara Fields joins a panel of experts to discuss how the pandemic shifted in high schoolers’ plans after graduation, and how educational institutions and employers can expand their offerings to ensure they are meeting the needs of the post-pandemic generation.

SHIFTing the Conversation: UT’s Zero-Proof Community Culture

Thursday, March 7, 11:30AM — 12:30 PM, Austin Convention Center — Room 10AB (Level 3) — 500 E Cesar Chavez St.

Kinza Barrister, third year student in the Management Information Systems (MIS) BBA program, will share her experience as a SHIFT Maker representative — an on-campus program that is “redefining campus wellbeing, one zero-proof cocktail at a time.”

Presentation sessions

SXSW Pitch: Artificial Intelligence, Voice, & Robotics

Saturday, March 9, 11:30 AM — 12:30 PM, Hilton Downtown, Salon D-E (4th Floor) — 500 E 4th St.

Bryan Stolle, McCombs alumnus and Managing Director of Wildcat Venture Partners, will serve as a judge in SXSW’s annual pitch competition. Come see five early-stage technology startups as they dazzle a live audience — and potential investors — with their ideas and innovations.

How Humanoid Robots Expand Our Potential In Space & On Earth

Sunday, March 10, 11:30 AM — 12:30 PM, JW Marriott — Salon D (3rd Floor) — 110 E 2nd St.

CEO and co-founder of Apptronik Jeff Cardenas earned both his BBA and MS in Technology Commercialization from McCombs. Today, he leads Apptronik in building some of the most diverse robots, spanning from exoskeletons to humanoid torsos, biped mobility platforms, and unique robotic arms that lift more than they weigh. In this fireside chat, Cardenas will join Shaun Amizi from NASA to explore how humanoid robots can work with human astronauts to relieve them of dangerous tasks and expand mission possibilities.

Changing the Rules: How To Succeed In Highly Regulated Industries

Sunday, March 10, 1:30 AM — 12:30 PM, JW Marriott — Salon D (3rd Floor) — 110 E 2nd St

Joseph Kosper, Grayline Group co-founder, veteran, author, and former Executive-in-Residence at the McCombs School of Business, will share his expertise in transportation and mobility on a panel of interdisciplinary leaders as they discuss how startups can succeed in highly regulated industries.

Night and Day: Creating the Intel One Mono Typeface

Monday, March 11, 10:00–11:00 AM, JW Marriott — Salon 6 (4th floor) — 110 E 2nd St

After earning her MBA from the McCombs School of Business, Melissa Evers went on to transform Intel’s software capabilities as Vice President of the company’s Software And Advanced Technology Group. In this session, Evers and her team of collaborators in creating Intel One Mono — a typeface designed to make coding easier for vision-impaired developers — will discuss how the user-centered font came to be.

Sustainable Supply Chains: Addressing Hidden Emissions

Thursday, March 14, 2:30–3:30 PM, Hilton Downtown, Salon A (4th Floor) — 500 E 4th St

McCombs alumnus Tri Vo is the co-founder of Fierce Whiskers, a grain-to-glass and sustainability-first whiskey distillery producing bourbons, ryes, and single malts. He’ll join a panel of sustainable business leaders to talk about the hidden emissions in global supply chains, and how companies can address these emissions to mitigate their climate impact.

Documentary Screening: The In Between

Premieres Saturday, March 9, 6:45 PM

Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar (Theater 4), Lamar Union Plaza, 1120 S Lamar Blvd

Alejandro Flores graduated from McCombs in 2014 with a BBA in Supply Chain Management, and spent his early career at Frito-Lay and Aldi. After his twin brother, Mars, passed away, his sister Robie returned to their hometown of Eagle Pass to reflect on their brothers’ life and what it was like to grow up on the Texas/Mexico border, documenting her experiences in The In Between — her first feature documentary. Alejandro quit his corporate job and teamed up with his sister to bring the film to life as a producer. Now, The In Between is an official selection for the 2024 SXSW Grand Jury Award Nominee in the Documentary Feature Competition, marking a huge personal and professional victory for Alejandro and Robie.

The In Between premieres on March 9 at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar and will be screened throughout the week. Check out the film’s page for all screening times and theaters.

Mentorship sessions

SXSW mentor sessions offer the opportunity for one-on-one coaching from professionals across industries. Sign up in advance to chat with these McCombs faculty and alumni:

· Karen Landolt is an Associate Professor of Instruction and the Faculty Program Director of the McCombs Summer Institute (MSI). She will be offering a mentor session on subjects such as teaching innovations, student engagement, career development, and leadership and team building during SXSW EDU on March 4 at 11:30AM at the Hilton Austin Downtown.

· Amira Pollock is an Instructor at the Center for Professional Education, specializing in interactive, hands-on trainings and engaging and practical teaching styles. She’ll be sharing what she’s learned about storytelling, public speaking, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and more during her mentoring session on March 9 at 10:00AM at the Hilton Austin Downtown.

· Sam Malcolm is a McCombs alumnus and Senior Data Analyst at Alamo Drafthouse. He’ll be offering a mentoring session for film and television industry professionals interested in programming, sales, acquisitions, and distribution on March 12 at 4:00PM at the Austin Convention Center.