What Does SXSW Do?

Total employees898
HeadquartersAustin
Founded1987

SXSW (South by Southwest) is an annual globally recognized conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences. Held every March in Austin, Texas, since its inception in 1987, SXSW has become a premier destination for creative professionals to discover new ideas, network, and explore the future of their industries. It covers a wide range of topics including technology, film, music, gaming, education, and culture, attracting a diverse international audience.

Where Is SXSW's Headquarters?

SXSW officeSXSW officeSXSW officeSXSW office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

The headquarters serves as the central command for all SXSW operations, including year-round planning, programming, marketing, logistics, and administration for its global events.

Notable Features:

The SXSW Center is a modern, 12-story building featuring open-plan workspaces, event spaces, a rooftop deck, and advanced technology infrastructure, designed to foster collaboration and creativity.

Work Culture:

The work culture at SXSW HQ is energetic, innovative, and highly collaborative, particularly during the intense period leading up to the annual Austin festival. It's driven by a passion for the creative and tech industries.

HQ Significance:

The HQ is pivotal as the operational base for one of the world's most influential gatherings. Its Austin location underscores the city's status as a major tech and cultural hub, a reputation SXSW helped build.

Values Reflected in HQ: The design and functionality of the SXSW Center reflect the organization's core values: creativity, community, innovation, and a forward-thinking approach to the convergence of industries.

Location:

While its flagship event and headquarters are in Austin, Texas, SXSW has a significant global presence. The annual Austin event attracts participants from over 100 countries. SXSW actively fosters global creative communities through international programming, strategic partnerships, and licensed regional events such as SXSW Sydney (Australia) and the upcoming SXSW London (UK), extending its platform for discovery, networking, and innovation across continents.

Street Address:

1400 Lavaca St

City:

Austin

State/Province:

Texas

Country:

USA

Where Else Does SXSW Operate Around the World?

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Address: Event-based; specific venues vary annually. This is a licensed event, not a permanent corporate office of SXSW LLC.

To act as a key convergence point for creative industries in the Asia-Pacific, fostering discovery, collaboration, and professional development, modeled on the Austin flagship.

London, United Kingdom

Address: Event-based; venues for the inaugural June 2025 event to be announced. This is a licensed event, not a permanent corporate office of SXSW LLC.

To establish a significant European platform for creative exploration, connecting diverse industries and driving innovation, in line with the core SXSW mission.

Buying Intent Signals for SXSW

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading SXSW? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, SXSW' leadership includes:

Roland Swenson - CEO & Co-Founder
Hugh Forrest - Co-President & Chief Programming Officer
Jannette B. Alicandro - Co-President & Chief Brand Officer
Scott Wilcox - Chief Innovation Officer

Who's Investing in SXSW?

SXSW has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

P-MRC (a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and MRC)

What Leadership Changes Has SXSW Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

SXSW has maintained stability in its core C-suite executive leadership over the past 12 months. Key appointments, such as the Co-Presidents, occurred prior to this period (January 2023) and the current team continues to lead the organization's strategy and global event expansions. No major C-level hires or departures within SXSW LLC have been publicly announced in the immediate last 12 months.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used bySXSW?

Discover the tools SXSW uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

SXSW Email Formats and Examples

SXSW commonly uses email formats such as [first]@sxsw.com or [first].[last]@sxsw.com. These are typical for organizations of its structure and allow for direct communication with its team members.

[first]@sxsw.com (e.g., hugh@sxsw.com), [first].[last]@sxsw.com (e.g., jane.doe@sxsw.com)

Format

hugh@sxsw.com

Example

80%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About SXSW?

SXSW News • May 7, 2024

SXSW London Announces First Keynote Speakers and More For Inaugural Event in June 2025

SXSW has unveiled initial keynote speakers and programming details for its upcoming London debut in June 2025, marking a significant expansion of the renowned festival into Europe....more

Forbes • March 19, 2024

SXSW 2024 Key Takeaways: The Future Is Human-Centric And AI-Powered

The SXSW 2024 conference featured extensive discussions on artificial intelligence, its profound impact on creative industries, and the imperative of maintaining human-centric approaches amidst rapid technological advancements....more

SXSW News • March 11, 2024

Announcing the 2024 SXSW Pitch Winners

SXSW revealed the winners of its 16th annual Pitch event, spotlighting groundbreaking startups across diverse technology sectors including Artificial Intelligence, Future of Work, and Entertainment, Media & Content....more

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Explore Employees by Region or Country

See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.

View Funding Details

View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.

Understand Revenue Insights

Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.

Track Active Job Openings

Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.

Review Product and Offerings

Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.

Get SIC or NAICS Codes

Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.

Analyze Website Traffic Trends

Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.

Discover Social Profiles and Engagement

Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.

Identify Top Competitors

Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.

Research and Discover Companies with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.

  • Track intent signals to find buyers who are actively in-market
  • Enrich contacts and companies instantly, no need to switch tools
  • Automate workflows to stay ahead of every change
  • Connect your CRM & tools for seamless data sync and activation

Thousands of companies, including SXSW, are just a search away.