SXSW EDU Guide for Edtech Founders (No Badge Required)

by Edlink Team

Table of Contents

If you are a badge holder, check out our badge holder guide here.

SXSW EDU is one of the rare events where decision-makers, educators, district leaders, investors, and edtech companies are all in the same place at the same time. But the real value doesn’t come from attending sessions, it comes from the conversations before and after these sessions. Without a badge you will not be permitted to attend the official SXSW EDU sessions and roundtables (don’t plan on sneaking in, it won’t work). The best conversations happen outside of these official sessions in coffee shops, lobbies, and private events. Your goal is to be in these spaces.

Get started

Decide ahead of time your goal for attending SXSW EDU. Is it meeting potential investors, conducting market research for your product, or partying with other founders?

  • Meet funders
  • Meet other founders
  • Market research
  • Connect with school district leaders
  • Party

How to prepare

  • Research who is attending or speaking. Know who is going before you fly into Austin.
  • Reach out to the connections you hope to make ahead of time to schedule a chat while you’re both in Austin. Offer them coffee or lunch for their time.
  • You should have a relatively full calendar during the day before the conference even starts. Reserve your evenings for association mixers, curated dinners, roundtables, and other education org gatherings. There will be many.

What events to attend

If you don't have a badge, you can't attend the official SXSW sessions, but there are always dozens of free events. Your goal is to find them and RSVP ahead of time.

  • Founder mixers
  • Partner happy hours
  • Expo

Look into them 1-2 weeks before SXSW begins (so start now) to secure your spot. Avoid large open bar parties where conversation is impossible. Watch the recorded sessions (like the keynote speaker sessions) during breaks in your schedule so you can have a solid icebreaker with badge holders - “Did you catch [speaker name] session?”

What to avoid

If your goal is to make new connections during SXSW EDU then here is what to avoid to make the most of your time in Austin.

  • Avoid skipping outreach ahead of SXSW EDU - You have the time now to plan and prepare. Start building connections with new people now. It’s as easy as sending them a message on LinkedIn like “Hey, saw you were going to be in Austin for SXSW EDU, would love to buy you lunch.”
  • Avoid burning yourself out - This event is massive (albeit slightly smaller this year due to convention center construction) and you can easily hop from event to event from sun up to sun down every day you’re here. It’s important to schedule some downtime where you can do some follow up, compile notes, add contacts to your CRM, etc.
  • Avoid uncomfortable shoes, especially this year - Since the Austin Convention Center is under construction, SXSW EDU is spread across multiple hotels, which means the event is even more spread out than usual. Plan to do a lot of walking around Downtown.

Unofficial SXSW EDU Resources

There are tons of unofficial SXSW events happening throughout the city. Explore networking opportunities, sponsored events and more.

You can also search for events on Google, Luma, Eventbrite, LinkedIn, or X by searching for SXSW EDU or #sxswedu.

Events

We are running a curated list of SXSW EDU events that are free and open to the public (check back regularly as we'll update the list as we find them). Some of these require RSVPs ahead of time so we highly recommend you snag a spot if you want to go. Otherwise expect to wait in lines or not get in.

Don’t miss events!

SXSW EDU Expo

The SXSW EDU Expo is free and open to the public on Wednesday, March 11th.
View the exhibitors

The New Profit and Deloitte Social Impact House (Waitlisted)

Escape the conference bustle and connect with the social impact community at SXSW EDU. The New Profit and Deloitte Social Impact House is your landing pad—a welcoming space to recharge (your devices and yourself), forge new collaborations, and experience the power of our community in action.

SXSW EDU Unofficial Happy Hours

SXSW Unofficial Investor Events

Note: Many of the investor events start on Friday, March 13th.

SXSW EDU Unofficial Parties

Edlink's 2nd Annual SXSW EDU Happy Hour

March 9th from 6-8 PM

We’re bringing educators and edtech companies together for a relaxing afternoon of great drinks and even better conversation. Brought to you by Edlink, Subject, and Thoughtly.

What to expect

  • Free tacos
  • Free drinks
  • Exciting new connections

What not to expect

  • Boring presentations
  • Bad drinks (This place has top-tier cocktails)
  • Long sales pitches

Spots are extremely limited so RSVP for the details ASAP!