9 innovation & networking events for Houstonians to attend at SXSW 2025

A Houstonian's Guide to SXSW

Headed to SXSW 2025? Here's what to do. Photo courtesy of SXSW

South by Southwest, Austin's signature hybrid music, film and interactive festival, returns to the Texas capital this month, running March 7 through 15.

In the business and innovation sector, the festival fuses together SXSW Edu for educators at the beginning of the week and SXSW Interactive, which is one of the largest gatherings in the world of innovators, technologists, artists, startups, investors and policy-makers. SXSW is a powerful international magnet for creators and the people who serve them.

I started coming to Austin for SXSW in 1999, a few years after the Interactive portion (nicknamed "Spring Break for Nerds") launched and when the entire conference of 6,000 attendees fit into the Austin Convention Center. Back then, you could rub shoulders with famous bloggers who challenged established tech journalists in the hallways, multimedia artists handing out bootleg CD-ROMS, and hard-core geeks setting web standards and laws related to technology that we enjoy today.

SXSW, like Austin itself, has grown up quite a bit in the last two decades and has fended off the common Austin refrain of "It was better X years ago," as everything has become more commercial, less "authentic" and more expensive. SXSW officially sells tickets or badges for $2295.00 at the Platinum level (with cheaper options as well) providing access to stand in lines with hundreds of your friends for the most popular keynotes and panels.

One critical tradition of SXSW and part of the relentless motivation to "Keep Austin Weird" is the dozens of unofficial side events that pop up during the event all across the city. These unofficial events and activations typically provide networking opportunities fueled by the draw of internet-famous speakers, free food, and free alcohol. As SXSW has grown exponentially, it still seems to retain its charm and quirkiness as not quite a music festival, like Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza, nor a film festival like Sundance or Tribeca, and certainly not a traditional tech conference like CES. I like to think of it as a Carnival with many things to do and see but without a specific agenda or outcome. Since COVID and the financial market retraction, these parties and happy hours have become a lot more restrained, but they still exist if you know where to look.

This article is designed to guide you through the highlights, both official and unofficial, of SXSW with a focus on professional business development with a strong bent toward networking with tech startups. Here's what not to miss.

Friday, March 7

Equitech Texas Welcome Breakfast
9–11 a.m.
Inn Cahoots, 1221 E 6th St.
A breakfast gathering of people involved with Impact Investing and Equity Tech, led by Laurie Felker Jones

Startup Superconnector featuring Practice Pitch
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Funded House, 315 Lavaca St.
This is a "Pop Up Pitch" event designed to help startups with their investor pitches by putting them in the same room with investors and professional service providers.

Startup Crawl at SXSW 2025
5 p.m. for Backstage VIP
6–9 p.m.
Capital Factory, 701 Brazos St., Suite 1600

Startup Crawl is arguably the most important unofficial event during SXSW where hundreds of startups showcase their offerings in a huge trade show, party format.

Saturday, March 8

The Red ThreadX
607 W. Third Street, 29th Floor
Curated content, strategic connections and actionable insights for military and defense-oriented businesses

SXSW 2025: Dolphin Tank
8–10:30 a.m.
FQ Lounge: Waller Creek Boathouse, 74 Trinity St.
In partnership with Amazon and The Female Quotient, this event is dedicated to championing women entrepreneurs.

Sunday, March 9

2025 TXST SXSW Lab: The Bobcat Den
1:30–8:00 p.m.
The Bobcat Den @ SXSW, Q-Branch 200 E. Sixth St., Suite 310
PROMO CODE: MICHAELBESTVIP
The TXST SXSW Lab: The Bobcat Den is a dynamic, all-day event that showcases Texas State University’s cutting-edge research, industry collaborations, and student innovation.

Monday, March 10

Founded in Texas - For Women Founders
9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Brown Advisory, 200 W. Sixth St., Suite 1700
Project W, The Artemis Fund, HearstLab and Brown Advisory have joined forces to bring you Founded in Texas, an investor feedback session designed to support Texas-based women who are founders of B2B and B2B2C technology companies.

Inaugural Texas House
11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 10, until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday March 11
315 Lavaca St.
More than ever, Texans are leading at the frontiers of technology, entrepreneurship, and culture. See the full agenda

Tuesday, March 11

Super Connectors Meet Up
4–5 p.m.
Hilton Austin Downtown, 500 E. Fourth St., Room 412
*Badge-only event
"Superconnectors," tor those who seem hyper-connected to large networks of people, are naturally drawn to SXSW. They thrive in a creative and innovative environment, affording them countless opportunities to meet interesting people. Meet some here.

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This information and more can be found at Marc Nathan's VIP Insider’s Guide to SXSW.


From Your Site Articles
A handful of Houston startups will be bouncing back and forth to Austin for the second annual MassChallenge Texas accelerator. Getty Images

These are the Houston companies headed to MassChallenge Texas in Austin

Texas road trip

It's the second cohort for Boston-based MassChallenge Texas in Austin, and this year's 74 selected finalists are well represented by Houston.

"Coming from an extremely competitive application pool, the startups in our second Austin-based cohort represent an incredibly high bar of creativity and talent, all of who are poised to make an impact," says Mike Millard, managing director of MassChallenge Texas, in a release. "This year's program will offer the finalists innovation at scale with direct access to resources through our programs in Houston and Austin, and our community around the state. Through these channels, startups will have more opportunities to test and validate their ideas with partners while creating meaningful engagements to help them get to pilot or pivot as fast as possible."

While there is the upcoming MassChallenge Texas inaugural Houston cohort, these seven companies opted for a spot in the Austin-based cohort where the stakes are higher and cash prizes are on the line — $500,000, the largest equity-free cash prize in Texas, to be precise. (Houston's inaugural set of prizes reportedly don't included money.)

These are seven of the Houston-related companies that will be trekking back and forth to Austin from June until October.

crewcollar

Getty Images

It's crewcollar's mission to optimize hiring for industrial and blue-collar jobs, simplifying the entire process from curated job posts to paperwork filing. The company is based just outside of Houston in Missouri City.

"We are super excited to be joining MassChallenge Texas, and know that this experience will help us take it to the next level," says M. Siler, CEO and founder, in a release.

GotSpot Inc.

Courtesy of GotSpot

Houston-based GotSpot is Reda Hicks solution to finding temporary space quickly and easily — in a way that benefits all sides of the transaction. The model is like AirBnb, but for retail, meeting, and even emergency space. The corporate lawyer has grown the platform over the past few years and the MassChallenge opportunity is another move in the right direction. Click here to read more about Hicks and GotSpot.

Grant Source

Photo via grantsourceapp.com

Grant Source is like the magic genie to help organizations find funding through grants and opportunities. The Houston startup has a database of opportunities and can help match businesses with appropriate grants to apply to — all within the Grant Source mobile app.

Guzo

Getty Images

Guzo is the tool every traveler has dreamed up. The Houston-based app connects travelers — not just in the planning phase — but throughout the travel process. The company was created by two brothers — Joshua and Gordon Taylor — and is the recreation of Croozen, formerly a long-distance carpool app.

"One of the things that got Gordan and I excited in the beginning of Croozen was just the idea of someone else in the car with you and that shared experience," Joshua Taylor tells InnovationMap in a previous interview about revamping Croozen as Guzo. "Looking past that, just being focused on the car was hindering us. Let's divorce the car and focus on travel as a whole."

Lazarus 3D

Photo via laz3d.com

Practice makes perfect, and surgeons should be as close to perfect as possible, right? Lazarus 3D uses 3D printing to make realistic body parts and organs so that surgeons can rehearse their surgeries before ever slicing into a patient. The company is conveniently located in the Texas Medical Center.

Pilot Plus

Photo via pilotplus.com

The trucking industry needs a rebrand. It's a tireless job that's go-go-go, and the unappealing nature of the career isn't ideal. Pilot Plus puts the humanity back in the process that benefits the driver and makes for bragging rights for the company employing the trucker. The logistics company allows for a system of drivers that work together for the long haul so that drivers can actually spend time resting in their own homes.

Topl

Courtesy of Topl

Topl's MassChallenge bio lists their HQ in the Netherlands, but the blockchain startup founded by three Rice University alumni has some of its operations right here in town. Topl has a goal of using blockchain technology to connect the dots and enhance transparency in various applications from retail to even being able to track the success of investments or scholarships.

"We are a generation that wants a story," Kim Raath, president at Topl, tells InnovationMap in a previous interview. "We want an origin, and don't want to be fooled. And, because you might be able to reduce the cost by having this transparency, you might be able to bring down the cost on both sides."


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$12M pharmaceutical manufacturing facility to be built in Sugar Land

coming soon

A nearly $12 million drug manufacturing facility is coming to Sugar Land.

City leaders in Sugar Land recently approved a $1.3 million performance-based incentive for DeliverIt Group, a Sugar Land-based provider of specialty pharmacy, infusion therapy and clinical care services, for the development of the 60,000-square-foot facility.

The facility, which will be registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will compound medication. The process of drug compounding combines, mixes or alters ingredients to create a medication tailored to a certain patient. A compounded drug is created when an FDA-approved drug can’t meet a patient’s needs.

The facility, which will employ 55 people, will expand DeliverIt’s offerings from specialty pharmacy and infusion services to advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing. In a press release, the City of Sugar Land says the facility reinforces the suburb’s status as a hub for life sciences and health care innovation.

DeliverIt, founded in 2010, already employs about 60 people.

The $1.3 million incentive, to be distributed over the course of 10 years, is being funded through the Sugar Land Development Corporation’s 4A sales tax program.

“The addition of a pharmaceutical manufacturing operation of this caliber reflects the type of targeted growth we want to see in Sugar Land,” Jennifer Alexander, business development manager for the City of Sugar Land, said in a news release. “Our focus on smart, strategic investment means supporting life sciences innovators in ways that maximize existing assets while driving long-term community prosperity.”

The current size of the U.S. drug-compounding market is estimated at $7.42 billion, and it’s projected to climb to $12.79 billion by 2035, according to Towards Healthcare Research and Consulting.

Drug compounding is gaining momentum due to increases in personalized medicine and personal treatment approaches, with growth being supported by aging populations and the rise of chronic illnesses, Towards Healthcare says.

XSpace plans $250M industrial condo expansion with RAFA Racing Club

growth mode

Houston-based XSpace Group has teamed up with two other Houston companies, RAFA Racing Club and Maximo Capital, to develop five industrial condo projects that pair flex space and high-end car storage space with a members-only clubhouse for motorsports enthusiasts.

The five projects will be built in the Dallas-Fort Worth; Miami-Boca Raton; Charlotte-Mooresville, North Carolina; Phoenix-Scottsdale; and Los Angeles markets. Other markets, including Las Vegas, are under consideration for future phases.

XSpace says the initial five-project venture will generate estimated sales of $250 million. Condos will be available to rent or own.

The ground floor of each project will feature a RAFA Racing Club Social & Performance Centre, a members-only clubhouse, event space and lifestyle hub. The remaining floors will offer space for car storage, collectibles, offices and studios. RAFA will operate the ground floor of each building.

“Our goal from day one with RAFA Racing has been to connect people through a shared love of performance and community,” Rafael Martinez, founder of RAFA Racing Club and principal of Maximo Capital, said in a news release. “By pairing XSpace’s forward-thinking condominium design with the exclusive hospitality, networking and high-performance environment of a RAFA Racing Club clubhouse, we’re establishing a community blueprint where passion meets community.”

Each clubhouse will offer:

  • Lounges
  • Dining, working and networking spaces
  • Concierge service
  • Driving simulators
  • Fitness and conditioning capabilities

“We’re building the most valuable community-driven real estate product in America — and RAFA Racing Club is the anchor that makes it unlike anything else on the market," Byron Smith, founder of XSpace, added in a release. “By integrating our flexible, high-end industrial condominiums with RAFA’s world-class hospitality and automotive community spaces, we are completely redefining what commercial real estate can be for the motorsports enthusiast.”

RAFA operates facilities for motorsports fans in Houston and Austin. The clubs, geared toward wealthy people, entrepreneurs, executives, and brand partners, combine a clubhouse, garage, paddock (racing’s version of a locker room), a “human performance” center and driver training programs.

RAFA plans to open seven clubs in the U.S. and three outside the U.S. over the next four years.

XSpace operates a high-end office, warehouse, and lifestyle condo project in Austin and is building a project in Houston that’s set to open in 2027.

Walmart expands drone delivery service to 8 new Houston-area stores

Now Landing

More Walmart delivery drones are now buzzing around Houston-area skies.

In January, Walmart launched its drone delivery service in partnership with Wing at five locations in the Houston area. The retail giant just added eight more stores to its Houston-area drone delivery network.

Wing says the expansion makes drone delivery available to more than 1 million residents of the Houston area. “Many can now bypass notorious Houston traffic to get everyday Walmart essentials delivered by drone in minutes,” Wing said in a release.

The eight Walmart stores that joined the drone delivery network are:

  • 13003 Tomball Pkwy. Houston
  • 12353 FM 1960 Rd. West, Houston
  • 2901 Riley Fuzzel Rd., Spring
  • 20310 U.S. Highway 59, New Caney
  • 1025 Sawdust Rd., Spring, TX 77380
  • 13484 Northwest Fwy., Houston, TX
  • 13750 East Fwy., Houston
  • 3506 Highway 6 South, Houston

Stores where drone delivery was already available are:

  • 14215 FM 2100 Rd., Crosby
  • 1313 N. Fry Rd., Katy
  • 15955 FM 529 Rd., Houston
  • 255 FM 518, Kemah
  • 6060 N. Fry Rd., Katy

Houstonians can learn whether their address is eligible for drone delivery from a Walmart store by visiting wing.com/walmart. Drone-delivered orders can be placed on the Walmart app, the Wing app, or at Walmart.com.

Once an order is ready, it’s loaded onto a delivery drone. The drone then flies up to 60 mph and at a cruising altitude of about 150 feet to reach the customer’s home. The average flight takes less than 5 minutes.

Once it arrives at the customer’s home, the drone stops, hovers at roughly 23 feet, and lowers the order via a tether. Wing says its drones gently lower orders to the ground to protect fragile items like eggs and coffee.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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