Each year, we enjoy getting together with innovators and changemakers at South by Southwest (SXSW) to discuss important and compelling work and share some of our learnings on the SXSW Interactive stage. Last March, members of the Case Foundation team lead four panel discussions with incredible experts about developments in areas such as diversity in entrepreneurship, making movements through user generated content and business journalism. Each provided us with insights and inspiration we have tapped since to inform our ongoing work.
This year, we’ve identified 12 panels to recommend for the 2019 SXSW stage that could bring together engaging panelists and leaders who will bring to life timely topics such as the role fearlessness plays in the work of leaders from all walks of life, what the future of Latinx entrepreneurship looks like, how startups can get their story out, the importance of young voices in our society and at the voting booth and opportunities for organizations to harness the power of data, analytics and open source to increase their impact.
We believe that these will be a valuable addition to the important dialogue that will take place in Austin at SXSW 2019—and we need your help getting these discussions the time they deserve on stage! Below you’ll find information on each panel and how you can vote for them. While casting your vote, don’t forget to spread the word with the social messages below and encourage your friends and networks to vote as well.
See our panels below and be sure to vote before SXSW PanelPicker voting ends August 30th!
Fearless Changemakers Tell All
What does it mean to be fearless? It means experimenting, taking risks, being willing to strike unlikely alliances and accepting the possibility of failure while still pressing forward. Meet the fearless changemakers setting audacious goals and acting urgently and boldly. Jean Case of the Case Foundation sits down with three leaders who explore the extraordinary core qualities of great changemakers and find out how being fearless helped them succeed. They’ll share their stories and strategies to inspire attendees to fearlessly tackle the world’s most pressing issues.
Speakers
- Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation
- Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society
- Jordyn Schara, Founder and Executive Director, HOPE (Helping Our Peers Excel)
- Loretta Claiborne, Vice Chair and Chief Inspiration Officer, Special Olympics
How to Tell Your Startup Story
Take a deep dive during this interactive session featuring leading journalists covering startups, venture capital and technology. Seasoned journalists will be moderated in a discussion by the Case Foundation. You’ll learn their tips for founders seeking to break their next big story, what makes an effective and compelling pitch, how to build relationships with reporters and how to make your company stand out. At the session’s conclusion, we will invite attendees to share their pitches with the journalists for feedback in real time. Please come to this session with your media pitch in hand.
Speakers
- Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation
- Veronica Dagher, Host, WSJ Secrets of Wealthy Women podcast; senior wealth management reporter, Wall Street Journal
- Emily Chang, San Francisco-based anchor and executive producer of “Bloomberg Technology”
The Fearless Story Behind José Andrés’ Success
What does it mean to be fearless? It means experimenting, taking risks, being willing to strike unlikely alliances and accepting the possibility of failure while still pressing forward. Meet the fearless changemakers setting audacious goals and acting urgently and boldly. Jean Case of the Case Foundation sits down with chef José Andrés as they explore the core qualities of great changemakers and find out how being fearless led to his success. They’ll share their stories and strategies to inspire attendees to fearlessly tackle the world’s most pressing issues.
Speakers
- Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation
- Jose Andres, Founder, World Central Kitchen
Listen Up! Young American Voices Matter
Marches. Protests. Tweets. Votes. These are just a few of the many ways that young Americans made their voices heard in 2018. With fearless passions and the drive to create meaningful change, they brought a national spotlight to the issues they care about. Now, it’s your turn. Join our workshop, share your story and learn how to elevate your voice from some of today’s most innovative young activists and organizers.
Speakers
- Sean Tennerson, Director, Social Innovation, the Case Foundation
- Amanda Nguyen, CEO and Founder, Rise
- Derrick Feldman, Managing Director, Influence SG
Facebook Watch—a New Tool for Social Movements
At the end of 2017, Facebook rolled out a new feature: a platform to stream shows. Facebook Watch has become a key tool for organizations to tell their stories and bring big issues to light in a new way while reaching a broader audience—with some even going as far as to call it “the new Netflix.” What are the benefits of this new platform and how might it work for your organization? The Case Foundation, ATTN and The Influencer Collective share how organizations with a variety of resources and needs can make Facebook Watch work for them. Together they bring knowledge from working on shows with a wide range of budgets, production levels and audience sizes and will bring high level takeaways on how to get started, evaluate show needs, build a story arc and analyze success.
Speakers
- Jessica Zetzman, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, The Case Foundation
- Clare Stein, Creative Director, ATTN:
- Jennifer Sherman, Founder and Chief Strategist, Influencer Collective
Making Data and Analytics Work for Your Brand
Data-informed decision making is only as good as an organization’s understanding of the data on hand. Faced with that challenge at the Case Foundation, the team responsible for digital analytics and reporting set out to construct a dashboard that directly and efficiently compiled key data from multiple websites in one place. Using this tool, project and program leaders can see real time performance using key filters like top blog authors, page views, time on page, new users, downloads, top performing pages and posts and email campaign performance. Hear from the team that designed this tool and learn how the organization uses it, their efforts to adapt their work to best fit what the data indicates, and how attendees can launch their own version of the dashboard for free.
Speakers
- Jessica Zetzman, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Case Foundation
- John Jones, VP Interactive Strategies, Case Foundation
How B Corps Are Leading Open Source
In a time when trust in technology is in question, B Corps are finding a way to deliver innovative technology to their customers without sacrificing trust: through open source. By doing so, these companies are not only establishing a stronger level of trust but also democratizing technology for many. Hear from open source leaders, Zach Burke of Exygy, Jason Wilkinson of Firespring, and John Jones of the Case Foundation in a panel moderated by the Case Foundation’s Jade Floyd.
Speakers
- John Jones, Vice President of Interactive Strategies, the Case Foundation
- Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation
- Jason Wilkinson, Chief Technology Officer, Firespring
- Zach Berke, Founder and Managing Partner, Exygy
The Overlooked Future of US Entrepreneurs: Latinx
The Latinx community accounts for more than half of the population growth in the US, but Latinx founders represent less than 2% of venture-backed companies. Hear from Latinx entrepreneurs and the investors who back them to understand who they are, what they’re building and why they’re going to make you money. Attendees will learn what funds and resources are available for Latinx entrepreneurs and how you can support more inclusive startup ecosystems.
Speakers
- Sarah Koch, VP Social Innovation, Case Foundation
- Dyan Gibbens, CEO, Trumbull Unmanned
- C’pher Gresham, VP of Communities, SEED SPOT
- Marcos Gonzalez, Managing Partner, VamosVentures
Social Impact Meet Up
Join the Case Foundation, Kapor Center for Social Impact and Sunshine Sachs as we unite social sector leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropy practitioners for a SXSW Meet Up. Connect with fellow changemakers and share new ideas, collaborate and ideate on how you can create meaningful change together. We invite everyone in the social sector—from foundation staff to philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs and social impact businesses to gather. Meet those like you who are changing the world.
Speakers
- Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation
Is Texas the Silicon Valley 2.0?
Venture capital investments may be focused on the coasts, but some of the largest and most successful companies have been started in middle America in cities like Houston, Dallas and Austin. Learn from the entrepreneurs, investors and supporters who have created bustling startup ecosystems across Texas. Find out what kind of partnerships and resources your city may already have to lead the way for startup growth in your community.
Speakers
- Sarah Koch, VP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
- Naji Kelley, Founder & CEO, BLNDED Media
- Saleha Khumawala, Professor – Robert Grinaker Professor of Accounting and Founding Director, SURE Program, University of Houston
Philanthropy’s New Role In Open Source
As technology continues to define shifts in society, it is essential that the social sector has access to the best technology. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Case Foundation see a future in this as leaders in creating useful, open source tools for entire sectors to use that open doors for changemakers to unlock innovation, better achieve their missions, and ultimately, change the world. Hear from the Case Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and GitHub on how that’s starting to happen.
Speaker
- John Jones, Vice President of Interactive Strategies, the Case Foundation
- Kosta Peric, Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Admas Kanyagia, Senior Director of Social Impact, GitHub
With your support, we hope we’ll get to take the stage next March in Austin and share our work and insights on these exciting movements. To catch up on our presence at SXSW in 2018, check out our Twitter moments which featured live updates from each of our panels, and watch these video interviews with some of the founders, funders and ecosystem builders in attendance who shared their exciting work with us. We loved getting to make a splash at SXSW this past spring and get wait to get the chance to do it again!
