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Seen and Heard at SXSW Eco: Day 1
This post is part of Triple Pundit's ongoing coverage of the SXSW Eco conference. For the rest, please visit our SXSW Eco page here.
Day 1 of the SXSW Eco conference has come and gone, and attendees are busy chatting about their favorite takeaways, memorable moments and lessons learned.
On Day 1, social impact startups went on display, exhibitioners hosted hundreds at their booths, and panelists discussed everything from sustainable agriculture and creating climate wealth to solving global problems through creative design. But what attendees seem to enjoy the most is the community at SXSW Eco -- where a group of like-minded individuals across multiple sectors can collaborate.
We took a walk around the Austin Convention Center and asked folks to share their thoughts.
On the conference: "I go to a lot of conferences, and this one is really different. It's very open, welcoming and non-elitist ... and there's a focus on entrepreneurs and startups. The Startup Showcase is one of the best events they have here." -- Tony Robinson, associate editor of EarthPeople MediaOn the experience: "There are tons of very interesting people from across the country and elsewhere. And they engage people in interesting ways, such as the pitch session and the ping-pong tournaments, to get away from just expert panels or just people talking at you. They bring a lot of diversity to the experience." -- Blair Glencorse, executive director of Accountability Lab
On collaboration: "In my mind, the only way forward is together, to collaborate, and the way to collaborate is to share information." -- Tom O'Brien, CEO of Tom's of Maine
On the SXSW Eco community: "It's definitely a tribe here. It's nice to have such a direct connection to like-minded individuals. It's very much a hub." -- Russell Beard, environmental correspondent
On the creative approach: "I'm impressed by the integration of the music and the art with the topic. These are the reasons I wanted to come in the first place; that was really inspiring to me." -- Nikki Silvestri, executive director of Green for All
Day 2 preview
Looking for something to do today at the conference? We have a few ideas that will keep you busy.
- Startup Showcase: Greentech category: Spotlighting innovation and entrepreneurship, the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase is a pitch competition featuring top early-stage companies from around the world. Finalists in the Greentech category, presented by HP, offer solutions in agriculture, solar, wind, green building, recycling and waste, transportation and fuels, water, materials and more.
- Bees: What the Buzz is All About: Join journalist Hannah Nordhaus, assistant professor Dennis van Engelsdorp of the University of Maryland, almond farmer Jake Wenger and Jerry Hayes, Beelogics Commercial Lead for Monsanto, to discuss the declining honeybee population.
- How Networks Are the Future of Fish: Join Cheryl Dahle of Future of Fish, Brian Caouette of Wild Salmon Center, Meg Busse of Context Partners and Hoyt Peckham of SmartFish to discuss sustainable solutions to overfishing.
- TriplePundit and HP talk #livingprogress on Twitter: Join Nick Aster, Founder and Publisher of TriplePundit, and Chris Librie, Senior Director of Strategy and Communications at HP Corporate Affairs, to discuss how HP Living Progress brings together people and technology to solve the world’s toughest challenges. Join us in the Living Progress Exchange at SXSW Eco, or follow along at the hashtag #livingprogress at Noon PT/2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET to participate from anywhere in the world. Register here.
- TriplePundit happy hour 6-8 p.m. at Clive Bar: We’ll be throwing a happy hour to get to know you, our loyal readers, and talk about all manner of topics. This year we’re delighted to be teaming up with the University of Texas, Arlington, who will be on hand to talk about their sustainability programs and joining us in conversation about everything going on at the conference. Come early and lets have fun!
Mary has reported on sustainability and social impact for over a decade and now serves as executive editor of TriplePundit. She is also the general manager of TriplePundit's Brand Studio, which has worked with dozens of organizations on sustainability storytelling, and VP of content for TriplePundit's parent company 3BL.
