These are the events female entrepreneurs can’t miss at SXSWi
By: Marie Custodio, Outreach Manager Parallel18
It’s not a secret that the tech startup scene has a gender (and diversity) gap. But when you go to big events, such as SXSWi, you are forced to face the seriousness of the situation.
Last year was my first time at the Austin, Texas festival that one of my dear friends describes as “Spring Break for Geeks”; and being one myself, I had a blast! But my feminist radar immediately noticed that there weren’t a lot of women attending the conference.
SXSWi and other tech events, like Collision Conference in New Orleans, are aware of this issue and have been trying to close the gender gap inviting more female speakers and including sessions that target women. So this year I decided to attended as many sessions and social events for women at SXSWi I can to support the efforts to create a more diverse festival. Here’s a list of the ones I’ve found (my favorites have extra commentary):
Workshops (you need a badge)
Super Women Anonymous: Cut Your Cape and Live!
When: Friday, March 11 Time: : 11 AM Where: JW Marriott Salon 8
Keynote (you need a badge)
When: Sunday, March 13 Time : 2 PM Where: Austin Convention Center Ballroom D
Panel (you need a badge)
Friday, March 11
- Smart Women Using Smart Data to Rise to the Top
Time : 12:30 PM
Where: Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater - Female Engineers and Intrapreneurial Opportunity
Time : 12:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Room 303–304
Saturday, March 12
- Marie Claire Talks to the Stars of Broad City — Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer will be there, nothing else to say (OMG, OMG, OMG!!!)
Time: : 9:30 AM.
Where: Austin Convention Center Ballroom EF - How Shattering a Stereotype Will Save Tech
Time: 9:30AM — 10:30AM
Where: JW Marriott Salon C - Female Founders in Tech: Sparking Growth **(I’m very into entrepreneurship, so this is one of my top choices)
Time: 5 PM
Where: JW Marriott Salon 7
Sunday, March 13
- The Power of Perception: Media and Women in Tech**(As a former journalist, I’d be there on the first row)
Time: : 12:30 PM
Where: Hilton Austin Downtown Salon F - Let’s NOT Talk About Sex: Case Against the F Word
Time: : 3:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Salon 6 - How to Diversify Tech and Hack Our Unconscious Bias
Time: 3:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Salon 7 - Unapologetic Women Win Meetings in Jeans **(The description seems interesting, and I’m curious about the title)
Time: 5:00PM — 6:00PM
Where: JW Marriott Salon 7
Monday, March 14
- Creating Your Own Personal Board of Directors
Time: 11 AM.
Where: JW Marriott Salon - Lessons from Top Companies for Women Technologists
Time: 12:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Salon 7 - Digital Entrepreneurship and Modern Womanhood **(Seems great, but I’m leaving early on Monday)
Time: 3:30 PM
Where: Speakeasy
Book Reading (you need a badge)
- Female Empowerment in the Self Made Economy **(I belong to female entrepreneurship groups, so I will definitely make it to the book reading)
When: Friday, March 11 Time: 4:00PM Where: Austin Convention Center Room 10AB
Social events (some may require badge)
Friday, March 11
- Girls’ Lounge — A place to connect and network (badge needed) **(I’m not loving the “girls” terminology and last year there were some bloggers offended by the whole approach, but will drop by and see for myself what it’s all about)
Time: All day 8 AM. — 7 PM
Where: 98 Red River St. - IEEE Women in Tech Meet Up (badge needed)
Time:3:30–4:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Room 211–212 - L&B + Lesbians Who Tech (Unofficial SXSW Interactive Kick-Off Party) (no badge)
Time: 9 PM — 2 AM
Where: Highland Lounge
Saturday, March 12
- Lesbians Who Tech (and Friends) Meet Up (badge needed)
Time: : 3:30–4:30 PM
Where: JW Marriott Room 207 - The Queens of Tech: Meet the Gals that are Killing it in the Digital Space Decoded Fashion House @ SXSW 2016 (It’s full but has a waiting list. It will give priority to people with badges)
Time: : 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Hangar Lounge — 318 Colorado St
Sunday, March 13
- Chapter Epic Queen @ Casa México SXSW (no badge) **(Looking forward to meet a bunch of latinas in tech, count me in!)
Time: : 4 PM Where: Casa México (Mexican American Cultural Center — 600 River Street)
Monday, March 14
- Afternoon Tea for Women in Tech By: UK Trade & Investment (no badge)
Time: : 2 PM to 4 PM
Where: Great Britain House @ Wanderlust Yoga Studio — 206 East 4th Street - Women Entrepreneur Meet Up and Mingle (badge needed) **(Would love to go, but I’ll be in Puerto Rico by then)
Time: : 5 PM — 6 PM
Where: JW Marriott Room 211–212
If you’re going to be in Austin for SXSW Music, check out the Business Rules for Women: Entertainment & Media Panel on Friday, March 18 at 5 PM in the Austin Convention Center Room 9BC.
I’m excited about the schedule and eager to connect with other interesting women in the tech startup scene! Do you know about other events for women that will take place in SXSWi or do you want to meet while there? Drop me a line!
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