Austin is 775 miles from Denver, but we have a hunch we’ll feel right at home — if not at home, then in heaven. March 13th kicks off the highly anticipated, 22nd annual South by Southwest Interactive Festival in the Texas capital, and Innovators Peak will attend for our first time ever. 

We’ve picked out our outfits, downloaded apps, and packed our sleeping bags. Well, not the latter. Regardless, we’re already geeking out. The five-day interactive extravaganza, ending the 17th, brings together bright minds, eager startuppers, and innovative ideas through panels, networking events and yes, video games. Together, we can not only foresee our future, but also shape it. And of course, have tons of fun doing it.  

When the tech-focused portion winds down, SXSW Film (the 13th – 21st) and SXSW Music (the 17th – 22nd), pick us right back up. Break out your lighters and denim cutoffs, Denverites: the Colorado Music Party Showcase will rock the Lone Star State with a lineup 120-bands strong. Clearly, there’s a lot to write home about, and trust us, we will.

While Austin keeps it weird, we’ll keep it real. Follow Innovators Peak as we venture through SXSW wide-eyed and wired, dishing it all for Denver. You should, too! Like all great things, this takes a collaborative effort. Share with us your favorite SXSW moments, advice for us first-timers (we’re going to need it), and maybe even a selfie or two.

Tweet us at @InnovatorsPeak. Like us at Facebook.com/InnovatorsPeak. If you’re there, hit us up on the pre-alpha version of FaceTime — we believe it’s called “meeting face to face.”

Catch us at these events:

Friday, March 13th

Artist Meets Hacker – 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Startup Spotlight – 4:00pm - 6:00pm
UPG Unfriended Screening – 5:30pm - 6:55pm

Saturday, March 14th

Hackathon for Social Good – 9:00am – 6:00pm
Beyond the Bar Graph – 9:30am – 10:30am
How to Not Hire and Retain Employees of Color – 12:30pm - 1:30pm
FLW Approach to Digital Design – 12:30pm - 12:45pm  
LA and The Innovation Economy – 3:30pm - 4:30pm 
Government Surveillance: How You Can Change It – 3:30pm - 4:30pm 
Making Makers Who (Fearlessly) Make – 3:30pm - 6:00pm 
The Story of Creative Icons: Failure to Mastery – 5:00pm - 5:30pm

Sunday, March 15th

Running A Non-Profit Like A Startup! - 12:30pm - 1:30pm

The Digital Kaleidoscope: How Race Appears Online – 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Rolling Papers Documentary Screening – 9:30pm – 10:49pm

Monday, March 16th

Impact Pediatric Health Pitch Competition: Parts 1, 2, & 3 – 9:30am – 1:30pm
Tech Talk: Building a Startup Ecosystem – 9:30am – 10:30am
The Changing Privacy Landscape – 11:00am – 12:00pm
How Innovation Happens – 12:30pm - 1:30pm 
Innovation Everywhere: Building Up Startup Cities – 3:45pm - 4:00pm 
Startup Spotlight – 4:00pm - 6:00pm 
Coding Culture: Programming a Best Place to Work – 5:00pm - 6:00pm 
You Can’t Sit With Us: Craft Beer Subculture – 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Tuesday, March 17th

Accelerators by the Numbers: 2014 Rankings – 9:30am – 10:30am
Is Mobile Tech the Answer to our Political Apathy? – 12:30pm - 1:30pm