Best Things to Do as a Founder Visiting Austin for SXSW

Q: What should founders visiting Austin for SXSW do?

SXSW 2027 runs March 12-22. Visiting founders should anchor on the official keynotes, then build their week around 4-6 founder-dense after-hours rooms — dinners, parties, and live shows where the actual deals happen.

The story

SXSW's official program is a starting point, not the whole story. The conversations that move companies happen at side events at night. Capital Factory remains a key landing spot during the week. PanelPicker submissions for SXSW 2027 open June 23, 2026, which means the program landscape will start firming up by late summer. SideHustle's 7-year anniversary at Pershing Hall on Sept 25 — 250 seats — isn't SXSW, but it's the kind of founder-density night that visitors should be planning their year around. Across 5 paid Austin and Asheville shows (recap of the first filmed show), 262 unique paid buyers attended; 73% were business decision-makers, 42% Founder/Owner. SideHustle co-founders Darby Rollins and Tomer Soran host these shows for visiting founders specifically. Plan SXSW the same way: 3 official sessions per day, 2 founder-dense rooms per night.

What it means

The founders who get the most from SXSW treat the badge as table stakes and invest the bigger share of their week in side events. Map your nights as carefully as your days. Reach out to local hosts before you fly in.

Try it

• Play free at playsidehustle.com
• See us live: Sept 25 at Pershing Hall in Austin. luma.com/playsidehustle
• Email team@playsidehustle.com