SXSW Innovation Awards: Aug 16 Deadline
The Forrest Four-Cast: August 15, 2018
The early application deadline for the 2019 SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards is end of day on Thursday, August 16. If you enter your digital project before this deadline, you will save $75 on the application fee.
Click here to read more about the application process.
The regular application deadline for the 2019 SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards is end of day on Thursday, October 4.
The SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards recognize ground-breaking gadgets, devices, projects and accomplishments in 13 different categories. For 2019, these categories include:
AI & Machine Learning
Honoring digital systems which have the ability to adapt to changing data, stimuli, and circumstances; replicating learning, problem solving, and cognition.
Health, Med, & BioTech
Honoring the best new technology to improve the quality, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care in health and medicine.
Innovation in Connecting People
Honoring the most forward-thinking ways to connect and communicate with others.
Music & Audio Innovation
Honoring the most innovative devices or services that change and improve the way we listen to, compose and enjoy music.
New Economy
Honoring those redefining the exchange of goods and services, from the sharing economy, to virtual currency, to micro-finance, to mobile-device-payment systems, and beyond.
Robotics and Hardware (New)
Honoring the hottest new advances in the field of robotics and hardware.
Smart Cities, Transportation & Delivery (Expanded)
Honoring innovations in eco-friendly or sustainable energy, transportation, delivery and IoT technology, making life in the connected world a smarter, cleaner, greener, and more efficient Internet of Everything.
Social & Culture Impact (New)
Honoring the best new projects and technologies that focus on social and cultural impact and encourage communities and individuals to participate in and contribute to the betterment of society.
Speculative Design (New)
Honoring the best new work that uses design to re-think products, systems and worlds and address the challenges, opportunities and possibilities of the future.
Student Innovation
Honoring exceptional student projects and startups that focus on interactive technology for the future.
Style & Wearable Tech (Expanded)
Honoring the new hardware that revolutionizes the convenience, comfort, functionality, efficiency, and fashion of having a device literally “on you.”
Visual Media Experience
Honoring content creation and delivery that moves beyond passive viewership by providing a more immersive and engaging entertainment experience.
VR, AR & MR (Expanded)
Honoring breakthroughs in augmented, virtual and mixed reality technology including the application of new hardware or software which truly make the virtual a reality.
Finalists for the 2019 SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards are honored at a gala ceremony on the evening on Monday, March 11. Finalists also have the opportunity to demo their work at the Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase on Saturday, March 9.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
