SXSW Interactive formats vary, similarly to the programming tracks that you can find at the event. Formats range from one-on-one mentor sessions to panel sessions led by up to four industry-leaders. We like to provide several options to our registrants – we know everyone learns differently.

Interactive Session Formats

Featured Speakers
Featured Speakers are a series of hour-long presentations that see some of the most recognizable and well respected thought leaders take the stage. These sessions are held in our largest programming rooms and span across all of our themes.

Keynotes
These hour-long, internally curated Keynote presentations showcase the trends and ideas that we believe to be the most important or significant within the new media industries. The Interactive Festival hosts one Keynote per day of programming.

Mentor Sessions
Mentor Sessions aim to pair relatively newcomers in the field of technology with an experienced new media professional for seven minutes of intense, one-on-one career coaching. Our mentors range in areas of expertise and make themselves available for an hour's time. Advance sign up required.

Solo, Dual and Panel Presentations
The vast majority of our Solo, Dual and Panel programming is sourced through the PanelPicker®. Panels typically feature one moderator and up to three additional industry experts who represent different perspectives and opinions. Solo and Dual presentations offer less diversity of opinion but more in-depth analysis. Each of these formats are one hour in length.

Workshops
Our in-depth, instructional Workshop program offers advanced level technical information that revolves around a particular topic or skill. Workshops enable SXSW registrants to gain more expertise in their particular area of interest and vary from two, four or eight hours, depending on the topic at hand.
Advance sign up is required. If you're interested in receiving a notification when signups become available, please fill out this form.

2015 SXsports Session. Photo by Errich Peterson