SXSW Release It provides a platform for companies to launch a new and innovative product or service during a pitch competition on the opening day of the SXSW Conference.

Ten cutting-edge companies launching a new product or services during this SXSW season will present to a panel of hand-picked judges, comprised of technology industry experts, venture capitalists, and high-profile media. A winner will be chosen based on which product or service is most likely to succeed in the marketplace.

Past winners for the Release It event include Potrero Medical, Honest Dollar, Inteliclinic Inc., Neuroon Open, and Abartys Health.

SXSW Release It Schedule

Friday, March 8, 2019 | Hilton Austin Downtown (4th Floor, Salon C)
Session 1 | 11am–12pm
Session 2 | 12:30pm-1:30pm

Ampl
Santa Monica, CA

Ampl is a News Discovery & Article Sharing Platform that enables messaging and annotation within articles. Ampl aggregates from over 250+ premium publishers and 90+ Topics. Ampl’s mission is to become the go-to social platform for news consumption, inspiring more discussion around people’s interests by making Article Sharing fun & easy.

Dorsum
Portland, OR

Dorsum is a company solving the problem of back pain caused by spinal misalignment during repetitive motion activities. Our supportive spinal device inserts into apparel as part of an interchangeable back support system. Dorsum is committed to creating purposeful and dependable products that adapt to motion and the user’s needs.

Leaf Tyme
Chicago, IL

The Leaf Tyme mobile app is a directory for the cannabis industry that connects consumers and patients to licensed dispensaries, brands, and clinics in their area. The platform allows users to find cannabis laws and regulations by state and learn how cannabis can help with common health conditions.

Lumous Helmet
Los Angeles, CA

Lumos is a next generation bicycle helmet that features integrated lights, brake, and turn signals. Lumos started as a Kickstarter campaign, and has gone on to be featured as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things and TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018. Lumos is also the first and only bike helmet to be sold in over 300 Apple Stores worldwide.

Nori Health
Nieuwegein, Utrecht

AI-driven chatbot coach for chronic disease patients. Nori helps them through regular conversations to discover and change lifestyle factors that make symptoms worse. To find an optimal quality of life with positive relationships.

Reviver Auto-mWebb
Foster City, CA

Reviver Auto created the Rplate, the world’s first and only digital license plate, transforming the 125 year-old metal license plate into a multi-functional, bi-stable high definition digital display, and customizable, connected vehicle platform. It enables virtually any legacy vehicle to transform itself into a connected smart vehicle taking advantage of today’s and tomorrow’s technology including smart cities, AI, autonomous and semi-autonomous systems, various vehicle ownership business models and much more.

Riteband
Stockholm, CA

Riteband is a stock exchange for music that empowers artists by bringing them cash when they need it; from fans and other investors who buy their future music copyright revenues. Backers can make a profit through secondary trading, just like on the stock exchange. Find the hit. Make money.

10 Block
Venice, CA

10 Block transforms high quality feature films & TV series into an experience the mobile generation loves by making great stories into bite-size blocks you can discover, binge and share on your phone. Their platform helps content owners reach today’s mobile viewers in an addictive social community.

The Labz
Atlanta, GA

The Labz’ is a music collaboration platform that frees music creators from the complex burden of song ownership data collection, ownership splits and song registration. We do this by integrating into the music creator’s current music sharing and songwriting digital workflow, collect data while creators collaborate, take that data to instantly register their ownership on a Blockchain database platform, and auto-generate simple forms such as a copyright and a split-sheets.

Thisten
Winnipeg, Canada

Thisten is an audio to text platform that transcribes the world’s information – in real time. Backed by Google Creative Lab, Thisten was founded by Liz Jackson and members of SkipTheDishes’ startup team – Rui Melo, Ben Grynol and Sudeep Sidhu.

2019 Release It Alternates

Dance Reality
Seattle, WA

We enable people to learn to dance anytime, from the comfort of their homes, from the best instructors in the world, and at a fraction of the cost, using AR with just a smartphone or tablet.

Dresslife
Hannover, Germany

Dresslife enables 1-to-1 personalization for fashion with exceptional accuracy, by integrating human feedback into its AI. Its technology allows customers to find the clothes they love and that fit. Dresslife’s vision is to create a market network for fashion that matches clothing for consumers across retailers and brands.

ZPEG
Austin, TX

ZPEG increases video encoder performance by 25% or more without compromising the visual experience. Companies sending video can reduce their bandwidth bill, increase the visual quality, and reduce buffering with a simple to install upgrade to their system.

Release It relies on hand-picked emcees and judges, qualified to determine the viability of a startup based on their demonstrated business and investment experience. The judging process will determine which of the finalists has the most innovative product or service. The following individuals have agreed to contribute their expertise toward the success of the Release It event.

Emcees

Jen Consalvo
TechCo Media
Las Vegas, NV

Jen Consalvo is Co-Founder and COO of the tech-focused media company, Tech Cocktail, as well as the Founder of Thankfulfor, an online gratitude journal community. She has worked in product development for over a decade, leading large and small teams in a range of product areas such as digital imaging, community & social platforms and personalization. The majority of her career was at AOL, planning and building products used by millions of people globally.

Andy Stoll
The Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City, MO

Andy Stoll is a serial entrepreneur and a senior program officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he is responsible for the implementation and management of the Foundation’s ecosystem development strategy. Before joining the Kauffman Foundation, Stoll co-founded Seed Here Studio, a social good company specializing in building innovation ecosystems in unexpected places.

Judges

Todd Nuckols
Enterbridge/Lighthouse
Richmond, VA

Todd Nuckols is the Managing Director of Lighthouse Labs, an active adviser to Canvas solutions, wild supporter of a co-working space in Richmond, VA and founder of StartRVA.

Melissa Larson Youngblood
Venn Ventures
Dallas, Texas

Co-founder of Venn Ventures, Investor in Tech Startups, lots of investments in Texas startups but also throughout the U.S. & Europe, industry agnostic, 3 Exits, Entrepreneur, Female Investor, Mother. Helped build Worldwide Express from the ground up, now worth $2B. Travel enthusiast, eternal realist.

Jennifer Skjellum
CO.LAB
Chattanooga, TN

Jennifer Skjellum, Director of Programs at the CO.LAB helps entrepreneurs getting started and those ready to scale. Her career includes building; companies, educational programs, investor networks, and nonprofit organizations.

Coaches

Release It coaches work closely with the finalists in the months leading up to the event to assist them in their onstage presentations.

Will Akins
WeWork Labs
Dallas, TX

Will Akins started the Dallas WeWork Labs location to support startups in DFW through impactful connections and resources. A Florida transplant, he moved to Dallas to get involved with startups and joined The DEC.

Clarisa Lindenmeyer
Proximity To Power
Dallas, TX

Revenue and Monetization Expert C-Suite Strategist, Brand Builder, Marketing & Communications Expert, PR Specialist, Event Producer.

Cijoy Oickal
Plymouth ai
Dallas, TX

Business-centric technologist driving applied research into organizations. Professor of Blockchain at the University of North Texas.

Raquel Vincent
Raquel Vincent Communications
Dallas, TX

Raquel Vincent is a content creator, coach, and marketing manager. With over 10 years of experience working with nonprofits, startups, and entrepreneurs, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the table.

Christiana Yebra
Currency
Dallas, TX

Christiana Yebra is the founder of Currency Strategies, a Texas-based company focused on increasing customer acquisition and engagement. She is also the Co-Founder for the Dallas Millennial Club, a service-based movement to bring a positive sentiment back to the word “millennial” through engaging events and volunteering. After college, Christiana helped to launch Texas’ first on demand urgent care app where she developed her love for technology, business development and marketing strategy. Her dedication to driving consumer engagement and improving user experience has led her to start businesses in event production, digital marketing, and most recently a STEM-related apparel line for young girls.

Olivia Zhao
Google
Mountain View, CA

Olivia is an engineer, entrepreneur, product manager and business leader who is passionate about building cutting edge technologies that positively impact millions of lives.

Browse the Past Participants Archive for a list of SXSW Release It winners, finalists, judges, and other participants from previous years including the 2018 Winner:

Potrero Medical
San Francisco, CA

Potrero Medical has developed the Accuryn system, a smart urinary catheter and monitor that tracks multiple vital signs via the bladder continuously and automatically, and is developing algorithms for the early prediction of kidney failure, sepsis, hemorrhage, and other diseases, thus saving lives and dramatically reducing the cost of care.

Browse Past Winners & Finalists