Are you looking for new approaches to an annual conference or convention?
It’s easy to find inspiration simply by scrolling through agendas of upcoming conferences, especially those known for creativity, like the SXSW Innovation Conference, part of the 10-day SXSW gathering in Austin, Texas, that’s been invigorating and enlightening minds for 40 years. The Innovation Conference draws about 75,000 people, who come for its tracks on health, tech, culture, design, sports, education and more.
Here’s a look at some aspects of the agenda for this year’s conference, which was held in mid-March.
Need a topic? Eyeball an agenda.
Skim session topics at the SXSW Innovation Conference, and you’ll probably find some that work for your audience. Here are some examples from this year’s agenda: “In Uncertainty We Trust: The New Rules of Leadership,” “Why Work Sucks (and How We Can Make It Joyful Again)” and “Don’t Be Cringe: How to Actually Win Gen Z and Alpha.” Many SXSW sessions are panel discussions, involving professionals whose expertise aligns with the topic. For example, professors and company founders/CEOs explored ways to shrink gaps found in multigenerational workforces during a session called “How to Design a Successful Work Culture.” In a session titled “Saying Yes to the Unthinkable Works,” Raja Rajamannar, a marketing master from Mastercard, encouraged audiences to quit playing it safe and go forward with bold ideas. Another great topic that almost any organization could explore was breakthrough technologies. A staff member of MIT Technology Review led the session, explaining 10 breakthrough technologies the publication had chosen and their likely impacts.
Bring like minds together
SXSW’s Innovation Conference excels at connecting people, a challenge at any large conference. Its approaches are easy to emulate. For example, its Braindate is a simple way to encourage brainstorming. Attendees can sign up and meet in the Braindate Lounge, where they suggest topics then talk about them in small groups or one-on-one. The conference also offers meetups aimed at a wide swath of audiences. Here’s a partial list: Moms, Education Founders, LGBTQ and Friends, Gen Z Professionals, Black Founders and Investors, Podcasters, and Space Workforce. The Sober Space Meetup is designed for those in any form of recovery, providing a confidential, nonjudgmental opportunity to gather. Sports was the springboard for another networking event. At the Bavarian Breakfast and Watch Party, soccer fans dug into German dishes at the Munich House as they watched the FC Bayern Munich match. It wouldn’t be difficult to put together a similar gathering for fans of baseball, basketball, tennis or even pickleball.
Explore AI topics
Every year, one topic seems to dominate agendas at every conference. This year, it’s artificial intelligence. Dozens of sessions at SXSW 2026 tackled the many ways AI is changing work and daily life. For example, “AI and the Brain: As We Embrace AI, Let’s Not Forget Our Minds” questioned what happens to our capacity to learn and reason when AI maps our routes and writes our codes. In “Afraid of AI? In Cleveland It’s Enabling Economic Mobility,” two city leaders explained how AI is being used connect people to job opportunities in a more equitable way. Here are a few examples of other AI-related sessions at the Innovation Conference: “Nature Speaks: Can AI Help Us Listen?”, “When AI Does the Work, What Do Humans Do Next?” and “Harnessing AI to Serve Creators and Customers.” If you need ideas for interesting angles on this ubiquitous subject, look through 2026 conference agendas.
Deliver info in different packages
Of course, big-name keynote speakers like Steven Spielberg, who opened this year’s conference, are part of the SXSW conference, but there are many other ways information is shared at the Innovation Conference. During featured sessions, noted experts focus on ideas that will shape the future. During panels, three to four industry pros take the stage and share their perspectives on one subject. Fireside chats are conversational, as two experts delve into a topic. One of the panels at SXSW that combined big names and big ideas included activist and actor Jane Fonda, comedian W. Kamau Bell and Jessica Weitz of the ACLU, who talked about how you don’t have to be famous to organize and protect free speech. Attendees could also sign up for 15-minute, one-on-one sessions with mentors who are experts in aeronautics, venture capital, podcasting, education, entrepreneurship, storytelling, AI, cryptocurrency and many other areas.
Supply a taste of local business
It’s not surprising that such a long-standing conference has a strong lineup of sponsors for many of its major events. This year, SXSW also made an effort to involve more local businesses so that attendees could get a better grasp of what makes Austin special. At the nightly free gathering on Congress Street, a collection of local businesses shared their wares: An ice cream shop handed out scoops, and makers of cider and tequila provided free sips. A coffee company brewed its mushroom coffee and matcha lattes and invited attendees to unwind with yoga. A major conference hotel sponsored Wellness Mornings; a camera and video business shot free professional headshots; and a transportation company sponsored a lounge where attendees could check out its latest options.
Nationally known corporations also offered some interesting booths. Pharmaceutical company Lilly sponsored an oasis for wellness, where it promoted stress management, sleep and other basics of good health, while Carnival Cruise Line brought some fun with its LOL Booth, where attendees could dial up punchlines and other playful messages and possibly win prizes.
