Russ Shaw is founder of Tech London Advocates. In this article, he provides a summary of the tech presence at this year’s SXSW festival.
Every year in Austin we get to glimpse into the future, as top technology professionals come together to have a beer and share their latest work. This year gadgets took a back seat, and the issues, not the apps, dominated the headlines at South by Southwest (SXSW).
There was no sign of the next Twitter or Periscope. Instead, we were confronted with major issues, ranging from security and violence to diversity and employment. Not only is the personal political, now it’s seems that technology is too.
One thing that is clear from the buzz is this industry is no longer reserved for the stereotypical techies and trekkies. Tech is grappling with challenges facing nations. Political risk is soaring, from the migrant crisis in Syria to the US elections and the upcoming EU referendum. As ever, tech entrepreneurs set their sights on our greatest challenges....