This spring, our Director of Business Development, Jo Opot and I attended SXSW Edu and SXSW Interactive in Austin. Here are some of the highlights of our trip.

• The best part of SXSW by far is the community and the opportunity to connect with lots of amazing, brilliant entrepreneurs and educators who have assembled to share their ideas about innovation. We enjoyed meeting folks such as Heather Hiles from Pathbrite and Althea Erickson from Etsy.
• Spontaneous networking was effortless thanks to the Hilton lobby, break rooms and receptions where we met with Learning Bird, Simple, Tuscarora Unit 11, Culture Booster and Rada Film Group.
• We connected with some of our B Corp friends such as Provoc, Change.org and MightyBytes at the B Corp Meetup.

• We attended "Women Who Whiskey" and brunch meetups with the Tech Lady Mafia. 
• I can't stop thinking about those breakfast tacos from Torchy's. I can't believe I have to wait another year before I can have more of them!
• Thank you Steven Freidmutter of Cornell University for the insiders guide to SXSW and thank you Andrew Schmidt of Puma for introducing us to the best rib joint, Iron Works. Does anyone know if they can Fedex a ribs platter to the North East?
• The bar at the Four Seasons was a great place to meet all our new friends and a good place for celebrity sightings as well.
• We are still trying to figure out how the manager at Palm Door managed to coordinate a simultaneous live Mariachi band, bouncing castle, live blue grass band, a salsa/80s/hip-hop DJ, open bar and late night fajita extravaganza.
• I stopped by the  Daily Juice Cafe to grab a smoothie and some hippy treats. It made me feel a little like I was back home in Ithaca.
• Google Glass was, of course, the essential wearable tech accessory for most people at the conference. Let's face it--they do look a little funny. I really enjoyed the 3D printed version that Jennifer Turliuk invented called "Frugal Glass".

• Some of the tech trends that I noticed in the festival content included: wearable tech, human centered design, the internet of things and smart home devices, open data in government, digital currencies, tech enabled activism and more.
• The most useful SXSW app was Connect from Ryan Allis and Anima Sarah Lavoy. Connect maps where your facebook, LinkedIn and other network friends are at any given moment. Exactly what you need at such a large event.
• It was also fun to also connect with our friends from Upstate Venture Connect, StartFast and the CNY tech community.
• I missed Student Startup Madness this year, but heard that it was a great event.
• Kudos to Peter Nilsson of Athena and Heather Hiles for remarkably emceeing LAUNCHedu and congrats to the winners. 
• Crossfit Central Downtown was just a few blocks from the convention center, so I managed to fit in my Crossfit Games Open workout in between sessions.
• I love all the eco-friendly bike taxis. That was my favorite way to get around the festival.
• I'm really excited about the launch of the SXSW Cookbook by the awesome founder of Cookbook Create: Anna Curran.
• Austin food trucks are so much fun. My favorite: The Peached Tortilla.
• Finally, SXSW wouldn't be complete for me without a trip to Esther's Follies to hear some amazing comics such as Kumail Nanjiani and a night cap at the Driskill.

Can't wait till next year's festival!!