With South by Southwest Interactive one week behind us, we’ve compiled links to articles, blog posts, tweets, photos, audio and video that cover or mention Silicon Prairie-based entrepreneurs and startups that took part in the event. During the five-day festival in Austin, Texas, a number of individuals from the Silicon Prairie participated on panels, competed in the accelerator, attended the awards or threw a party.
Editor’s note: Links will be added as we find them. If you know of an item we’re missing, whether it’s a blog post or tweet, please send it to editor@siliconprairienews.com.
Panels
“The Field of Dreams Manifesto“
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Dwolla’s Ben Milne and Zaarly’s Bo Fishback speak with our own Jeff Sobotski about founding startups in the Silicon Prairie.
Moderated by our very own Jeff Slobotski, this Saturday morning panel featured Bo Fishback of Zaarly, a startup based in San Francisco with an office in Kansas City, and Ben Milne of Des Moines-based Dwolla. The hour-long session gave a behind-the-scenes look at how startups are taking root outside of Silicon Valley, specifically in Kansas City and Des Moines.
Audio: “The Field of Dreams Manifesto“
Tweets:
Sometimes the best conversations happen when you surround yourself with smart people and argue until all are quiet says @bpmilne #Manifesto
— Kevin Richardson (@klrichardson) March 10, 2012
Biggest thing concerned about is cliques developed in the Valley. Outsiders must pound pavement. Beat your drum louder #Manifesto @bpmilne
— Kevin Richardson (@klrichardson) March 10, 2012
“Think Global, Blog Local: The Regional Tech Blog“
Twilio’s Danielle Morrill leads a conversation about regional tech blogs with our own Danny Schreiber, TECHdotMN’s Mike Bollinger, Technically Philly’s Sean Blanda and Silicon Florist’s Rick Turoczy.
Assembled by our managing editor, Danny Schreiber, the “Think Global, Blog Local” panel on Saturday afternoon focused on the backgrounds and importance of regional tech blogs. The discussion was led by Twilio‘s Danielle Morrill, a former editor of a Seattle tech blog, and included representatives from TECHdotMN, Technically Philly and Silicon Florist.
Audio: “Think Global, Blog Local: The Regional Tech Blog “
“How to Build Entrepreneurship Communities“
Kohort’s Shane Reiser (far left), a former Des Moines resident, moderated a panel on building entrepreneurship communities.
On Sunday afternoon, Nick Seguin of Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and our very own Jeff Slobotski took part in a discussion focused on the key ingredients of successful startup communities.
Audio: To be released on sxsw.com
Aritcles:
- Entrepreneur: “Your Community as a StartupEcosystem“
- Silicon Hills: “SXSW panelists advise how to foster entrepreneurial communities” (Storify)
Blog posts:
Tweets:
Finding a team is one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs, even in Silicon Valley! peninsulapress.com/2012/03/02/spe…#BEcomm cc: @mpd
— Karen Lee (@karenlee) March 11, 2012
Communities aren’t markets. Here’s a list of books for community builders: bit.ly/zBS39H #SXSW #BEComm
— Bootstrap Austin (@bootstrapaustin) March 11, 2012
Map your entrepreneur scene, encourage others to step up. Here’s the #ATXentScene Map: bit.ly/ye772y #SXSW #BEComm
— Bijoy Goswami (@bijoy) March 11, 2012
#sxbecomm @venture4america “communities can pull themselves together w/out name brand entrepreneurs and can make great things happen”
— Alison Lindland (@GirlMobile) March 11, 2012
“Internet Bubble the Sequel: 1999 All Over Again?“
TechCrunch’s Alexia Tsotsis (middle) led a discussion on whether or not there’s a tech bubble approaching.
Dwolla’s Ben Milne took part in a lively conversation comparing the Dot-com bubble in the ’90s to the current environment. With Dwolla’s headquarters in Iowa, Milne was the one panelist from outside of Silicon Valley and New York. The other panelists included Ethan Kurzweil of Bessemer Venture Partners, Peter Pham of Science and Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer of AirPR.
Audio: To be released on sxsw.com
“Encouraging Innovation and Empowering Entrepreneurs“
Capital Factory’s Joshua Baer interviews U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas at SXSW.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) made his first visit to SXSW on March 10 in order to spread the word about The Startup Act, a bill introduced by himself and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on the premise that the easier it is for creative individuals to take risks and start a business, more jobs will be created.
Audio: “Encouraging Innovation and Empowering Entrepreneurs”
Articles:
- Politico: “At SXSW Jerry pushes startup Bill“
- TechCrunch: “Democrats And Republicans Agree: We Need More Startups [TCTV]“
- SPN: “Kansas Sen. Moran talks Startup Act at SXSW, urges big social media push“
Blog posts:
- Jerry Moran website: “Talking Startup Act at SXSW in Austin“
Photos:
- Jerry Moran website: Sen. Moran Meets with KS Entrepreneurs
Tweets:
.@SteveCase introducing Sen @JerryMoran and praising for his work on bipartisan #StartupAct to help entrepreneursow.ly/i/vikl
— Allie Burns (@allieb37) March 11, 2012
Tech industry should spread the word about #startupact and #jobsact @stevecase— Yaniv Yaakubovich (@yanec) March 11, 2012
Senator Moran says it is very important to keep talent here in this country #startupact#SXSW — motaavi (@motaavi_news) March 11, 2012
SXSW Accelerator
Innovative Web Technologies category
Naithan Jones of AgLocal delivers his pitch onstage at the SXSW Accelerator.
AgLocal co-founder and CEO Naithan Jones took his company’s “power to the meat lover” motto to the SXSW Accelerator‘s innovative web technologies categories. Though it did not advance in the startup competition, it did win another event during SXSW, the Startup America pitch contest on March 9.
Video: “Naithan Jones pitching at SXSW Startup America Austin City Limits Live!!” and “AgLocal winning Startup America pitch at SXSW“
Articles:
- SPN: “SXSW Accelerator pitch today continues busy stretch for AgLocal“
- Kansas City Business Journal: “Startup company AgLocal: SXSW festival has boosted momentum“
- PC World: “SXSW Cool App: AgLocal Lets You Buy Meat From Local Growers“
Photos:
SXSW Awards
Technical Achievement category
The LiveOn team gathers around a table during the Interactive Awards ceremony on March 13.
LiveOn, based out of Kansas City, Mo., was an Interactive Awards finalist in the technical achievement category and though it didn’t win, it made the most of their first trip to SXSW experience.
Blog:
- LiveOn blog: “SXSW Interactive Day One: A Celebration of Creativity and Ideas“, “SXSW Day Two: Everyone has a Story“, “SXSW Day Three: Celebrities, Internet Privacy & Breakfast Cereal“, “SXSW Day Four: A Glimpse of the Future, “SXSW Day Five: Awards, T-shirt Tributes & Pinterest
Video:
- LiveOn on Vimeo: “LiveOn gets it’s SXSW On…“
StartupBus
Blake Miller of Think Big Partners
Blake Miller (back left) and the Get Wished team on their way to Austin.
Blake Miller of Kansas City-based Think Big Partners participated in the Las Vegas StartupBus team that launched Get Wished during the 72-hour hackathon on its way to SXSW. Though it didn’t make it to the finals, GetWished launched its beta site on March 10.
Press release: “Las Vegas StartupBus Launches GetWished.com During 72-hour Hackathon“
Blog posts:
- Blake Miller blog: “StartupBus Day 1 Recap” and “Buspreneurs Log. Day 2. BUILD BUILD BUILD!!!!!“
Audio:
- Think Big Partners: “008 Think Big Radio: Blake Miller’s StartupBus Experience“
The @getwished team@crystalschang @fredguest @blakemiller32 me! @jesseditson @_crossdiver instagr.am/p/H42_1yl2I5/
— Diana is broccolini (@broccolini) March 7, 2012
One of our hustlers @blakemiller32 pitching @getwished at Gangplank twitter.com/broccolini/sta…
— Diana is broccolini (@broccolini) March 7, 2012
We Didn’t make it to #thestartupbus finals, which is good news for all you users! Now we can focus on our product! #wishbig
— Get Wished (@getwished) March 11, 2012
It’s become a cliche this week but my life has been changed pumped to continue work w/ @getwished team thank you @TheStartupBus later #sxsw
— Blake Miller (@blakemiller32) March 11, 2012
Silicon Prairie Cereal Bar
Hundreds of SXSW attendees gathered at Halcyon on Sunday morning.
On March 11, more than 600 SXSW attendees joined SPN and other attendees from the Silicon Prairie region for networking over a free bowl of cereal.
Photos:
- SPN on Facebook: “Silicon Prairie Cereal Bar“
- Greater Des Moines Partnership on Facebook: “Silicon Prairie News SXSW 2012 Cereal Bar“
Blog posts:
More Silicon Prairie startups at SXSW
Rockupied (Columbia, Mo.)
- Rockupied Blog: “Sharing: A Recap of SXSW 2012“
Dwolla (Des Moines)
- TechCocktail: “Ben Milne’s Journey From College Dropout to Payment Innovator“
Local Ruckus (Kansas City)
- Local Ruckus blog: “The SXSW Experience“
Zaarly (San Francisco-based, Kansas City office)
- Digital Lab: “SXSW 2012 – Bo Fishback, Founder & CEO, Zaarly” (Video)
- TechCocktail: “Bo Fishback of Zaarly: We didn’t even exist at SXSW last year“
- PCWorld: “SXSW: Location, location, location fuels mobile apps“
- All Things D: “The Best and Weirdest Requests and Errands at SXSW From Zaarly, TaskRabbit and Others“
- Inc.com: “2 Start-ups at SXSW Trying to Disrupt the Economy“
Also, published on SPN, SXSnippets
- “SXSnippets: Keeping people of the Prairie from feeling home alone“
- “Building a business on a bus“
- “Breakfast tacos and blow-up beds for Hudl’s CEO“
- “Soggy Saturday still ‘overwhelming, cool and addictive’ “
- “Catch Nick Seguin if you can“
- “Checking in from a sun-splashed Sunday at South By“
- “AgLocal embraces ‘awesomely weird’ Austin“
- “Dwolla’s Lampe learns the allure of ‘lasers, wine and geeks’ “
- “With Jock Jams and Red Bull in tow, RecBob hits the streets“
Credits: Photo of the “The Field of Dreams Manifesto” by Danny Schreiber. Photo of the “Think Global, Blog Local” panel by Dana Vachon. Photo of Blake Miller by Diana is broccolini. Photo for “Encouraging Innovation” by Danny Schreiber. Photo of “Entrepreneurship Communities” by Alison Lindland on Twitter. Photo of “Internet Bubble” by Danny Schreiber. Photo of SXSW Accelerator by Brittany Mascio. Photo of SXSW Interactive Awards from liveon.com. Photo of Blake Miller from Diana on Twitter. Photo of Silicon Prairie Cereal Bar by Otto Helweg.
