This yearly conference saw Music, Film and Interactive people descend upon Austin, Texas in the US for two weeks of panels, meetups, day parties (with beer), night parties (with beer x 10) and drunken networking revelry.

I was there to check out the conference, stalk the Singapore delegation, meet old friends and make new ones.

So let’s start with…

The SXSW Trade Show:

Exploring the booths.

A message board at the trade show.

A Fedora mascot prancing around.

There were many games and prizes to be won at various booths.

Introducing…the Singapore Pavilion:

(Some 101 on incorporating a company in Singapore.)

Steven from IDA speaking to someone interested in Singapore.

The lounge at the Singapore Pavilion.

Introducing…the startups:

(From left): Hong Ting and Wenhan from 2359media, the company behind MobDis

Julian from Zopim doing his pitch.

Socialico presenting GameMaki.

Audrey, cofounder of PlayMoolah

MobileWalla (previously Wordster)

Varun of GoToCamera was momentarily displaced when I was there snapping away. Check out our quick 5-question interview with him at SXSW. More on GoToCamera.

Lichi from Chalkboard

Jay from Brandtology doing a demo. Brandtology was recently acquired.

Another startup, Sambaash also had a booth, but when I was there taking pics, they haven’t yet arrived at SXSW. I didn’t take a pic of their empty booth.

Picture of the Sambaash booth provided by the company.

On the contrary, Foound was not found at SXSW…(sorry, couldn’t resist):

While mobile startup Foound was supposed to have been at SXSW, they pulled out and remained in Singapore to focus on their product instead.

Danny Tan, founder and CEO of Foound told SGE, “We felt that SXSW was getting too “noisy” and didn’t feel that we would have achieved as much there as we originally wanted. More importantly, our team is focused on building the next iteration of our service here, which will be quite a major revamp.”

2359 Media found SXSW useful:

“For MobDis, SXSW brought together some of the top creative and design minds from interactive agencies across US (and to a lesser extend across the world), who provided us with invaluable feedback and, through the friendships established both during and after conference hours, opened doors for potential business deals to be completed in the months to come.”

(From left): Gwen (SGE), Keith (GameMaki), Audrey (PlayMoolah), Lichi (Chalkboard)

(From left): Gwen (SGE), Steven (IDA), Joachim (IDA)

This Singapore pavilion was driven by IDA, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore – the CIO of the Singapore government.

SXSW wasn’t just about the trade show though, there were many speakers and panel discussions.

Introducing…the Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator pitching sessions:

Advisory board and judges of the Accelerator.

GoToCamera pitched under the Innovative Web Technologies category. They didn’t make it to the finals, but great try, Varun!

ViKi pitched under the Entertainment Technologies category and got into the finals but unfortunately, didn’t win. Great effort, Razmig, nonetheless!

Razmig (pictured center) pitching ViKi on stage during the finals. Photo by Audrey of PlayMoolah.

At the Singapore @ Tech Summit…

We had a really good one hour session where entrepreneurs and people interested in business opportunities in Singapore engaged with our Singapore delegation.

SG ROARS! The Singapore SXSW Party at 512 bar:

Mingling. Singapore + Beer + Asian food + Live music = Wicked!

(From left): Unnamed, Steven (IDA), Julian (Zopim), Joachim (IDA), Audrey (PlayMoolah), Gwen (SGE)

You can see Shashank (SimpliFlying) on the right.

(From left): Gwen (SGE), Vlad (WebOfThings), Rafi (inventor of the first smart rabbit, Nabaztag), Dom (WebOfThings), Vahe (INM), Christine (CityInnovation)

(From left): Gwen (SGE) and Joachim (IDA) with the band in our background.

The goodie bag included a chilli crab soft toy.

With a recipe to boot!

Twilight at the Singapore party.

As cofounder and CEO of Zopim, Julian says, “SXSWi was in one word: EPIC. SXSi was essentially Social Media meets Tech meets Townhall size meetings. To say that we networked with top minds in our industry is an understatement. Ingratiation would be a better term as we got closer to quite a few potential clients and partners. Biz opportunities were opened, high value business targets which we would otherwise never have met were befriended. If you are launching your next product to the world, there is clearly no other better place than SXSW to showcase your service.”

NEXT YEAR, SXSW Interactive 2012 will happen over March 9-13. Set aside those dates!

About

“There have been so many misconceptions about the cloud and it’s different forms. Our goal is to give you a practical view point on what Microsoft’s cloud is, its components and how you can take advantage of it.

This session will give you a technical foundation in understanding how your applications behave in Windows Azure, as well as how your application can interact from inside and outside the platform. The session is targeted towards developers who are curious to find out whether Windows Azure (or the “cloud” in general) is a platform they can benefit from. It will touch on topics such as configuring, packaging, and deploying .NET and CGI-based apps for the cloud, managing your apps, and your storage options.”

Who: Open to all entrepreneurs, developers, business owner looking to connect.

When: Tuesday 29th March 2011
Time: 630 PM – 900 PM
Where: Microsoft Office 21st Floor Auditorium, One Marina Boulevard

Register here.

View Larger Map

6:00-6:30: Registration and Pre-Event Networking
6:30-7:00: Pitching and QnA segment (Please register for pitching if you would like to pitch)
7:00-7:10: Introduction of YoungUpStarts by Daniel Goh
7:10-7:40: Azione-Microsoft Co-Call For Proposals
7:40-late: Networking

Food (pizzas) and drinks will be provided.

1. Mr. Alex Toh, President, Mobile Alliance Singapore; VP (Asia Pac), Top Image Systems; Vice Chairman, SiTF – Best Sourcing Chapter
2. Mr. Loo Cheng Chuan, Principle, Singtel Idea Factory
3. Mr. Alvin Yap, CEO, TheMobileGamer

The Azione Capital-Microsoft Call for Proposal is a call for interactive social-oriented applications for Windows Phone 7 which can be converted into commercial products or services. Developers and entrepreneurs are welcome to join us for this event to find out more about this CFP and generate interest for your product, even if your application is still in prototyping stage.

Microsoft Offerings:
- Free technical training for those who are committed to build interactive social-oriented Windows Phone 7 application
- Provide expertise and technical guidance on a best-effort basis. Priority will be given to those who are creating applications that satisfy the ideal scenarios mentioned above
- Access to multi-touch monitors (inside MIC) for testing applications. Strict prioritization and scheduling will be implemented
- Provide books available for loan to aid in their application development
- Promotion of your Windows Phone 7 application in existing Microsoft channels (i.e. http://xinmsn.com/, Live Messenger, etc)
- Loan out phone devices so that developers can test their applications beyond the emulator.

Azione Capital Offerings:
- $50,000 iJAM Microfunding Scheme
- Specialised mentorship catered to funded application
- Market access to East Asia

Date: Wednesday 25th August 2010
Time: 6:30-8pm
Venue: One Marina Boulevard, Microsoft Singapore, Level 21 Auditorium

Developer and Designer collaboration has never been this compelling!

Microsoft brings you the tools and technologies which allow both Developer and Designer to take their game to the next level -

Silverlight 3 is the third iteration of Microsoft’s cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications for the web.

Expression Studio 3 is a suite of technologies that provide you with professional design and coding tools to create standards-based web sites, rich user experiences for the desktop and Silverlight, as well as managing digital assets and content.

Take the Web to the next level!

REGISTER for this session and learn more about Silverlight, Expression Studio and ASP.NET.

Details on the Event
Date/Time: 25th June 2009 (Thursday), 9am – 5pm
Venue: Microsoft Auditorium, Level 21, NTUC Centre, One Marina Boulevard, Microsoft Singapore
Email: MSDPE@crystaledge.net
Call: Meagan at +65 6293 4947

The program details are found here:

Microsoft BizSpark Singapore is having their second Startup Night for Network Partners, BizSpark-sponsored startups and even startups who are not signed on! This time, the focus is more on the business aspects of running your startups.

Date: Wednesday, 29th April 2009
Time: 630-9pm
Venue: Microsoft Innovation Centre (Microsoft office, 22nd floor)

Introduction / Welcome – John Fernandes (5 mins)
Microsoft’s Interoperability Commitment – Bill Hilf, GM Platform Strategy (15 mins)
Business Enablement Opportunities – Andrew Carmody – A2 (30 mins)

There will also be pizzas with Bill Gates’ face on the boxes, Xbox 360 (projected on 3 large screens): Guitar Hero World Tour, Halo 3, Street Fighter, etc.

Microsoft will also be giving out Innovation.NEXT() jackets to those who can bring a startup friend who hasn’t signed up for BizSpark yet.

Register here.

Microsoft BizSpark Singapore is having their first ever Startup Night for Network Partners, BizSpark-sponsored startups and even startups who are not signed on!

Date: Wednesday, 18th March 2009
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: Microsoft Innovation Centre (Microsoft office, 22nd floor)

Introduction / Welcome – Chrisl (5 – 10 mins)
Microsoft Tech Briefing (MIC) – Eugene (20 mins)
Silverlight – Apurva (30 mins)
Azure / Live Services -Yizhe / ChrisI (30 mins)

There will also be pizzas with Bill Gates’ face on the boxes (serious). Xbox 360 (projected on 3 large screens): Guitar Hero World Tour, Halo 3, Street Fighter, etc.

Register here.

SGEntrepreneurs is happy to announce that we have signed on with Microsoft to be a Network Partner in their BizSpark™ programme. We are the first blog in APAC to have this privilege! From here forth, we join a global initiative aimed at helping startups by subsidizing their costs of development software for technology startups over a three year period.

In Singapore, we join a list of venture capitalists, incubators and web-hosters as Network Partners.

BizSparks provides access to:

Eligibility requirements are minimal: If you’re a privately held company building a software-based product or service (even using open source code), in business for fewer than three years, and with less than USD$1M in annual revenue, you’re in!

To join BizSpark, you must be sponsored by a BizSpark Network Partner, such as SGEntrepreneurs. Visit this page to find out more and apply for Microsoft BizSpark sponsorship with us.

So now there’s a legitimate way of obtaining free Microsoft software without having to scour the web for dodgy downloads! The name which all startups looking to reduce their R&D costs should know is the Microsoft BizSpark programme. Microsoft launched this international initiative for startups in Singapore, coinciding with Global Entrepreneurship Week, and has already signed up 12 startups and 11 network partners.

SINGAPORE — 20 November 2008 — Microsoft today announced the launch of its new global initiative, BizSpark, in Singapore. As part of the BizSpark program, Microsoft will significantly subsidise costs of development software for technology startups over a three year period. The program enables fast and easy access to current full-featured Microsoft development tools and production licenses of server products with no upfront costs, as well as technical support and market visibility. Through BizSpark, Microsoft will also rally the support of local government agencies and network partners comprising of academic institutions, venture capitalists and incubators to provide start-ups with guidance, mentorship and resources to drive business success for them.

To date, Microsoft has signed up 12 start-ups to benefit from BizSpark and aims to enroll a total of 150 startups by the end of the first year of the program.

“Entrepreneurs play a vital role in driving innovation and creating the kinds of new jobs that are essential to sustainable economic growth. Small businesses and local start-ups are starting to feel the pinch from the ongoing economic downturn, and Microsoft is committed to helping them through these difficult times by taking the lead to help accelerate their success”, said Ms. Jessica Tan, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore. “As part of our longer term commitment to nurture a vibrant local software economy in Singapore, Microsoft BizSpark provides business startups with a great combination of development tools, advice, support and international exposure they need to grow and flourish. Through our partnerships with government agencies such as MDA, SPRING Singapore and IDA, we look forward to growing this community of startups to fuel greater innovation and progress and to support the goals set out in the iN2015 Masterplan.”

In Singapore, Microsoft has enlisted the support of 11 “Network Partners” for the BizSpark program which include venture capitalists, incubators and web-hosters. These include Azione Capital, Thymos Capital, Frontedge Capital, Business Angel Network of South East Asia (BANSEA), Expara, Extream Ventures, iAXIL, Upstream Ventures, NUS Entrepreneurship Centre, Aksaas and Webvisions.

Building Startup Success Through Software Access, Market Support and Global Visibility

As part of BizSpark, Microsoft is providing startups with a three-year Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Professional subscription, which makes available for download a broad set of development tools needed to build, test and maintain an application on the Microsoft platform, including Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Through MSDN, BizSpark also provides professional support services and expert information resources. For startups building hosted software, BizSpark includes production licenses for application hosting, management servers, and rights to host a ‘software as a service’ solution over the Internet, using products such as Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server, BizTalk Server and Systems Center, with Microsoft Dynamics CRM to be added soon.

The program also will provide a worldwide network of hosting partners, offering discounted hosting services to startups that would like to take their business or product online using their BizSpark licenses.

Finally, startups will have the opportunity to be profiled and promoted on the BizSparkDB, an online startup directory hosted on the Microsoft Startup Zone, where Microsoft will promote promising startups from around the world every day.

“We think Microsoft BizSpark addresses a fundamental challenge that startups like us face: access to software and support early in the business life cycle when these resources are most needed and least affordable. BizSpark will give startups like ours a chance to grow and put Singapore on the global map,” said Mr. Alvin Yap from GameMo.

In addition to the core BizSpark offering, BizSpark startups will be eligible for other Microsoft offerings, such as Microsoft cloud services technologies, including the following:

• Access to the community technology preview (CTP) of the Azure Services Platform, a new computing platform that will help developers build the next generation of applications that will span from the cloud to the enterprise datacenter and deliver compelling new experiences across the PC, Web and phone. The Azure Services Platform was announced last month at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC2008).
• Access to the community technical preview (CTP) of the Live Framework, a simple, open and interoperable framework for developers to access and consume Live Services. Live Services is a set of building blocks within the Azure Services Platform for handling user data and application resources, which includes Live Mesh technologies for synchronizing users’ data and extending Web applications across multiple devices.

Microsoft will also ensure that BizSpark members are notified of all programs of particular interest to startups, such as the Microsoft Web Platform Installer and Microsoft Web Application Installer. These offerings, make it easier for developers to bring compelling PHP and .NET Web applications to market faster with a streamlined download, install and configure experience, as well as design and development integration and pre-packaged open source applications that run well on the Microsoft Web Platform.

About BizSpark
BizSpark is available worldwide to privately held startups building a software-based product or service that have been in business less than three years and have less than USD $1 million in revenue. BizSpark provides startups with software, support and visibility early in their life cycle when those resources are most needed and least affordable. As a demonstration of Microsoft’s commitment to startup success, a program fee of USD $100 is payable on exit from the program rather than upfront when joining. More information about BizSpark and other startup resources is available at the Microsoft Startup Zone at www.microsoftstartupzone.com/.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.