Gadgets and Gizmos

Connect with the latest tech to arrive on the scene with SXSWi.

By Stephanie Bennett

South By Southwest Interactive is now in its 21st year and only growing. While the City of Austin is making plans to accommodate the influx of geeks (ahem, tech gurus), the screening committee behind both the SXSW accelerator startup competition and the Interactive Innovation awards has been hard at work sifting through hundreds of entries to come up with this year’s finalists for each event.

SXSW Accelerator is a competition held March 14, in which 48 of the most elite startups will have a brief moment in time to give the perfect pitch in hopes of returning for day two, March 15. The SXSW Interactive Innovation awards celebrate those gadgets and gizmos, and the people responsible for them and their ever-changing vision for a tech-driven future. For those unable to attend this year (because, hey, most of us have jobs we can’t abandon), here is a list of the most notable entries and how you can connect with them.

Loopd

In the world of tradeshows, Loopd is shaking up the way we view these events. This innovative company is taking us out of the dark ages and into the digital age of lead capture. Their wearable badge creates a mesh network that will generate and provide real-time data for analysis. Event organizers can easily evaluate what booths had the most traffic. Exhibitors will be able to capture more contact info than with traditional card trading. Attendees will also have access to a list of all the places they checked out. Loopd badges sync with a mobile app (available for ios and android) to put all the data you need right into the palm of your hand. The best part, you can export to your CRM! Want to watch Loopd dazzle those judges? You can find them March 14 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel, Salon F.

Pixbi

Pixbi is for the gal on the go who also happens to have an affinity for shopping. Pixbi takes images of products in digital or print publications and even billboards, and then brings them right to your fingertips to purchase on the spot. By using the Pixbi app to view a magazine, product tags will show on any available products. From there, you can save, share or purchase with the swipe of a finger. It takes shopping for the working girl to a whole new level. Check out Pixbi’s product pitch march 14 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel, Salon G.

SolePower

SolePower is a revolutionary company making waves in the wearable community. Being a mom, an entrepreneur or just a busy woman can be draining, especially on your phone battery. SolePower uses EnSoles placed in your shoes to generate power just by walking. The power is then stored in an external PowerPac that you can plug into your mobile device by USB connection. School field trips, busy exhibit halls and even mad dashes for meetings across town are now a phone’s dying battery’s saving grace. Don’t miss SolePower’s presentation March 14 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel, Salon J.

FireChat

Firechat is the ultimate messaging app. Sure, you can use GChat, iMessage, Facebook messenger and other messaging apps, but can you use any of those without the internet? Firechat enables you to continue conversations when you have no internet or cell coverage. This remarkable app makes use of technology already built into Apple’s iOS. For android devices, Firechat makes use of the mesh network developed by open garden. It gets better; despite the different technologies used to keep communication flowing, any devices using Firechat can still message one another. Meet up with the folks from Firechat during the innovation awards ceremony March 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel.

Digify

Digify is great for the aspiring business leader. This app can be used on a mobile device or desktop, and it works with Dropbox and google Drive. Digify goes above and beyond in terms of file protection. sending out data through Digify provides you with features like copy protection and file tracking. with Digify, you can set a viewer’s time limit for your recipient. Once expired, the file will self-destruct to make sure your documents stay private. If you realize you’ve sent the wrong folder, you still have the option to revoke the share with another feature to further protect your private information. Digify will be at the innovation awards ceremony March 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel.

Bluecadet

Every great business needs a great website. That goes without saying. Bluecadet is one company that does just that and then some. Bluecadet is an Emmy award-winning digital agency that doesn’t just create websites, but also assists with the creation of many innovative apps and interactive exhibits. Introduce yourself to Bluecadet at the innovation awards ceremony March 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Hilton Austin Hotel.