AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Startup Texas, a regional branch of the Startup America Partnership, will hold its 2nd annual SXSW event, "A Celebration of American Startups," which celebrates past startup pioneers and the dynamic future of entrepreneurship in America. Startup Texas, along with event partners the Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Startup America Partnership, will host the event on Saturday, March 9th from 7:30 – 11:30pm at the iconic ACL Live at The Moody Theatre.
The evening will feature a live pitch competition, celebrity panel-discussion, multi-media presentations and live music from an amazing lineup including:
- Sam James from NBC's The Voice
- Larry G(EE)
- The King of Funk, Bootsy Collins will bring the house down
Onstage, the event will feature The Startup America Partnership's leadership team, including CEO Scott Case; and founder and Chairman Steve Case. They will be joined onstage by some of the nation's leading entrepreneurs, including:
- Tristan Walker, Entrepreneur in Residence at Andreessen Horowitz; and Former VP, Foursquare
- Brad Smith, CEO of Inuit
- Dhani Jones, NFL Linebacker and Co-founder, Bow Tie Cause
The event will include:
- "Fireside chats" with guests, who will offer their insights for future leaders
- An onstage startup competition competing for the attention of legendary judges and prizes
- An exclusive preview and special dedication of "Jobs" the Steve Jobs biopic will be revealed
"Startup Texas is thrilled to host A Celebration of American Startups. We believe this event is exactly what SXSW is all about – highlighting innovative thinking and success... and of course having a great time, which Bootsy Collins brings in spades," commented Trey Bowles, Chair of Startup Texas. "We are grateful to Startup America and the Austin Chamber of Commerce for their support in making this an amazing evening."
"A Celebration of American Startups" has been made possible through venue sponsor Gemalto, as well as .CO, RocketLawyer, CFPA, Crowd of Angels, Chaotic Moon, American Airlines among others.
The event is open to all SXSW Interactive badge holders. For more information, visit www.CelebrationofAmericanStartups.eventbrite.com.
About Startup Texas
Startup Texas is a regional branch of the Startup America Partnership that is a growing national movement of thousands of funders, experts and resources providing startups access to the corporations, investors, and services they need to grow. Launched in 2011, the Partnership brings together startups and local champions from around the country focused on creating successful networks for young, high-growth companies to thrive. AOL co-founder Steve Case chairs the Partnership and the Kauffman and Case Foundations are its founding partners. For more information on Startup Texas, visit http://www.startuptexas.co and follow us @startuptex and www.facebook.com/startuptexas.
About the Austin Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Austin Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership that facilitates the creation of a prosperous regional economy and effective advocacy for its members. Austin is one of the best places to be to work in technology. Ranging from software to bio-tech, advanced manufacturing to clean tech, Austin is home to more than 4000 technology companies and over 108,000 technology employees. Learn about the Chamber's Tech Partnership here. For more information about the Austin Chamber of Commerce visit austinchamber.com.
About the Startup America Partnership
The Startup America Partnership was launched at the White House in response to President Obama's call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation. The Partnership is bringing together an alliance of major corporations, funders, service providers, mentors and advisors working to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of high-growth enterprises in the U.S. AOL co-founder Steve Case chairs the Partnership and the Kauffman and Case Foundations are founding partners. American Express OPEN, Dell Inc., Intuit Inc., and Microsoft are sponsors. The Partnership will identify, measure and report on the effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration in support of entrepreneurial ventures and its effect on job creation and growth. For more information on the Partnership, visit www.s.co and follow us at www.twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.