Three startups, founded by UT students and alumni, will showcase their innovations at the South by Southwest Pitch from March 13-14 on the third floor of the JW Marriott. They will compete for the top spot in their entry category and for prizes, such as two registrations for SXSW 2027 and sponsor gifts. Part of 67 companies, the startups were selected from over 600 applications to present their ideas on a global stage.
Presenters include Pike Robotics, a finalist in the Intelligent Systems, Robotics, & Multisensory Technology category; Pinpoint Irrigation, a finalist in the Student Startups category, and FrontRow Notes, an alternate in the Student Startups category.
“Sharing something as exciting as South By is just recognizable, and it’s something that … people will automatically understand,” Avery Neale, an electrical computer engineering and finance junior and founder of FrontRow Notes, said. “I come from a family … (that’s not) super entrepreneurial, but they instilled that in me, so I think it’s really exciting to give back, in a way, to them.”
Finalists in the competition will present their product in three minutes preceding six minutes of Q&A with a panel of judges that includes “venture capitalists, angel investors, and early adopters,” according to the SXSW website. Alternates receive one minute to showcase their invention to gain exposure to the general public, investors, customers and educators.
Connor Crawford, UT alumnus and CEO and co-founder of Pike Robotics, said his startup emerged from the Nuclear and Applied Robotics Group led by Mitchell Pryor at UT and originally received funding from Phillips 66, a petroleum refinery company. Crawford said his team developed a robot that can inspect critical infrastructure in flammable and hazardous environments.
“Having something that improves lives and makes jobs less dangerous and gives people another way to do things that’s easier, more beneficial and more efficient, I think that’s something that’s a big driver for (the Pike Robotics team),” Crawford said.
The event also provides opportunities for networking with Austin tech hub industry professionals and other startup founders. After the pitch events, audience members will have the opportunity to “meet the startups” on March 15 to ask any questions about the products.
“It’s always good to kind of see what else is out there, and then you get to trade war stories and successes and failures with other founders because no one really understands the struggle, unless you’re talking with someone else that’s been through it,” Crawford said.
The startups also received coaching and access to resources to help fine-tune their pitches before the showcase.
“I did three different meetings with (the coach), and that was super, super helpful in terms of getting it down to three minutes, but then also (in) telling a narrative,” Stephen Herrera, second-year MBA student and co-founder and CEO of Pinpoint Irrigation, said.
Pitch provides the opportunity for startups to receive investments. According to the SXSW website, over 80% of companies “have secured funding, collectively raising over $22 billion in venture capital and exits.”
“It would be really awesome to find an investor who aligns well with accessibility and social impact, so that’s an exciting opportunity that we’re looking out for,” Neale said. “Part of what FrontRow is trying to do is just get into any learning space, whether that’s a university or a company, so we’re also trying to connect with some people at bigger companies to hear about how their accommodations work.”
