What I've learned from evaluating 1000+ SXSW proposals

Every year, I find myself deep in proposal evaluation mode. Fortune 100 CEOs, ambitious VPs, indie strategists, even actors and athletes - they all end up on my screen with their big ideas and bigger hopes to secure a slot to speak at SXSW.

After evaluating thousands of submissions, a few patterns emerge. Here's what I noticed from reviewing the 2026 batch - what makes some land, and others slide.

Why Now?

If your topic could've run unchanged five years ago, you need a really compelling hook. "Leadership in uncertain times" isn't going to cut it unless you've got something genuinely fresh to say about how the ground has shifted. The best proposals ladder off recent changes in the world - new tech that enables different interactions, cultural shifts that change behavior, or legislative changes that everyone's overlooked. This doesn't mean jumping on the latest fad: you can still win with a timeless topic - it just needs to answer that question of "why now?"

Going Big Requires Going Specific

Broad topics like "AI's impact on creativity" or "Diversifying creator revenue streams" are everywhere. If you're tackling something massive, you need an unexpected angle. Don't tell me about last week's Harvard Business Review headline. Show me the counterintuitive insight or the connection no one else is making. If you get this right, decent chance you'll also cover the "Why Now?" - two birds, one stone.

The YouTube Test

Can someone get this exact content on their phone while sitting on the toilet? (or other place where they may like to sit). If yes, you've got a problem. People are spending serious time and money to be at SXSW. Give them something that can only happen in that room, with those people, at that moment. One way you can succeed here? Formats...

Format Innovation

Everyone defaults to panels. But think about your material. Is a multi-person discussion really the best way to convey what you're trying to share? Interactive demos, structured debates, hands-on workshops, reverse presentations where the audience teaches you - the format landscape is wide open and under-competed.

I can't overstate the importances of formats - and format innovation. You don't need to do much - just a small twist can be more than enough to stand out and take the audience somewhere new.

Stakeholder Mapping

This is where most proposals fall apart. If you're doing a session on RFPs, having a vendor (e.g. agency, consultancy, etc.) in the room isn't just nice - it's essential. A panel with four buyers from big companies may look like a smart move, but it's going to be completely lopsided.

Here's where it gets most interesting: hidden stakeholders. They can make your session electric. I'm not talking just anyone here, of course. I mean people who have a vested interest, who are stakeholders in the topic, but can be easily overlooked.

What if that panel on workplace motherhood was moderated by a dad? What if your startup pitch session included someone who's failed spectacularly?

Show Your Face

Even thirty seconds of video helps me understand who you are. Not a polished corporate piece - just you, talking about why this matters. Don't script it - doing it that way makes me believe you less. Don't worry if you stumble or stutter. I just need to know you're a human, you're you, you're the person who I'm going to and see at the event. This matters now more than ever.

Most submissions are faceless. Don't be most submissions.

The proposals that work aren't just good ideas. They're good ideas from people who've thought carefully about why this room, why these people, why this approach, why now.