South by Southwest came and went… And we had a great time! With only about a month before we go live, Charity Charge had the opportunity to spread the news and hype for the upcoming launch. We were incredibly fortunate to have been invited to a series of events, from participating in social entrepreneurship panels to being chosen as a top tech startup, and getting to know some awesome people who were interested in what we are doing. We want you to stay up-to-date on the steps of Charity Charge so here is recap on what went on at SXSW:

First Stop: The BBVA Compass Pre-SXSW Startup Crawl
SXSW had an early kick-off at the BBVA Compass Startup Crawl Megastop. This event turned Capital Factory into a startup soiree. With more than 80 Austin startups in attendance, thousands of crawlers had the opportunity to learn about innovative tech startups, get a cold beer, and network away. To make things even better, Charity Charge was chosen by BBVA Compass as one of the top ten FinTech Startups!

Second Stop: WeWork Panel on Social Entrepreneurship
As SXSW Interactive progressed, Charity Charge had another opportunity to participate in the conversation after CEO and founder Stephen Garten was invited to a panel discussion with other social entrepreneurs at WeWork. A rich discussion on how to make “doing good” a functional and expected aspect of the business model took place among a panel of representatives from Dell, Impact Hub, +SocialGood, Bombas, and our very own Stephen from Charity Charge. The diverse experience of each of the panelists together with WeWork, itself a disruptor in the workspace model, as the stage for discussion tied it all together.

Third Stop: Dell Social Good After-Party
Our SXSW spin ended at the Dell Social Good After-Party as we celebrated the one-year anniversary of Adrian Grenier as Dell’s Social Good Advocate partner. Working to create a sustainable future through technology, virtual reality was put to good use for the Lonely Whale Documentary produced by Grenier. Senses are heightened throughout the experience as the viewer is fully immersed into the pursuit of finding the “lonely whale” and the fight against ocean noise pollution. It was inspiring to learn more about Dell’s Legacy of Good and their efforts to make their social good initiatives a reality.