Sharing Wake County’s Story at South by Southwest

Wake County Economic Development, the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau all joined forces to tell the region’s story at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, March 11 – 14. The Interactive Trade Show is an annual four-day event that attracts national and international entrepreneurs, along with business leaders in media, technology, mobile technology, and software development. Our presence promoted the strengths of Raleigh’s entrepreneurial community, as well as what makes Raleigh an attractive location for business, entrepreneurs, and talent. To showcase the region’s exceptional quality of life, the group brought products and representatives from local “makers,” including:

• House of Swank
• Hail Mary Mix
• Trophy Brewing Company
• Larry’s Coffee
• Videri Chocolate Factory

Local civic and business leaders also joined a host of SXSW panels. These ambassadors who represented Raleigh included:

• Ashley Christensen, James Beard Award-winning chef at Poole’s Diner
• Mayor Nancy McFarlane
• Cindy Whitehead, founder of the Pinkubator
• Jason Williamson, vice president of Startup Ecosystem at Oracle Corporation
• Thomas Haun, senior vice president of Partnerships at PrecisionHawk
• Talib Graves-Manns, executive director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center
  at Shaw University

Check out the group’s journey through Austin, search for #Raleigh2SXSW on Twitter.