Sponsored By Marketing Manchester
As SXSW 2025 gets into full swing, Manchester’s landmark presence at the festival has already made waves with historic agreements and captivating sessions.
[jump]Manchester has made its most ambitious presentation yet at SXSW 2025, with more yet to come, as the delegation, led by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig has delivered a series of events showcasing the parallels between the two innovative cities.
Manchester and Austin have earned reputations as beacons of innovation, social progress, cultural vibrancy and the most interesting and welcoming places in the world – themes that have taken centre stage during Manchester’s presence at SXSW 2025.
The Northern England city, with its £80 billion economy and one of the fastest growing in Europe, coupled with its rapidly expanding tech sector, demonstrates why it’s Austin’s natural partner in innovation and cultural creativity.
Manchester was recently named the UK’s most AI-ready city, home to the largest fintech cluster outside London, a strong cyber ecosystem, and boasting a tech sector that employs over 96,000 people. The city-region offers access to 7.3 million skilled workers within an hour’s reach and maintains direct flights to over 200 global destinations through Manchester Airport.
At SXSW yesterday “2 Cities 5,000 miles apart: The Tale of Austin & Manchester” took place with Mayor Andy Burnham, Cllr Bev Craig and Mayor Kirk Watson exploring how both cities maintain their distinctive character while managing rapid growth. The session looked at how Manchester and Austin have a reputation for being radical, socially conscious and always championing equality and justice.
Joe Manning, Managing Director of MIDAS, Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency, who will be part of the Manchester delegation emphasises the significance of this SXSW presence: “Our return to Austin allows us to showcase a transformative creative, digital, and tech sector that has become a global hub.
“Like Austin, we’ve got that perfect storm of culture, innovation, and a distinct approach to doing things differently. Our partnership with Austin is more than just business, it’s about two cities that understand the future of urban innovation.”
The delegation’s meetings with Texas based industry leaders, including AECOM, Cloud Imperium Games and Dell, underscore the serious business potential of this cultural exchange as the partnership comes at a pivotal time for both cities.
Today, the collaboration reaches new heights as Manchester joins forces with other Northern UK cities at Palm Door on Sixth (12-6 PM) under the theme ‘Different by design.’
The showcase kicks off with a true Texan BBQ at midday, setting the stage for an afternoon of collaboration and creativity. From 2pm to 6pm, visitors can explore multiple interactive zones, each highlighting different sides of Northern excellence.
The showcase includes a pop-up ‘mini-cini’ demonstrating why Hollywood giants are choosing Northern locations for their productions, from the cobbled streets that hosted Peaky Blinders to dramatic landscapes featured in recent blockbusters. The ‘Innovation Arcade’ will let visitors experience cutting-edge gaming technology from Northern developers, while the ‘Live Lounge’ atmosphere will feature emerging Northern artists, including Manchester’s own hip-hop talent OneDa, performing reimagined covers of classic Northern tracks.
Also today, Mayor Burnham’s appearance at the LBJ School’s “Meet the Mayors” series, will offer valuable insights into urban innovation and public infrastructure development, underscoring Manchester’s growing influence on the global stage. In conversation with Urban Lab Director Steven Pedigo, Mayor Burnham will share insights into Greater Manchester’s transformative initiatives in public transport, economic development, and youth skills advancement.
For Austin’s business community and creative professionals, Manchester’s SXSW presence represents an opportunity to engage with a city that understands the challenges and opportunities of rapid growth.
Join the Northern UK showcase today at Palm Door on Sixth from 12-6 PM. The event is open to all SXSW badge holders and promises to demonstrate why Manchester and Austin’s partnership represents the future of international collaboration.
To find out more about the Manchester delegation and showcase visit: https://www.investinmanchester.com/manchester-at-sxsw/