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Finalists in 13 Categories Announced for 20th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation AwardsAUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 10-19, 2017) has announced the 70 finalists for its 20th annual Interactive Innovation Awards, taking place on Tuesday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. CDT at the Hilton Austin Downtown (Grand Ballroom, 6th Floor). The SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards celebrates the incredible speakers, trends, innovations, and ideas that are brought to Austin each year. This event is open to all SXSW Interactive, Film, Music and Platinum badgeholders. New to the Awards ceremony this year is the second annual David Carr Prize, awarded for the best essay submitted from writers, bloggers and journalists. Created last year to honor the late David Carr, a friend and great contributor to SXSW and the journalistic community, the essay topic follows Carr's interest in the convergence of new media, technology, and culture. The 2017 SXSW David Carr Prize Finalists are: Mike Armstrong, "The Heart of Something Heartless" The ceremony also will include the induction of Kara Swisher into the SXSW Interactive Hall of Fame. Swisher is the executive editor and co-founder of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast, and co-executive producer of the Code Conference series. Swisher's career sits at the nexus of what's most important to SXSW Interactive: Innovation and inspiration in the tech industry, and — perhaps more importantly than ever — uncompromisingly honest journalism. In addition to the Awards ceremony, this year's finalists will have the opportunity to exhibit and demo their work at the Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase on Sunday, March 12 from 11-5 p.m CDT at the Hilton Austin Downtown (Salons C, D, and E, 4th Floor). The Finalist Showcase offers SXSW Interactive, Music, Film, and Platinum badgeholders a first look at the most exciting tech developments, including achievements in digital design, health technology, privacy and security, 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality, plus a chance to place their votes for the People's Choice Award. Registered media and official Awards jurists will have exclusive access to the Showcase and finalist demos that morning, from 10-11 a.m. CDT. "We are proud to not only honor the year's best, most forward-thinking projects, but to bring that innovation to the fingertips of each and every SXSW conference attendee during the Finalist Showcase," said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. "I'm particularly impressed at how many of these projects are implementing next-generation AI technology. This AI theme is one that will be very strong throughout SXSW 2017." A panel of judges comprised of industry peers and experts reviewed hundreds of applications to determine this year's finalists. Each entry was graded on four criteria: creativity, form, function and overall experience. The Finalist Showcase provides an in-person experience for the judges to complete their second round of voting to determine the winner of all 13 categories, Anyone with a SXSW Interactive, Film, Music and Platinum badge can vote on the People's Choice Award at the Finalist Showcase on Sunday, March 12. The SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards will reveal winners in each of the 13 categories plus six additional honors, including: Best of Show, People's Choice, Breakout Trend of the Event, Speaker of the Event and Meme of the Year. The 2017 SXSW Interactive Innovation Award Finalists are: HEALTH, MED & BIOTECH DIY CRISPR Kit by The ODIN, San Francisco, CA INNOVATION IN CONNECTING PEOPLE Blendoor by Stephanie Lampkin, San Francisco, CA INNOVATIVE 3-DIY 3Doodler PRO by 3Doodler, New York, NY Onyx One 3D Printer by Markforged Inc., Cambridge, MA Original Prusa i3 MK2 by Prusa Research, Prague, CZE MUSIC & AUDIO INNOVATION HOLOPLOT Wave Field Generator by Holoplot GmbH, Berlin, DEU NEW ECONOMY Blinker App by Blinker Inc, Denver, CO PRIVACY & SECURITY Almond 3 Smart Home Wi-Fi System by Securifi, Reno, NV RESPONSIVE DESIGN Johnson & Johnson CaringCrowd by CI&T and R/GA, New York, NY SCIFI NO LONGER Airobotics Automated Drone Platform by Airobotics, Petah Tikva, ISR SMART CITIES Cota Tile by Ossia, Bellevue, WA STUDENT INNOVATION BionicM - Powering Mobility for All by Xiaojun Sun | JSK robotics lab at The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JPN VISUAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE Beneath the Waves by Periscope Pictures | Hungry Sky | Western Australian Museum, Perth, WA, AUS VR & AR Meta 2 Development Kit by Meta, San Mateo, CA WEARABLE TECH BLIND CAP by Cheil | Samsung | The Spanish Paralympic Committee, Madrid, ESP The list of winners from the 2016 competition can be found here. The SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards ceremony and Finalist Showcase is open to all SXSW Interactive, Film, Music, and Platinum badgeholders. Accredited media are invited to attend the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards and Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase. The deadline to apply for press credentials is Wednesday, February 8, 2016. All journalists must be on assignment with a media outlet in order to be considered. SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2017 will take place March 10-19, 2017. SXSW 2017 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy, Bud Light, Capital One, McDonald's, The Austin Chronicle, and Sonicbids. Press Contact
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