Austin kicked off SXSW with last night’s 2016 SXSW Startup Crawl. Thousands attended the annual event and over 40 Austin businesses were there to support the crawl, including WP Engine, Google Fiber, Dell, Atlassian, Capital One, and eBay, to name a few.
Here’s a recap of the SXSW Startup Crawl in photos:
The atrium level of the Omni Hotel Downtown is a starting point for the SXSW Startup Crawl, where event attendees can mingle with a variety of local startups, as well as look for hiring opportunities.
WP Engine saw its beginnings as a startup in the Capital Factory, and is a regular sponsor of the SXSW Startup Crawl. Since its startup days the logo has been revamped from its original vision. 
WP Engine employees Ashley Maennle and Mark Kelnar chat with attendees regarding WP Engine’s managed WordPress hosting services, as well as careers we’re currently hiring for. 
The Capital Factory, one of Austin’s top tech incubators and co-working spaces, kicked off a great start to the SXSW Startup Crawl with free swag, beverages, food, and more. 
An entrepreneurial center of gravity in the heart of Texas, the Capital Factory is also a reoccurring sponsor and partner of The SXSW Startup Crawl. 
Dozens of startups set up their booths at the 16th floor of the Capital Factory to chat with guests about their services, give away free swag, and discuss hiring opportunities.
On display at the Capital Factory, re:3D is a 3D printing technology that enables industrial strength, large format 3D printing at 1/10 the cost.
Jalapeño hush puppies? Yes please! A special thanks to BBVA Compass, the main sponsor and partner of this year’s SXSW Startup Crawl, for the delicious treats. 
One of the stops on the SXSW Startup Crawl included Trendkite, a PR Analytics Startup with offices near the Omni Hotel Downtown. The pitstop celebrated the Startup Crawl by equipping its guests with glow sticks and offering free food and beverages.
Modernize, a home improvement startup, hosted a party for the SXSW Startup Crawl, which had a great turn out with a variety of locals, as well as SXSW-goers who didn’t want to wait in the long lines of the other venues.
Stay tuned for more coverage of events from this year’s SXSW 2016 in Austin, Texas!
Thanks for the TrendKite shoutout, Darcy! We had a great time hosting the Crawl, sounds like you did as well!