Austin, Texas: a city where technology, music, culture and entrepreneurial spirit converge. Our colleague Erdinç was on the ground at SXSW 2026 last week, showcasing the German startup ecosystem alongside our MediaTech startups.
The German Haus once again served as the central meeting point for founders, investors, creatives and decision-makers from around the world. For the German startup ecosystem and particularly for the MediaTech sector, the week offered a unique platform on the international stage.
MediaTech in the spotlight
This year saw particular focus on media technologies: discussions around artificial intelligence in storytelling and media production, emerging music tech formats, and the question of how digital platforms are fundamentally reshaping the way content is discovered and experienced dominated the agenda.
Our Highlights:
- MediaTech Morning, organised by de:hub: an accessible exchange between founders, investors and media experts from both sides of the Atlantic – with Erdinç on the panel.
- Startup Showcases and Pitch Sessions featuring teams developing tools and platforms for the next generation of media.
- Panels on Transatlantic Collaboration providing concrete insights into how MediaTech startups scale between Europe and the United States.
- Daily Live Music Highlights with German artists – compelling evidence of how tech, music and creative culture are growing together.
We were particularly happy to see Graphers, xounds and JYMMiN – three startups from the MTH network, present their innovative ideas to a broad, international audience and forge important new connections.
SXSW remains a unique space where the future of technology, media and the creative industries is taking shape.
Our heartfelt thanks to de:hub and all partners behind the German Haus for providing such a wonderful platform. We’ll be back!
Some impressions from SXSW (Picture credit: inshorefilms)
