Slack at SXSW: The recap

For our second visit to SXSW, Slack went big, Texas-style, bringing a vision of a more inclusive, productive and pleasant future of work to life. But don’t worry if weren’t able to join us in Austin. We’re here to catch you up on what everyone was talking about… 

Making Slack HQ a destination

We took over nearly an entire city block at 3rd and Congress with an aptly named activation open to all. Slack HQ was a one-stop shop for product education, one-of-a-kind swag, thought leadership, good vibes, and plenty of moments of surprise and delight. More than 13,000 people stopped by, helping to make it come alive.

Doors were open to the “house of Slack”

Our immersive installation allowed you to literally tour Slack in a multi-room experience. From the unexpected gems of channels magnetic poetry (#taco-launch-party, anyone?) to the slew of clips made by attendees from around the world, visitors had the chance to try out some of our most innovative and iconic features in new, personal ways.

People from all walks of life became part of Slack huddles and saw the benefits of integrations at work. And at the end, their hard work was rewarded with the Slack bandana spotted ’round SXSW—plus an exclusive offer for attendees.

Taking the stage at Slack Studio Live

The programming on our home stage rivaled any at SXSW, with a full lineup of leading voices sharing new insights, pro-level Slack tips and more. We were proud to host exclusive live recordings of The Vergecast, On with Kara Swisher and Brave New Work, which featured special guest Brian Elliott, the co-founder of Future Forum and a senior VP at Slack.

That was just the beginning. We shared new ways to manage calendars and cancel meetings, showcased Slack for teams of every size, and told stories of career pivots and second chances. We welcomed leaders from Salesforce, Yeti, SXSW, H-E-B, 160over90, Procore Technologies, Atlassian, ServiceNow, Moontower, Fortress and HeadRace … just to name a few! Plus, it was all spearheaded by many of our own Slack leaders and product experts.

Introducing AI to the HQ

The ChatGPT app for Slack was the talk of the town, and Slack HQ attendees were some of the first to try it out (and sign up for the beta) at our demo stations in the space. Newbies could get started with Slack with one-on-one demos, too. And when not consumed by all there was to learn and do, everyone got the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy sweet treats in the Slack Oasis Lounge.

Sign up to access the ChatGPT app for Slack beta 

Around town

Over in the Austin Convention Center

We joined more than 200 exhibitors in the Creative Industries Expo to show how customers like Salesforce and SXSW use Slack, offering some much-needed coffee to busy attendees. The booths were abuzz with people eager to get a firsthand look at Slack and how it works for companies large and small.

On the big stage

When we weren’t hosting our own show, Slack was part of the larger SXSW conference. Future Forum co-founder Sheela Subramanian led a discussion on building more productive, successful workplaces with Stack Overflow, Greenhouse Software and Box. Have a listen to “Creating a more connected future of work.”

“Opening Tech Careers to the Formerly Incarcerated,” Next Chapter’s Kenyatta Leal led a discussion with folks from Stash Financial and Slack on the impact of expanding access to tech training and employment for formerly incarcerated people. Even more than inspiring, it offered ways for everyone to start building a more inclusive tech sector.

Catch up

Couldn’t make it to Austin? Check out #SlackSXSW on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to see more of this unforgettable adventure.