SXSW: No 'Hot Apps' Anymore But Still a Launchpad For Some Startups

South by Southwest is no longer the preferred launchpad for social apps, but it may be for others like Blue Duck, a San Antonio-based transportation company debuting its scooter service this weekend. From a report: Between Twitter's big breakout moment in 2007 and Meerkat's in 2015, SXSW has served as a great marketing opportunity for social apps. But that's ended as consumer trends have shifted and Hollywood and other consumer companies have taken over the festival. Standing outside the Austin Convention Center, co-founder Eric Bell tells me that he came up with the idea out of frustration with his local public transit, and he designed the scooters. For now, the company is self-funded, but he expects to soon raise outside funding.

As Hollywood has taken over?

[Anonymous Coward]

It used to be a music festival. Someone *else* took over first.

Re:

[PopeRatzo]

It used to be a music festival. Someone *else* took over first.

It hasn't been just a music festival for nearly 30 years. I drove down in 1989, and there was already computer graphics/movies/cultural flotsam presence.

I mean, even the fucking name of the festival is taken from a Hitchcock movie.

Re: As Hollywood has taken over?

[PopeRatzo]

Your generation has ruined enough..

I agree entirely. Considering a bunch of high school kids in Florida have been able to accomplish in a few weeks something the four generations before them have not been able to, I'd say that anyone over 19 needs to get out the fucking way. The kids are all right.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com... [orlandosentinel.com]

Re:

[PopeRatzo]

"The kids are all right.' If your quoting lyrics from The Who then your obviously an old geezer yourself. Busted....

I already admitted to being an old geezer. And I'm happy to see a new under-20 generation taking care of business (TCB). They're better in every way than the generations before them.

Re:

[iamhassi]

Your generation has ruined enough..

I agree entirely. Considering a bunch of high school kids in Florida have been able to accomplish in a few weeks something the four generations before them have not been able to, I'd say that anyone over 19 needs to get out the fucking way. The kids are all right.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com... [orlandosentinel.com]

I agree, giving guns to teachers is a major accomplishment generations before them were not able to. Perhaps the next school shooting will be stopped by armed teachers instead of cops who stand outside and do nothing http://m.washingtonexaminer.co... [washingtonexaminer.com]

Re:

[iamhassi]

Which is why we should all have the right to protect ourselves everywhere

Re:

[Mashiki]

Here's your complimentary armband and black boots. So which fundamental right shall you step on next and support 'kids' in? I'm guessing the 1st amendment.

The app mentioned has lots of FUNDED competition

[postbigbang]

A kickstarter won't help. Federal funding might.

Re:

[postbigbang]

It went over your head that public transportation requires public funds. Watch what happens when you cut off those funds. Oh, wait, see the billions in road funds rather than rail, and mindless numbers of federally funded airports. Pick one.

'Blue Duck' ...

[jmdevince]

This is like something straight from Dilbert. Oh wait, it IS something straight from Dilbert.

There is a reason

[spoot]

Why the locals here in Austin call it South By So What.

best part of SXSW interactive

[trybywrench]

the best part of the interactive portion is when it starts to turn into the music festival. For about 1.5 days you get the music people crossed with the nerds. It's a pretty funny juxtaposition. I went a few years ago, it's very big so unless you go with a specific agenda it's overwhelming. THe highlight when i went was stumbling into a small room of about 20 where some pinterest engineers were talking about how the scaled as Pinterest started taking off. I loved all their stories like "well, see, the main