SXSW Interactive Reveals Finalists for 2015 SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The South by Southwest Interactive Festival today announced the finalists for the 18^th annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, taking place the evening of March 17, 2015, on the sixth floor of the Hilton Austin Downtown. Previously called the SXSW Interactive Awards, the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards embraces the evolving and broadening scope of the digital industry by reflecting its increasingly diverse ecosystem of platforms, software, apps and devices. The awards ceremony will be emceed by the raucously talented comedian James Adomian, and is presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers and supporting sponsors Cloud.typography and IBM.

Beyond the new name, the 2015 competition features 14 entirely new categories, including Health Med & Biotech, Innovation in Connecting People, Innovative 3-DIY, Internet of Things, Music Discovery, New Economy, Privacy & Security, Responsive Design, SciFi No Longer, Student Innovation, Sustainable Tech, Transportation Advancements, Visual Media Experience, and Wearable Tech. All finalists within these categories reflect developments or redesigns made within calendar year 2014.

Out of hundreds of applications received, this year's 70 finalist spots were selected by a panel of judges comprised of industry peers and experts. The meticulous consideration of each entry also included the first-ever SXSW Interactive Gadget Fair — an exclusive opportunity for judges to interact with, test, and evaluate the physical devices entered for consideration in the 2015 competition.

"We are truly honored and humbled by the caliber of this year's Innovation Award finalists," said Mason Stewart, SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Coordinator. "SXSW Interactive is driven based on the values of innovation, inspiration and creativity, and these finalists embody these principles to their core."

In addition to announcing the winning entry in each of the 14 categories, the 18^th annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards ceremony will reveal the Breakout Trend of SXSW 2015, Speaker of The Event, and People's Choice; all special honors selected by the public. The March 17th event will also include the induction of Tamara Hudgins into the SXSW Interactive Hall of Fame.

This year's SXSW Interactive Innovation Award finalists include:

HEALTH MED & BIOTECH
Awarded for an innovation that improves the quality, efficacy, and/or cost-effectiveness of diagnosis, treatment, and care in the field of medicine.

Alvio
By: Qol Devices
alv.io
New York, NY

CareCycle Navigator
By: CareCycle Management
carecycle.com
Dallas, TX

Fly-inspired Hearing Device
By: Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
utexas.edu/news/2014/07/22/fly-super-hearing-engineering
Austin, TX

LIM Innovations Infinite Socket
By: LIM Innovations
liminnovations.com
San Francisco, CA

VocaliD
By: VocaliD
www.vocalid.co
Boston, MA

INNOVATION IN CONNECTING PEOPLE
Awarded for the best new way to connect with others.

FireChat: the first off-the-grid messaging app
By: Open Garden Inc.
opengarden.com/firechat
San Francisco, CA

Stream - broadcasting from your mobile device
By: Infinite Takes
stre.am
Charleston, SC

Talkitt: This Is My Voice
By: Voiceitt
talkitt.com
Jerusalem, Israel

UNI
By: Motion Savvy
motionsavvy.com
San Francisco, CA

VocaliD
By: VocaliD
vocalid.co
Boston, MA

INNOVATIVE 3-DIY
Awarded for making 3D printing technology more accessible, producing more affordable personal 3D printers, or to the Maker using such technology in new and exciting ways.

Da Vinci 1.0 AiO
By: XYZprinting Inc.
us.xyzprinting.com/product/dv10aio
San Francisco, CA

Open Gigabot (OpenGB)
By: re:3D
re3d.org
Austin, TX

Project Daniel
By: Not Impossible
notimpossiblenow.com/labs/project-daniel
Los Angeles, CA

Strati, The World's First 3D Printed Car
By: Local Motors Inc.
localmotors.com/localmotors/the-3d-printed-car-aka-direct-digital-manufacturing/
Las Vegas, NV

The Raptor Hand Series by e-NABLE
By: e-NABLE
enablingthefuture.org/upper-limb-prosthetics/raptor-reloaded/
San Francisco, CA

INTERNET OF THINGS
Awarded for the best smart product that most seamlessly integrates into our lives to improve convenience and efficiency through its intelligence and interconnectedness.

Cone
By: Aether
aether.com
San Francisco, CA

Clever Buoy
By: M&C Saatchi
cleverbuoy.awardentries.org
Sydney, Australia

Guide Dots
By: VML
creativeworkbench.com/guide-dots
Kansas City, MO

Hammerhead
By: Hammerhead Navigation
hammerhead.io
New York, NY

Sprinkl
By: Sprinkl.IO LLC
sprinkl.io
Frisco, TX

MUSIC DISCOVERY
Awarded for changing and improving the way we listen to and enjoy music.

22Tracks
By: Microsoft
22tracks.com
Redmond, WA

Cone
By: Aether
aether.com
San Francisco, CA

Meludia
By: Meludia
Meludia.com
Paris, France

Mogees: Play the world.
By: Mogees
mogees.co.uk
London, England           

SoundCloud iOS Redesign
By: SoundCloud
soundcloud.com/mobile
San Francisco, CA

NEW ECONOMY
Awarded to those redefining the exchange of goods and services, from the sharing economy, to virtual currency, to microfinance, to mobile-device-payment systems and beyond.

Acorns
By: Acorns
acorns.com
Newport Beach, CA

Clover Mobile
By: Clover Network
clover.com/pos-hardware/mobile
Mountain View, CA

Cultivate
By: PivotDesk
cultivate.pivotdesk.com
Boulder, CO

Gridmates
By: Gridmates
gridmates.com
Austin, TX

Strati, The World's First 3D Printed Car
By: Local Motors Inc.
localmotors.com/localmotors/the-3d-printed-car-aka-direct-digital-manufacturing
Las Vegas, NV

PRIVACY & SECURITY
Awarded for 2014's most progressive accomplishment in the way we go about securing our data and ensuring our privacy.

Digify
By: Digify Inc.
digify.com
Redwood City, CA

Disconnect
By: Disconnect
disconnect.me
San Francisco, CA

netwars / out of CTRL
By: filmtank GmbH
netwars-project.com/webdoc
Berlin, Germany

openPDS/SafeAnswers
By: MIT Media Lab
openpds.media.mit.edu
Cambridge, MA

Virtru
By: Virtru
virtru.com
Washington, DC

RESPONSIVE DESIGN
Awarded for excellent digital design, creating the best-integrated interaction in terms of content, aesthetics, and functionality.

100 Years of Design
By: Second Story, part of SapientNitro
celebratedesign.org
Portland, OR

Bluecadet
By: Bluecadet
bluecadet.com
Philadelphia, PA

Brooklyn Bridge Park
By: Kettle
brooklynbridgepark.org
New York, NY

Destiny Planet View
By: 72andSunny
destinyplanetview.com/en/home
Playa Vista, CA

Explore Data Science
By: Booz Allen Hamilton
exploredatascience.com
McLean, VA

SCIFI NO LONGER
Awarded for the coolest scientific achievement or discovery that before 2014 was only possible in science fiction.

AeroMobil 3.0 - prototype of a flying car
By: AeroMobil s.r.o.
aeromobil.com
Bratislava, Slovakia

The Brainwriter
By: Not Impossible
notimpossiblenow.com/labs/brainwriter-official-video
Los Angeles, CA

Fly-inspired Hearing Device
By: Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
utexas.edu/news/2014/07/22/fly-super-hearing-engineering
Austin, TX

Nanomotors
By: Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
engr.utexas.edu/features/nanomotors
Austin, TX

Noninvasive skin cancer detection device
By: Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
engr.utexas.edu/features/skin-cancer-detection-device
Austin, TX

STUDENT INNOVATION
Awarded to the student with an exceptional interactive technology project or startup; both of which are the future.

Edge of the Sound
By: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
carolinaphotojournalism.org/cpjw/2014
Chapel Hill, NC

Expressive Wearable
By: Sangli Li
sanglidesign.com/expressive-wearables.html
Pasadena, CA

Lighten Up: Lightweight Efficient Microengines for Unmanned Aerial Systems
By: Reebeez
reebeez.com
Austin, TX

TetraBIN
By: Pinetree Labs
TetraBIN.com
Sydney, Australia

Visualizing MBTA Data: An interactive exploration of Boston's subway system
By: Mike Barry and Brian Card
mbtaviz.github.io
Hopkinton, MA

SUSTAINABLE TECH
Awarded for innovation in power generation, power storage, eco-friendly or sustainable technology.

Clever Buoy
By: M&C Saatchi
cleverbuoy.awardentries.org/
Sydney, Australia

EDGEhome
By: Green Edge Technologies, Inc.
edgehome.com
San Diego, CA

Oroeco
By: Oroeco
oroeco.com
San Francisco, CA

Resilient Modular Systems [RMS]
By: WE-DESIGNS LLC WE-DESIGNS LLC / Resilient Modular Systems, Public Benefits Corporation
resilientmodularsystems.com
Cambridge, MA

Skyven Technologies - Skyven Cogen System (SCS)
By: Skyven Technologies LLC
skyventechnologies.com
Dallas, TX

TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENTS
Awarded for the development of technology that changes the way we move people and things, making transportation more efficient or eco-friendly.

Carma Carpooling
By: Carma Carpooling
carmacarpool.com
Austin, TX

Guide Dots
By: VML
creativeworkbench.com/guide-dots
Kansas City, MO

Hammerhead
By: Hammerhead Navigation
hammerhead.io
New York, NY

New York City MTA "On the Go" Information Kiosks
By: Control Group
controlgroup.com/mta.html
New York, NY

Strati, The World's First 3D Printed Car
By: Local Motors Inc.
localmotors.com/localmotors/the-3d-printed-car-aka-direct-digital-manufacturing
Las Vegas, NV

VISUAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE
Awarded for content creation and delivery that moves beyond passive viewership by providing a more immersive and engaging entertainment experience.

Cronulla Riots - The Day That Shocked the Nation
By: SBS Australia
sbs.com.au/cronullariots
Sydney, Australia

Love Radio
By: Prospektor
loveradio-rwanda.org
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Native American Voices
By: Bluecadet Interactive
bluecadet.com/work/native-american-voices-the-people-here-and-now
Philadelphia, PA

netwars / out of CTRL
By: filmtank GmbH
netwars-project.com/webdoc
Berlin, Germany

The War & Money Project
By: Newsy
warandmoney.newsy.com
Columbia, MO

WEARABLE TECH
Awarded for the new hardware (and/or software) that revolutionizes the convenience, comfort, functionality, efficiency, and/or fashion of having a device literally "on you."

Android Wear
By: Google
android.com/wear
Mountain View, CA

FreeWavz Smart Earphones
By: hEar Gear, Inc.
freewavz.com
Melbourne, FL

Google Glass Everyware
By: Isobar
vimeo.com/97258091
Chicago, IL

Rip Curl Search GPS
By: VML Australia
ourawardswork.com/rip-curl-awards
Sydney, Australia

ShotTracker
By: ShotTracker
shottracker.com
Overland Park, KS

Additional entertainment at the 18^th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Ceremony will be provided by Vooza, Cracked.com, and MS Werd. Admission to the March 17 ceremony is free to all SXSW Interactive, Gold, and Platinum badge holders. The list of winners from the 2014 competition can be found here.

To apply for press credentials to cover SXSW 2015, you must be on assignment from a media outlet and your assigning Editor/Producer must fill out the online application form. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 11, 2015. For more information on this process, visit: http://sxsw.com/press/accreditation.

About SXSW Interactive
The 22nd annual SXSW Interactive Festival returns to Austin from Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17. An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2015 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today. Join us in March 2015 for the sessions, the networking, the evening events, the 18th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, SXSW Accelerator, the SXSW Gaming Expo, the SXSW Trade Show, SXSW Create, the Digital Creative Job Market, cross-industry conversations with attendees from SXSW Film and  SXSW Music, and, most of all, the unforgettable inspirational experiences that only SXSW can deliver.

SXSW Interactive 2015 is sponsored by Miller Lite, Esurance, AT&T, IFC, Mazda, Monster Energy, McDonald's, Philips, Capital One, and The Austin Chronicle.

Kelly Krause
1-512-467-7979
[email protected]

SOURCE South by Southwest