Women Are Having Their Moment at SXSW 2026

A packed house at the Ayana Foundation’s women event which kicked off the first official day of SXSW 2026 on Thursday, March 12th.

A powerful lineup of women-focused gatherings energizes Austin.

This year’s SXSW in Austin is delivering something especially powerful. Beyond the tech launches, celebrity panels, and brand activations, one theme has emerged clearly across the city: women showing up, building community, and leading conversations about the future of business, leadership, and innovation.

Designer Rachel Roy shares CEO insight during a panel at Ayana Foundation’s unofficial SXSW event held at the OWN app Austin HQ.

Across Austin’s venues, courtyards, rooftops, and intimate event spaces, a remarkable lineup of women-centered gatherings has been unfolding throughout the first half of the festival. From curated networking experiences to thought-provoking leadership panels, the atmosphere has been one of collaboration, mentorship, and momentum.

Rooms have been filled with founders, executives, creators, investors, and rising professionals eager to exchange ideas and build meaningful connections, and founder/publisher of She Speaks CEO, Priscilla Nakane, has been there to cover it all and hold space in many of these high powered rooms. Whether indoors in packed discussion sessions or outdoors under the Texas sunshine, these gatherings have demonstrated something that many attendees have been quietly saying all week:

Women’s leadership communities are no longer side events. They are becoming the main stage.

The conversations taking place throughout SXSW reflect a shift in how leadership is being shaped. Topics have ranged from entrepreneurship and funding access to career advancement, innovation, and personal brand development. Many of the panels and gatherings have been intentionally designed to foster not just inspiration, but real collaboration and opportunity.

Luminary Founder and CEO, Cate Luzo, hosts a series of events during SXSW 2026, including Women Future Forward, which was held at Google HQ in Austin.

The energy has been undeniable. Attendees are leaning into deeper conversations, creating new partnerships, and supporting one another in ways that feel both intentional and impactful.

Among the many women-focused gatherings taking place during SXSW this year, She Speaks CEO is proud to be included in the lineup of experiences bringing powerful women together in Austin.

Founded by entrepreneur and media publisher Priscilla Nakane, She Speaks CEO is a women in leadership organization dedicated to elevating founders, executives, and high-performing professionals through community, leadership development, and national events.

As SXSW moves into the second half of its week, the momentum continues with the upcoming She Speaks CEO Powerhouse Women Unite Networking Mixer, taking place Monday, March 16 from 6:00–8:00 PM at Cabana Club in Austin.

The evening is designed to provide a curated environment for meaningful connection and collaboration among women leaders attending SXSW.

Rather than another crowded mixer, the event has been designed as a purposeful gathering where conversations go deeper and introductions are intentional.

For women who have already been inspired by the powerful lineup of gatherings happening across Austin during Women’s History Month at SXSW, the mixer offers an opportunity to continue the movement and expand the connections being made throughout the week.

As SXSW heads into its final stretch, one thing is clear: the growing network of women leaders showing up in Austin is shaping conversations that will carry far beyond the festival itself.

She Speaks CEO was one of several esteemed women’s organizations showcased at the FoundHERS Who’s Who of Women event in Austin on March 8th. 2026 in honor of International Women’s Day.

For women in business and leadership attending South by Southwest 2026, continue the empty experience at the She Speaks CEO mixer at Cabana Club ATX. Continue the momentum. Continue the conversation. Continue building the future of women’s leadership.