SXSW 2022 Announces Winners of 14th Annual Pitch Event

“What do you envision for your company’s future?” is a typical question for startups. And many of the 45 companies pitching in nine categories during the 14th annual SXSW Pitch Event showed they had a clear strategy for where they want to take their business next.

But no matter what the future holds, we all benefit from the inspired and imaginative minds solving today’s problems in both emerging and traditional industries like artificial intelligence and robotics, health, immersive, and transportation.

While the metaverse with its new ways to interact with technology spanned across several categories, the trends at this year’s event also pointed to the shifts in how we’ll connect with our environment, workplace, healthcare system, and even each other.

Using XR glasses, MATSUKO brings Star Wars-like holograms of your colleagues sitting next to you in a lifelike way to your next business or team meeting. Hume AI brings emotional awareness and responsiveness to voice assistants, telehealth, social networks, and other AI systems through a platform that paves the way for AI optimized for well-being.

Other companies aim to improve outcomes for particular populations. Sonavi Labs uses AI to create a telehealth system to improve patient outcomes by diagnosing and remotely managing respiratory diseases. JusticeText is building the first centralized infrastructure to store, catalog, analyze, and share video evidence in the criminal justice system. Designed to improve outcomes for low-income criminal defendants, the platform enables greater transparency and accountability around police interactions.

Congratulations to this year's nine category winners, who were announced at the SXSW Pitch Award Ceremony after the two-day competition.

2022 SXSW Pitch Winners

Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Voice: Hume AI

Enterprise & Smart Data: Syrup Tech

Entertainment, Gaming & Content: Action Face

Extended Reality & Immersive Technology: MATSUKO

Future of Work: Anthill

Health, Wearables & Wellbeing: Sonavi Labs

Innovative World Technologies: Hilos

Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics: JusticeText

Social & Culture: MOGL

Best Speed Pitch: Unpacking

Winner of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Sonavi Labs

Best in Show: Hilos

This year's participating companies represent the most cutting-edge technologies from around the world, with the highest caliber of applicants since SXSW Pitch’s beginning. To date, 572 companies have participated in SXSW Pitch, with over 82 percent receiving funding and acquisitions in excess of almost $14.5 billion.

If you missed any of the pitches this weekend you can still meet each of the 45 finalists at the SXSW Pitch Meet the Finalists on Monday, March 14, from 10am–12pm in Salon C on the fourth floor at the Hilton Hotel.

For a complete list of the 2022 finalists, including alternates, and the Pitch event judges, visit the SXSW Pitch page.

Congratulations to all the winners, participants, and judges from this year’s SXSW Pitch. And we hope to see you tomorrow at SXSW Pitch Meet the Finalists!

SXSW Pitch Sponsored by SHOWTIME® original series SUPER PUMPED: The Battle for Uber.

SXSW Pitch

Content Contributed by Tamara Bell

Photo by Camille Mayor