Free and cheap events for local business owners. This is not exhaustive, it is a curated list of events we think Austin business owners will find most interesting!
Green highlighted events are ones that Ken from AFF will be attending. If you see him, he will have a gift for you. Please say hi!
Yellow highlighted events are free but require host approval. These can be hit or miss.
Red highlighted events are paid
Multiple Day Engagements - “Houses”
“houses” are brand-run pop-up venues that take over real houses, bars, hotels, or warehouses during SXSW and turn them into free daytime experiences. Many of them are free or cheap to attend. These usually run for the whole week.
- Capital Factory House | March 12 - 16th (Free or $15 for Startup Crawl pass) - https://house.capitalfactory.com/page/4979259/register
- “Capital Factory House @ SXSW is the only place where curated introductions between current and future stars of tech happen at scale. Over five days, we coordinate hundreds of one-on-one meetings between entrepreneurs, investors, leaders, and academics with one important thing in common: they're the best at what they do.”
- Fast Company Grill | March 13 - 16th (Free with RSVP) - https://events.fastcompany.com/grill_2026/home
- “Each year during SXSW, thousands of innovation-hungry creators and business leaders drop into the Fast Company Grill for insightful conversations and engaging activations. For four days, this eclectic setting inspires new paths, deep connections, and purpose-driven strategy.”
- RedThreadX House | March 14 - 16th (Free with RSVP) - https://luma.com/u4q9akh7
- "Join us at Red ThreadX House @ SXSW for three days of highly curated original content. Our program includes some of the worlds foremost futurists, tech entrepreneurs, thought and society leaders, whose conversations accelerate new technologies and provocative ideas that help us all better inform our personal and businesses decisions.”
- Realtor.com open house | March 13 - 14th (Free with RSVP) - https://realtor-open-house.vfairs.com/
- “A central hub for real estate, housing, and technology. Designed to connect the industry’s biggest ideas under one roof”
- Space House | March 14th - 15th (Free with RSVP, but priority to SXSW badge holders) - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/space-house-sxsw-2026-tickets-1983032882734
- “At the intersection of technology, culture, and imagination, Space House transforms the idea of space from a distant concept into something tangible, accessible, and urgently relevant. From satellites that power daily life to the emerging lunar economy, Space House will be where tomorrow’s space economy meets today’s creative and cultural conversations. Through panels, conversations, and curated experiences, attendees will explore how commercial spaceflight, orbital infrastructure, AI, and interplanetary ambitions are reshaping economies, industries, and everyday life.”
- Inc. Founders House | March 13-15th (Free with approval. You just have to say you’re a business owner to get approval) - https://events.inc.com/inc-founders-house-2026-austin/
- “Inc. Founders House at SXSW 2026 offers a one-of-a-kind hub for the driven people starting, running, and growing businesses. In the heart of downtown Austin, Inc. Founders House welcomes founders to refuel, recharge, and connect with peers in an intimate setting curated exclusively for entrepreneurs.”
- Podcast Movement at SXSW | March 13-15 (Free with RSVP) - https://house.capitalfactory.com/page/4979256/backstage
- “Over three days, we’re hosting curated panels, morning socials, lunch gatherings, evening happy hours, and live performances—all in a 400+ person venue designed for the connections that matter.”
- Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit @ SXSW in Austin | March 13-16th - https://brand-innovators.com/events/leadership-in-brand-marketing-summit-sxsw-in-austin-2026/#register
- “Our Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit during SXSW in Austin and hosted by Lamberts is an in-person event with complimentary registration for brand-side marketers only. Approved brand-side marketers will receive a confirmation email and a calendar hold with location details.”
- FQ Lounge @SXSW | March 14-15 - https://events.thefemalequotient.com/sxsw26/invite
- “The FQ Lounge™ is where visionaries from every corner of creativity and business come together. Where breakthroughs happen not in isolation, but in the beautiful chaos of collision.”
March 11th
- Ayana Rising: Women of the New Frontier (Free with Approval, otherwise Paid) | 1pm - 6pm - https://luma.com/77umpcit
- “A high-impact SXSW experience celebrating the women scaling visionary companies and reshaping the future of venture at the OWN App HQ in East Austin. ”
- Startup Mania 2026 (Paid) | 8:30am - 11:30pm - https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-startup-mania-presents-startup-mania-2026/
- “An Austin event with 800+ attendees, where 64 top seed and Series A founders will battle it out in a March Madness-style pitch competition for the championship belt and cash prize. Plus, enjoy panel sessions with VCs, workshops, private lunches, roundtables, after-parties, a startup concert, and more! 🏆”
March 12th