SXSW (South by South West) is one of the largest conference/festivals in the entire world. The industries of film, music and technology all come together for a week of trade shows, panels, screenings, concerts parties and more.
SXSW Interactive is the technology portion of the conference and has been a launching pad for several well-known companies over the past several years, including Twitter. Everyone from industry leaders to small startups attend the conference to network, share knowledge, forge partnerships, and/or seek funding.
The following infographic illustrates the ever-growing size of this conference, in addition to what a massive networking opportunity it presents.