It’s been nearly a decade since I last roamed the halls of SXSW in Austin: a time when The Walking Dead gaming, Oculus Rift demos, and indie AI behemoths used to steal the show. Fast forward to 2025, and this week, SXSW has landed in London for the very first time — and guess what? TFN (Tech Funding News) was there on day one to soak it all in.
The event officially opened on June 2 and will run through to the 7th, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan kicking things off by advocating the capital as a global tech and investment powerhouse, not without a few subtle digs at U.S. trade policy.
Big hitters in the world of technology and innovation were front and centre, including DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, Hugging Face co-founder Thomas Wolf, and wellness guru Deepak Chopra. The festival’s crossover appeal also has attracted major cultural names, like Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and multi-hyphenate Idris Elba.
From Austin to Shoreditch
SXSW is best known for its annual presence in Austin, Texas — a unique collision of music, film, tech and culture. Now, the festival has set its sights on London, spreading out across venues in Shoreditch, one of the capital’s most creative and tech-forward districts. The transformation is hard to miss — SXSW branding has taken over everything from graffiti to lampposts.
AI: The next industrial revolution?
AI is the thread running through much of the programming, and it’s impossible to walk in the conference more than a few steps without hearing talk of LLMs, AGI, or synthetic media. UK-based Wayve, backed by SoftBank, showcased the future of autonomous driving, while Google DeepMind and Hugging Face shared deep conversations about where AI is heading.
Demis Hassabis made one of the bolder predictions of the day, claiming AGI will prove more impactful than both the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the internet. But he also issued a word of caution: the technology must be developed responsibly. In his words, AI is about to “supercharge” those who combine technical skill with creativity, unlocking what he calls “superhuman” potential over the next five to 10 years.
Biohacking, ageing and a dash of comedy!
One of the more surprising and provocative panels we caught featured comedian Katherine Ryan and British anti-ageing startup Nuchido’s founder Dr. Nichola Conlon, who explored the evolving science of longevity and biohacking. The session veered into the surreal when Bryan Johnson’s controversial practice of transfusing his son’s blood was mentioned, prompting both ethical and scientific debate.
Networking, lounges and robots painting t-shirts
SXSW wouldn’t be SXSW without the networking. The speaker and media lounges, especially the mixer hosted by the Andaz Hotel, proved to be prime ground for spontaneous chats with entrepreneurs, VCs, and fellow journalists.
For those heading to SXSW London later this week, make sure to stop by the Truman Brewery, it is a tech hotspot featuring live demos, panels, and even Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot spray-painting custom T-shirts. Yes, really!
Lights, camera, culture: Saudi film nights
Rounding out the cultural programming, Saudi Film Nights is offering a curated selection of short films and a panel on the Kingdom’s emerging film scene. It’s a powerful reminder that SXSW isn’t just about code and capital — it’s about stories, too.
TFN will be exploring SXSW London throughout the week. Stay tuned for more coverage of standout startups, tech trends, and insight straight from the ground in Shoreditch. Thanks SXSW London for inviting us.
