Hold onto your bucket hats, Shoreditch. South by Southwest® (SXSW®) London just cranked the volume up to eleven. With a lineup that reads like a dream dinner party for the culturally obsessed and the tech-curious, the inaugural SXSW London 2025 is officially gunning for the title of Europe’s most electric gathering of minds.
And it’s not bluffing.
With Google DeepMind’s Sir Demis Hassabis, legendary primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, and football icon Cesc Fàbregas now joining the bill, this isn’t just a conference—it’s a cultural power surge for the city. Add in Idris Elba, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, Gillian Anderson, and Katherine Ryan already on the menu, and we’re looking at a lineup so good it’s frankly showing off.
SXSW London: A New Creative Epicentre in Shoreditch
Let’s be real. Shoreditch has long been London’s creative heartbeat, but with SXSW moving into town, it’s getting a turbocharged jolt. While Austin may have birthed the beast, SXSW London is staking its claim as the ultimate mash-up of Shoreditch creativity, London innovation, and high-octane global thought leadership.
Taking place across multiple East London venues this June, the event is luring everyone from AI trailblazers to legendary conservationists, startup founders to cultural icons. It’s the kind of vibe where a tech CEO and a punk poet might swap ideas over an oat flat white—and that’s exactly the point.
Where Tech Meets Humanity: Enter Sir Demis Hassabis and Dr. Jane Goodall
Sir Demis Hassabis, the AI oracle behind Google DeepMind, will be hitting the stage to explore whether AI will be our crowning achievement—or our downfall. Expect thoughts on machine learning, ethics, and the small matter of humanity’s future.
In a perfectly poetic counterbalance, Dr. Jane Goodall will bring her message of hope, empathy, and urgent environmental action. She’s here to remind us that while AI might conquer chess, it’s compassion and community that will save the planet.
Yes, it’s giving tech-noir meets eco-spirituality. And honestly? We’re here for it.
From the Pitch to the Boardroom: Cesc Fàbregas Reinvents the Game
If you thought footballers just transitioned into punditry and fragrance deals, think again. Cesc Fàbregas is now managing Como FC and building a football club empire—literally from scratch. At SXSW London, he’ll share how to grow a billion-pound sports brand with hustle, heart, and a whole new playbook.
Football. Business. Branding. It’s the creative pivot we didn’t know we needed.
Exploring the Conference Tracks
Now, let’s talk tracks. SXSW London’s programming doesn’t mess around. It dives deep into 24 themes that cross-pollinate creativity, tech, and culture. Here are six juicy ones to get excited about:
Innovation Meets Imagination: The Future of Creativity
Generative AI, VR, content creators and brand evolution. Think Diageo’s Cristina Diezhandino meets ex-footballers turned media moguls. The creative hustle is real—and hyper-evolving.
Humanity, Machines and the Future of AI
It’s not just about whether AI will steal your job—it’s also about whether it’ll steal your soul. Big questions, bigger brains. Hassabis and Mati Staniszewski of ElevenLabs are bringing the heat.
New Tech Frontiers
Biotech is going Jurassic Park. Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm wants to bring extinct species back. Sound wild? It is. And it’s very, very real.
Our Future Health
From NHS innovation to bionic bodies, this track explores how tech is changing health, life expectancy, and yes, your next GP visit.
Tech, Governance and the Future of Society
As misinformation mutates and deepfakes grow more convincing, how do we stay ahead of the chaos? Expect sharp takes from thinkers like Polestar’s Åsa Borg and (queen of ethics) Dr. Goodall.
Navigating Business in a Changing World
Reddit’s Laura Nestler and VC maven Harry Stebbings will talk investment trends, DEI, and the post-Brexit business landscape. Basically, how to survive—and thrive—in the chaos.
A Meeting Place for London’s Boldest Creative Entrepreneurs
According to SXSW London CEO Max Alexander, this first-year lineup is just the beginning. “This new wave of headliners reflects our unwavering determination to spark a unique sense of creativity and optimism,” he said. And it shows.
For Shoreditch’s creative community—from startup founders to AI artists, culture hackers to event planners—this is more than just an event. It’s a once-in-a-generation shift. A collision of ideas that could shape the next decade of art, tech, and business.
Made in Shoreditch Magazine has been watching and covering this crossover of Shoreditch culture with global tech and media for years, but SXSW London is the ultimate playground.
