​WOLF CONNECT (Special Edition) ⛲️

​Free community event — No SXSW badge required.

​Produced by WILD MINDS INITIATIVE
Powered by ASK WOLF x GIGFINESSE

​After the success of our first After Dark edition last December, WOLF CONNECT returns with its first daytime experience — bringing together brands, founders, artists, content creators, and cultural leaders shaping the future of business and the creative industries.

​This new format introduces a more open, daytime gathering centered on conversation, discovery, and meaningful connection across art, culture, tech, and consumer brands.

​Program Overview

​🎟️ What Your Wolf Garden Ticket Includes (free):

​1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Panels & Garden Experience

​Your ticket gives you access to an afternoon of curated conversations, creative discovery, and immersive brand and art experiences inside the Wolf Garden at the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum.

​🎤 Panel Schedule

​1:30 PM — BRANDS
How modern consumer brands grow, scale, and stay relevant.

​Hosted by Michelle Breyer, CMO @ SKU, with:
Gardar, Founder & CEO @ Good Good
Shannon, Founder & CEO @ Springland
Carolina, Founder & CEO @ Bejou

​2:15 PM — ART, CULTURE & COMMUNITY
From URL to IRL: How Art, Culture, and Technology Build Community.

​Hosted by Mir Hwang, Founder & CEO @ GigFinesse, with:
Jacob, Founder @ Flighthouse Media
Chris, Founder @ Clique Social (Co-Founder @ Tinder)
Heather, Director of Partnerships @ Visit Austin

​3:00 PM — E-COMMERCE & GROWTH
Turning online attention into real revenue.

​Hosted by Eva Wolf, Founder & CEO @ ASK WOLF, with:
David, Co-Founder @ Swapt
Kim, Chief Brand Officer @ Bobbie
Gabrielle, Director @ eBusiness Pros (Community Champion @ Klaviyo)

​3:45 PM — CULTURE & MARKET TRENDS
What drives attention, loyalty, and real market traction.

​Host by Matt Dawson, Founder @ CropCons (Creative Director @ HEB), with:
Emily, Creator @ Texas Grocery Finds (Founder, @ Snackers)
Kevin, Founder @ Foliepop’s (Top Chef France and USA)
Devankar, Founder & CEO @ 888 Creative

​4:30 PM — MARKETING TECHNOLOGY
Tools powering modern marketing, automation, and content performance.

​Host by Susanah, Head of Partnerships @ BeReal, with:
Shaun, National Director of Sales & Partnerships @ Scowtt
Sarah Gav, Social Media Manager @ Manychat
Javier, CTO @ BluePeople

​Between panels, attendees are invited to explore the Wolf Garden — a curated discovery space bringing together local and emerging brands, live artists and muralists, creative installations, product tastings, and informal brand interactions designed to spark conversation and connection.

​The garden remains active all afternoon with music, art activations, brand discoveries, and content creation moments powered by our partners.

​🎟️ What Your Wolf Circle Ticket Includes ($40):

​5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Wolf Circle Networking Experience

​Wolf Circle is our private closing gathering designed for deeper, more intentional conversations with founders, brand leaders, speakers, partners, and cultural operators after the daytime program.

​Enjoy curated drinks, food tastings, and live music in a smaller environment created for real connections.

​This experience is optional and separate from the daytime event.

​Access is limited — purchase through the Wolf Circle event link.

​🐺 What to Expect

​A relaxed, high-energy SXSW afternoon of panels, live art, music, and curated brand activations inside the UMLAUF garden. Meet founders, artists, and cultural leaders while exploring tastings, installations, and creative experiences throughout the space.

​We’re expecting around 1,000 attendees, so please arrive early and ensure each ticket is registered individually. The shaded garden offers plenty of seating to comfortably stay, explore, and enjoy the activations all afternoon.

​Austin Bat Refuge x Echovision will present an immersive activation blending VR and real-life discovery around Austin’s iconic bats. Throughout the afternoon, attendees can explore the ecological importance of local bat populations, and experience them up close through virtual reality.

​As part of our sustainability efforts, feel free to bring a reusable water bottle — refill stations will be available onsite.

​🥳 Thank You to Our Sponsors & Co-Hosts

​This SXSW Special Edition of WOLF CONNECT is made possible thanks to the support of visionary partners who believe in building culture, community, and creative ecosystems together.

​GigFinesse
Curating and producing the music programming throughout the day, setting the tone and atmosphere for the garden experience with live sounds and cultural energy.

​BeReal
Supporting authentic, real-time storytelling and meaningful connection, aligned with our mission to foster genuine conversations beyond traditional networking formats.

​DayGlo
Powering live art and muralist activations, bringing bold color and experimental energy to the creative art area through artist-led installations and surprises.

​Tequila 512
Offering drink experiences throughout the day while actively supporting the artist activations and creative programming within the garden.

​888 Creative
Supporting on-site content production and storytelling by capturing key moments, conversations, and creative highlights throughout the event.

​Burro Cheese Kitchen
Fueling the networking experience and keeping everyone energized throughout the evening.

​Fetii
Providing group transportation support to help attendees and partners move easily between activations and fully experience the day. Download the App with code: WOLFCONNECT

​🎁 Sponsors & Donation Partners

​We also extend our gratitude to the brands supporting our attendee experience through product donations, tastings, and curated gift bags throughout the day.

​Featuring contributions from partners such as:
Siete Foods, Once Upon a Coconut, Sugar Wood, Curious Elixirs, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, and additional community partners helping fuel the garden and create memorable discovery moments.

​Their generosity helps us create a vibrant, welcoming environment while advancing the mission of Wild Minds Initiative to uplift creatives and community programming.

​Interested in supporting future editions as a sponsor or partner?
📩 [email protected]

​🖤 Support the Mission

​Donations are open to support WILD MINDS INITIATIVE, a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural, educational, and community-driven programming.

​Contributions help us keep this event accessible while supporting local creatives and long-term community impact.

​Additional details are announced on Instagram: here.

​Can’t join us during SXSW or already excited about what’s next?
Our next edition of WOLF CONNECT is already in the works.

​👉 Sign up here: https://luma.com/wolf-connect-2