Known as the annual event where technology, creativity, education and culture converge in the Texas capital, this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) lived up to its moniker. Through immersive experiences, thought leadership and sharing the stories of our real-world research, Texas A&M showcased how Aggies are solving global challenges in food sustainability, health care and the blue economy.
Marketplace of the Future
At Texas A&M University, research goes beyond the lab as it’s built for real-world impact. Immersing attendees in an Aggie-esque “Marketplace of the Future,” the interactive exhibit introduced the university’s efforts in food sustainability through three unique perspectives: coffee and brewing a better future from farm to cup, the blue economy and conserving tomorrow’s catch, and farming the final frontier to offer healthier meals for astronauts in flight and beyond.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
“We were thrilled to return to South by Southwest and had an ideal partner in Fast Company, a global media company that’s really focused on the future of business, innovation, creators and design,” said R. Ethan Braden, chief marketing officer and vice president of marketing and communications at Texas A&M. “By partnering and activating in their Fast Company Grill this year, versus participating in SXSW on our own, Texas A&M was perfectly positioned to be an immediate attraction to thousands of attendees coming to the space, sharing just a few of our many powerful examples of purposeful impact at scale. Many SXSW attendees now appreciate Texas A&M University, and embrace the Spirit of Aggieland as a result, and I couldn’t be happier about that.”
Visitors were immersed in the “Marketplace of the Future,” an interactive exhibit that showcased Texas A&M University’s efforts in food sustainability at the 2025 South by Southwest Festival. If you weren’t able to join us in Austin, you can take a video tour and see what all the excitement was about!
The immersive experience transformed complex research into hands-on experiences, showing how Texas A&M’s work in sustainable agriculture, seafood and space food systems is actively shaping the future of food security.
“The incredible thing about this is just all of the people who came through, that began to learn the story of Texas A&M University. All the ways that we are a force for good and the impact that we’re having from the sea floor to the factories and fields to outer space,” said Braden.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
While the “Marketplace of the Future” gave attendees a hands-on look at food sustainability, Texas A&M also led critical conversations on stage — partnering with Fast Company for a leadership panel that explored how innovation, research and collaboration fuel progress in industries ranging from health care to aerospace.
The marketplace of bite-sized snacks served as an entryway for visitors to understand Texas A&M’s impact at scale in land, sea and space sustainable food research, ensuring the food sources of today are available tomorrow.
Designed by current students in the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, tote bags for each attendee participating in the immersive exhibit showcased a graphic representation of sustainability efforts on land, at sea and in space.
Current students contributed to the experience, staying true to the mission of Texas A&M and its reputation for exceptional hands-on learning. Undergraduates majoring in visualization at the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts designed three unique tote bags, with each design capturing the essence of land, sea and space independently while showcasing the interconnectivity and balance that must be met to work in harmony as a force for good.
Fast Company Grill: A Force for Good – Visionaries Redefining the Future Panel Discussion
Texas A&M and Fast Company partnered to bring a leadership panel dedicated to forward thinking in health care, education, robotics, aerospace and entrepreneurship to the SXSW experience. This dynamic group of leaders — Col. (Ret.) Michael E. Fossum ’80, vice president, Texas A&M, chief operating officer, Texas A&M University at Galveston, and superintendent, Texas A&M Maritime Academy; Dr. Amy Waer, Jean and Tom McMullin Endowed Dean, Texas A&M College of Medicine; and Dean Kamen, founder and president, DEKA Research & Development Corporation, inventor and co-founder of FIRST — discussed the intersection of innovation, research and impact.
The panel highlighted how groundbreaking research and collaborative spirit fuels progress. The panelists explored the power of service, leadership and integrity, illustrating how Texas A&M’s Core Values are shaping the future. A palpable buzz of hope and excitement for the future could be sensed, with attendees inspired by the possibilities ahead and the positive impact Aggies, and those who hold the same Core Values, make on the world.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
The Texas A&M panelists shared in the excitement of the crowd and took the opportunity to talk to attendees about how Texas A&M is at the forefront of innovation and dedicated to training leaders who exemplify all that the university stands for.
“I think it is very important for Texas A&M University to be showcased at South by Southwest because this is a big convergence of entertainment, of filmmaking, of storytelling, of innovation in technology and that’s our world,” said Fossum. “So, this is the perfect place for Texas A&M.”
“Speaking at the Fast Company Grill was an incredible experience, and it was an honor to share how the Aggie Core Values of service, leadership and integrity play a vital role in shaping the future of medicine and rural health,” said Waer. “These values not only inspire us to push boundaries in technology and innovation, but they also remind us of the importance of making a meaningful impact on communities that need it the most.”
Stephanie Mehta, chief executive officer and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures, publisher of Inc. and Fast Company, facilitated the panel and shared her thoughts on Texas A&M’s presence at Fast Company Grill. “The grill is all about people learning, people learning from one another, people getting together and sharing best ideas,” Mehta said. “And to me, that’s what Texas A&M is also all about. It’s an educational institution that has democratized learning, and it’s a place where people can engage in that energetic way.”
The Soundtrack to Texas A&M’s SXSW Experience
Bringing that same energy, Garrett Talamantes ‘28 — an aspiring artist and musician with three singles, one extended-play release and a new release that dropped March 7 — shared the Spirit of Aggieland through his musical talent. A current student pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Department of Agricultural Economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Talamantes is an avid member of the Aggieland Mariachi Band and a member of the Texas A&M Rodeo Team.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
Texas A&M’s presence at SXSW 2025 showcased to industry leaders and innovators how Aggies are a powerful force for good by leveraging translational research and service through citizen leaders. This kind of presence reinforces the university’s standing as a national leader, connects the university to key industry decision-makers, and ensures the research endeavors pursued do so with an intention to impact the state and continue to shape the future.
