Technology, music, and cultural trendsetting – that’s what NXNE Interactive is all about. One of the five main pillars of the annual North By Northeast event, the Interactive program this year is a diverse and evolving one, with a wide range of panels, presentations, and keynote addresses.
“This year the conference has taken a really interesting turn – we are really inspired by people operating outside of the norm, people at the fringe pushing boundaries of what digital means,” said Meghan Warby, Manager of NXNE Interactive. “A lot of conferences offered to professionals in this space have focused heavily on the communication side, which isn’t a bad thing, but we’re trying to reorient the program. We’re creating new spaces and niches by disrupting the status quo using digital tools. This is not just about the internet – that’s a platform, but we’re taking that technological disruption theme and broadly creating new industries of their own.”
Cindy Gallop is a featured speaker, boasting her newest business venture “MakeLoveNotPorn.” This is an exciting booking for Warby, who is personally a huge fan of Gallop. “She has a background in the agency world so she understands traditional old media but has also been exceptionally vocal. She is truly a visionary with a really grounded ethical and moral compass. She’s so progressive and thoughtful and sharp. I admire her on different levels.”
NXNEi will also present Kestrin Pantera, who just finished her first feature film “Let’s Ruin It With Babies.” “She has such a vivid, interesting background and is so inspiring,” Warby said. “She has a fantastic outlook on life – she’s been an actress, a VJ for Coachella, and then she took it upon herself to finish this film before having a baby.”
Another great presentation will be with the director of communications at reddit, Victoria Taylor. “She’ll be talking about how reddit is its own vibrant eco-system and it’s very valuable to people who track trends and want to have their finger on our pulse of where culture is going, and how reddit is far more culturally-relevant than it’s given credit for.”
Finally, NXNEi fans will want to see Brian Knappenberger, who did a recent documentary entitled “The Internet’s Own Boy” about Aaron Swartz, “who became this really active highly-regarded advocate for internet neutrality,” Warby explained. “Brian has become this fantastic filmmaker telling stories about people who affect change through the internet, and we’re so excited he gets to tell his story and why he wants to put a spotlight on these stories.”
