Attendees at the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW) conference and festivals in Austin, Texas (March 11–20), can arrive on crowd-sourced flights on XO jets, thanks to a partnership announced Monday between the charter company and the influential annual event. In introducing the program for SXSW, XO noted that joining or initiating a crowdfunded flight to conferences and other gatherings can create moments of collaboration among like-minded people.
"We are making traveling with your colleagues, your network, and other leaders you meet through our crowdfunded flights profoundly convenient and more affordable across a range of aircraft classes,” said XO’s chief marketing officer, Lynn Fischer. “Our technology-forward platform is aligned with the spirit and goals of SXSW, and we look forward to flying creators, technologists, and entrepreneurs to and from Austin this March and beyond."
Entrepreneurs can use XO’s digital platform to crowdfund flights from their local cities, tapping into their network of fellow founders and leaders to purchase individual seats on a shared private jet. This allows the supply of private aircraft to be used more efficiently, XO noted, increasing availability and reducing clients' costs.
After being fully online last year, SXSW this year will present a hybrid experience combining learning, professional development, networking, film screenings, music showcases, exhibitions, and more.