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It’s officially SXSW week! For those who may be unfamiliar, SXSW is one of the largest annual interactive, music and film conferences and features keynote speeches from some of the brightest minds and biggest stars in entertainment and business. Below is a list of the top keynote speakers appearing at SXSW 2017. If you’re looking to hire conference speakers for your upcoming corporate conference, this list is a great place to start the search!

Mark Cuban: Dallas Mavericks owner, Shark Tank investor and entrepreneur Mark Cuban is a regular at SXSW each year and a great speaker for business conferences and other industry events. At SXSW 2017, Mark participated in several moderated Q&A panel discussions where he shared his thoughts on AI capabilities, social media, and answering the question: Is government disrupting disruption? As a businessman, TV star and sports figurehead, Mark appeals to a wide-ranging demographic of audiences as a keynote speaker. His business profile speaks for itself but his talks on topics such as innovation, market disruption and entrepreneurship provide audiences with a glimpse into the future of business and the workplace.

Beth Comstock: Beth is the current Vice Chairman of GE and the catalyst for change behind the company’s rapid accelerated business growth in recent years. She primarily operates GE Business Innovations which develops new business and service models to drive brand value and engage partners to drive GE’s inventive culture. Beth has had quite a busy first few weeks of March after speaking at The Montgomery Summit in addition to SXSW 2017 this week. She is the perfect speaker for companies looking to hire conference speakers who can discuss strategies and tactics for building a better, more adaptable business.

Chris Sacca: This self-made billionaire earned his reputation as a savvy entrepreneur and angel investor after some insightful early investments in startup ventures including Twitter, Instagram, Uber and Kickstarter. He now manages a portfolio of over 36 startups through his company Lowercase Capital and previously served as the head of special initiatives at Google. You may also recognize him as one of the newest investors on the hit reality TV series Shark Tank. As a keynote speaker for corporate conferences and company programs, Chris shares his insights into successful startup strategies as well as brand building strategies for established companies and organizations.

John Cena: Wait, that wrestling guy? That’s right! WWE legend John Cena has become one of the most sought after celebrity keynote speakers for corporate conferences and special events. At SXSW 2017, he shared motivational stories from his life and career including the risks he took along the way to get to his position as a celebrated pro wrestler, actor and TV host. John’s story of humble beginnings, critical life decisions, perseverance and the courage to follow your dreams full-throttle hits home with audiences needing a little motivation to jump start their own journey to success. Most importantly, John harps on the importance of giving back (he has fulfilled over 500 wishes with the Make-A-Wish Foundation) and taking every opportunity that comes your way in order to be successful, stay humble and make the most of every day.

Rachael Ray: For the last 10 years, Food Network star and renowned celebrity chef Rachael Ray has added a special ingredient to the SXSW recipe as the host of her own music and food festival event on-site. Rachael Ray’s Annual Feedback Party features a special menu created by Ray as well as an eclectic 14-band lineup of well-known music acts to keep the party hopping! This year, Rachael also participated in a sit-down moderated Q&A on food, restaurants and dining culture. If you’re a company who would like to hire conference speakers outside of your industry, Rachael is a great keynote speaker who can discuss success in business from her own unique point of few as a culinary industry titan.

Steve Case: As the co-founder and former CEO of AOL, Steve Case is considered one of the forefathers of modern internet practices/capabilities including the idea of building tight-knit online communities to share information i.e. social media. Steve now operates his own investment firm Revolution, LLC. out of Washington, D.C. which has notable investments in companies such as LivingSocial and Zipcar. At SXSW 2017, Steve participated in a moderated Q&A with Beth Comstock and WIRED reporter Jason Tanz discussing how companies can navigate our rapidly changing and connected world. Steve regularly provides keynotes at major industry event and internal corporate functions sharing insights from his past successes as an entrepreneur and the future of business in the digital age.

Buzz Aldrin: Buzz Aldrin. A name that commands respect both as one of the most iconic astronauts of all time and also as an incredibly empowering role model for future generations. As many of you know, Buzz was one of the first two human beings ever to walk on the moon and developed training and space explorations techniques that are still in use today. When Buzz talks, people listen. He is at SXSW this week for a sit-down conversation with TIME Magazine’s Jeffrey Kluger to talk about his vision of human habitation on Mars. As you can imagine, Buzz is a huge hit for science and aeronautic industry events but his typical keynote speech sharing life lessons from his career as a space pioneer are universal for audiences in need of motivation for success.

Kimbal Musk: From space exploration and self-driving cars to signature restaurants and educational Learning Gardens, Kimbal Musk is a renaissance entrepreneur on a mission to change the world. Kimbal and his brother Elon have built several successful ventures together over the last few decades and Kimbal currently sits on the board of directors for SpaceX, Tesla and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Away from Silicon Valley however, Kimbal’s passion for cooking led him in a new direction that includes restaurant locations and a non-profit organization that plants Learning Gardens to nurture and educate children on the importance of eating healthy and locally sourced ingredients. Kimbal is an intriguing keynote speaker who covers topics including entrepreneurship, millennials, the future of food, and trust.

Van Jones: Van earned a positive reputation over the course of the 2016 Presidential Race for his authentic approach to today’s political issues in which he openly disagreed with Republicans and Democrats alike. His bi-partisan representation of the facts and the nuances of current political and social issues has elevated his standing beyond the political realm as a voice of reason with the ability to build bridges to connect people with opposing viewpoints. Van’s talk at SXSW 2017 titled The Messy Truth will cover today’s political and social issues with the goal to encourage and create a more unified and accepting society. Van’s speaking schedule has been quickly filling up in 2017 as organizations have sought to hire conference speakers with a political tie-in who can provide a motivational message for positive social change.

Kerri Walsh Jennings: SXSW 2017 will be the first SXSW festival experience for legendary Olympian and Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings. Following her 4th straight Olympic Medal victory at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio last August, Kerri has shared her inspirational story with a variety of groups at corporate conferences and annual company meetings. At SXSW this week, Kerri will be discussing how technology is improving athletic performance and helping to raise the bar for the modern athlete. Kerri is a humble, down-to-earth motivational keynote speaker who is able to truly connect and engage with her audiences on a personal level.

Are you in the market to hire conference speakers for your events this year? Contact Celebrity Speakers Bureau today! Our expert celebrity speaker booking agents can help hire conference speakers in your budget range who will speak to the desired theme and goals of your event. Contact us via email at booking@celebrityspeakersbureau.com.