Situated in Santa Rita do Sapucai, a dynamic tech hub in southeastern Brazil, HackTown is rapidly establishing itself as one of Latin America’s premier events for innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals. Modeled after the celebrated South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, HackTown seamlessly merges technology and innovation across different industries, attracting a diverse array of participants and speakers from around the world. Scheduled for August 1-4, 2024, the festival not only reflects the vibrant cultural exchange and entrepreneurial dynamism of SXSW, but also highlights Brazil’s rising economic prowess.
Brazil stands as a powerhouse in Latin America with a diverse economy encompassing agriculture, mining, rapidly growing technology sectors, and vibrant creative industries. São Paulo, boasting the largest GDP in Latin America, is a renowned business hub. Meanwhile, lesser-known areas like Santa Rita do Sapucai are emerging as crucial centers for technological development and innovation. This town hosts hundreds of startups, research centers, and tech-based industries, making it an ideal venue for events like HackTown.
HackTown was conceived in 2016 by a group of friends inspired by their experiences at SXSW. They envisioned a festival that fused their passions for technology, music, and innovative ideas. The initial event was expected to draw 150 attendees but instead attracted 750 on its opening day. By 2018, the festival had garnered the attention of Google, which established its first thematic house outside of SXSW at HackTown, significantly elevating the event’s profile on the international stage. Over the years, HackTown has attracted sponsorships from prominent brands such as Unilever, Accenture, AB InBev and Meta, as well as support from countries like Ireland and Denmark. For 2024, HackTown is set to welcome 15,000 daily attendees, affirming its growing importance as a major global event.
Today, HackTown not only energizes Latin America but also draws increasing interest from regions like Scandinavia, as shown by rising ticket sales and a growing roster of international speakers. Carlos Vilela, one of the event’s founders, recognizes this expanding global appeal and underscores HackTown’s influence on global views of Latin American innovation and culture. “HackTown remains dedicated to its core mission of empowering professionals and providing unmatched networking opportunities,” Vilela explains. “We strive to create a dynamic environment where individuals worldwide can connect, exchange ideas, and drive innovation together. It’s a formidable hub for businesses and brands looking to forge substantial, global partnerships,” he added.
This year’s edition will see notable figures such as Colombian José David Rivera, better known as DJ Pope, a partner of music superstar J Balvin and a key figure behind 574 Studio. The label is renowned for catapulting new Colombian Reggaeton artists to global fame. Alongside DJ Pope, leading researchers, journalists, independent entrepreneurs, and executives from some of the world’s most innovative organizations, including Amazon Kuiper, Spotify, McLaren Automotive, Microsoft, IBM, Nubank and Google, among others, will participate, establishing HackTown as an essential event on the international calendar for professionals in technology, business, and the creative industries.
