OVERWATCH to Host Panel at SXSW 2025 and Industry Happy Hour On Saturday, March 8th, 2025

SXSW 2025: 5th Industrial Revolution Panel

Industry Happy Hour Partners

Last Industrial Revolution Panel

OVERWATCH to Host Panel at SXSW and independent Industry Happy Hour On Saturday, March 8th, 2025 with a Humvee Raffle To Benefit Veterans (OVAF)

The industry needs urgent investment in data centers, workforce development, and sustainable power solutions, or we risk falling behind.”

— Kirk Offel, CEO of OVERWATCH

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Overwatch Mission Critical, a leader in data center development, AI infrastructure, and workforce innovation, is bringing two essential conversations to South By Southwest (SXSW) on Saturday, March 8: a featured official panel on “The 5th Industrial Revolution” and an exclusive invitation-only Afterparty and Leadership Panel on “The Last Industrial Revolution,” focused on AI, energy, and national security.

As AI adoption accelerates, the demand for power, digital infrastructure, and skilled professionals is at an all-time high. Overwatch is at the forefront of solving these challenges by building sustainable data centers, addressing the industry’s talent shortage, and ensuring that AI expansion aligns with national security and energy independence.

Official SXSW Panel: The 5th Industrial Revolution
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
Time: 2:30 – 3:30 PM CT
Location: Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon K

"AI is only as powerful as the infrastructure that supports it," said Kirk Offel, CEO of Overwatch Mission Critical. "The industry needs urgent investment in data centers, workforce development, and sustainable power solutions, or we risk falling behind."

AI is advancing rapidly, but without a strong digital infrastructure, it cannot scale. This panel will examine how the next wave of automation depends on scalable, energy-efficient data centers to support its exponential growth. It will also address the widening workforce gap, exploring how veterans and national security professionals can play a pivotal role in filling high-demand positions in data operations. Additionally, the discussion will tackle the sustainability and national security risks posed by AI’s increasing power consumption, emphasizing the urgent need for nuclear energy and policy-driven solutions to ensure long-term stability.

Panelists:
Dana Adams, President, North America, Vantage Data Centers
Christian Belady, Industry Advisor and Managing Director
Chris Crosby, Founder & CEO, Compass Datacenters
Kirk Offel, Founder & CEO, Overwatch | Host, Data Center Revolution


Overwatch Industry Happy Hour & “The Last Industrial Revolution” Panel
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
Time: 5:00 – 11:00 PM CT
Location: Hotel Magdalena, 1101 Music Ln, Austin, TX
6:00 – 7:00 PM | Leadership Panel: AI, Nuclear Energy, & National Security

“AI isn’t just a technology issue—it’s a national security issue," said Brigadier General Blaine D. Holt (Ret.). "Whoever controls the infrastructure and energy behind AI will shape the future of global power."

Kirk Offel, CEO, Overwatch
Mike Sarraille, Chief Talent Officer -Overwatch, Host- Sports Illustrated “Everyday Warrior Nation”
Derek Gaston, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy
Brigadier General Blaine D. Holt, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy at NATO, National Security Expert

As AI’s rapid expansion drives unprecedented energy demands, its intersection with energy policy and national security has become impossible to ignore. This discussion will explore why energy independence is critical to AI’s long-term sustainability, with nuclear power emerging as a key solution to meet escalating power needs. Speakers will also examine how military-grade leadership and defense strategies can be applied to AI-driven industries, ensuring resilience and operational excellence in mission-critical infrastructure. Finally, the conversation will tackle the global race for AI and energy dominance, outlining how the U.S. can maintain its leadership through innovation, workforce development, and strategic investment in secure infrastructure.

Afterparty Humvee Auction To Benefit Overwatch Veteran Alliance Foundation (OVAF)
7:15 PM | Last Call for Raffle. Tickets are available HERE.

Overwatch Mission Critical will host a charity auction benefiting veteran transition programs, featuring a Humvee raffle. Proceeds will support initiatives that help veterans build careers in AI, energy, and data infrastructure.

"Veterans have the discipline, skills, and leadership the AI industry desperately needs," said Mike Sarraille, CTO of Overwatch. "This auction is about opening doors for them in the mission-critical sector while strengthening AI’s future workforce."

Bringing together the brightest minds in the data center industry to celebrate the future of AI, energy, and national security couldn’t be done without support. While SXSW sets the stage, the real conversations that shape the industry’s future happen in the moments after, among the visionaries and builders driving innovation forward. This exclusive is made possible through the support of DCAC Live, Legend Energy Advisors, MCA Communications, Inc., 7x24 Exchange - Central Texas Chapter, Tubbesing, Kaya.AI, and International Data Center Authority (IDCA), whose commitment to advancing digital infrastructure ensures we continue to power the global economy.

About Overwatch Mission Critical
Overwatch Mission Critical builds and manages high-performance data centers that support AI, automation, and national security infrastructure needs. The company is also dedicated to solving the data center industry’s workforce crisis by helping veterans transition into mission-critical roles. For more information, visit www.WeAreOverwatch.com.

Afterparty Humvee Auction To Benefit Overwatch Veteran Alliance Foundation (OVAF)