Brooklyn Navy Yard Partners with AI Manufacturing Company Aether for Exclusive SXSW Launch Event

SXSW is known for big ideas, emerging technology, and creative energy – but this year, a slice of Brooklyn is joining the conversation about the future of industry. On March 12, the Brooklyn Navy Yard will host a special kickoff event in Austin that highlights how one of New York City’s most historic industrial campuses has become a powerhouse for modern manufacturing and innovation.

Held at the iconic Allen Boots on South Congress, the gathering will feature Brooklyn Navy Yard President and CEO Lindsay Greene alongside leaders from advanced manufacturing organizations and companies operating within the Yard. The event is designed to spotlight how the Brooklyn Navy Yard has evolved into a thriving ecosystem for makers, builders, and next-generation manufacturers.

“SXSW has always been a catalyst for bold ideas, and we’re proud to kick off this year’s opening day with an event that brings innovation to the forefront,” said Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC). “At the Navy Yard, we’ve created an ecosystem where entrepreneurs, technologists and creatives can collaborate. Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation – it thrives in communities and campuses like this, where diverse perspectives come together and shape what’s next.”

Today, the 300-acre waterfront campus is home to more than 550 companies working across industries – from advanced manufacturing to technology and creative production. Together, these businesses generate more than $2.5 billion in economic impact and support roughly 13,000 jobs. It’s a striking example of how legacy industrial spaces can be reimagined to support modern innovation.

At SXSW, that story takes center stage. Greene will share how the Navy Yard partners with companies like Aether MFG and collaborates with organizations such as the American Manufacturing Futures Institute to build pathways for industrial growth. The focus is not only on production, but also on building a resilient, forward-looking manufacturing sector that blends technology, workforce development and entrepreneurship. Aether MFG will detail the uniquely collaborative environment at the Navy Yard and the benefits of being located in Brooklyn.

"Aether Manufacturing is excited to be at SXSW 2026 with our partner, Brooklyn Navy Yard. We're building the factory of the future – AI-native, modular, and designed to scale across the US," said Aether MFG Co-Founder Vik Parth.

The event also reflects a larger trend: cities across the country are rethinking how manufacturing fits into their economic future. Brooklyn Navy Yard has become a leading model for how urban campuses can support cutting-edge industry while creating jobs and community opportunity.

By bringing this conversation to SXSW – one of the world’s most influential gatherings of innovators – the Brooklyn Navy Yard is making a clear point: the future of manufacturing is collaborative, urban, and deeply connected to innovation ecosystems.