The AI Shockwave: SXSW Panel and Networking Reception

The AI Shockwave Panel & Networking Event will be held in Austin, TX, parallel to SXSW. Over the course of the event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from five highly specialized panels ranging in topics designed around the AI boom in Texas.

This high-impact forum explores how AI is reshaping energy and power markets, commercial real estate finance and infrastructure, grid infrastructure, climate risk and capital strategy. Designed for industry leaders and decision makers, the event focuses on practical, forward‑looking sustainability solutions that tackle complex challenges and drive meaningful impact in our communities.

Register now for the AI Shockwave Panel Discussion

Location: Hanghart Lounge, 208 W 4th St Unit D, Austin, Texas 78701

Parking Access: 405 Colorado Garage, on Colorado Street between 4th and 5th Street

Join Ashly Pleasant and Holly Roozrokh at The AI Shockwave Panel Discussion. They’ll be sharing perspectives across several sessions throughout the afternoon.

Connect with us after the last panel for a networking happy hour — see you there!

Panel 1: Austin Real Estate in an AI-Driven Cycle

2:10-2:40 PM 

Discussion Themes:

• Land pricing and industrial demand shifts
• Infrastructure readiness as a value driver
• Development feasibility in constrained power environments
• Capital flows and investor positioning within Austin

Featured Panelists: 

• Stacey Savage, The Texas Trash Talker, Zero Waste Strategies, LLC
• Stefanie Williams, Senior Research Analyst, S&P Global Market Intelligence
• Ashly Pleasant, Director, Real Estate Advisory and Sustainability Services, Weaver
• Colin Connors, Strategic Advisor, Breathe ESG

Panel 2: Interconnection, Grid Governance and Time-to-Power Risk

2:45-3:15 PM

Discussion Themes:

• How the interconnection process actually works
• Queue backlogs and regulatory bottlenecks
• Governance structures impacting deployment speed
• Why “time-to-power” is now a measurable financial risk

Featured Panelists: 

• Holly Roozrokh, Manager, Real Estate Advisory and Sustainability Services, Weaver
• Jake Corley, Founder & CEO, Corley Energy
• Stefanie Williams, Senior Research Analyst, S&P Global Market Intelligence
• Shaayak Chatterjee, Founder, Breathe ESG

Panel 3: What the AI Boom Means for Data Center Operators

3:20-3:50 PM

Discussion Themes:

• Scaling operations under exponential AI workloads
• Capital intensity and infrastructure expectations
• Cooling, water usage, redundancy and resilience pressures
• Misalignment between investor assumptions and operator realities

Featured Panelists: 

• Justin Murrill, Chief Sustainability Officer, AMD
• Samarth Maira, Founder & CCO, Blueprint Data Centers
• Jesse Cabrera, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Stanley Consultants
• Ashly Pleasant, Director, Real Estate Advisory and Sustainability Services, Weaver

Panel 4: Why Sustainability and AI are Interdependent

3:55-4:25 PM

Discussion Themes:

• AI-driven climate and energy modeling
• Real-time emissions tracking across portfolios
• Water and energy efficiency innovation
• Decision useful Sustainability reporting

Featured Panelists: 

• Shaayak Chatterjee, Founder, Breathe ESG
• Varun Kohli, Principal, Director of Sustainability, Corgan
• Emily Lewis-Pinnell, Founder, Evaila
• Ashly Pleasant, Director, Real Estate Advisory and Sustainability Services, Weaver

Panel 5: Climate Risk as a Capital Variable

4:25-4:50 PM

Discussion Themes:

• Physical climate risk across asset classes
• Transition risk and regulatory exposure
• Insurance repricing, and tightening lender and international investor scrutiny
• Implications for underwriting, valuations, and investment strategy

Featured Panelists: 

• Stacey Savage, The Texas Trash Talker, Zero Waste Strategies, LLC
• Holly Roozrokh, Manager, Real Estate Advisory and Sustainability Services, Weaver
• Aylin Ozkan, Sustainable Design Leader, Corgan
• Colin Connors, Strategic Advisor, Breathe ESG

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Power Strategy Is the New Priority: Understanding the 2026 Data Center Market | Podcast