SXSW Interactive serves as a great crystal ball for what's next, which is why we put an army of T3 technologists and creatives on the streets of Austin to find the top trends, technologies and tech companies likely to make an impact in the coming year. Finding great ideas at SXSWi was no more difficult than spotting hipsters, but paring them down to three things that we really think bear watching in 2013 tested our predictive powers. Take a look at the slideshare below to see what floated to the top of our list.

1. PPT Template and Style guide

2. We sent an army of
T3ers on a mission to
find #kickass trends,
technology and
companies.
Here’s the top 3 of each.

3. Trends
Just a divider slide – need a background for this one (can be SXSW related)

4. This year was all about storytelling.
Panel after panel encouraged brands to
avoid simply shouting their features to fans
or offering short-term incentives for
customers to engage.
Instead we saw countless examples of brands
that slowly, but successfully, built their
audiences by finding shared interests.
Stories are what audiences are looking for, and
the brands that are winning at social are the
ones telling them well.

5. Adios, CES! From the Leap
Motion Controller to the OUYA
open-source gaming console, all
eyes were on hardware.
Hardware companies are opting
to launch at SXSWi instead of
traditional shows like CES as
they look to reach influencers
and early adopters.

6. This theme was clear. It’s time to stop
designing for screens and start
designing for people.
New methods of input (voice, GPS,
sensors, AI, etc.) allow us to provide
just the right information at the right
time.
The big question is how can we
combine these methods to minimize
on-screen interfaces and get better
experiences?

8. With advancements in mobile tech,
cheap and accessible sensor technology
combined with faster internet
connectivity, powerful AR experiences
are just around the corner.

9. From low-cost product prototypes for
small businesses to affordable
prosthetics and medical devices, 3D
printing is already being used in
extraordinary ways.
This year, a host of new companies aim
to bring 3D printing to the masses and
help move us from mass production to
personal production.

10. As devices become more
connected, the focus will
shift from apps to APIs for a
seamless user experience
across platforms.
In the very near future,
your API will be your app.

11. We need to change the
background to be our
office.

12. Plotter — the winner of the
SXSW accelerator award.
Plotter is the first social
network for maps. Not only
does it bring much-needed
features to mobile maps
like viewing multiple
plotted locations at once,
but it also lets you crowd-
source and discover maps
from friends and experts.

13. Gesture-based computer
interaction removes
interfaces and creates an
immersive experience.

14. The MakerBot Digitizer
Desktop 3D Scanner
allows consumers to scan
a physical item, digitize it
and print it in 3D — with
little or no design
experience.

15. He was the most talked-about event at SXSWi.
SXSWi: Grumpy Cat Crowned Queen of Social — Mashable
The unlikely star of SXSW: Grumpy Cat — CNN
The Biggest Celebrity at SXSW: Grumpy Cat — Yahoo! News
I Met Grumpy Cat At SXSW — Forbes
If Grumpy Cat is the biggest news of all, is SXSW in trouble? — CNET
As SXSW Interactive winds down, Grumpy Cat is clear winner — CBS