Ooga Technologies is the first North Carolina company selected as a finalist in the SXSW Pitch competition's 18-year history. The company's AI-enhanced remote inspection platform helps utilities and midstream operators make faster, more reliable integrity decisions, processing inspection data in days rather than months while reducing costs by up to 60%.
DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ooga Technologies to showcase Integrated Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Inspections Platform in the Smart Cities, Transportation, Manufacturing & Logistics category
Ooga Technologies, a deep tech solution to modernize infrastructure inspections through an integrated digital platform, has been selected as a finalist in the Smart Cities, Transportation, Manufacturing & Logistics category for the 18th annual SXSW Pitch.
SXSW Pitch is the marquee event of South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals, taking place March 12 - 18, 2026, in Austin, Texas. The competition brings together leading startups from around the world to present groundbreaking technologies to a panel of judges and a live audience.
Out of 589 companies that applied to SXSW Pitch 2026, Ooga Technologies was selected as one of just 45 finalists. Ooga is also the first North Carolina-based startup to be named a finalist in the competition's 18-year history.
The two-day event will be held the first weekend of SXSW Conference & Festivals, Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, at JW Marriott in Austin. The event will then culminate with the 2026 SXSW Pitch Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening, March 14, where winning startups from each category and a Best in Show winner will be announced and honored in rooms F-H on the third floor of the Marriott.
SXSW Pitch will feature finalists across the following nine categories: Enterprise and Future of Work; Entertainment, Media, Sports & Creator Content; Healthcare, AssistiveTech & BioTech; Innovative World Tech; Intelligent Systems, Robotics & Multisensory Technology; Smart Cities, Transportation, Manufacturing & Logistics; Smart Data, Security & FinTech; Student Startups; Sustainability, AgTech & Food.
Ooga Technologies will present among four other companies in their category on Friday, March 13.
"We're incredibly excited and grateful to SXSW Pitch for this opportunity to shine a spotlight on the Non-Destructive Testing industry. At Ooga Technologies, we're proud to help utilities and midstream operators make faster, more reliable integrity decisions through AI-driven, remote inspections," shares Ooga Technologies CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Ajay Pasupuleti.
Ooga Technologies has developed a remote inspection platform that addresses capacity constraints in critical infrastructure in the energy and transportation sectors. As AI drives exponential demand for energy to support data centers, natural gas will be key to meeting this need. Ooga's platform will empower customers to build natural gas infrastructure that is more reliable, faster, and cost-effective.
The Ooga decision infrastructure platform provides an integrated solution. It is becoming the go-to marketplace for vetted global NDT experts, along with a range of AI tools in the inspections industry. It is also the only platform that exists in the industry where NDT teams can use multiple types of NDT software for different tests in a single place. The Ooga platform also enables team collaboration and project management in a single location.
Finally, Ooga's clients are amped about the fact that Ooga's platform enables them to conduct remote audits and get real-time feedback from NDT experts across the globe.
By digitizing the complete inspection workflow, Ooga customers transform inspections from a supply chain bottleneck to a competitive advantage.
"Over the last 18 years, SXSW Pitch has sought to provide the necessary resources and exposure to help start-ups succeed and thrive as they navigate the early-stage venture ecosystem," said SXSW Pitch Event Producer Chris Valentine. "The 45 companies selected as 2026 finalists constitute the next wave of innovation across the globe. We look forward to seeing these startups take the stage in March to present their new technologies to our panel of expert judges."
For more information about SXSW Pitch and to view the complete list of finalists, visit: https://www.sxsw.com/pitch.
About Ooga Technologies
Ooga is disrupting the $15+ billion NDT inspection industry with remote-first, AI-enhanced technology. Our cloud platform pairs certified experts with field teams globally, accelerating infrastructure audits from months to days. We're building the digital backbone for smart city utilities, manufacturing plants, and supply chain logistics - safely, efficiently, and at scale.
About SXSW
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is known worldwide for conferences and festivals that celebrate the convergence of technology, film and television, music, education, comedy and culture. The annual event serves global professionals through sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and networking that consistently generates unexpected discoveries when diverse communities come together. SXSW 2026 runs March 12-18 in downtown Austin, preceded by SXSW EDU March 9-12. Learn more at sxsw.com.
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Media Contact
Christina Noel, Ooga Technologies, 1 919-219-1647, [email protected], https://www.oogatechnologies.com/
SOURCE Ooga Technologies
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