Today, SXSW (unofficially) begins. Tech folks (aka "people from Twitter") will congregate in Austin for one big competition, at the end of which, one app is crowned "the winner" (with some keynotes/BBQ in-between).

Previous SXSW winners include: Twitter, Foursquare, GroupMe, Highlight, Banjo, Secret, and Meerkat. Come to think of it, taking over SXSW may be more of a curse then a treat. 😳 That said, we've asked a few people to predict who they think will stand out this year.

Greylock Partner, Josh Elman: "Houseparty is going to be a breakout as people in Austin hang with their friends back home. I am also excited about the on the ground audio reporting on the new launch of Anchor."

Founders Fund Partner, Cyan Banister, named Punkpost and Hooked as apps to watch this year.

Shots CEO, John Shahidi, said he was excited by the launch of Soon.

Journalist, Taylor Lorenz, says that Whale could be the breakout app.

As for our picks? Facebook's Messenger "Stories" just launched and will be a topic of discussion, but with no Uber or Lyft in Austin this year, surely this app will be the ultimate winner. 🏆