Austin Next

The fuel that makes startups grow has always been capital. This is produced from revenue, debt, angels, crowdfunding, and venture capital. Austin has seen a record year in both funds being raised and companies raising rounds. Not only have the funds been flying, but new investors have decided to make the region their home. In this episode, we are starting our series on the Austin capital environment. How it evolved, where the funding is being deployed, and what the future holds. We start with a long-time local VC, Brian Smith Managing Director of S3 Ventures. Knowing where the capital is flowing will help us answer...What's next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

We interview Amos Schwartzfarb, Managing Director of TechStars Austin about how private incubators support the innovation ecosystem here in Central TX.  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

History has shown that a strong university is a key element for an innovation ecosystem to thrive. The good news is that Austin is the home of the University of Texas, one of the largest and strongest universities in the US, and I’m not just talking about football.  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The pandemic opened a lot of people's eyes to the importance of the life sciences industry. The 21st century is being called the bio century and Austin has the opportunity to be right in the middle of that next wave.  We continue our Austin Sector Deep Dive Series with Scott Collins, President BioAustinCTX The next generation of innovation in health will drive forward...What's next Austin?  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The Live Music Capital of the world is one of many slogans for our fine city. Music is just one of many forms of media that have been taking hold in the region. This includes film, gaming, and yes podcasting too. One fascinating collision between our growing media footprint and our technology hub is mediatech. We continue our Austin Sector Deep Dive Series with Paul O'Brien, CEO of MediaTech Ventures. This burgeoning sector helps shape the narrative of...What's Next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

One of the strengths of the Austin innovation ecosystem is the wide sector diversification that plays within our region. All of these different industries provide multiple shots on goals for future unicorns, a hedge against a downturn in any single market, and opportunities for interesting and unique collaborations. We are going to break open the silos and provide a glimpse into each of these sectors. In today's episode, we are going to start with one of the newest technologies Blockchain/Crypto with Lee Bratcher, President of the Texas Blockchain Council. Each of these industries provides its own path to...What's Next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The building blocks of any ecosystem are the companies that have been founded or migrated here; however, it is the mortar between those blocks that makes a strong foundation. The mortar of an ecosystem is the people, culture, and ideas that flow throughout. Today we are speaking with Thom Singer, the Human Connection Catalyst on how the movement, interaction, and creative collisions of talent and innovation are changing, adapting, and growing in the region. With this solid bedrock for future growth...What's next Austin?   -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

We talk a lot about how Austin is transforming into the next great innovation powerhouse, but how do you define a growing innovation powerhouse. What do the academics say are the right ways to measure an ecosystem’s growth and how does Austin stack up. In this episode, we speak with Ross Devol, President and CEO of Heartland Forward. We talk about his latest research, where Austin ranks, and what trends are creating both headwinds and tailwinds for our community. Understanding the data helps us understand…What’s Next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

No innovation ecosystem exists in a silo and one of the significant growth drivers are the companies that are deciding to move here from other regions. Whether it is a satellite office or a new headquarters, these organizations have a big impact on the local community. In this episode, we talk with Jason Ball the President and CEO of the Round Rock Chamber on who is coming here, what is driving the transition, and the challenges they face once here. It’s the marriage of our home-grown enterprises with the continued inflow of new companies that sets the stage for…What’s Next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Episode 2: Interview with Marc Nathan Part of the evolution of Austin into the next great innovation powerhouse is the change in the types of companies that are being started here. The history of Austin is deeply connected to personal computers, enterprise software, and semiconductors. Today the next generation of companies are coming from CPG, consumer technology, life sciences, media tech, space, and more. We have a growing number of unicorns and “soonicrons.” Marc Nathan, a local player and reporter, on the startup ecosystem, walks us through who those companies are and how they are changing the landscape of what it means to be a startup in Austin. Understanding what is being built will help us answer…What’s Next Austin? -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack