Austin Next

The University of Austin is a new and promising institution set to open its doors to full time students in just over a year. The university is the brainchild of a few individuals who believe that an institution based on a new model is necessary. The school is committed to freedom of inquiry, a core tenet of any great university, that allows for the pursuit of truth. Today’s guest is the founding president, Pano Kanelos, a distinguished academic that had a successful tenure at St. John's College. We discuss the university's mission, building new institutions, and how they fit within Austin’s education and innovation ecosystems.Episode HighlightsThe University of Austin aims to become a new center for innovation and academic freedom in the city.UATX aspires to become the "Stanford to Berkeley" for Austin, complementing the University of Texas.By working closely with industry leaders, the university seeks to co-develop programs, offer internships, and provide support for student-led projects.The Polaris Project emphasizes real-world application and impact on pressing global problems, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among students.They want to inspire new institutions around the world by proving that it’s possible to build a new university todayWhat’s next Austin? “A dozen years from now, there is a thriving campus in the Austin area that is attracting scholars, practitioners, and young people from across the country and across the world who are building things that we haven't yet dreamed of.”Episode linksUniversity of Austin: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The world of technology is expanding, and we're seeing a convergence of deep tech with traditional software and computation. Today, we're speaking with Andrew Busey, co-founder of Form Bio and Colossal Biosciences, two companies that sit at this intersection. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Andrew has been a driving force behind some of the internet's most significant technologies. Andrew’s career has taken him through several pivotal moments in tech history, including the early days of the internet, gaming, AI, and now bio.Episode HighlightsAndrew’s career spanned key tech products such as Mosaic (the first web browser), iChat (the first web-based chat system), and Zynga (one the most popular gaming companies of the social media era)Software entrepreneurs are increasingly applying techniques, business models, and more to the bio, quantum, and AI fieldsHis approach is to make Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups “…software is either the chocolate or the peanut butter and then I'm finding some other thing to combine with it to make something that tastes great and is novel”Form Bio, the first spinout from Colossal Biosciences, aims to solve the badly managed data issue in the biotech industryAI's impact on business and society is shifting toward distributed vertical intelligenceThe availability of remote work technology may lead to a more distributed talent pool and impact the future of Austin as a tech hubWhat’s next Austin? “I think the big thing we're gonna see is fabs and Musk-related companies evolving here and how that affects the mix of things will be very interesting.”Episode linksAndrew Busey: Twitter, LinkedInForm Bio: Website, Twitter, LinkedInColossal Biosciences: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Are the cities in the Texas Triangle on the right track to success? With their expansive population growth and focus on economic growth, the cities of the Texas Triangle have been on an upward trajectory in recent years. To answer these questions and more, we welcome back to the show Cullum Clark, director of the George W. Bush Institute and SMU's Economic Growth Initiative. Cullum discusses the Texas Triangle and its implications for economic growth, infrastructure, and housing.Episode HighlightsThe Texas Triangle has been more successful in balancing growth while preserving the unique character and identity of each city. Every county across the San Antonio and Austin metros grew, while the core urban counties in Houston and Dallas lost population.Cullum's key for regions is to prioritize education, human capital, livability, and being business-friendly to attract and retain talent and companies.Austin's multi-hub economy has a diverse industry base with a unique mix of a big public university, the state capital, and the biggest tourist destination.  What’s next Austin? “I think that when you look at everything that's working in 21st Century America, Austin truly has it all. To be a place that kind of benefits from being a kind of, having a cultural cool factor, benefits from being a center of tech benefits from being a major higher ed center. There is an economic anchor as well. I'm absolutely as bullish as I could be and I would encourage others to be as well. The future of the Texas Triangle is very bright.”Episode linksCullum Clark: Twitter, WebsiteGeorge W. Bush Center: WebsiteThe Texas Triangle: An Emerging Metropolitan Model in the Lone Star State -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Generative AI has been a hot topic in the tech world in recent years, and Austin is staking its claim with Jasper AI, a local unicorn making waves in the industry. Today, we had the pleasure of talking to Austin Distel, Senior Director of Marketing at Jasper AI, to shed some light on the topic. During our conversation, we discussed where Jasper AI fits in the tech stack, how Austin's tech ecosystem is playing a role in this area, and what the future holds for generative AI as a vital part of innovation.Episode HighlightsAustin Distel believes that generative AI is a growing industry and that collaboration among companies is beneficial.The responsible use of AI and mindful consideration of ethical concerns in content creation is a growing area of discussion.Jasper AI is focused on creating new, unique, and original content based on data-driven insights to help businesses make decisions.Jasper's goal is to augment human creativity, not replace it.There is potential for the technology to impact industries beyond e-commerce and advertising, such as fashion and entertainment.The generative AI ecosystem is still growing and there is a lot of potential for innovation.What’s next Austin? “Today the generative AI is the smallest it'll ever be. It's growing. It's gonna be part of our ecosystem more and more and more. And so that just means that there's more opportunity. I think we're all gonna make each other better. So that's why I would love to get into the same room. Let's have conversations, let's make our products better together, and maybe team up.”Episode linksAustin Distel: Twitter, LinkedInJasper AI: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Clay Johnston, CMO and Co-Founder of Harbor Health, proposed a vision of health that would give people more knowledge and control over their care options. Harbor Health was born during Dr. Johnston’s time as the inaugural Dean of the Dell Med School and took its place in Austin’s growing Bio + Health ecosystem.  We discuss his time as dean, innovation in healthcare business models, and Austin’s future in this sector. Episode HighlightsAs the inaugural Dean of the Dell Med School at UT Austin, Dr. Johnston got an up-close look at the business of health and experimented with new models.Harbor Health's mission is to redesign the healthcare system to achieve better health outcomes and reduce wasteful healthcare spending.The financial structure of Harbor Health, which moves away from the standard fee for service allows people to make decisions about their healthcare, while understanding the financial impact of their choices.Amazon's acquisition of One Medical and PillPack creates new competition in the primary care & consumer space, putting them head-to-head with companies like CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens.Austin is primed for digital health innovation, including new ways of delivering services and designing care.What’s Next Austin? “Our plan is to grow. Our plan is to provide a real option for people in Austin that doesn't just look and feel different, isn't just about convenience, but really is embracing a new approach to the health system about empowering our members. I know we've grown rapidly, but we have plenty of capacity for folks who are ready to have a new kind of care.”Episode linksClay Johnston: Twitter, LinkedInHarbor Health: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

This is a topic that we have had many conversations about off-air and thought it might be interesting and worthwhile to record and share with our listeners. We talk about downtown Austin's role within a multi-hub innovation region, the tension between physical proximity and remote work and their impact agglomeration effects, and the scale that only a central business district can bring. Episode HighlightsAustin is evolving as a multi-hub innovation metro with growth happening from Bastrop to Georgetown to San Macros in addition to the continued convergence of the Austin San Antonio mega region. Not all industries work in a central business district given space, price, and types of talent i.e., manufacturing doesn’t work downtown, while software development fits very well.Intellectual density is key for a thriving innovation ecosystem and there is a challenge building that density in a physically larger region and with the growth and continued demand for remote workThe potential of downtown Austin becoming a central location for cross-sector convergence, and how the entertainment district, arts, and parks can be used to drive creative collisions.What’s next downtown Austin?Michael: “Downtown is going to continue to be the kind of vibrant Austin-specific area that it always has been. Come back to me in two years where we are on the other side of this and all these companies are growing, all these companies are putting more people downtown, as well as other places the residential towers are opening and people are moving there.” Jason: “As downtown embraces and understands truly what its role in that ecosystem is I think then it's going to thrive at a new inflection point as we are hitting a new inflection point in Austin.” -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Austin Next takes you on an exclusive, behind-the-scenes journey of SXSW 2023, showcasing the city's innovation-driven culture. Michael is the newbie this year, so we get his first-timer impressions. We had the pleasure of interviewing five companies making an impact at the festival: NeuraLight, Gigaroo, EverCase, Thrive360, and Eden Data. Our discussions center on their cutting-edge products, their experiences at SXSW, and their future goals.  We also caught up with J&J Innovation again to discuss their sponsorship and activity.Episode HighlightsAustin shows up at SXSW in as many ways as there are companies, whether they are looking for promotion, funding, sales, or just winning the innovation competitions, the Austin innovation community supports and needs SXSW.SXSW Innovation Award Finalist NeuraLight's ocular signature technology for revolutionizing neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and treatment.SXSW Pitch Finalist Gigaroo is an app that connects Gen Z job seekers with ideal positions via customized questionnaires.SXSW Pitch Finalist EverCase has innovated food preservation that reduces food waste by keeping food at freezing temperatures without ice formation.Thrive360 offers mental health and self-care experiences from practicing doctors and therapists in 2D and virtual reality, with B2B and B2C platforms.Eden Data is a cybersecurity company that provides security and compliance expertise on subscription for startups and scale-ups.J&J sponsored the Health and MedTech Track and is committed to accelerating healthcare solutions with technology and a growing presence in Austin. Episode LinksSXSW YouTube playlistNeuralight: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Micha BreakstoneGigaroo: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Adir OdenEverCase: Website, LinkedIn, Paul LevinsThrive360: Website, LinkedIn, Christy LamkaEden Data: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Taylor HersomJ&J Innovation: Website, Twitter, Stacy Feld LinkedIn, Stacy Feld Twitter -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, delves into the role the organization plays in shaping the future of Austin's workforce. We'll explore how Workforce Solutions Capital Area supports the local workforce, what is the state of the talent market today, and how the region is balancing the constant shifts of supply and demand for labor and skills.Episode HighlightsWorkforce Solutions Capital Area supports individuals in finding jobs by providing career guidance, scholarships, and outsourcing services to employers and companies by providing labor market information and investing in talent pipelinesRecent partnership with Austin Transit Partnership aims to plan for jobs created by infrastructure and mobility projects in Austin, building up the local talent poolWorkforce Solutions Capital Area also collaborates with other workforce boards in Texas and sees the region as a super region for job opportunitiesInnovative companies recognize the value of starting talent development earlier and investing in the local communityFive growing sectors with high demand for talent are healthcare, IT, manufacturing, skilled trades & construction, and mobility & infrastructureWhat's next Austin? “Keep your eye on mobility and infrastructure. I think that this is what's next and what's big for Austin with approximately 25 billion coming to our community. Are we going to implement this money business as usual, or are we going to see it as an opportunity to really grow Austinite’s skills?”Episode LinksTamara Atkinson: LinkedInWorkforce Solutions Capital Area: Website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Join us for an exciting week at SXSW 2023. We're going to as many panels, meetups, activations, and events as we can. While we won't have a new podcast episode, catch us on Twitter and YouTube as we explore why innovators choose SXSW, how the Austin ecosystem shines, and catch up with some of our prior guests. Stay tuned to find out what's next for Austin! -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Melinda Richter and Stacy Feld of Johnson & Johnson Innovation discuss healthcare innovation and technology, including J&J's involvement in SXSW, the potential for Austin as a major biohub, and both the challenges and opportunities the sector faces.Episode HighlightsJ&J's sponsorship of the Health and MedTech track at SXSW signifies a shift for both J&J and the overall festival, showing its growing prominence.JLABS is an example of J&J's approach between internal and external collaboration to help early-stage innovators by giving them access to resources and expertise they need to bring their solutions to market.Consumerization of healthcare is a trend that can make healthcare more affordable and accessible but finding the right business model can be difficult.Austin is a potential hub for healthcare innovation, and discussions about healthcare innovations and business models at SXSW could lead to a more efficient and effective healthcare system.J&J recognizes the importance of leveraging data and insights to become more effective and efficient in providing care and solutions.The future of telehealth is likely to include continued growth and innovation, as healthcare providers and patients become more comfortable with remote care and technology continues to improve.What's next for Austin?Stacy Feld: "Continuing to unlock the value of the rich academic and clinical institutions, not just with UT and Austin, but across the Texas Triangle and to find the synergies and pair our disease area expertise and the resources that we have with entrepreneurs and with academics." Melinda Richter: "What's next for Austin is to become that next big player for health tech, solving equity and access issues, changing patient care and lives, and leading the charge. All of those things together combined with such a diverse population, people coming from all over the world."What's next for J&J in Austin?Stacy Feld: "Building new early relationships with entrepreneurs, launching new companies out of academia, and continuing to invest in building long-term relationships." Melinda Richter: "There's going to be an amazing hub at SXSW with lots of J&J folks from around the company in different disciplines. And so we really want to have these conversations with everybody. So please reach out, come see us, and certainly, we want to continue to grow that conversation over time."Episode LinksTop 10 Tips for Standing Out at Pitch CompetitionsMelinda Richter: LinkedIn, TwitterStacy Feld: LinkedIn, TwitterJ&J Innovation: Website, TwitterJLABS: Website, Twitter -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack