Austin Next

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

SXSW is one of the most anticipated annual events that celebrate the convergence of music, film, and technology in Austin, Texas. We welcome Hugh Forrest, SXSW Co-President & Chief Programming Officer back to the podcast to explore the latest developments and insights from SXSW and learn how this dynamic event continues to inspire and shape the future of creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation.Episode HighlightsThe importance of SXSW in the Austin community and its core nature as a creative and entrepreneurial event.Tips for first-time attendees of SXSW, including how to plan and make the most of their experience.What's new in SXSW 2023, including the addition of new tracks, sponsors, and the use of generative AI.An overview of the Health & MedTech and 2050 tracks at the SXSW conference.Balancing optimism and skepticism in the age of AI, with insights from SXSW on climate change and technological innovation.The launch of SXSW Sydney and what to expect from this new event.Episode LinksHugh Forrest: LinkedIn, TwitterSXSW: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The Texas Legislature's Innovation & Technology Caucus plays a key role in shaping the state's tech policy. In this episode, we are joined by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Rep. John Bucy III to discuss the role of the IT Caucus, the challenges the state faces in promoting tech innovation, and their efforts to address those challenges. We look at the future of tech innovation in Texas, and how the Caucus is working to position the state as a leader in the field.Episode HighlightsThe Innovation & Technology Caucus began in 2015 but gained attention in 2020-2021due to the increased presence of technology in Texas.The Caucus aims to promote a healthy environment for innovation and growth in a bipartisan way by learning about what is happening in Texas and bridging the gap between the Senate and the House.The narrative of innovation in Texas has been changing rapidly due to certain events, such as Tesla's arrival putting electric vehicles on the radar and recent developments in crypto and blockchain.Examples of policy opportunities include using AI to modernize Texas government services, workforce development & education, and regulatory frameworks that create a friendly environment while ensuring accountability (such as was done with autonomous vehicles).Self-regulatory frameworks can provide a middle ground for regulating industries, but government intervention may be necessary in cases where self-regulation fails.What's next for Texas and what's next for Austin?Rep. Giovanni Capriglione: "Texas is going to come out of this session with a better workforce, more plans on how to improve our research, how to help and improve our companies and technologies, and also with lower property taxes."Rep. John H. Bucy III: An upcoming higher education session focused on workforce development, particularly in community colleges and public universities. And for Austin, the importance of addressing electric system vulnerabilities and supporting Austin Energy while ensuring the needs of the community are met.Episode LinksRep. Giovanni Capriglione: Website, TwitterRep. John Bucy III: Website, TwitterInnovation & Technology Caucus of the Texas Legislature : Website, Twitter -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The combination of a booming population and an accelerating business sector, as well as the desire to "de-carbonize" creates a real challenge. In this episode we talk with Bill McCamley, the Executive Director at Transit Forward and Christy Cardenas, the Managing Partner at Grit Ventures.  The discussion delves into the diverse and rapidly changing world of energy generation, the role of transportation in energy consumption, and how Austin’s power grid will change over the next five years.Episode HighlightsTexas has a unique and diverse generation mix with a strong focus on natural gas and coal, but a growing interest in renewables like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydrogen.The advancements in battery storage technology, government funding for better batteries, and the emergence of new business models for mature battery technologies.The shift from gas stations to electric vehicle (EV) charging points and the challenges in figuring out the infrastructure for EV charging points.The impact of individual decisions on power consumption in a city like Austin and the role of transportation in energy consumption.The impact of housing development on the generation, distribution, and usage of power, with a focus on ETOD, multi-use development near transit lines, and reducing compatibility restrictions.What’s next Austin - Bill believes that building more density around transit corridors, changing housing ordinances to allow for multi-use development, and reducing compatibility restrictions will be key in the next four to five years for the generation, distribution, and usage of power in Austin.What’s next Austin - Christy “There is so much money and so much brain power chasing these solutions, whether it's fusion, nuclear fusion, better forms of generation, better forms of storage that we, as a state, with a huge component of our economy tied to oil and gas, best get in front of it and be a part of that energy revolution.”Episode LinksBill McCamley: Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Christy Cardenas: Linkedin, TwitterGrit Ventures: Website, Linkedin, TwitterTransit Forward: Website, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Ethan Blumenthal is the CEO of OwnProp, a platform that enables investors–large and small–to invest in commercial and multi-family real estate. They do this by leveraging the power of the blockchain and NFTs. In this Spotlight episode, Ethan describes his background as a blockchain engineer and how he found his way to Austin to pursue a career in the crypto industry. He then explains OwnProp’s aim to lower the minimum investment and create a liquid secondary market for investment stakes. Ethan also shares the story of OwnProp's journey from its founding to its current stage, and its plans to open up investment opportunities to retail investors. He also discusses the difference between OwnProp and other tokenization startups in the market, emphasizing OwnProp's focus on prime assets with lucrative upside.Episode linksOwnProp WebsiteOwnProp TwitterOwnProp YouTubeEthan Blumenthal Linkedin -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

William Hurley, better known as whurley, is the founder and CEO of StrangeWorks, a quantum computing startup that makes the power of quantum computing easily accessible and available to all. He shares expertise on the topic and explains what quantum computing is, how it works, and its potential impact on industries such as healthcare, material science, and artificial intelligence. We also dive into the democratizing power of technology and Austin’s growth as a deep tech hub. Episode Highlights“Quantum computing is the future of humanity. It is the computational ability that we need to build other forms of computing… They'll be amorphic, neuromorphic, DNA-based things.”Quantum mechanics’ unique properties allow computation of formerly intractable problems that classical computers require evaluation times of millions of years. 2023 may be to quantum technology what 1963 was to the space race.When they launched Strangeworks, it was about humanizing quantum. The idea is to get into as many hands as possible.ChatGPT’s rapid massive adoption has shown the power of UX innovation on top of complex technology and quantum is ripe for such an innovation.What’s next Austin? “It needs to be community-focused, collaboratively driven with a cause, with a purpose. And that would be to build an ecosystem that supports an entrepreneur, whether they're me, or you, or some kid at UT or ACC or whatever that has an idea so that everybody can get a chance.”Episode LinksStrangeworks: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedInWilliam Hurley: LinkedIn, Facebook, Website, Twitter, Instagram -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack