Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this conversation with Jacqueline Hughes, a human-centric event producer with over 13 years of experience, the vibrant evolution of Austin Tech Week is explored. She shares how the event fosters connections and collaboration among the tech community. The impact of COVID-19 on events and the importance of in-person networking are discussed, emphasizing opportunities for newcomers. Jacqueline also highlights the significance of community engagement and encourages support for grassroots initiatives to strengthen Austin's unique tech ecosystem.

This week on Austin Tech Connect we are joined again by Razat Gaurav, CEo at Planview.  In this conversation we hear about his experience in Austin the last 3 years, the growth of Planview, and his outlook for our tech community.   Razat is also going to be the opening keynote speaker for the ATC "C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank" on October 28, 2024.  While we do not talk about the summit in this interview, you can see from this conversation why the Austin Technology Council asked him to speak at the event.    Be sure to share this episode with all your friends and subscribe to Austin Tech Connect.

In episode 90 of "Austin Tech Connect", Thom Singer talks to Karen Gordon, CEO of  Dynamics.  Karen is a serial entrepreneur, who is passionate about helping people harness the power of differences to amplify outcome.   About Karen Gordon   Karen Gordon is the CEO of 5 Dynamics, a company that is focused on making the world a better place one relationship at a time. 5 Dynamics’ proprietary software, Simpli5, creates cultures fueled by self and interpersonal awareness to bolster productive collaboration, boost morale, accelerate timelines, and deliver better results. Most leaders tend to focus on what people do, instead of how they do it. In 3 minutes or less, Simpli5 determines how a person works through different phases of a project–ideation, alignment, planning and execution. Using these analyses, Simpli5 delivers customized development resources to leaders and their team members.    Before launching 5 Dynamics in 2010, Karen led GTCI, a data and telecommunications company, to over 1100% growth, landing GTCI on the Inc. 500 list two years in a row. She is a former Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and was included in the Dallas Top 25 businesses list. Louisiana Tech University named Karen its 2006 Alumnus of the Year in the College of Liberal Arts.    Her thought leadership has been shared in Money Inc, Entrepreneur, The CEO Magazine, The Future of Everything, and many other publications. Her entrepreneurial spirit, love of learning, and commitment to excellence are attributes that she brings to all of her endeavors. Karen’s TEDx presentation on “The Myth of Difficult People” continues to be watched by thousands of people each year.     As an author, educator and entrepreneur, she has over 25 years of experience leading organizations to reach their highest potential. She has created and managed many businesses ranging from a martial arts studio, to a telecommunications and data company, to an employee experience platform. She is currently in the process of developing a retreat space in the woods of Maine that will focus on leadership development programs.    Karen splits her time between Austin, TX and Wilton, Maine. When in Maine, she can be found at her lakeside camp enjoying nature with a good book, a glass of wine and her faithful dogs, Winston and Jasmine. Karen has also served on multiple non-profit boards over the years that share her passions of helping children, animal welfare, and social justice.      About Simpli5   Simpli5, powered by 5 Dynamics, unleashes human potential by blending psychology, neuroscience, and technology to help individuals and teams navigate complex social and professional dynamics with creativity, empathy, critical thinking, and confidence.    Their innovative platform analyzes individual’s and team’s working styles by acknowledging their affinity for different phases of a project cycle, which empowers adjustments and corrections that lead to improved collaboration, personal satisfaction, and superior outcomes.    Simpli5’s roots are grounded in the work of Mike Sturm, an educator, a social psychologist, and a learning diagnostician. Originally applied in educational settings, this model was quickly brought by working parents into business applications.    Today, Simpli5 fosters cultures driven by employee and team effectiveness, self-awareness, and interpersonal understanding. It equips leaders and teams with the insights they need to adjust leadership styles, predict performance, and address organizational challenges throughout a project’s lifecycle. Their methodology is being utilized in diverse organizations and learning institutions, from Stanford and Harvard to LinkedIn, Sutter Health, UKG, and IDEO. The methodology can be applied any place where two or more people are working together on a shared outcome.

This week we have a legend on the podcast - Admiral Bobby Inman.  Admiral Inman was recently inducted into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. He has living and working in the Austin tech scene for over 40 years and has been an investor and advisor to countless companies.  His remarkable career spans both public service and private enterprise, leaving an indelible mark on our city's technological landscape. Born and raised in Texas, he graduated high school at age 15, received his BA from UT Austin at 19, and then joined the US Navy. The Admiral served with distinction in the U.S. Navy and the intelligence community, holding key positions such as Director of the National Security Agency and Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The selection of Austin for the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC) in 1982, led by Admiral Inman, was a huge boost to the future of our local tech community. This consortium of major computer and semiconductor manufacturers could have been headquartered anywhere, and we are grateful it brought Admiral Inman back to Austin. His leadership and vision have been instrumental in positioning Austin as a premier hub for technology and entrepreneurship. Admiral Inman's commitment to education, through his involvement with the University of Texas at Austin, has further enriched our community.

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer chats with Mike Maples Jr., the visionary founding partner of Floodgate and the author of the compelling new book Pattern Breakers: Why Some Startups Change the Future. The conversation dives deep into the mindset and strategies that differentiate the startups that truly disrupt industries from those that merely follow the rules. Mike shares his journey from his early entrepreneurial days in Austin to becoming one of the most respected venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, investing in radical startups at their earliest stages. We discuss the concept of "pattern breaking"—how startups that succeed against the odds often do so by challenging conventional wisdom and introducing ideas that are not only innovative but also non-consensus. Mike reveals the critical importance of timing and inflection points, explaining how recognizing and harnessing these moments can make or break a startup. He also shares personal anecdotes, including the unexpected success of Twitch, a company he invested in without fully understanding its potential at the time. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the unique challenges and rewards of investing in and building disruptive companies, as well as practical advice for entrepreneurs who aspire to be at the forefront of innovation. Whether you're a startup founder, an investor, or simply someone interested in the future of technology, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Mike’s reflections on the importance of resilience, the role of storytelling in building a movement, and the necessity of embracing risk make this a conversation you won’t want to miss. About Mike Maples Jr Mike Maples is a co-founding Partner at Floodgate.  He has been on the Forbes Midas List eight times in the last decade and was also named a “Rising Star” by FORTUNE and profiled by Harvard Business School for his lifetime contributions to entrepreneurship. Before becoming a full-time investor, Mike was involved as a founder and operating executive at back-to-back startup IPOs, including Tivoli Systems (IPO TIVS, acquired by IBM) and Motive (IPO MOTV, acquired by Alcatel-Lucent.) Some of Mike’s investments include Twitter, Twitch.tv, Clover Health, Okta, Outreach, Chegg, Demandforce, and Applied Intuition. Mike is known for coining the term “Thunder Lizards,” which is a metaphor derived from Godzilla that describes the tiny number of truly exceptional companies that are wildly disruptive capitalist mutations. Mike likes to think of himself as a hunter of the “atomic eggs” that beget these companies. Mike is the author of the National Bestselling book Pattern Breakers and host of the Pattern Breakers podcast, which shares startup lessons from the super performers.

In this episode of "Austin Tech Connect," Thom Singer welcomes back Joyce Durst, founder and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners, who was recently honored as the 2024 inductee into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. As one of the few repeat guests on the show, Joyce shares her journey in the Austin tech community, reflecting on how the city has evolved since she first arrived 30 years ago. They delve into the importance of mentorship, community involvement, and the responsibility of today's leaders to pave the way for the next generation. Joyce discusses the need for a renewed focus on inclusivity and collaboration within the tech industry, emphasizing how critical it is for young professionals to get involved in boards, committees, and nonprofit organizations. She also highlights the challenges facing women and underrepresented groups in tech, and the importance of creating environments where everyone can thrive. Thom and Joyce explore what it means for Austin to continue its growth as a leading tech hub and innovation center, discussing how the community can better support startups and mid-sized companies. They talk about the role of organizations like the Austin Technology Council in fostering a culture of giving back and ensuring that Austin remains a place where tech companies can grow and succeed. The episode is a call to action for all members of the Austin tech community to engage, support, and mentor, ensuring a bright future for the city’s tech ecosystem.   About Joyce Durst   Joyce Durst is the CEO and cofounder of Growth Acceleration Partners, a consulting and technology services company headquartered in Austin, TX, with offices in Costa Rica and Colombia. Bootstrapped since 2027, GAP provides custom software, data engineering, and modernization solutions for technology leaders and growing companies across the U.S. As an engineer by trade and visionary leader by nature, Joyce has leveraged more than 30 years of experience in the software and technology industries. Her business model is built on strategic and long-term client partnerships, resulting in over a decade of profitable growth and more than 600 GAPsters who believe in “striving for Greatness, being Agile and investing in People.” Joyce earned a B.S. in computer science from Texas A&M University, and is active with the Women Presidents Organization, HiPower and Springboard Enterprises. She mentors CEOs and first-time entrepreneurs, and has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations. Joyce is also on the Board of Directors for the Austin Chamber of Commerce and chairs their Global Tech and Innovation Committee. She has won several prestigious industry awards, including the Executive Leadership award and the A-LIST award from the Austin Chamber of Commerce; the Profiles in Power award from the Austin Business Journal; and Stevie Awards for Management Team of the Year and Achievement in Developing and Promoting Women. In 2023, Ernst & Young recognized Joyce as an Entrepreneur Of The Year®. In 2024, she was inducted into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. About Growth Acceleration Partners Growth Acceleration Partners is a consulting and technology services company that provides custom software, data engineering and modernization solutions. GAP works to consult, design, build, and modernize revenue-generating software and data engineering solutions for clients. Their remote, integrated engineering teams help businesses achieve a competitive advantage through technology. Using AI, proprietary tools and seasoned experience, GAP’s end-to-end approach spans from consultation and migration services, to full-cycle digital product development and managed services, ensuring the solutions delivered are innovative and align with your business goals. GAP transforms the way companies do business, helping clients to stay ahead of technology trends in a rapidly-evolving digital landscape. Working with GAP, you are able to achieve operational efficiency and revenue goals with custom software that drives results.

In this episode, host Thom Singer talks about the ten pillars that helped make Austin become a global technology hub. While there were civic minded community leaders who had ideas and plans to set our region up to grow, the ten pillars that supported the success of Austin are not something that can be dupblicated by other cities.  This is a retrospective, not a recipe book. Austin's success was not luck, it was the product of several things that come together at the right time.  And it was about the people.  Leaders who would show up regularly to support the community who had visions that more home grown tech companies, and being a destination for established companies could become key. The Chamber of Commerce, Opportunity Austin, The Capital Factory and other organizations had big impact on the growth of the tech scene.  But it was no one organization or individual that did it all.  Yes, you can trace back much of the credit to Dr.George Kozmetsky, who was the dean of the UT Business School in the 1960s and 1970s (and then a major civic leader until the 1990s).... but much of the credit is split between about 50 men and women who openly cared and worked to help set the stage for the community we have today.   The ten pillars that Thom talks about all came togther in a time when technology was exploding across the world.  Austin became the cool alternative to the big cities, alhtough we are now a big city ourselves.   These pillars are not the whole story, and Singer welcomes input from people on other ideas. Not all of the pillars are as strong or important today, as times change and new pillars are being formed. Also, in a short version of this talk he cannot cover all the details that he can when he does the hour long keynote about "The History of Austin Tech".   The Ten Pillars of Austin Tech The Univseristy of Texas and the hiring of Dr. George Kozmetsky Central location in the US and warm weather all year. Affordability Connected community with a strong focus on networking and relationships Robust business ecomonty that worked for startups, midsized companies, and large tech. Arts, music, and the Keep Austin Weird vibe. Young educated workforce Angel investors, VCs, service providers, incubators, etc... Pro-business state poliicies SXSW Check out this episode.

Sam Decker, a veteran in the Austin tech scene with over 25 years of experience, shares his journey from corporate roles at Dell to thriving startups. He emphasizes the importance of networking and mentorship in building a successful career. Decker discusses the rise of a social media curation platform and a unique GPS framework for setting goals and overcoming challenges. He reflects on Austin's tech evolution, highlighting the power of community and the significance of structured approaches to achieve professional and personal success.

This week on Austin Tech Connect with go into a deep conversation about AI and AGI with Peter Voss.  Peter is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist at Aigo.ai.  He has been researching AI and AGI for his whole career.  He recently moved to Austin and has a very positive outlook on our community and the future of Artificial General Intelligence.   About Peter   Peter Voss is a Pioneer in Artificial Intelligence who in 2001 coined the term ‘AGI’ (Artificial General Intelligence) with fellow AI luminaries. Peter is an Engineer, Scientist, and Inventor as well as a Serial AI Entrepreneur and Leader. Started in electronics engineering, then fell in love with software. Peter achieved his first major success by developing a comprehensive ERP package and taking that company from Zero to 400-person IPO in Seven years. Fueled by the fragile nature of software, Peter embarked on a journey 20 years ago to study what intelligence is, how it develops in humans, and the current state of AI while successfully commercializing an earlier version (SmartAction). This research, development & commercialization culminated in the creation of our proto-AGI natural language intelligence engine called 'Aigo' (say I-go) that can think, learn, and reason -- and adapt to, and grow with the user. Aigo engine has already replaced thousands of call center agents in the field as a proof point and is now gearing up to reach human-level intelligence developed on human brain-like Cognitive Architecture. Our white paper “Concepts Is All You Need: A More Direct Path to AGI” details this groundbreaking approach and our strategy to achieving human-level AI. Peter is on a mission to bring AGI to the world, to boost human flourishing.   About Aigo   Founded by AGI Pioneer Peter Voss who coined the term “AGI” (Artificial General Intelligence) 20 years ago with fellow AI luminaries. Peter and team have spent over two decades in researching, developing & commercializing AGI that culminated in the creation of proto-AGI natural language intelligence engine called 'Aigo' (say I-go) that can think, learn, and reason -- and adapt to, and grow with the user. Aigo engine has already replaced thousands of call center agents in the field as a proof point and today, Aigo.ai stands on the cusp of a groundbreaking AGI breakthrough, demonstrating “Self-Learning AI” by leveraging Aigo’s INSA – Integrated Neuro-Symbolic Architecture. Aigo.ai is on a mission to bring AGI to the world, to boost human flourishing

For this episode, host Thom Singer (CEO at the Austin Technology Council) simply asked ChatGPT to become the host of the podcast and interview him about the ATC and about the state of tech in Austin.  He gave no other instructions, and just went with the questions that were asked.    This is an interesting example of how advanced AI has become in the past year.     Check out this episode and hear about the history, mission, and future of ATC and the Austin tech ecosystem.... but most importantly...check out what a complete job the AI did with hosting the podcast.  Who needs Thom for future episodes????