Austin Next

How does a nonprofit innovate and scale its mission? Joining me today is Alice Pomponio, Managing Director of BrightEdge, the venture arm of the American Cancer Society, to discuss the intersection o…

I am diving back into the quantum realm where the stakes are high and the potential for innovation is even higher. Joining me is Scott Faris, a seasoned expert in the field, to unravel the complexiti…

As we enter the Bio Century, AI innovations are becoming pivotal in shaping the future of biology and medicine. In this episode, I am joined by Micha Breakstone, the founder and CEO of Somite.ai, who…

In the midst of the streaming wars, a battle rages over the future of how we watch and interact with media. Joining me is Blake Sabatinelli, CEO of Atmosphere, to navigate the changes in consumer exp…

What makes innovation ecosystems thrive and can the learnings of one hub be applied to another? Today I am joined by Isaiah Taylor, a founder building in the Gundo, and John Coogan, who has done his …

E-commerce is reshaping how we do business, but where do we stand four years after lockdowns pushed everything online? I'm joined by Roei Yellin, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of 8fig, to diss…

How we live, work, and innovate is changing, transforming not only our interactions within cities but also how regions interact with each other. In this episode, we welcome back Richard Florida to ex…

As we navigate the tumultuous currents of the startup world, we're thrilled to welcome back Peter Walker, Carta’s Head of Insights. He comes with a treasure trove of data shedding light on the twists…

How does innovation show up at SXSW? Is it all carefully crafted, or the result of spontaneous interactions among artists, musicians, technologists, and more? That is the key question that we dive in…

Is an entrepreneur a high-status position or are true innovators actually counter-cultural icons? This intriguing question forms the heart of my conversation with Tyler Norwood, Managing Partner at A…

The next phase of AI's evolution focuses on its convergence with the real world and the built environment, a key theme in my discussion with Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. We explore…

We shift focus from the broad, macro-level implications of AI to its tangible effects on the ground, as Austin increasingly becomes a hub for educational innovation. Joining me are Principal Keith Mo…

In this thought-provoking episode, we are joined by Byron Reese, author of 'We are Agora,' and Brett Hurt, serial entrepreneur, to explore the intersections of superorganisms, technology, and human p…

The impetus for this episode was a recent viral tweet stating that "Austin desperately needs another real pre-seed fund." This sparked fierce debate around the health and scalability of Austin's earl…

As Austin continues to attract leading tech players and establish itself as a magnet for innovation, the role of new entrants becomes increasingly pivotal in shaping its future. In this episode, I ta…

An update since our original episode aired on May 9, 2023: The University of Austin is now accepting applications for their first undergraduate class starting fall 2024.  To mark this milestone, we a…

Roy Spence is the co-founder and chairman of GSD&M, an Austin-based advertising agency. With his significant background in the advertising industry, Roy and his team have played a pivotal role in sha…

Today I explore how AI is reshaping learning and challenging traditional expertise. Through my own experiences with my 10-year-old son, we'll look at the potential of AI as a new educational frontier…

In this special solo episode, I dive into what makes Austin not just another 'Silicon Something' and about how we can transform into a generational ecosystem. After defining our region’s superpowers,…

In this live episode from the Texas Venture Crawl, I'm joined by Kaitlyn DeBernardo of Next Coast Ventures and Aaron Perman of S3 Ventures to delve into Austin's entrepreneurial landscape. We unpack …