Austin Next

From wargaming to Riskgaming, what can simulations and stories teach us about the future of technology and innovation? Danny Crichton, Head of Editorial and Risk Gaming at Lux Capital, brings his unique insights from his experience in both tech journalism and venture capital.  What started as a conversation on the tech-media divide expanded to encompass human psychology and all the little details and nuances that make innovation tick.

Episode Highlights:

• The Evolution of Tech Media and VC Communication
• Building Long-Lasting Companies With and Against Hype Cycles
• What is Riskgaming?
• Real World Incentives and Human Emotion in Decision Making
• Complexity vs Functionality in Modern Tech
• Ecosystem First Principles 
• What's Next?
  • "I have been really obsessed with xenotransplantation...Technology exists to potentially give them organs in relatively short order. And to me, it's sort of a national priority to move that very, very quickly, to make that happen fast. We've had the first successful cases. And so the ability to potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives in the next decade."

Hacking Primordial Soups
 
Danny Crichton: Website, Articles, X/Twitter, LinkedIn
Lux Capital: Website, X/Twitter, LinkedIn
Riskgaming: Website, Podcast

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Is venture capital on the cusp of a data-driven revolution? Gopinath Sundaramurthy, Founder & Head of Data Science at Ensemble VC, believes AI and advanced analytics are reshaping how VCs identify and support promising startups. From transforming deal pipelines to finding diamonds in the rough around the globe, we explore what this new era will mean for venture, startups, and even our own Austin backyard.

Episode Highlights:

• Ensemble VC’s Thesis
• Transforming the VC Pipeline with AI and Advanced Analytics
• Portfolio Support Using Data Science 
• Adapting VC to Global Talent and Technological Shifts 
• Austin's Unique Ecosystem and Its Role in the Future of Startups
• What’s Next, Austin?
  • “I am super pumped. I really think we are in the forefront of a very interesting evolution of the ecosystem.”

Data innovation + process innovation = top-tier VC

Gopinath Sundaramurth

Ensemble VC: Website, LinkedIn

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Can the stories we tell shape the future we build? Devon Eriksen, author of "Theft of Fire" and now Dragon Award finalist, argues that science fiction isn't just entertainment; it's a catalyst for innovation and human progress. Our narratives can be beautiful and optimistic, inspiring us to build, or ugly and pessimistic, causing us to stagnate. It's time to choose.

Episode Highlights:

• Role of Science Fiction in Shaping the Future
• Symbiotic Relationship Between Science Fiction, Engineering, and Innovation
• Changing Landscape of Publishing and Distribution
• Tensions and Connections Between the Media, Artists, and Entrepreneurs
• Asteroid Mining and the Space Industrial Revolution   
• What's Next?
  • "What's next is a choice. Humanity has a choice between sabotaging this new wave of innovation with the political process or benefiting from it and inheriting the stars."

Devon Eriksen: Website, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Theft of Fire, Theft of Fire Audiobook Kickstarter

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Evan Loomis, partner at Overmatch Ventures and co-founder of ICON, exemplifies Austin's entrepreneurial spirit in tackling audacious challenges. From revolutionizing construction to investing in frontier technologies, Evan shares his journey through Austin's rapidly evolving tech landscape and why now is the moment for critical tech. We don't shy away from some of the contentious issues arising from Austin's transformation. 

Episode Highlights

• Introduction and Background of ICON
• Difference Between 3D Printing and Construction Robotics
• Cultural Dynamics of Innovation in Austin and Texas
• Investment Thesis of Overmatch Ventures
• Surge of Deep Tech and Critical Tech
• Technoeconomic Competition and World Order
• Contrarian Investing and Venture Capital
• The Pain Threshold of Founders
• Current Austin Ecosystem Vibe
• What's Next Austin?
  • "I think Austin is going to be the center of America for working on the hardest problems, period."

Evan Loomis, Overmatch Ventures, Icon

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Can a city’s food scene serve as a catalyst for connection, creativity, and innovation? Grace Chow, Co-Founder & CEO of Austin-based Lobos Hospitality, joins me to share her insights from food scenes across the US, and her in-the-trenches view from building three distinctive Austin restaurants: Toasty Badger, Manny's, and the Powder Room.

Episode Highlights

• The State of the Austin Food Scene
• Balancing Local Sourcing, Trends, and Concept Authenticity
• Crafting Distinctive Dining Experiences
• What Austin Needs for a Vibrant Hospitality Industry
• How Restaurants Intersect with Other Sectors 
• The Impact of Tech on the Restaurant Industry 
• Restaurants as Potential Third Places in Austin 
• What's Next, Austin?
  • "I think just everybody kind of becoming a little bit nerdier about food and a little bit nerdy about restaurants."

Grace Chow, Lobos Hospitality 

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Promising startups often fail despite following best practices, while rule-breakers and those running through chaos can achieve massive success. Why? Mike Maples Jr, Founding Partner at Floodgate, tackles this paradox in his book "Pattern Breakers." We discuss his Inflection Theory, why some pivots work and others don't, unexpected inspirations like Lord of the Rings, and explore the nature of breakthrough innovation and startups. 

Episode Highlights

• The genesis of Mike Maples' new book "Pattern Breakers" originated from his realization that over 80% of his exit profits came from startups that had pivoted significantly from their original ideas, leading him down the rabbit hole of why.
• Business is never a fair fight, and the key is deciding who gets to fight unfair; startups create value by changing the subject and denying the premise of existing rules.
• Inflection theory shows how breakthrough startups harness powerful technological or societal inflection points, combine them with founders' non-obvious insights, and then build movements around new ideas that fundamentally change how things are done. 
• Living in the future to develop non-obvious insights is crucial for breakthrough startups, and founder-future fit is key to understanding what makes the right team that can turn that future vision into reality. 
• What's Next?
  • "I like to ask myself is in what world will certain types of cognition become asymptotically free and where, how will that shift power dynamics?... My instinct is it won't be the same way that the big companies of today monetize it. And my instinct is that an era of mass cognition will shift the balance of power in some very profound ways."

Mike Maples Jr: X/Twitter, LinkedIn
Pattern Breakers: Book, Podcast, Newsletter
Floodgate: Website, X/Twitter, LinkedIn

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

What do global trends affects on startups, the art of selling, startup accelerators, and the future lizard king all have in common? They are all just a few of the diverse and intersecting topics that I explore today with Joe Merrill,  Co-Founder and Partner at Sputnik VC.

Episode Highlights

• Sputnik ATX invests in pre-seed startups across various sectors, attracting companies from around the world, including Vietnam, Japan, and France, while focusing on "training nerds on how to sell." 
• Austin is seen as a welcoming place for international startups due to its competitive marketplace and cultural acceptance, offering a less expensive and more supportive environment compared to Silicon Valley.
• Successful global sales demonstrate cultural flexibility, while understanding at the end of the day selling is still selling no matter what country you are in.
• Startups need to embrace adaptability by understanding how macro events affect them, leveraging international markets, and utilizing global talent pools to remain competitive and innovative 
• What's Next Austin
  • "I really feel strongly that the next great wave of technology is going to be coming from this state and Austin specifically leading that because this is where the rebels are. This is where the people are who want to just dramatically change the status quo and other places have become the status quo."

Joe Merrill: Blog, LinkedIn, X/Twitter
Sputnik ATX VC: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

In honor of the The Board Walks' 100th walk this past weekend, we are rereleasing our episode with Board Walks Founder Elle Beecher.

Episode Originally Aired September 12, 2023
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Fostering connectivity within an innovation ecosystem is crucial for its ongoing vitality and growth. Often revolutionary concepts emerge from the most unforeseen origins. My guest, Elle Beecher, founded The Board Walks, where community and innovation unite through a simple yet powerful concept—a five-mile walk. In this episode, we explore this social experiment, examine how these walks serve as catalysts for creative collisions, and bring back the intellectual dynamism of Paris in the ‘20s.

Episode Highlights

• Drawing inspiration from the 1920s Parisian cafe culture, Elle crafted The Board Walks to ignite creative collisions in Austin, offering a fresh, organic approach to networking.
• Curiosity stands at the heart of Elle's vision; she champions the idea that bringing together inquisitive minds sparks deeper, more meaningful dialogues.
• Though spontaneous in nature, The Board Walks are intentionally designed with playbooks and guidelines to foster genuine connections and fruitful discussions.
• Overheard dialogues during the walks resonate with Austin's innovative aura, reminiscent of Paul Graham's "eavesdropping quality" notion from his 2008 Cities essay.
• The walks serve as a platform for attendees to not only build professional relationships but also to delve into personal narratives and aspirations.
• Given its success in Austin, Elle envisions taking The Board Walks to other cities, like San Francisco, while ensuring the preservation of its foundational values and communal essence.
• What’s next Austin? “More creative collisions that will bring about Paris in the 20s energy.”

“Cities and Ambition” by Paul Graham

Elle Beecher: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Instagram

The Board Walks: Website, X/Twitter, Instagram

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

The future of defense and warfare has always been linked to technological change, from the discovery of fire to the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age to now the AI Age. My guest today is Charlie Burgoyne, Founder and CEO of both Valkyrie and their newest spinout Andromeda, who joins me to discuss the future of warfare going forward. But we don't stop there as we explore every rabbit hole in search of Truth. 

• Andromeda synthesizes large volumes of information quickly and accurately, helping users understand the interconnected context to make informed decisions.
• Pop culture and media narratives of innovation, from Terminator to Data to Her to Oppenheimer, shape how the public views, embraces, or fears technological waves.
• History has shown that industry and defense have always been intertwined, with modern tech entrepreneurs playing roles similar to industrialists of the past in advancing defense capabilities.
• Probabilistic thinking is essential in defense decision-making, especially where high levels of computation can easily mask high levels of uncertainties.
• What's Next Austin
  • "I think that we're going to see a big push to support the intelligence community the way we've seen a big push to support the defense community. I think that an equivalent to AFC is coming on the intelligence side."

Accountability in Age of LLMS at SXSW by Charlie Burgoyne

Valkyrie: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Andromeda: Website

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

The only constant in Austin seems to be change.  Whether that be the people moving here, the buildings defining our skyline, or the startups being founded and funded.  Today, my guest is Krishna Srinivasan, founding Partner of LiveOak Ventures. We will explore what it means to invest in Texas startups yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Episode Highlights

• The need for early-stage venture capital in Texas led to the founding of LiveOak Ventures, which has a multi-segment approach focused on Texas-based entrepreneurs.
• Krishna identifies three types of founders now in Austin: experienced local entrepreneurs, successful founders from other markets relocating to Austin, and new residents inspired by the city's quality of life to start businesses here.
• Despite significant progress in startup formation and mid-level scaling, Austin faces gaps in experienced talent for managing large-scale, nine-figure+ companies and in securing substantial late stage venture capital.
• What's Next Austin?
  • "Tremendous areas of promise and excitement where Austin takes all these newfound riches, when I say riches, newfound talent and with its traditional strengths and vertical markets to go to the next wave of and continuing this amazing wave of new company formation, growth, and scaling."

Krishna Srinivasan: LinkedIn
LiveOak Ventures: Website, X/Twitter, LinkedIn

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack