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 are resharing our interview with founding president Panos Kanelos.

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 Highlights

• The 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 today
• What’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.”

University of Austin: Website, Undergraduate Application, X/Twitter, LinkedIn

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

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 shaping Austin's reputation as a city of ideas and innovation. Roy is also the founder of Make It Movement, a non-profit organization that helps young people discover their own purpose. In this episode, we will delve into Roy's journey as a business leader and advertising pioneer, exploring the early days of GSD&M, how he navigated the challenges of preserving the core values and purpose of Austin, the role of large events in shaping Austin's narrative, and his vision for the future of Austin. The episode will also shed light on Roy's thoughts on the intersection of purpose, values, and business.

Original episode aired January 17, 2023

Episode Highlights

• The fundamental challenge that Austin faces with our hypergrowth is navigating the tension between persevering the core and stimulating progress
• The original GSD&M Plan - Stay together; Stay in Austin; Make a difference; & Get Rich
• Austin will continue punching above our weight if we evolve from not just a city of innovation, but to city of new ideas.
• The Make It Movement is about letting young people discover what they could become great at and let them start learning to become great. Whether it's a lawyer or whether it's a welder.
• What's next Austin - "We got to rediscover what made us. I think Austin should do a citywide purpose project"

Roy Spence 

GSD&M: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Make It Movement:  Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, YouTube

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

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. Don't miss this intimate journey into the transformative impact of technology on the next generation.

Episode Highlights

• As new technology empowers not just a new wave of entrepreneurs, it is also challenging traditional expertise, and raising questions about the role of AI in shaping the next generation.
• With AI, a 10-year-old navigates vocabulary lessons, receives a tailored educational thought partner with ChatGPT, and explores startup dynamics through a bespoke interactive game.
• AI's role in education foretells democratized access to knowledge and a potential overturning of the traditional teaching paradigm
• What’s Next? “Whether it be the “Non Creative Creative Class”, the “Non Scientist Researcher”, the AI natives or as my son is starting to call us the ChatGPTers, this quickly approaching new era is going to be powered by those who are fearless, curious, and ready to explore.”

The Tech Tipping point w/Whurley & Brett Hurt

Decentralized Science and the Future of Discovery

How AI & Automation are Creating a New Wave of Entrepreneurs w/ Sameer Gulati

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

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, I introduce a new mental model that synthesizes Austin's eclectic influences, from bleeding-edge technology to advanced manufacturing to the intellectual and creative spheres. All of this puts us on path to offer a promising vision for What’s Next Austin.

Episode Highlights

• As cities worldwide strive to become the next Silicon Valley, adopting monikers like "Silicon Hills" in Austin, the real key to becoming a superstar innovation hub lies in leveraging unique local "superpowers" and assets.
• Among Austin's 'superpowers' are its ability to invent and then deploy groundbreaking technologies locally, such as 3D-printed neighborhoods, and to radiate a 'cool factor' via iconic events like SXSW and brands like Yeti, as well as excelling in physical innovations like electric vehicles, advanced semiconductors, and rockets.
• In stark contrast to more hierarchical ecosystems that resemble an 'onion,' Austin's open networks and culture of collaboration make room for creative collisions, fostering a dynamic and accessible environment.
• A new framework is introduced that positions Austin as a unique blend of Silicon Valley's technological prowess, 1950s Detroit's manufacturing ingenuity, and 1920s Paris's intellectual and creative richness.
• What's Next Austin? "In the longer term, our focus should be on increasing the density of founders, funders, and innovators within our region. Just like in ancient Athens or Renaissance Florence, I want to bump into the next Socrates or Da Vinci as I take a walk through Austin."

📘Zero to One by Peter Thiel
📘Startup Communities by Brad Feld
🎙️The Cities that Shaped Us w/Chelsea Follett
📘Centers of Progress by Chelsea Follett
🎙️There’s Always an Us in Austin w/Roy Spence
🎙️ Catalyzing Innovation in Austin w/Kaitlyn DeBernardo & Aaron Perman
🎙️The Future of Innovation: Austin and the New Creative Class w/Richard Florida
📘Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida
🎙️Can A Simple Walk Revolutionize Networking w/Elle Beecher

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

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 the shifts in venture capital operating models, the essential role of community in innovation, as well as the forces that both fuel and challenge Austin's ongoing growth.

Episode Highlights

• Next Coast Ventures is an early-stage generalist venture firm in Austin with $500 million under management focused mainly on Series A, but will invest in Seed and Series B. 
• S3 Ventures is an Austin-based venture capital firm with $900 million under management, investing in B2B software, consumer digital experiences, and healthcare tech at Seed, Series A, and Series B.
• The ubiquity of AI tools like Co-Pilots and ChatGPT allow companies to build faster than before making true technical innovation and product moats even more vital.
• The VC platform role has grown to provide hands-on support to portfolio companies beyond just capital, especially for early-stage firms. Support spans talent, marketing, operations, and expertise like finance.
• Venture capitalists are catalyzing long-term ecosystem growth by offering mentorship, making key introductions, and providing strategic advice to startups and founders, irrespective of their investment relationship. This broader engagement enriches the ecosystem creating a pipeline of future opportunities.
• What’s next Austin?
  • Aaron - “I think growth and scale…we're one of the few markets that hasn't seen a drop off. I really do feel like the gains Austin has made have been pretty well cemented, and it's almost given us a whole other foundation to go build on for the next decade.
  • Kaitlyn - “I'm super excited about all things digital health right now—the addition of Dell Medical School, recent edition of new labs in town…the backdrop, the talent. I think there's going to be a real kind of step change in some digital health companies coming out of Austin.”

Aaron Perman: LinkedIn, 

S3 Ventures: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Kaitlyn DeBernardo: LinkedIn, 

Next Coast Ventures: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

The Power of Platform: How VC Platform Teams Contribute to Outsized Fund Returns

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

In today's rapidly evolving entrepreneurial landscape, technology is the great equalizer, opening new avenues for innovation and challenging traditional notions of business scalability. We sit down with Sameer Gulati, CPO at ZenBusiness, to explore how the company is empowering startups on their business journey. We examine the impact of recent innovations on the entrepreneurial environment and delve into the rapid shifts in competition and remote work.

Episode Highlights

• Technology is having a transformative impact on the entrepreneurial landscape, enabling a new wave of business ventures through accessible tech stacks and digital tools like Generative AI.
• ZenBusiness positions itself as the K-12 level for early-stage businesses, offering specialized tools and services that guide startups through their formative years until they're ready for more specialized software.
• The rise of platforms like ZenBusiness raises questions about the changing dynamics of small business scalability and regional competition.
• The concept of a '1-button company' could revolutionize not just the startup phase but the entire lifecycle of running a business.
• In a compelling example of eating their own dog food, ZenBusiness encourages team members to launch side hustles, serving as a real-world testbed for the company’s product offerings. 
• Despite having a majority of their workforce based in Austin, ZenBusiness's commitment to a remote work culture is so strong that even local social gatherings are rare.
• What’s Next Austin? “Austin has shown that as an ecosystem, as a talent pool, as a well-connected city with ambition, it certainly has the potential to be the place which creates not just the next set of unicorns but also decacorns. I'm optimistic about that. We believe that we can be one of those.” 

Sameer Gulati: LinkedIn, X/Twitter

ZenBusiness: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

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

What makes a city truly great? In this episode, we dive into the tapestry of cities that have shaped human history with Chelsea Follett, author of 'Centers of Progress: 40 Cities That Changed the World.' From the invention of writing to the digital revolutions in modern metropolises, we explore the key factors that have allowed cities to become centers of progress, innovation, and enduring impact.

Episode Highlights

• The book looks at 40 cities throughout history that made major contributions to human progress, starting with ancient cities like Jericho that developed agriculture to modern cities like San Francisco that drove the digital revolution.
• Many of the featured centers of progress reached their peak during periods of peace and stability, often characterized by open trade, effective governance, and intellectual freedom.
• Paris' intellectual vibrancy in the Enlightenment and the 1920s and Cambridge's enduring scientific contributions highlight that being a center of progress can be a lasting trait for cities.
• The extraordinary concentration of genius in Athens and Florence led to a cross-pollination of ideas that still resonates today.
• Despite its smaller size, Edinburgh has made outsized contributions to various fields, thanks to its robust educational system and culture of intellectual curiosity.
• What’s next? In March 2024, the Cato Institute plans to release a companion volume titled "Heroes of Progress" about individuals who made significant contributions to progress and changed the world.

Chelsea Follett: LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Cato Institute: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

HumanProgress.org: Website, Facebook, X/Twitter

Centers of Progress: 40 Cities That Changed the World

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

What is decentralized science and what will be its impact on research and innovation? Joined by experts from Arcadia Science, VitaDAO, and the Foresight Institute, we discuss the challenges posed by traditional scientific models and the rise of alternative approaches. From new funding mechanisms to the transformative potential of AI, we explore the evolving landscape of research and the promise it holds for the future.

Episode Highlights

• Driven by a quest for faster breakthroughs, collaboration, and democratization, decentralized science is on the rise. It's a counter to traditional models—like tenure and strict lab hierarchies—that restrict autonomy and potentially dampen innovation.
• Are scientific advancements speeding up or stagnating? The insights reveal that there is no simple answer as there are questions about how we measure innovation itself.
• Through a diversity of new funding mechanisms through prizes, fellowships, or grants, there's a strong push to support bold projects that might be overlooked by traditional institutions.
• Arcadia Science merges open science with for-profit models to accelerate research and ensure swift dissemination of discoveries.
• VitaDAO harnesses blockchain for scientific governance, creating an inclusive and permissionless platform for collaborative research funding and exploration.
• Foresight champions frontier technologies, such as nanotechnology, fostering collaborations and offering diverse enabling platforms suited to each field's unique needs.

What’s Next?

• Seemay Chou emphasizes that in the future, the distinction between decentralized and centralized science may blur, as decentralized approaches become more common. 
• Vincent Weisser highlights the increasing role of AI in scientific progress. He envisions a future where AI, particularly multimodal AI, becomes a significant driver of scientific discoveries. 
• Allison Duettmann predicts that more countries worldwide may establish private and decentralized alternatives to traditional governmental funding for scientific research. 

Seemay Chou: LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Arcadia Science: Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Vincent Weisser: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

VitaDAO: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Allison Duettmann: LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Foresight Institute: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter

Understanding science funding in tech, 2011-2021 by Nadia Asparouhova

Engines of Creation by Eric Drexler

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

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.”

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

The Board Walks: Website, X/Twitter, Instagram

“Cities and Ambition” by Paul Graham

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

Innovation ecosystems thrive not just on groundbreaking ideas, but also on the stories that bring them to life. In this episode, I chat with Walt Maciborski, the main anchor for CBS Austin News and an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist. We dive into Austin's tech transformation from its humble beginnings to today's mix of tech giants and startups. Our conversation also explores the profound influence of narratives in shaping Austin's tech identity and its promising future as a 'Technopolis.'

Episode Highlights

• Walt's deep-rooted connection to Austin's tech scene dates back to the 1990s. From the Dell surge to the dot-com downturn, and now to today's groundbreaking startups, his journalistic journey gives him a unique vantage point on Austin's evolution.
• Austin's tech landscape thrives with firms like ICON, Lazarus 3D, Focused Energy, Paradromics, Hylio, and Apptronik, showcasing a blend of innovation and real-world impact.
• "In 'Tech This Out,' Walt highlights both vital and lesser-known tech stories of Austin, emphasizing engaging, uplifting coverage over adversarial journalism.
• Narratives not only captivate but also attract investors and top-tier talent, driving a region's growth.
• Media serves a twofold purpose in any ecosystem's narrative: capturing its evolution and simultaneously shaping its trajectory. The key is crafting stories that celebrate triumphs while critically navigating challenges.
• What’s next Austin? “There's going to be an explosion here in the next year. I predict there's going to be a sense that we're not Silicon Hills. We're not the also-ran. There's going to be things coming out of Austin where they're going to say, ‘Wow, Austin Tech.’ The Austin Technopolis is its own thing. It's not something that's an also-ran or were trying to be in the shadow of Silicon Hills or Silicon Valley.”

Walt Maciborski: Website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook

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