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 and turns of 2023 and what may lie ahead in 2024. We see the impact on the national level, from pre-seed to late stage, and how it is affecting founders and funders from Austin to Silicon Valley.

Episode Highlights

• Despite talks about 2023 being the worst year in a decade for startup fundraising, the reality was more about the severe whiplash being felt from the highs of 2021/2022, as significant capital was still being deployed.
• With the high number of bridge rounds and the leveling off of capital raised, questions remained about whether the market has hit bottom or if there are still less viable startups to churn through.
• Amidst the flight to quality, startups are increasingly striving for runway and self-sufficiency, whether with new AI tools, creative hiring, or greater efficiency.
• Austin was ranked as the number five market for total capital raised and performed well across a variety of industries, demonstrating a broad-based ecosystem that sets it apart from other growing ecosystems.
• What's Next Austin?
  • "Is the difference between Austin and, LA, New York, Boston, San Francisco, merely a question of scale? What percentage of people who have a lot of disposable income take some of that and put it into startups? Maybe that's the scale. That's like the next part up. And candidly, I think Austin could probably surpass places like LA in that without too much difficulty over the next three or five years."

Startups & Statistics: Analyzing 2023's Story & Anticipating 2024 Slides

Peter Walker: LinkedIn, Twitter, The Data Minute Newsletter

Carta: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
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