Austin Next

By Jason Scharf

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Category: Technology

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Subscribers: 2
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Episodes: 186

Description

Austin is building the new tech, cultural, and intellectual stack. The region is a living laboratory to answer a single question: How do you build a global innovation superpower? Host Jason Scharf dissects innovation from the individual to the ecosystem. From the soundstage to the data center to the fab, we decode the mechanics of Austin's innovation ecosystem. As Atoms, Bits, and Intelligence converge, we explore how Hard Tech scale, digital velocity, and creative density collide. This is an audit of the future. We map the physics of the flywheel so builders and investors can navigate the chaos.

Episode Date
Making the Impossible Feel Possible | Eric Salwan & Scott Edwards
Nov 03, 2026
Can You Engineer Serendipity?
Oct 07, 2026
The Future Is Actually Starting to Happen | Andrew Côté, Deep Tech Week
Sep 16, 2026
The Army Is Adapting to the New Speed of War | Matt Willis, Army FUZE
Sep 10, 2026
What This Unlikely Deal Shows About New Austin | Max Cunningham (Sesh) & Jake Medwell (8VC)
Jul 16, 2026
Live from Hack Club Stasis: The Teenage Hardware Frontier Lands in Austin
Jun 30, 2026
Love Conquers Fear: The Last Barrier to Abundance Is Our Own Fear | Brett Hurt
Jun 18, 2026
Austin: From Counterculture to Culture | Karen Blashek, Austin Home Magazine
Jun 11, 2026
Revisited: How Specificity in Vertical AI Rewrites Industries | Nick Tippmann, TipTop VC
May 21, 2026
What Building in Austin Actually Feels Like Right Now | Will Johnson & Alex Cohen
Apr 29, 2026
The First Thing Built on the Moon Will Come from Austin | Jason Ballard & Will Hurd, ICON
Apr 23, 2026
Reinventing School Is Accelerating Austin's Talent Flywheel | Joe Liemandt, Alpha School
Apr 15, 2026
We're Living Through the Cyberpunk Era of War | Jim Rebesco, CEO, Striveworks
Mar 24, 2026
Innovation Ecosystems Are Inherited | Nait Jones
Mar 18, 2026
The Western Canon in the Age of Vibe Coding | Carlos Carvalho, President, University of Austin
Mar 11, 2026
Bootstrap vs. VC: Speed Costs Control | Rob Taylor, Silverton Partners
Feb 19, 2026
Patient Capital in the Age of the $10B Seed | Brian Smith, S3 Ventures
Jan 21, 2026
The Semiconductor Moment for the Mind
Jan 14, 2026
Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK
Dec 10, 2025
Is The Venture Capital Model Broken? | Andrew Romans, 7BC
Dec 03, 2025
Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?
Oct 01, 2025
Is Austin a Music Incubator? | Terry Lickona, Austin City Limits
Sep 24, 2025
From Wristbands to AI: A New Cancer Playbook | Suzanne Stone, CEO, Livestrong
Sep 09, 2025
Did Austin Turn Soda Into Fashion? | Stephen Ellsworth, Co-founder, Poppi
Sep 03, 2025
Autonomy’s Moment Is Now. Austin Is the Autonomy Capital | Jeff Cavins, Outdoorsy Group
Aug 27, 2025
Reading the Global Rankings | Austin’s Momentum vs the Incumbents
Aug 20, 2025
Can AI Really 2X Output and Break Legacy Business Models? | Dru Armstrong, AffiniPay CEO
Jul 23, 2025
Design vs Slop | John Roescher, Raw Materials
Jul 16, 2025
Fungi, Coffee, and Diapers | Tero Isokauppila, Four Sigmatic & HIRO
Jul 09, 2025
Live from Health Supernova: Austin’s Rise as a Bio & Health Frontier Powerhouse
Jun 24, 2025
Bitcoin and the Future of American Power | Brian Morgenstern, Riot Platforms
Jun 18, 2025
How Specificity in Vertical AI Rewrites Industries | Nick Tippmann, TipTop VC
Jun 11, 2025
The Threads That Scale Innovation with Brian Hall EO Austin
May 22, 2025
Houston Will Be the Industrial Bio Capital of the World with Veronica Breckenridge, First Bight Ventures
Apr 29, 2025
Endless Frontiers and the Future of American Innovation with Jordan Blashek, Managing Director America's Frontier Fund
Apr 15, 2025
From Semiconductors to AI Ecosystems with Tyson Tuttle, Founder and CEO Circuit
Apr 09, 2025
Texas Innovation Ecosystems in the AI Era with Samantha Lewis, Partner Mercury Fund
Mar 26, 2025
Activating the Future of Human Flourishing with Janine Leger, Co-Founder Edge City
Feb 25, 2025
Rewriting Biopharma's Playbook with Mallory Factor, Founder and CEO IntraBio
Feb 19, 2025
Engineering Agency, Innovation, and Ecosystems with Gena Gorlin
Feb 13, 2025
Austin4America Rises From SXSW's Military Sponsor Ban with Luke Fischer, Co-Founder & CEO SkyFi
Jan 24, 2025
Science in the Commercial Space Age: Live from UATX's SOMA Inaugural Summit
Jan 08, 2025
Why Gauntlet AI Chose Austin to Build the Next Wave of AI Engineers with Austen Allred
Dec 21, 2024
From DNA to Deep Space with Eliah Overbey, Professor at University of Austin
Dec 10, 2024
The Skills and Learning Revolution in the New Tech World with Rob Rosenthal, CRO at Udemy
Dec 03, 2024
Quantum CEOs Get Real About Hype, Hope, and Hardware at Austin's Quantonation Day
Nov 20, 2024
Building Austin's Next Health and Wellness Revolution with Jim Donnelly, Humanaut Health
Nov 13, 2024
Backing Extraordinary Leaders to Build Austin Moonshots with Craig Cummings, Co-Founder and General Partner Moonshots Capital
Nov 06, 2024
Can Austin Lead the Race to Solving Rare Diseases with the Founders of the Firefly Fund
Oct 02, 2024
Angel Investing's Evolution and What Austin's Scene Reveals
Sep 24, 2024
Artificial General Intelligence Modeled on the Human Mind with Peter Voss
Sep 18, 2024
From Tel Aviv to Austin with Texas Venture Partners
Sep 11, 2024
Riskgaming and Tech's Future Frontiers with Danny Crichton, Lux Capital
Sep 04, 2024
Evolving Venture Capital for the AI and Data Era with Gopinath Sundaramurthy, Founder & Head of Data Science, Ensemble VC
Aug 20, 2024
Rekindling Humanity's Ambition Through Story with Devon Eriksen - Theft of Fire
Aug 13, 2024
From Building 3D-Printed Houses to Funding Critical Tech with Evan Loomis, Partner at Overmatch Ventures
Aug 07, 2024
Connection and Innovation in the Austin Food Scene with Grace Chow Co-Founder & CEO of Lobos Hospitality
Jul 30, 2024
Pattern Breakers with Mike Maples Jr., Founding Partner at Floodgate
Jul 16, 2024
Startups Playing the International Game with Joe Merrill, Co-Founder and Partner Sputnik VC
Jul 10, 2024
From the Archive: Can A Simple Walk Revolutionize Networking with Elle Beecher, Founder of The Board Walks
Jun 24, 2024
AI, Defense, and the Future of Warfare with Charlie Burgoyne, Founder and CEO of Andromeda and Valkyrie
Jun 12, 2024
A Texas Investment Thesis with Krishna Srinivasan, Founding Partner of LivOak Ventures
Jun 05, 2024
Founder’s Perspective: What VCs Look for in AI & ML Startups with Cheryl Sew Hoy, CEO & Founder Tiny Health
May 15, 2024
Innovation at the Intersection of Venture and Nonprofits with Alice Pomponio, Managing Director BrightEdge - American Cancer Society
Apr 24, 2024
The Race for Quantum Dominance with Scott Faris, CEO Eqlipse Quantum
Apr 17, 2024
AI in the Bio Century with Micha Breakstone, Founder and CEO of Somite.ai
Apr 11, 2024
From the Frontlines of the Streaming Wars with Blake Sabatinelli, CEO of Atmosphere
Apr 02, 2024
What is the Gundo?
Mar 26, 2024
Exploring the Rapidly Evolving E-Commerce Landscape with Roei Yellin Co-Founder and CRO at 8fig
Mar 19, 2024
Rise of the Meta City with Richard Florida
Feb 28, 2024
Startups and Statistics: Analyzing 2023's Story and Anticipating 2024 with Peter Walker, Carta’s Head of Insights
Feb 21, 2024
What is the SXSW Effect and how does it shape innovation?
Feb 07, 2024
The Counter Culture Spark in Entrepreneurship with Tyler Norwood, Managing Partner at Antler
Jan 30, 2024
Innovating at the Intersection of AI and the Physical World with Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition
Jan 23, 2024
Trailblazing Access to AI in Austin's Young Minds
Jan 17, 2024
Understanding Agora and Humanity's Future with Byron Reese and Brett Hurt
Jan 09, 2024
Breaking Down the State of Austin's Pre-Seed & Seed Funding with Katelyn Donnelly and Rajiv Bala
Dec 19, 2023
Plug and Play's Role in Austin's Evolving Innovation Landscape with Kevin Parakkattu, Partner at Plug and Play
Nov 28, 2023
From the Archive: Austin's Next Innovation Hub - The Vision Behind the University of Austin with Pano Kanelos
Nov 14, 2023
From the Archive: There’s Always an Us in Austin with Roy Spence, Co-Founder and Chairman of GSD&M and Founder of the Make it Movement
Nov 07, 2023
How My 10-Year-Old Son Became a ChatGPTer
Oct 31, 2023
How Austin Can Write Its Own Innovation Roadmap
Oct 24, 2023
Catalyzing Innovation in Austin: A Live Conversation at the Texas Venture Crawl with Kaitlyn DeBernardo and Aaron Perman
Oct 17, 2023
How AI and Automation are Creating a New Wave of Entrepreneurs with Sameer Gulati, Chief Product Officer at ZenBusiness
Oct 10, 2023
The Cities that Shaped Us with Chelsea Follett of the Cato Institute & HumanProgress.org
Oct 03, 2023
Decentralized Science and the Future of Discovery
Sep 26, 2023
Can A Simple Walk Revolutionize Networking with Elle Beecher, Founder of The Board Walks
Sep 19, 2023
The Power of Narratives in Determining an Ecosystem's Future with Walt Maciborski, CBS Austin News Anchor
Sep 12, 2023
Balancing Stakeholder Interests in a Fast-Paced Innovative World with Dr. Isaac Turner, Co-founder and CTO of Curative
Sep 06, 2023
Fueling and Riding the AI Wave with Risto Miikkulainen, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin
Aug 29, 2023
The Future of Innovation: Austin and the New Creative Class with Richard Florida
Aug 22, 2023
Analyzing Austin's Innovation Landscape: A First Half 2023 Review with Peter Walker, Carta’s Head of Insights
Aug 15, 2023
Embracing The Pathless Path with Paul Millerd
Aug 08, 2023
A New Era Begins for Austin Next and the Future of Austin's Thriving Innovation Ecosystem
Jul 06, 2023
Patient Capital, Potent Change: Ecliptic Capital’s Quest for Climate Tech Breakthroughs with David J. Neff, Operating Partner
Jun 22, 2023
Austin vs. The World: Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings with Startup Genome’s Forrest Wright
Jun 15, 2023
When Austin Next and Tech Connect: Exploring Q2 Software’s Digital Innovations with Lou Senko, Chief Availability Officer
Jun 06, 2023
Austin's Autonomous Vehicle Revolution with Michael Staples, General Manager - AUS Market at Cruise
May 30, 2023
The Tech Tipping Point: A Thoughtful Exchange with Brett Hurt and William "whurley" Hurley
May 23, 2023
Austin Next Spotlight: Getting to the Next Funding Round with ClearCam
May 16, 2023
Austin's Next Innovation Hub: The Vision Behind the University of Austin with Pano Kanelos
May 09, 2023
Breaking the Boundaries between Deeptech and Traditional Tech in Austin with Andrew Busey Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Form Bio
May 02, 2023
Why Austin and the Texas Triangle is Poised for Success: A Conversation with Cullum Clark
Apr 25, 2023
Beyond the Hype: Understanding Generative AI and Jasper AI's Innovations with Austin Distel
Apr 18, 2023
Redesigning Healthcare with Harbor Health Co-Founder Clay Johnston
Apr 11, 2023
The Evolution of Downtown Austin in a Multi-Hub Innovation Region
Apr 04, 2023
SXSW 2023: The Nexus of Austin's Innovation and Creative Powerhouses
Mar 28, 2023
Cultivating Austin Talent with Workforce Solutions Capital Area CEO Tamara Atkinson
Mar 21, 2023
Austin Next is at SXSW 2023
Mar 10, 2023
From SXSW to the Texas Biohub: Exploring the Future of Healthcare with Melinda Richter and Stacy Feld from Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Mar 07, 2023
SXSW 2023: Where Creatives, Tech, and Innovation Come Together with Hugh Forrest SXSW’s Co-President & Chief Programming Officer
Feb 28, 2023
Fostering Innovation and Technology: The Texas Legislature's Commitment with Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Rep. John Bucy III
Feb 21, 2023
Where's the Next Terawatt? Powering the Future With Bill McCamley and Christy Cardenas
Feb 14, 2023
Austin Next Spotlight: Tokenizing Real Estate with OwnProp
Feb 09, 2023
Making Quantum Computing Accessible to All with William “whurley” Hurley, Founder and CEO of Strangeworks
Feb 07, 2023
Texas 2036: Data-Driven Solutions for a Growing Texas with AJ Rodriguez and John Hryhorchuk
Jan 31, 2023
Austin Next Spotlight: CIBC Innovation
Jan 26, 2023
Art Meets Tech: Insights from Constance Y. White, Manager of Austin's Art and Public Places Program
Jan 24, 2023
Austin Next Spotlight: Gary Hoover
Jan 19, 2023
There’s Always an Us in Austin with Roy Spence, Co-Founder and Chairman of GSD&M and Founder of the Make it Movement
Jan 17, 2023
Austin Next 2023 Teaser
Jan 10, 2023
From the Archive - Homegrown Venture Capital with Brian Smith, Managing Director of S3 Ventures
Dec 27, 2022
From the Archive - Austin is Becoming a Multi-Hub Region with John Garrett, Founder and CEO of Community Impact
Dec 20, 2022
From the Archive - History of the Austin Ecosystem with John Butler
Dec 13, 2022
What's next Austin Next?
Dec 06, 2022
Mammoths, Tigers, and Genomics, Oh My! with Ben Lamm CEO and Founder of Colossal Biosciences
Nov 29, 2022
Austin Next Live: The Austin Bio Innovation Ecosystem
Nov 22, 2022
Live at the Informa Tech AI/IoT/ Quantum Conference
Nov 15, 2022
Rise of the Rest with Steve Case
Nov 08, 2022
A Deep Dive with Bob Campbell, a Longtime Austin Leader
Nov 01, 2022
Road Trip to Houston - Innovation through the Investor Lens with Dougal Cameron, Managing Director of Golden Section
Oct 25, 2022
Road Trip to Houston - The Innovation Ecosystem with Houston Exponential
Oct 18, 2022
Road Trip to San Antonio Part 2 – Alamo Angels Make Substantial Progress
Oct 11, 2022
Road Trip to San Antonio - The Innovation Ecosystem with Jim Perschbach, President & CEO Port San Antonio
Oct 04, 2022
Austin Networking Groups We Like
Sep 27, 2022
How Resilient is Austin to an Economic Downturn with Roland Pena, SVP of Global Technology and Innovation from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Sep 20, 2022
Return to the Austin Mortar with Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council
Sep 13, 2022
Austin Next Goes Boom!
Sep 06, 2022
Exploring Austin's Draper Startup House, a Global Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Aug 30, 2022
The Past, Present, and Future of Entrepreneurship in Austin. Part 2 of our Discussion with Brett Hurt Co-Founder and CEO of data.world
Aug 23, 2022
The Past, Present, and Future of Entrepreneurship in Austin. Part 1 of our Discussion with Brett Hurt Co-Founder and CEO of data.world
Aug 16, 2022
The Changing Austin Venture Scene with CS Freeland, Executive Director of the Austin Venture Association
Aug 09, 2022
Innovation and Architecture with Todd Runkle Principal, Managing Director at Gensler
Aug 02, 2022
Peter Rex, Real Estate and PropTech Entrepreneur and now Austinite
Jul 26, 2022
Deploying Advanced Infrastructure with Jeff DeCoux of the Autonomy Institute
Jul 19, 2022
The Unlikely Path from Creative to Life Science Entrepreneur with Casey McPherson, CEO to Cure A Rose Foundation
Jul 12, 2022
Austin Next 1 Year Anniversary - The Journey and What We Have Learned so Far
Jun 28, 2022
Is Austin the City of the Future with Cullum Clark, George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative Director
Jun 21, 2022
Where Does Austin's Ecosystem Rank with Farshad Fahimi of Startup Genome
Jun 15, 2022
Moving Towards Energy Abundance with Christy Cardenas, Managing Partner Grit Ventures
Jun 07, 2022
Austin is Becoming a Multi-Hub Region with John Garrett, Founder and CEO of Community Impact Newspaper
May 31, 2022
We are Living in the Future with Brad Bentz, Partner and Co-Founder of ATX Partners
May 24, 2022
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Transportation with Meg Merritt and Joseph Kopser
May 17, 2022
Semiconductor Industry Deep Dive with Dave Anderson of Semi.org
May 10, 2022
Funding the Future with Elizabeth (Ela) Mirowski SBIR/STTR Program Director at the National Science Foundation
May 03, 2022
Super Regions: Texas Triangle with Ed Curtis, CEO of YTexas
Apr 26, 2022
Super Regions: The Austin Metro with Laura Huffman, President and CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Apr 19, 2022
Tech Transfer with Les Nichols, Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization at The University of Texas at Austin
Apr 12, 2022
The Future of Connected Work with Razat Gaurav, CEO of Planview
Mar 29, 2022
A 1st Timers' Impression of SXSW
Mar 22, 2022
Digital Roadtrip to Atlanta and Nashville
Mar 15, 2022
Unique to Austin - It's SXSW with Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer at SXSW
Mar 08, 2022
Unique to Austin - Army Applications Lab with Brance Hudzietz, Corporate Ventures and EIR
Mar 01, 2022
Flyover Country an Insult or the Future with Dale Buss, Executive Director of The Flyover Coalition
Feb 22, 2022
Digital Roadtrip to Chicago, Dallas, and San Diego
Feb 15, 2022
Research Speaks - Progress Studies with Jason Crawford, Founder and CEO of the Roots of Progress
Feb 08, 2022
Executive Talent with Lisa Novak, VP Employee Experience at data.world
Feb 01, 2022
The Talent Pipeline with Garrett Groves, Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives for the Austin Community College District
Jan 25, 2022
Mid-Management Talent with Bjorn Billhardt, CEO of Abilitie
Jan 18, 2022
Discussing the Austin Narrative with Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology Council
Jan 11, 2022
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) with Kirstin Ross, Managing Director SKU
Dec 07, 2021
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Space with with Melanie Stricklan, CEO Slingshot Aerospace & Michael Ciannilli NASA's Director of the Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned Program
Nov 30, 2021
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Manufacturing with Ed Latson, Executive Director Austin Regional Manufacturers Association
Nov 16, 2021
The Austin Capital Environment #3: NonVC Sources of Startup Fundraising (Angels, Debt, Crowdfunding, and More)
Nov 09, 2021
The Austin Capital Environment #2: New to Austin VC with Garheng Kong, Founder and Managing Partner HealthQuest Capital
Nov 02, 2021
The Austin Capital Environment #1: Homegrown Venture Capital with Brian Smith, Managing Director of S3 Ventures
Oct 26, 2021
Private Innovation Support Infrastructure with Amos Schwartzfarb, Managing Director of TechStars Austin
Oct 19, 2021
Academic Innovation Support Structures with Van Truskett and Ashley Jennings
Oct 12, 2021
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Life Sciences with Scott Collins, President BioAustinCTX
Oct 05, 2021
Austin Sector Deep Dive: MediaTech with Paul O'Brien, CEO MediaTech Ventures
Sep 28, 2021
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Blockchain and Crypto with Lee Bratcher, President Texas Blockchain Council
Sep 16, 2021
The Austin Mortar, an interview with Thom Singer, the Human Connection Catalyst
Sep 07, 2021
Research Speaks with Ross Devol CEO of Heartland Forward Foundation
Aug 24, 2021
Who's coming to the Austin Metro with Jason Ball
Aug 10, 2021
Austin Now with Marc Nathan
Jul 27, 2021
History of the Austin Ecosystem with John Butler
Jul 13, 2021