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Read more +10 September 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Featured, Industry, Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

How Startup Ecosystem Builders Start Ecosystems

Read more +29 August 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development, Featured, Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

The 6 Considerations of the Economic Development of Startups

Read more +11 April 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Featured, Industry, Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

Why Accelerators Fail Startup Founders

Raising Capital

08/11/2024in Raising Capital, Startup Ecosystems
When Founders Need Referrals to Meet Investors, Fix This About Your Startup Ecosystem
In a well-functioning startup ecosystem, founders should know who their potential investors are and how to connect with them. In a supportive startup ecosystem, founders should know how to develop ventures that attract attention, supported by journalists and ecosystem leaders who promote fundable startups, so that investors engage them. Yet, we oft...
09/09/2024in Raising Capital, Startups
“I have an Idea but lack Experience or Startup Capital…”
This is one of those frequently heard statements that helps a startup ecosystem recognize that gaps remain. Last week, I pushed founders and economists to recognize the distinction between innovation and technology (between startups and businesses), and from that, I was asked for advice too frequently asked, “How can I capitalize on an app id...
24/10/2022in Raising Capital
A Startup Pitch is NOT a Sales Pitch!
More than half the pitches I heard this past week went like this, and I want to share this to stress how significantly you should understand how this is NOT a good pitch if you need investors: 1. This is our solution2. This is how it works and all our great features3. We’ve sold it...

Fundraising

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Index of Articles

Regional Spotlight

Read more +25 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Regional Development, Startup Ecosystems

Argentina Unleashed: How Reforms Under President Milei Spark Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Argentina’s history is one of extremes — a nation that has swung from prosperity to crisis and back again yet always demonstrated an uncanny ability to rebuild and reinvent itself. In the early 20th century, Argentina was among the top 10 wealthiest nations globally, thanks to its fertile agricultural sector, booming trade, and a forward-thinking,

Read more +16 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Regional Development

Puerto Rico: The Crossroads of U.S. Access, Global Innovation, and Island Resilience for Startups

Puerto Rico’s history is one of resilience, adaptation, and strategic importance. As a U.S. territory since 1898, Puerto Rico enjoys a unique position: it benefits from U.S. federal systems and protections while maintaining its cultural and legislative autonomy. This blend offers startups and entrepreneurs an unparalleled advantage — access to U.S. markets, legal frameworks, and

Read more +13 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in AI, Regional Development, Startups

Croatia: A Historical Backbone of Resilience and Opportunity

Croatia’s history is defined by resilience and adaptability, traits that naturally align with the entrepreneurial spirit. Originally part of the Roman Empire, Croatia grew through centuries of influence by various empires and regimes—from the medieval Croatian Kingdom to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and later as part of Yugoslavia until its independence in 1991. This complex history

Austin Startups

Everything Austin, TX entrepreneurs

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Uncovering Austin FinTech as an Ecosystem
I have a confession to get off my chest. In my work through Austin, I’ve long celebrated ...
Developing Austin’s Startup Ecosystem
Regional culture, history, and infrastructure are the qualities of a region of the world that d...
Conspire to Change Austin Startups
Peter Thiel, notable by way of PayPal, Founders Fund, and Zero to One, if you’re not fami...
The Vision For Austin
You know that licking of your lips and grasping at air that one does when trying to put in to w...

Economic Development

Why Most Countries Fail at Tech Startups (How to Fix That)

20 December 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development

Make America Texas Again

12 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development, Industry

10 Policies Proven to Turn Cities into Startup Powerhouses

07 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development, Startups

How the 2025 White House Could Shape a Bold Economy for Startups and Innovators

06 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

When Entrepreneurship is Bad for the Economy

05 November 2024 By Paul O'Brien in Economic Development, Startups

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Pipeline > Data > Community > Audience > Customer
Why Pipelines Trump Customers: Rethinking Value Creation in Startups It’s often said that “ever...
How to Get More Out of Entrepreneurs
Whether you are an investor, a founder seeking advice, a business owner, or someone working thr...
Why AI Agents Will Build the Next Wave of Startups: The Death of Marketing Teams
For decades, startup experienced professionals, researchers, and classically trained marketers,...
You Can Develop the Personality Traits that Correlate with Startup Success, Here’s How
Launching a startup demands resilience, creativity, and a touch of audacity. Like it or not (an...
Using ChatGPT for Your Startup’s Success
Imagine having a tireless, ever-learning partner in your startup journey — one that adapts to y...

19/12/2024in Data, Insights / Research, Startups
Pipeline > Data > Community > Audience > Customer
Why Pipelines Trump Customers: Rethinking Value Creation in Startups It’s often said that “every startup needs customers.” That’s true. Without someone paying for your product or service, you don’t have a business. But this oft-repeated mantra misses the mark entirely when it comes to understanding value creation—the kind of value venture capitalis...
13/12/2024in Advertising, AI, Insights / Research, Social Media
Marketing is Leading Tech Companies Again, Faster Than You Think
The tectonic shift in how tech companies operate is unmistakable: whether evident in VCs saying Storytellers will run the world, advisors shifting to stress that media is most important, or research validating that marketing is what defines a company’s success or failure, people are waking up again to the fact that marketing runs your busines...

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