Economic Development Archives - Startup Economist

SX Sideways: More to Changing SXSW than Condensing the Weekends

Tuesday, 18 March 2025 by Paul O'Brien

For those unfamiliar, SXSW is rather unique in the world for being far more than a conference, trade show, or film or music festival — it’s an economic engine, a cultural touchstone, and, arguably, the defining force that made Austin a global hub for innovation and creativity. But in 2025, something felt… off. The conference,

Published in Conferences / Events

34 Comments

How the Irish Saved Entrepreneurship

Monday, 17 March 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe is an audacious retelling of history — one that challenges the Eurocentric narratives that typically glorify Rome and dismiss Ireland as a peripheral player. Published in 1995, the book argues

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Published in Regional Development

5 Comments

Why Most Investors Are Wasting Their Time Ignoring Emerging Fund Managers

Wednesday, 12 March 2025 by Paul O'Brien

The most prevalent reason why I always raise my hand to speak, moderate, or host an event, is that while written content reaches millions or podcasting helps people see or hear your tone and passion, it’s only through live events that one can read the reaction of an audience, and in real time nuance the

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Published in Startup Ecosystems

19 Comments

Texas Drops a Bigger, Better Blueprint: Why the World Should Take Notes (and Copy It)

Friday, 07 March 2025 by Paul O'Brien

What if a state decided to flex its economic muscle so hard that it made entire countries blush? Welcome to Texas in 2025, where Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office (EDT) just dropped a 150+ page love letter to ambition titled Bigger. Better. Texas. — a five-year strategic Texas economic

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Published in Economic Development, Regional Development

13 Comments

Portugal’s Entrepreneurial Revolution: Why Startups and Innovation Thrive (And What Needs to Change)

Monday, 03 March 2025 by Paul O'Brien

A Country Built on Bold Exploration and Innovation Portugal’s legacy as a global pioneer began long before the word “startup” existed. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Lisbon was the Silicon Valley of its time, launching a wave of global exploration that transformed commerce, navigation, and trade. With figures like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand

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Published in Regional Development

5 Comments

Your Conference Event is Boring. Here’s How to Fix It in Austin (Especially for SXSW)

Monday, 24 February 2025 by Paul O'Brien

So, you’re hosting an event during a conference or trade show, perhaps a meetup, a happy hour, or maybe even some speakers with engaging content hosted by a dynamic moderator (you are at least getting dynamic speakers, yes? God forbid you’re putting people on stage because they’re the VP or some such); I’m excited, send

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Published in Austin, Conferences / Events, Economic Development

19 Comments

Quantum or Bust: The Playbook for Post-Silicon Economic Dominance

Friday, 21 February 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Earlier this week, Philip Farah, VP of sales, industries and strategic relationships for IonQ and William Hurley (aka whurley), CEO and founder of Strangeworks, joined The Texas Tribune‘s Matthew Watkins in their new series, “Tech and the Texas Lege,” examining how Texas can leverage emerging technologies — like artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and quantum computing —

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Published in Economic Development, Quantum

1 Comment