Economic Development Archives - Page 11 of 16

Where are Austin’s Venture Capital Firms?

Tuesday, 03 May 2016 by Paul O'Brien

Of late I’ve been exploring, discussing, and working with Austin’s venture capital economy. We’ll not belabor the ongoing discussions of the state of venture capital, lack of funding, future of financing, and otherwise here; rather, what struck me as potentially helpful is a mere layout of where venture capital is found. Certainly, before we can

Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Raising Capital, Texas Startups

17 Comments

Why Where Matters

Monday, 09 November 2015 by Paul O'Brien

Some time ago, I shared some thoughts about how the size and scope of Silicon Valley eludes most entrepreneurs. That, challenging most startup communities, is the fact that comparing and contrasting one’s local economy to “Silicon Valley” easily misleads, as N. California’s startup community is much more than a city, more than a region even,

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Published in Brand Marketing, Economic Development, Industry, Insights / Research, PR, Startups

19 Comments

When Raising Capital, What is a Broker-Dealer Registered with the SEC?

Friday, 19 December 2014 by Paul O'Brien

With the advent of crowdfunding and the ongoing changes to how startups might raise capital, prompted by the JOBS Act, entrepreneurs are frequently asking about the role of a broker-dealer. Why? Let’s start from the beginning with an understanding of what exactly is a broker-dealer An individual, company, or organization that trades securities (a catch-all term

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Published in Raising Capital, Startup Ecosystems

4 Comments

The Ancient Startup Communities of Greece and Rome

Wednesday, 16 April 2014 by Paul O'Brien

Recently, I had the honor of addressing a group of investors from Shenzhen, China, exploring opportunities in Texas and asking the question, why? Why here? Why Texas? Why Austin? Fostered by DB Business Group (a multi-sector global business development group), and a program called Invest Austin, a veteran of Silicon Valley like myself can’t help

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Published in Austin, Industry, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

10 Comments

Why Do Startups Work in Silicon Valley?

Thursday, 27 March 2014 by Paul O'Brien

One of the most frequently asked questions of today’s startup economy, no? Invariably, we discuss capital, talent, and ambition, frustrated with our own communities’ lack thereof, perhaps. And yet, is that really what’s at the heart of making a startup community work? When you think about it, the access to and significance of capital available

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Published in Regional Development, Startups

15 Comments

Evolve the Way You Work – The Role of Coworking Spaces, Incubators, and Accelerators

Tuesday, 19 November 2013 by Paul O'Brien

I recently had the honor of sharing the stage with Austin’s elite in the coworking community. Texas State University’s Spectrum program asked Kerry Rupp, CEO of DreamIt Ventures; Brandon Marker, Managing Director of Tech Stars Austin; Kevin Koym, Co-Founder of Tech Ranch; Ryan Field, Research and Information Manager at ATI; Stephen Frayser, Executive Director of STAR Park; Kris Looney, President of Emergent Technologies; Alex Smith, Longhorn Startup and Capital Factory

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Published in Economic Development, Startups

4 Comments

Austin Startup Blogs & Press

Wednesday, 28 August 2013 by Paul O'Brien

With the tremendous influx of innovators, talent, and capital to Austin’s startup community, I’m increasingly asked how/where to keep tabs on what’s going on. That is, as someone new or moving to Austin, or as an outsider wondering what all the hubbub is about, where does one turn to keep a pulse on things? Let’s

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Published in Austin, Startups, Texas Startups

6 Comments