Economic Development Archives - Page 3 of 14

Zagreb plus Istria: The Economic Development Plan for Croatia’s Future as a Global Hub of Innovation

Thursday, 09 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

As I walked the streets of Zagreb, Croatia, not long ago, I couldn’t help but remark that I had a feeling that I was experiencing, Austin, TX, years ago. From my time in Michigan, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, and now Austin, my community knows well that the work I do is designing startup ecosystems; working with

Published in Economic Development, Regional Development

8 Comments

Venture Capital Manifests for Opportunity: It’s Not Available to Serve

Monday, 06 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

For economic development professionals, community builders, and government officials committed to fostering entrepreneurship, it’s all too common to hear founders lament that a “lack of capital” is their most significant challenge. Yet, curiously, a lack of capital is rarely cited as a leading cause of startup failure. This disconnect points to a deeper, systemic issue

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Published in Raising Capital, Startup Ecosystems

8 Comments

Regional Startup Ecosystems Must Embrace Distinction

Saturday, 04 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

What we can learn from asking of South and Central America You’re failing. Let me cut to that chase. After more nearly two decades in Austin, Texas, and working with cities and regions throughout the world, what holds YOU and your economy back is that you won’t communicate clearly, distinguish your strengths, and acknowledge your

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Published in Economic Development, Regional Development

11 Comments

Is it Possible to Future Proof a Career Given AI?

Saturday, 04 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

What Marketing Could Teach Us if We Were Actually Marketing Jack Ma, speaking at the World Economic Forum in 2019, warned:“We have to teach our kids something unique, so that a machine can never catch up with us: values, believing, independent thinking, teamwork, care for others—the soft skills—sports, music, painting, arts, to make sure humans

ai careers future jobs marketing new economy recruiting robotics

Published in Economic Development, Insights / Research

22 Comments

Silicon Valley’s Culture of Creative Destruction

Friday, 03 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Silicon Valley’s legendary status as the birthplace of innovation isn’t merely a product of geography or luck — it is rooted in a culture of creative destruction, a term popularized by Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter, author of Theory of Economic Development. Creative destruction is the process by which innovation disrupts existing industries, rendering outdated systems

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Published in Economic Development, Regional Development

8 Comments

From Socialist Roots to a Free-Market Startup Renaissance: Estonia

Friday, 03 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Estonia has long been hailed as the digital darling of Europe, a small Baltic nation that defied its post-Soviet limitations to emerge as a tech powerhouse. Yet, for all its acclaim, Estonia’s journey has been shaped by a tension between its socialist roots and a growing desire for economic liberalism. Today, with sweeping governmental reforms

baltics economic development entrepreneurship estonia europe startups

Published in Regional Development

5 Comments

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

Friday, 20 December 2024 by Paul O'Brien

Wrapping up 2024 and on our way into a fresh start, whether you celebrate the holidays or ring in the new year, something most of us will experience in the next few weeks is a shift in the culture we typically experience. People are warmer, perhaps more social, and in the spirit of giving gifts

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Published in Economic Development

34 Comments