Economic Development Archives - Page 3 of 11

Superman isn’t Coming

Tuesday, 25 June 2024 by Paul O'Brien

When asked if I have any mentors to whom I look up to, people tend to chuckle when I share that at the top of my list are my family and Superman. Embodying both to an extent, my earliest experience with a Man of Steel was my father, who struck me as impervious to anything,

Published in Startup Ecosystems, Startups

3 Comments

Why Accelerators Fail Startup Founders

Thursday, 11 April 2024 by Paul O'Brien

Let’s take the two most distributed Startup Development Organizations in the world, and tease out what’s happening In a point of fact: overwhelming most Accelerators *fail* founders; but why? With such a bold assertion, let me properly set the stage by pointing out that when 90% or more of all startups fail rather quickly, it’s

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Published in Featured, Industry, Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

25 Comments

What it Takes to Make Your City “Next” in Innovation

Friday, 29 September 2023 by Paul O'Brien

So, the guy who chose and loves Austin has some thoughts about the potential of Houston. I had a chance to sit with Chris Howard during their interview series when in Austin, for Forging the Future through Softeq, where we talked about how culture and distinction draws entrepreneurship, tech, and capital. How Houston is on

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Published in Economic Development, Startups

8 Comments

The Creator Capital of the World

Monday, 11 September 2023 by Paul O'Brien

A significant shift is underway, explored by Kaya Yurieff with The Information, A Reckoning Arrives for Creator Economy Startups, “Two years ago, Dmitry Shapiro and Sean Thielen were so optimistic about the booming creator economy that they pivoted their startup to a new product: a simple tool called Koji that lets influencers more easily link to their online

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Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Regional Development, Startups

2 Comments

Uncovering Austin FinTech as an Ecosystem

Thursday, 13 April 2023 by Paul O'Brien

I have a confession to get off my chest. In my work through Austin, I’ve long celebrated and promoted the maturing of Austin’s startup ecosystem by illuminating that we’re starting to specialize and move beyond downtown; that, as the most effective startup ecosystems do, the city of Austin isn’t generically “tech” and shouldn’t be considered

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Published in FinTech, Industry, Texas Startups

10 Comments

The Critical Role of Startup Mentors

Wednesday, 12 April 2023 by Paul O'Brien

Finding myself now through 3 cycles of the economy (more or less), working with startups throughout, I can’t help but observe and plead for people to raise their hands in philanthropy as mentors to entrepreneurs and would be founders. I’m no graphic designer but an idea struck me that felt best conveyed in a graphic,

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Published in Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups

3 Comments

Developing Austin’s Startup Ecosystem

Tuesday, 28 February 2023 by Paul O'Brien

Regional culture, history, and infrastructure are the qualities of a region of the world that drives innovation, jobs, and economic development because technology is ultimately about people and their potential. A really a wonderful article about Austin in The New Yorker sparked a series of wonderful discussions of the past and present of the Austin