Industry Archives - Startup Economist

Abilene Grit, Grid, and Genesis

Tuesday, 10 June 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Abilene, Texas, on the surface, might seem like the set of Fallout where a now-restored Texas Film Industry needs a set for a post-apocalyptic Western — a flat, dusty military town with a church on every corner and a Dairy Queen next to it. Scratch that desert veneer (and lack of nuclear fallout) and you’ll

Published in AI, Data, Regional Development

20 Comments

AI Runs on Yesterday’s Hardware — Quantum Writes Tomorrow’s Policy; The Quantum Playbook

Monday, 02 June 2025 by Paul O'Brien

If artificial intelligence is the engine of the future, then quantum computing is the fuel. In the United States, Washington is waking up to that fact. While the headlines are still dominated by chatbots impersonating therapists and AI models hallucinating their way through customer service, the grownups in this room (policymakers, scientists, and defense analysts)

economic development government legislation public policy quantum computing regulation security

Published in Economic Development, Quantum

6 Comments

How a University is Reshaping Florida’s Economy — and the Future of Aerospace

Tuesday, 27 May 2025 by Paul O'Brien

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. This place is an economic engine dressed like a university, disguised as a think tank, wrapped in a space suit – right at the heart of the future of our economy and world. What Embry-Riddle is doing right now with a newly announced partners

embry-riddle florida incubator innovation startup studio university

Published in Aerospace, Economic Development, Regional Development

No Comments

Struggling? Network In Real Life.

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 by Paul O'Brien

I sat in the Texas Capitol this week, doing some legislative work, where a group of (probably) early 20-year-old staffers, having lunch, were talking about how and where to get to know more people. All, talking but on their phones, but what caught my attention was discussion of twitter, TikTok, some local venues, getting into

career contacts introductions jobs networking referrals

Published in Insights / Research, Social Media

21 Comments

Founders and Policymakers Need Us at the Table— Before They Decide the Future for Us

Monday, 21 April 2025 by Paul O'Brien

With my work increasingly entrenched in Washington, D.C., state capitols, and the public policy battles shaping entrepreneurship and venture capital, I’ve found myself staring down a familiar name in tech: Google. Again. For many of us, the latest antitrust accusations is déjà vu, about privacy, about data, and control – whether it’s Apple, Microsoft, X,

competition Google government innovation public policy regulation

Published in AI, Economic Development, Search

3 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 —

association economic development ecosystem public policy quantum computing

Published in Economic Development, Quantum

1 Comment

Trump’s First Few Days for Independents

Thursday, 23 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

In the world of entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems, where disruption, innovation, and venture capital reign supreme, keeping an eye on public policy isn’t just smart — it’s essential. Government actions shape the macroeconomic environment, influence capital flows, and define the rules of the game for the next generation of innovators. With a new administration in

economic development entrepreneurship government innovation public policy startups venture capital

Published in AI, Economic Development

48 Comments