Botswana’s Startup Paradox: Why Africa Searches for Venture Capital
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
This is a country with the continent’s most stable democracy, solid credit ratings, one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa over the past fifty years, and the world’s largest diamond producer. Having just released our research into why venture capital avoids regions of the world, my attention turned to Africa because the continent is arguably
- Published in Regional Development
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Why Venture Capital Avoids your Startup Ecosystem
Monday, 14 July 2025
Working with cities throughout the world, developing startup ecosystems, every one of them echos the same in their effort to encourage entrepreneurship, “we’re focused on bringing investors to the table.” What they’re doing is typical, ironically, of founders, who hear a problem and the focus on the solution (which by the way founders, is wrong).
- Published in Featured, Startup Ecosystems
Abilene Grit, Grid, and Genesis
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
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
From Texas to Tulsa: How Innovation Shifts to Opportunity
Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Differentiation If someone told you Tulsa was the next hub for startups, your first reaction might be to squint and wonder if they meant it ironically. Tulsa? Really? Isn’t that where Route 66 nostalgia and oil wealth go to retire? Here’s the thing: the people still asking that question are the same ones who laughed
- Published in Regional Development
Quantum or Bust: The Playbook for Post-Silicon Economic Dominance
Friday, 21 February 2025
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 —
- Published in Economic Development, Quantum
Zagreb plus Istria: The Economic Development Plan for Croatia’s Future as a Global Hub of Innovation
Thursday, 09 January 2025
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
Why Most Countries Fail at Tech Startups (How to Fix That)
Friday, 20 December 2024
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
- Published in Economic Development
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