startups Archives - Startup Economist

It’s Not the End of the World. It’s the End of Pretending.

Monday, 20 October 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Every generation believes it’s living through the end of the world. With all that’s on social media and in the news now, ours might finally be right, but not in the way we think. And you reader, entrepreneurs, investors, and economic development leaders, are the people we need rising to the challenges. R.E.M.’s It’s the End

Published in Economic Development

22 Comments

Startups Draw Talent and Opportunity to Cities

Tuesday, 14 October 2025 by Paul O'Brien

What if I told you a city’s “magnetism” doesn’t begin with a Fortune 500 relocating its headquarters, but with a small, scrappy startup raising its first round? Let’s talk about smarter economic development. Cities that craft startup ecosystems don’t just chase large employers; they become destinations for opportunity, pulling in both job-seekers and job creators. Interestingly, I said

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Published in Economic Development

25 Comments

Stop Trying to Validate Your Startup Idea

Friday, 26 September 2025 by Paul O'Brien

I hope the headline brought you here with a bit of “WTF is he going to propose now?” But I was compelled to share this perspective when in the start of a host of new incubator cohorts, we’re talking about idea validation, and some brilliant observations were made by mentors. Startups love to talk about

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Published in Startups

39 Comments

How Hard Tech History Fuels Entrepreneurship – Austin’s Story

Wednesday, 03 September 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Amidst what seems to be a boom of chips in Central Texas, I want to share with everyone, everywhere, how the hard tech of Texas isn’t a result of a recent pivot, there is a history to study in how it grew up around Austin, a history from which we can learn how to build

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Published in Regional Development

29 Comments

Surfing Idaho’s Startup Wave: Boise’s Rise

Thursday, 28 August 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Of course, if you’re like me, when you think of Idaho the first thing that comes to mind is surfing. Sure, you might be thinking, “um… Hawaii? California?” and you’d be right too but if we’re being frank, we entrepreneurial types are a little odd and my mind thinks Idaho. What drives innovation and supports

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Published in Regional Development

16 Comments

The Missing Infrastructure of Entrepreneurship: A Policy Guide for Cities and States

Tuesday, 26 August 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Governments keep insisting they’re “supporting entrepreneurship,” yet the tools they fund are usually the bureaucratic equivalent of a pep rally: innovation hubs with free Wi-Fi, pitch competitions, and motivational speakers who read the same three startup books as everyone else. These things create the appearance of activity but deliver outcomes only for the handful of

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Published in Economic Development, Startups

48 Comments

Bogotá, Colombia; Latin America’s Next Startup Ascent

Friday, 15 August 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Colombia has always been a country in motion; politically, culturally, and economically. But motion isn’t the same as progress, and progress isn’t guaranteed. For generations, Colombians have adapted to change not because they wanted to, but because they had to. It’s in this crucible of necessity that the country’s entrepreneurial spirit was forged and potential

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Published in Regional Development, Startup Ecosystems

11 Comments