If I suggested a way for your clean energy startup to set-up shop near a bunch of companies involved in things like renewable technology and the smartgrid, what would you say? If I sweetened the deal and told you the list of companies included a few of the Fortune 500 and a slew of established mid-market companies, you’d probably say, “sign me up!”   So goes part of the argument for industry clusters, a term [...]

Incubators are usually pretty adept at gauging which companies have upside. And while business moves fast, the coaching, mentoring and preparation that aids young startups has to  move faster. That’s where the network comes into play for Austin Technology Incubator (ATI). “We want to bring the genetics of ATI into the fold,” said ATI Director Isaac Barchas. “It’s really about activating the alumni network.” The network Barchas refers to spans more than 200 companies, $1 [...]

If you wanted to start a company based on the financial markets, Austin might not be your first choice. Technically, for 9WSearch CEO Susan Strausberg, it wasn’t. “My husband and I picked Austin to start a green-oriented business, but it took a little longer than expected,” said Strausberg.  ”So we went back to our roots and started 9WSearch.” Those roots run the deepest in financial services, and with Strausberg’s track record in the industry, it [...]

When you hear someone talk about disruption in technology, it almost sounds passé. But if you ever want a simple cheat sheet to impress your friends, read this piece by Netscape Founder and Venture Capitalist Marc Andreessen. It’s basically a series of case studies in disruption, each showing how software-driven services are invading companies large and small. Recently, I caught up with two tech execs that want to accelerate the way nonprofits are being eaten [...]

That’s not a catchy headline. That’s what Ethernet inventor and current UT innovation czar Bob Metcalfe told me at a recent Dell Entrepreneur event. And if you caught Metcalfe’s keynote at this year’s Clean Energy Venture Summit, you know he’d likely tell you to invest in a handful companies in the so-called “enertech” sector. “I’m waiting for all those tech and social networking investors and VCs to come over to energy,” he said. Jokingly taking [...]

Being the tech tire-kicker I am, when Google+ launched I was curious. Would the web giant get it right this time, or stumble through another missed opportunity a la Buzz? There was also a certain sense of fatigue that crept over me. I immediately felt compelled to tee up my best app configuration and social sharing skills for yet another destination on the web. So what gives after a few months with Google+? Can It [...]

I’ve pulled back on the use of infographics lately, but I spotted one over the weekend that warranted a second look. It visualizes data from the Startup Genome, a project that takes a scientific approach to cracking the “innovation code.” Teaming up with educators from Berkeley and Stanford, they looked at more than 3000 companies, analyzing the customer, product, team, business model and financials. One of the big findings amongst the data was that almost [...]

Technology trend watchers have some new data thanks to noted internet analyst Mary Meeker. Her latest presentation at the annual Web 2.0 Summit (below) in San Francisco covered everything from the rise of mobile and local ecommerce, to the the evolution of computing interfaces. A few things jumped out, particularly the stats on China’s internet growth. Clearly, we’re deep into the “it’s a global economy” mantra, especially for web businesses. The other notable elements underscore [...]

Talk about timing. When a reminder about the upcoming Clean Energy Summit hit my inbox, I jumped at the chance to make the case for why Austin should be excited about this event. And while I’d be the first to advocate the benefits of a clean energy community, this isn’t a rah-rah session. Let’s look at what’s happening in clean energy to see why this year’s gathering should accelerate Austin’s clean energy future. The Economic [...]

With unemployment still high and the U.S. economy still tight, it’s always a bit surprising to see companies struggling to staff up. But that’s exactly what Austin Technology Council’s recent survey results from more than a hundred CEOs showed. I looked at three of the top findings and tried to uncover some of the reasons why. 77% of respondents agree that there will be a shortage of technically skilled talent in the future. Attendees and [...]