Austin Next
Austin Next
Austin continues transforming into the next innovation powerhouse. In this podcast, we explore how Central Texas is growing…The people and companies, the Industries and infrastructure, the macro and micro trends that come together to create the future of Austin.
We want to answer one basic question… What’s next Austin?
Listen to our trailer and find out what we are all about:
Recent Episodes
Austin Next 1 Year Anniversary - The Journey and What We Have Learned so Far
June 28, 2022
What an amazing year it has been. This week it's just the two of us reflecting back on where the podcast has been, what we have seen in the ecosystem, the insights that our guests have shared, and what comes next for both th…
Is Austin the City of the Future with Cullum Clark, George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative Director
June 21, 2022
Cities are changing as rapidly as ever due increased migration patterns, new hubs of innovation, and an evolving way we work. What does the city of the future look like and is Austin the new leader of that trend? Today we br…
Where Does Austin's Ecosystem Rank with Farshad Fahimi of Startup Genome
June 15, 2022
We see all of these best of city lists. Best places to live, most affordable, growing tech employment, and so on. How does Austin stack up when looking at our overall startup environment? Today we are bringing on Farshad …
Moving Towards Energy Abundance with Christy Cardenas, Managing Partner Grit Ventures
June 7, 2022
Infrastructure is one of the key issues impacting Austin’s rapid growth. Whether it’s water, roadways and transit, or power, we must ensure that we have the resources to handle our growth. Today, we focus on power… Joining u…
Austin is Becoming a Multi-Hub Region with John Garrett, Founder and CEO of Community Impact Newspaper
May 31, 2022
Austin has been growing at breakneck speed. Over the past year, we were #1 in percentage population growth and #3 in employment growth. This doesn't event tell the whole story. The entire metro from Bastrop to Dripping Sprin…
We are Living in the Future with Brad Bentz, Partner and Co-Founder of ATX Partners
May 24, 2022
Our region not only builds futuristic technologies, but they are deployed and tested here as well. More and more when you hear autonomous vehicles, rockets, drones, and personal flying vehicles you think Austin. Today we are…
Austin Sector Deep Dive: Transportation with Meg Merritt and Joseph Kopser
May 17, 2022
With the changing nature of work, new regional ecosystems flourishing, and massive domestic migration the demands to our infrastructure are changing and evolving. One of the most fundamental parts of this equation is the que…
Semiconductor Industry Deep Dive with Dave Anderson of Semi.org
May 10, 2022
Texas has long been a home for the semiconductor industry. I guess it started with a little company named Texas Instruments, but today in the Austin area, we have Samsung, NXP, Micron, AMD, and Intel, But, this growth doesn’…
Funding the Future with the Elizabeth (Ela) Mirowski SBIR/STTR Program Director at the National Science Foundation
May 3, 2022
Capital is the fuel that drives the innovation ecosystem. Grants can make up an important component in funding and catalyzing innovation. The biggest source of grants is of course the US government through numerous agencies …
Super Regions: Texas Triangle with Ed Curtis, CEO of YTexas
April 26, 2022
Today we’re going to expand our focus a bit, and look at the entire state of Texas, not just Austin. We want to dig into what has brought so much attention, and new people to the Lone Star State, how it’s impacting business,…
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About the Hosts
Jason Scharf
Jason is an experienced strategy executive and active angel investor in the life science and digital health sectors (~40 investments from Seed to Series B). He has built and led teams in strategic planning, market intelligence, and innovation at companies including Kean Health, Illumina, BD, and Amgen.
Michael Scharf
Michael brings the experience of a 40+ year career in corporate finance and banking as well as entrepreneurship. He is now focused now on corporate governance and sits on multiple advisory and boards of directors, and brings his knowledge and background to bear on regulatory issues, ESG as well as corporate management.