Manu R.

The DMV area showing some traction https://lnkd.in/gxMXC8x4

20

Big Company or Big Network: Which is the better partner? When you think partnerships, It’s easy to think of collaborating with companies. But have you considered partnering with a network? When I was in Austin, I struck a deal with Capital Factory. Community of 100,000 entrepreneurs. Portfolio valuation of $21 billion. This partnership opened doors to New brands, New investors, New level of growth. The takeaway? Partnering with a network doesn’t just add value— it channels it 🔮 #Networking #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

6

A blistering funding run has me revisiting a question I posed after Q3's VC funding data came out. Was Austin's modest $1.6B in H1 2024 signaling a slowdown or was Q3's $1B surge the real indicator? November's explosive activity gives us our answer: 💥Tricentis: $1.33B raise ($4.5B valuation) New 🦄 💥FireFly Aerospace: $175M ($2B valuation) 💥Ladder: $105M 💥Halcyon AI: $100M ($1B valuation) New 🦄 With these mega-rounds, Q4 is already approaching $2B with several weeks remaining. I am hearing about more significant rounds in the pipeline, though I don’t know whether they will announce in Dec or early '25. What a difference a quarter makes! Austin sits at ~$4B YTD, knocking at the door of 2023's $4.2B. The first half numbers now look more like timing quirks than a true slowdown. Our sector diversity (seen here in AI, Space, Bio & Health and Cybersecurity) reinforces what Peter Walker's analysis shows below; Austin's strength comes from our broad foundation & tech convergence. As Peter notes in his original post, "Austin is good in many areas, great in few." I see this as a strength, not a weakness (not implying that he was making this implication either). With ATX consistently ranking somewhere between 5th-7th in funding, and having strong momentum metrics, we have a bright future ahead. What's Next?

28

8 Comments

Why Buying Your First Business is the hardest & Financing The Fear is Being seen as too risky by lenders and investors. The Solution: Prepare a solid business plan with detailed financial projections. Work with a financial advisor to enhance your credibility. Consider alternative financing options like SBA loans or seller financing.

11

3 Comments

Please sign this letter if you live in Colorado and work with AI. The proposed bill attempts to solve a non-existent problem in the wrong way. It's poorly written, complete with bad definitions, strange carveouts, pointless disclosures, and makes fundamental assumptions about AI that are incorrect. I see this bill as a response to the AI hype in the media (and maybe a few science fiction movies)—not what is actually happening on the ground. If and when AI models need their own specific regulation, I am confident we can do much better.

6

I’m filled with deep gratitude today as I reflect on my journey and this recent feature in the Austin Business Review. My path has been shaped by one powerful question: “Who can I become, and what skills can I master that will serve me no matter where I go?” For me, it began with raising my standards, focusing not just on achieving goals, but on who I needed to become to reach them. When I first saw AI, I knew this was the next skill to master. But it wasn’t just about technology—it was about committing to becoming the type of leader who could harness it to deliver exponential value. I’m grateful to the mentors, friends, and family who’ve supported me along the way. As Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Their influence has been invaluable in helping me elevate my mindset and my skills. For those leaders out there who feel the pressure to stay ahead but aren’t sure where to start—AI is an incredible tool, but it’s your ability to think strategically and lead that will make the real difference. I’m also excited to announce that my new book, The AI-Driven Leader, will be available Monday on Amazon in hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook. It’s packed with insights and strategies to help you lead with AI as a strategic partner, not just a tool. Check it out and take that next step in your leadership journey. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. I hope you’ll check out the article and the book, and I look forward to continuing to share insights that can help you grow your business and improve your life. Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/eTfX-6Cs Get The AI-Driven Leader here: https://amzn.to/3Tr6xVW #AILeadership #Gratitude #StrategicThinking #LeadershipJourney #GrowthMindset #TheAIDrivenLeader

72

12 Comments

The Tulsa Remote program has gotten some coverage in The New York Times this week, and I think it's important to evaluate the program's implications more broadly. Essentially, the program pays mobile professionals to relocate to Tulsa. Once there, they can take advantage of the lower cost of living (relative to most big business hubs) and the growing critical mass of similar workers. Research by Prithwiraj Choudhury and others suggests this program – which the Times equates to a "reverse brain drain" – has been good for the workers who came. But has it been good for the community? I'd like to know more about any benefits that are accruing to ordinary Tulsans. We've had a lot of internal migration in the past few years, and some areas have seen rising prices for everything from housing to groceries. Are wages going up as well? Are the remote workers generating social or cultural effects? Analogs of these questions are often asked about "brain drain", or the departure of high-skilled workers. I've always been concerned by the hollowing out of professional classes, especially in poor countries, and its political aftereffects. If "reverse brain drain" is good for a community, would that imply "brain drain" was bad? Experts like my friend Michael Clemens might argue that this was the wrong question. For him, "brain drain" should be seen first through the lens of the workers themselves. In other words, their rights to freedom of movement have overriding importance. But the sponsors of the Tulsa program aren't funding it to help remote workers – they're funding it to help Tulsa. Do they have the wrong end of the stick? Migrations can set so many forces in motion, and I feel like we're just starting to understand them. Link to research: https://lnkd.in/eKfsuxHZ

98

27 Comments

DoD is pushing startups to take on venture capital pretty hard these days. VC funding can be a great option but it's not an out-of-the-box great fit for Defense Tech. Relying on private debt to effectively dictate what new tech into Defense agencies will have consequences and I don't want to experience that particular learning curve. #defensetech #emergingtechnology #venturecapital

9

Led by Anduril, defense tech funding sets a new record this year | TechCrunch https://buff.ly/4129kts Anduril, a leader in defense technology, has driven defense tech funding to an unprecedented high this year. Investments in this sector have surged, reflecting a growing interest in advanced military solutions and cutting-edge innovations. This milestone underscores the increasing importance of tech-driven defense initiatives in modern security strategies. As global tensions rise, there's a notable shift towards integrating AI, robotics, and autonomous systems into defense operations. The record-breaking funding highlights the critical role technology plays in national and international security landscapes. #DefenseTech #InnovationInSecurity

1

Breaking down the Seattle Venture Ecosystem! Kudos to Jacob Laes and Nick Khormaei for shedding light on the often complex and opaque Seattle funding ecosystem with their comprehensive investor map. For founders, navigating the venture capital world can feel like a maze, but this map offers a much-needed clearer view of where Seattle’s investors are truly placing their bets. And you know me—data is everything! Data drives decisions and, in this case, holds the key to unlocking new opportunities for startups. This project covers 58 firms with insights on: Industry sector focus Investment stages Portfolio track records It’s a game-changer for founders looking to connect with the right investors more efficiently. Check out their breakdown for a detailed view, and feel free to reach out for the full data set! Evan Poncelet Jesse Posey #Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #SeattleTech #Funding #TechInnovation #Investing #StartupCommunity #VentureEcosystem #FounderJourney #BusinessGrowth #SeattleStartups

10

1 Comment

I'm no fan of Industry Conferences - the full effort required to make the juice worth the squeeze rarely occurs...TechCrunch Disrupt is an exception to my rule. I shared the staged with 3 absolute professionals within the Space Industry discussing insights related to early-stage companies supporting the dual markets of Government and Commercial. Here are a few takeaways: 1) We have an obligation to engage government at the policy level 2) Market focus is critical to our growth and to returning value to our investors 3) Tech innovation is assumed while GTM talent is required Aria Alamalhodaei expertly moderated our panel which along wth me, included Debra Emmons (The Aerospace Corporation) and True Anomaly CEO, Even Rogers. We missed having Space Workforce For Tomorrow chief (and Slingshot Aerospace co-founder) Melanie Stricklan on the stage to share in the discussion. Watch the full panel here https://lnkd.in/gZTg-Jem #TechCrunchDisrupt #Space #Defense #CommercialSpace #VC

32

1 Comment

If you live inside someone else's semantic landscape, you will undoubtedly lose. Thank you to Carl Franzen @ VentureBeat for letting me discuss how New Industry VC's Narrative Command thesis is applicable to elections. What is Narrative Command? Narrative Command is the concept that in every new market there is a startup that defines a vision of the future…which becomes the default future for that vertical. They define the language of the vertical, forcing everyone else to use that language. They define the seminal experience, and then give audiences or customers a taste of that experience. They boundary the discourse, forcing everyone into it. Once a company seizes Narrative Command in a new vertical, competitors — whether pre-existing or new — must live inside that narrative. Taken to its logical conclusion, Narrative Command becomes self-sustaining, where stakeholders, fans, customers, allies, investors — AND EVEN COMPETITORS — perpetuate the narrative. The best example of this is, of course, Tesla, which possesses Narrative Command of both electric and autonomous vehicles. NIVC invests in seed-stage Deep Tech startups with Narrative Command potential: www.nivc.us And if a startup just wants help with NC, my advisory firm is ready to help: www.johnson-roy.com

16

4 Comments

I've spent the last many years building and fortifying the relationship between Texas and Israel. The launch of Texas Venture Partners comes amidst Israel's most challenging hour and is the pinnacle of this effort. As I watched the war wage on I began to understand another war, much less covered: The war against Israel's economy through stigmatization, shame of association (words suggesting complicity in genocide and apartheid) boycott, divestment, and sanctions. It soon became apparent to me that no amount of charitable donations I could make or community events I could host would get us out of this mess. When I say "us" I don't just mean Israel, I mean Western civilization. One need look no further than the lunacy on campuses to know this is not about just Israel but about all of the freedoms, values and liberty I worship in Western civilization. If I were to fight back effectively and be part of a larger solution, I needed to rethink our strategy and develop a sustainable, impactful, and most importantly, regenerative source of capital. I had three goals I wanted to achieve: 1) make money for me and my investors (capitalism is the only structure that works) 2) invest in Israel 3) make Israel and Western civilization stronger Around the same time, I started hearing from entrepreneurs actively involved in the fighting. It was unreal: an entire nation of "tech people" being dropped into war. Not surprisingly, they developed an intimate understanding of the gaps and needs of the modern battlefield. A battlefield and an industry known colloquially as "Defense Tech" was being massively disrupted. To understand the disruption, one need look no further than Houthis firing $80 drones they bought on Alibaba and us knocking them out of the sky with multi million dollar missiles. This was not a business model that was sustainable and there was to my mind a huge opportunity. That opportunity met my three criteria above. What's more as the backbone of the 'Startup Nation', Israel had the skills and motivation to do something about it. Thankfully, people in Texas share my values and this vision and wanted to help. So I with some amazing entrepreneurs put our money where our mouth is and as one of my closest friends and LP's in the fund Bud Brigham said "the best answer to our adversaries is to continuously and unequivocally support our allies. Investing and building enduring companies that promote liberty, stability and prosperity is a moral imperative". Together with an amazing team which includes Tal Shmueli, Simone Ledeen, Candace Shaw, Chad Fleming, Logan Spector, Ben Sherman we embark upon our journey. We chose to have our first close today, 7/10, as a symbolic reversal of 10/7 and a signal of our intent. As my dear friend and great moral and thought leader in our community Joe Lonsdale said "Jews with guns don't get in cattle cars." Am Israeli Chai, and God Bless Texas. Thanks to all who supported!

843

125 Comments

🧬 This week's Austin Bio + Health Roundup highlights significant data trends, my stance on covering funding announcements, new partnerships, and action across the Texas Bio Triangle. 🧬 💰 Funding: The Way I Plan to Cover Funding Announcements You may have seen reports of a local Bio & Health startup’s funding round through an SEC report filing. While some outlets have covered this, my position is not to. I prefer to support our builders directly rather than trolling the filings for scoops. There is plenty of real investigative journalism that our city would be well served by if that is where they focused. Remember I am not a journalist and I am not the media. When the company is ready to announce their round officially, I’ll gladly shout it to the rooftops. 📊 Data Peter Walker at Carta reports that in 2017, Biopharma and Medical Devices captured just under 10% of all VC dollars. By 2023, this figure rose to 17.7%, and in Q1 2024, it reached 24%. The overarching tailwinds favor our sector and region with trends towards Bio & Health and the physical & digital intersection. Energy and hardware, two other sector blossoming in Central Texas, also saw similar share gains. 🤝 M&A and Partnerships Sensi.AI, a 24/7 senior care intelligence agent, is partnering with Caring Senior Service to deploy SensiAI’s platform in Caring’s 50 locations across the US. This partnership allows seniors a better opportunity to age gracefully in their homes. 🚩 Texas Bio Triangle BioMedSA is hosting an event called Women in Bioscience, Thursday June 20th. It’s designed to connect and empower women in the bioscience industry across Central Texas, and features Randi Brosterman Hutchens discussing "Building your Personal Board." Find the link to the event in the comments. Houston-based Lokum, a staffing solution to connect clinicians and clinical staff to health care facilities, has raised a $700K pre-seed round. Congrats Ayoade (Joy) Ademuyewo on the raise. What’s Next? #AustinNext #LifeSciences #Healthcare #Biotechnology

16

7 Comments

Exciting news for startups! California accounts for about 50% of all venture investments. The not-so-secret reason is that non-competes are illegal in California, so engineers at FAANGs can build competitors without fear. Today, the US Federal Trade Commission declared non-compete agreements illegal nationwide. This means that engineers at big tech companies can now leave and build their own companies without fear of violating a non-competes (legacy agreements for executives are still enforceable - talk to your lawyer), this is a step in the right direction for fostering innovation and competition across the country. A variety of big-business groups have vowed to sue to bring non-competes back, but at least for now, they're gone! #startups #innovation #competition #noncompete Official Announcement: https://lnkd.in/gRXUpgDy Impending lawsuit: https://lnkd.in/gqSiVuTd

50

2 Comments

TAKING THE STAGE We've learned a lot about #ai in the sales space over the last year. Our take: Every company will fall into one of three buckets. 1. You embrace Ai in your #sales today and start separating yourself from the pack. 2. In 2-3 years, you look for an off the shelf solution so you don't lose too much market share. 3. You refuse to #adapt and get left behind. We'll be talking about where the industry is right now and the options you have. Should be a fun one! #presentation #SASW2024 #training

5

1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I was at Techstars Los Angeles Accelerator Meeting with a dozen different companies. - I love getting to help people bring their vision to the life. - Seeing their products start as seeds and then become reality. - Building the future in emerging tech or any industry. It always reminds me of the reason I founded First Principles. ↳ To improve the human condition, one product at a time. There can be tough days in the journey for founding teams: - Losing deals you spend hours, weeks, or even months developing. - Investing time testing great ideas only to discover no one cares. - Creating good content no one reads or bad content everyone loves 🙂. - Sacrificing time and focus when with family and friends. But being in a room full of motivated people at the earliest phases of the journey always re-energizes my personal mission. Because nothing feels better than helping others to have an impact on a seemingly intractable problem.

10

2 Comments

Tomorrow, America votes - but is democracy dying? The outcome of the U.S. elections is imminent, so it's a question on many minds. While we debate over political parties, policies, and candidates, it's hard not to wonder whether we even still have functional democracies to speak of. Take the U.S., for example. The electoral process often feels more about money, marketing, and manipulation than a fair democratic choice. Swing states, electoral colleges, and the disproportionate influence of lobbyists have led some to question whether this is truly democracy. When big donations and political alliances drive outcomes, are we really choosing our leaders - or are they being chosen for us? And it's not just the U.S. Look at political systems globally - many countries seem to be struggling with how to keep democracy alive and meaningful. Gerrymandering, political polarisation, and media manipulation have created environments where free thought and open discourse feel compromised. Let's stop treating democracy like a once-every-four-years ritual and start demanding real engagement and change. Because if we don't, the very idea of democracy might just slip away. What are your thoughts? Can democracy evolve, or are we watching its slow decline?

4

2 Comments