Vegas Startup Scene

LeDuc Leadership & Media Group
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  • Entrepreneurship
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Vegas Startup Scene is your insider guide to the founders, investors, and operators building the future of tech in Las Vegas. Hosted by Jason LeDuc, this show delivers sharp analysis of startup funding, venture trends, ecosystem updates, and leadership lessons from the front lines of innovation. Designed for founders, tech investors, and ambitious entrepreneurs, each episode connects strategy with execution—spotlighting the people and momentum driving Vegas forward.

  1. 5 days ago

    P-1 AI Raises $50M to Build an AI Engineer — Vegas Startup Scene August 10th 2026

    P-1 AI Raises $50M to Build an AI Engineer — Vegas Startup Scene August 10th 2026 Southern Nevada's startup scene is punching way above its weight this week: a Las Vegas AI startup story out of Henderson just pulled in $50 million and a former GE CEO, and it's only the beginning. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest moves across the Southern Nevada tech and startup ecosystem for the week of August 10, 2026 — from a landmark AI funding round to a homegrown gaming powerhouse and a national infrastructure bet running right under the Strip. We start with the headline: P-1 AI, based in Henderson, has closed a $50 million Series A led by New Enterprise Associates, one of venture capital's biggest names — and added former General Electric chief executive Jeff Immelt to its board. Founded by ex-Airbus and United Technologies CTO Paul Eremenko and former Google DeepMind researcher Aleksa Gordic, P-1 AI is building Archie, an "AI engineer" that designs real physical systems — reasoning about space, weight, heat, and how parts fit together to carry a hardware idea from concept toward a buildable prototype, across data centers, automotive, and aerospace and defense. We also look at Twin Atlas, a Las Vegas game studio that has quietly become one of Roblox's leading independent developers — its titles Creatures of Sonaria and Robloxian High School have racked up billions of visits, proving a Southern Nevada team can reach a global audience. Then we cover The Boring Company's reported $4 billion raise at a $20 billion valuation, and why its only operating tunnel network — the Las Vegas Loop, with 11 stations and 4 million-plus riders — puts a national spotlight on Vegas infrastructure (with the honest caveat that the company is Texas-based and the round hasn't closed). Then we run through the opportunities and events founders should act on. This week's interview spotlight - Jason talks with Taylor Dondich about what it takes to be a successful CTO in a startup. If you are a startup founder, investor, builder, operator, technologist, or entrepreneur trying to understand where Nevada's tech ecosystem is heading, this episode gives you a practical look at the people, companies, and opportunities shaping what comes next. COMMENT BELOW: A Henderson AI startup just raised $50M without leaving Nevada — what's the next category (AI, gaming, fintech, energy) where a Southern Nevada company breaks out nationally? Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS HR Tech Pitchfest Website: https://www.hrtechnologyconference.com/2026-pitchfest Startup Week Las Vegas (Pitch Room) Website: https://startupweeklasvegas.com/ Zero Labs Casino & Gaming Launchpad Website: https://zerolabs.io/launchpad Crypto Mondays Las Vegas Website: https://luma.com/CryptoMondaysVegas Las Vegas Startups — Vegas Founders Night (Jeff Saling) Website: https://www.meetup.com/vegasstartups/events/315519436/ BioTech Vegas Open Member Meeting Website: https://tech.vegas/event/biotech-vegas-open-member-meeting/ Las Vegas Robotics Meetup Website: https://www.lvrobotics.org/ VMware Explore 2026 Website: https://www.vmware.com/explore/us ConveneNV 2026 Website: https://tech.vegas/event/convenenv-2026-nevadas-next-chapter/ ITC Vegas 2026 (InsureTech Connect) Website: https://vegas.insuretechconnect.com/ Money20/20 USA 2026 Website: https://us.money2020.com/ HLTH USA 2026 Website: https://hlth.com/events/usa StartUpNV Website: https://www.startupnv.org/ Startup Vegas Website: https://www.startupvegas.org/ informed.now Website: https://infmd.co/jld (Affiliate link; I may earn a small referral if you upgrade.) Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  2. 3 Aug

    BOXABL's $3.5B Nasdaq Debut — Vegas Startup Scene August 3rd 2026

    Las Vegas startup news just went big: a North Las Vegas company that folds houses flat is now a publicly traded, multibillion-dollar business — and the valley is being pitched as the next finance hub of the West. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest moves across Southern Nevada's tech and startup ecosystem for the week of August 3, 2026 — from a landmark public-markets debut to a bold economic-diversification pitch and one of the busiest cybersecurity weeks Las Vegas sees all year. We start with BOXABL, the North Las Vegas manufacturer of foldable, factory-built homes. BOXABL completed its business combination with FG Merger II Corp. and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker BXBL at a $3.5 billion valuation. We also look at a Las Vegas Review-Journal pitch asking whether Las Vegas could become the 'Wall Street of the West' — luring finance and fintech headquarters to diversify the economy beyond gaming and hospitality. Then we cover the week's opportunities and events This week's founder spotlight is with Josh Cogar. He filled us in on the upcoming Innovation Henderson LaunchLab cohort and his role in it. If you are a startup founder, investor, builder, operator, technologist, or entrepreneur trying to understand where Nevada's tech ecosystem is heading, this episode gives you a practical look at the people, companies, and opportunities shaping what comes next. Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly coverage of Las Vegas startups, Nevada tech, founder stories, investor insights, and the events helping build the next major innovation ecosystem. COMMENT BELOW: Is a $3.5 billion Nasdaq debut the moment Southern Nevada proves it can build and scale billion-dollar companies at home — or does the 'Wall Street of the West' pitch matter more for the region's future? Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS BOXABL: https://www.boxabl.com/ Free Co-Working Fridays (Downtown Las Vegas): https://tech.vegas/event/free-co-working-fridays-in-downtown-las-vegas/ Startup Week Las Vegas (Pitch Room): https://startupweeklasvegas.com/ Zero Labs Casino & Gaming Innovation Launchpad: https://zerolabs.io/launchpad Black Hat USA 2026: https://tech.vegas/event/black-hat-usa-2026/ DEF CON 34: https://defcon.org/html/defcon-34/dc-34-index.html What's Real, What's Fake with AI (Aug 3): https://tech.vegas/event/whats-real-fake-with-ai/ NextGen CISO — Black Hat (Aug 3): https://tech.vegas/event/nextgen-ciso-black-hat-las-vegas/ Ai4 2026 (Aug 4-6): https://tech.vegas/event/ai4-2026/ Crypto Mondays Las Vegas: https://luma.com/CryptoMondaysVegas Web3 Wednesdays (Summerlin, Aug 5): https://tech.vegas/event/web3-wednesdays-7-9pm-at-loaded-empanadas-in-summerlin-1st-wed-of-every-month-4/ Las Vegas Startups — Founder Night w/ Jeff Saling (Aug 12): https://www.meetup.com/vegasstartups/events/315519436/ FounderNV — Expert to Partner (Aug 20): https://luma.com/startupnv-zoc5 BioTech Vegas Open Member Meeting (Aug 20): https://tech.vegas/event/biotech-vegas-open-member-meeting/ Las Vegas Robotics Meetup (Aug 20): https://www.lvrobotics.org/ VMware Explore 2026 (Aug 31-Sep 3): https://www.vmware.com/explore/us FounderNV — Grow Into It (Sept 17): https://luma.com/startupnv-9sjj ConveneNV 2026 (Oct 8): https://tech.vegas/event/convenenv-2026-nevadas-next-chapter/ Money20/20 USA (Oct 18-21): https://us.money2020.com/ HLTH USA 2026 (Nov 15-18): https://hlth.com/events/usa StartUpNV: https://startupnv.org/ FundNV: https://fundnv.com/ Startup Vegas: https://www.startupvegas.com/ International Innovation Center @ Vegas: https://www.iicvegas.org/ Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.vegascryptogroup.com/ Syn Shop: https://synshop.org/ CONTACT Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  3. 27 Jul

    Startup Week Las Vegas Opens Its Pitch Room - Vegas Startup Scene July 27th 2026

    Startup Week Las Vegas just opened its doors — and its Pitch Room — giving Southern Nevada founders their biggest, lowest-cost shot at local investors this fall. If you build in the valley, this is the week to plan around. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down what's happening across Southern Nevada's tech and startup community for the week of July 27, 2026 — the ecosystem's marquee week, the opportunities you can act on today, and a packed founder calendar heading into August. We start with Startup Week Las Vegas, September 17th through the 20th — free with registration, three tracks (Startup Capital, CommUnity, and Innovation), and a founders fireside with homegrown AI-compute company TensorWave. The headline for founders: Startup Week just opened its Pitch Room applications — ten founder slots, seven minutes on stage, and ten minutes of live feedback from local investors and mentors. It's the lowest-friction way to get a real look from Southern Nevada capital, and applications close in mid-September (confirm the exact date on the site before you apply). Then we cover the opportunities you can move on right now: free first-Friday co-working at the International Innovation Center in downtown Las Vegas (next up August 7th, with optional childcare), and Innovation Henderson's new "Sponsor a Founder" program — back an early-stage Henderson founder in the twelve-week LaunchLab accelerator for $299. We also run the founder calendar into August: Crypto Mondays at the Legacy Club atop Circa, Tech Alley Vegas downtown (next edition August 15th), Black Hat USA (Aug 1–6), Ai4 at The Venetian (Aug 4–6), DEF CON 34 (Aug 6–9), BioTech Vegas's open member meeting at Roseman University (Aug 20), and FounderNV's "From Expert to Partner" with Irina Dzyubinsky (Aug 20). In this week’s Founder Spotlight I chat with Azeeza Reed who built a new tech platform that’s helping employers and employees get back to the money table! If you are a startup founder, investor, builder, operator, technologist, or entrepreneur trying to understand where Nevada's tech ecosystem is heading, this episode gives you a practical map of the people, programs, and events shaping what comes next in Southern Nevada. Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly coverage of Las Vegas startups, Nevada tech, founder stories, investor insights, and the events helping build the next major innovation ecosystem. COMMENT BELOW: If you had seven minutes in front of a room of Vegas investors, which local startup would you want to see pitch — and why? Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS Startup Week Las Vegas Website: https://startupweeklasvegas.com/ StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ Innovation Henderson LaunchLab (Sponsor a Founder) Website: https://innovationhenderson.org/launchlab/sponsors/apply Free Co-Working Fridays (Downtown LV) Website: https://tech.vegas/event/free-co-working-fridays-in-downtown-las-vegas/ International Innovation Center @ Vegas Website: https://iic.vegas/ Crypto Mondays Las Vegas Website: https://luma.com/CryptoMondaysVegas Tech Alley Vegas Website: https://www.techalley.org/ Black Hat USA 2026 Website: https://www.blackhat.com/us-26/ DEF CON 34 Website: https://defcon.org/html/defcon-34/dc-34-index.html Ai4 2026 Website: https://ai4.io/vegas/ BioTech Vegas Website: https://tech.vegas/event/biotech-vegas-open-member-meeting/ FounderNV (Aug 20 — From Expert to Partner) Website: https://luma.com/startupnv-zoc5 FounderNV (Sept 17 — Grow Into It) Website: https://luma.com/startupnv-9sjj FundNV Website: https://fundnv.com/ Startup Vegas Website: https://www.startupvegas.com/ Vegas Crypto Group Website: https://www.vegascryptogroup.com/ Syn Shop Website: https://synshop.org/ CONTACT Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  4. 20 Jul

    Nevada's First $10M Startup Fund Just Went All-In - Vegas Startup Scene July 20th 2026

    Nevada's startup story is shifting from simply attracting tech to owning it — and this week shows exactly why founders, investors, and builders should be paying attention. Home-grown capital just finished going to work, and a new advanced-manufacturing plant broke ground on American soil. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest updates across Nevada's growing tech and startup community for the week of July 20, 2026 — from the full deployment of the state's first seed fund to a new chip-hardware factory, plus the opportunities and events shaping what comes next. We start with a genuine milestone for the whole state: the 1864 Fund — Nevada's first seed-stage venture fund built specifically for accredited investors — has completed deployment of its entire $10 million fund across eight companies. Managed by Granite Partners (including StartUpNV's Jeff Saling, TensorWave co-founder Piotr Tomasik, Mind Medicine founder Steve Hurst, and UNLV Troesh Center director Leith Martin), the fund's first check went to Las Vegas video-production platform Lucihub, followed this year by Variabl, Tilt AI, Dimension Studios, Voltaire, Armentus, TensorWave, and BuildQ. Six of the eight companies are Nevada-based, and the state's Battle Born Venture program matches these investments roughly one-to-one — proof that Nevada founders no longer have to leave to get funded. Then we cover the opportunities and events founders should have on their radar, including Innovation Henderson's LaunchLab for early-stage builders, free first-Friday coworking at the International Innovation Center in downtown Las Vegas, the recurring Crypto Mondays meetup, Black Hat USA (Aug 1–6) and Ai4 (Aug 4–6) landing on the Strip, the BioTech Vegas Open Member Meeting at Roseman University (Aug 20), the flagship Startup Week Las Vegas (Sept 17–20), and the monthly Tech Alley downtown gathering. This week's founder spotlight is a field segment recorded on location. If you are a startup founder, investor, builder, operator, technologist, or entrepreneur trying to understand where Nevada's tech ecosystem is heading, this episode gives you a practical look at the capital, companies, and opportunities shaping what comes next. Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly coverage of Las Vegas startups, Nevada tech, founder stories, investor insights, and the events helping build the next major innovation ecosystem. COMMENT BELOW: Now that Nevada has its own seed fund deploying real capital, what's the one company you most want to see funded and built right here at home? Go out there. Do great things today. Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS: EagleSight.ai Website: https://eaglesight.ai/ Desert Forge Ventures Website: https://desertforgeventures.com/ Battle Born Growth Website: https://battleborngrowth.com/ Innovation Henderson Website: https://innovationhenderson.org/ LaunchLab Website: https://innovationhenderson.org/launchlab/ Innovation Launchpad Website: https://zerolabs.io/ Reno Startup Week Website: https://renostartupweek.com/ Startup World Cup Website: https://www.startupworldcup.io/ Electrify Nevada Accelerator Website: https://www.electrifynevada.com/ Elements of Change Lithium & Critical Minerals Summit Website: https://goed.nv.gov/ StartupNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ International Innovation Center Website: https://startupnv.org/international-innovation-center/ Syn Shop Website: https://synshop.org/ Vegas Crypto Group Website: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/ Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  5. 13 Jul

    Vegas Startup Scene July 13th 2026 – Vegas Cracks the "Holy Grail" Med-Tech, Robotics & Biotech Boom

    Southern Nevada's startup ecosystem just put up one of its biggest weeks yet — and it's proof that serious, world-class technology is being built right here in the valley. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest stories, opportunities, and events across Southern Nevada's tech and founder community for the week of July 13, 2026 — from a medical-device breakthrough and a local robotics raise to a fast-growing biotech ecosystem and a packed calendar of founder events. We start with a major win: Las Vegas medical-device startup Vena Vitals may have cracked the "holy grail" of patient monitoring — continuous, cuffless blood pressure from a soft, skin-like sensor that sticks on like a Band-Aid and reads beat by beat, all day long. With more than 600 patients tested in operating rooms, backing from Samsung, and time in both MedTech Innovator and Y Combinator, Vena Vitals is now moving toward FDA clearance — and building it all out of Roseman Bioventures, the new 120,000-square-foot life-science incubator on Roseman University's Summerlin campus. It's living proof that Southern Nevada is on the map for serious med-tech. We also look at Las Vegas-based EIS Automation, which closed a $2 million growth raise led by Stonehenge Capital with matching support from Battle Born Growth to expand its modular robotics systems for the life sciences, consumer products, and food industries. Then we cover the opportunities open right now — Nevada's "Nevada the Entrepreneurial" campaign from the Governor's Office of Economic Development, Zero Labs' Casino and Gaming Innovation Launchpad, and VetsInTech's Startup Bootcamp and national Pitch Contest — plus a packed calendar including Tech Alley Vegas and Tech Alley Henderson, MoneyShow, Rare Evo, Black Hat USA, Ai4, Startup Week Las Vegas, FounderNV, StartupNV Trivia Night, Crypto Mondays, and more. This week's founder spotlight features a clip from Jason's conversation with NeoBanks founder Ron Ingram, recorded at Downtown Tech Alley, on the change he's bringing to the banking industry. If you are a startup founder, tech investor, operator, entrepreneur, or ecosystem builder trying to understand where Nevada's innovation economy is headed, this episode gives you the rundown you need. Watch the full episode, subscribe for weekly updates from the Nevada startup scene, and share this with a founder who needs to know what's happening in Las Vegas, Reno, and across the state. 💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's the biggest startup opportunity in Nevada right now — med-tech, AI, gaming innovation, advanced energy, Web3, or something else? Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS Vena Vitals Website: https://www.venavitals.com/ Roseman Bioventures Website: https://www.roseman.edu/bioventures/ EIS Automation Website: https://www.eisautomation.com/ Manufacture Nevada Website: https://manufacturenevada.com/ Battle Born Growth Fund Website: https://nvsmallbiz.org/ Stonehenge Capital Website: https://stonehengecapital.com/ Reno Startup Week Website: https://renostartupweek.com/ Startup World Cup Regional Qualifier: https://www.renostartupweek.com/startupworldcup StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ FundNV Website: https://fundnv.org/ International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/ Vegas Blockchain Center Website: https://vegasblockchaincenter.com/ Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/ CONTACT Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  6. 6 Jul

    Nevada Startups Are Moving Fast: AI HealthTech, Smart Buildings & the Energy Boom

    Nevada’s startup ecosystem is not slowing down. This week on Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest stories, events, and opportunities happening across Southern Nevada’s tech and founder community for the week of July 6, 2026. We start with a major healthtech story out of Henderson, where Medaica is using AI, telehealth, and at-home heart screening technology to help detect potential heart disease earlier. After receiving FDA clearance for its remote heart exam platform and investment from StartupNV’s FundNV, Medaica is preparing to launch a direct-to-consumer home heart exam kit, with long-term plans to expand into the VA healthcare system. Then we look at Kohost, a Las Vegas startup helping schools and nonprofits put their buildings on autopilot. Their smart building platform connects security cameras, door access, lighting, emergency alerts, and energy management into one system. With more than 135 campuses already using the technology, including every Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Kohost is proving that Nevada founders can build practical tech that scales well beyond the state. Founders looking for their next big opportunity should also pay attention to Reno Startup Week. Applications are now open for the Startup World Cup regional qualifier. The top 10 startups will pitch live on September 30, with the winner advancing to the Startup World Cup finals in San Francisco for a chance to compete for a $1 million investment prize. We also cover a packed calendar of upcoming founder, investor, AI, crypto, Web3, and startup ecosystem events, including Liberty Launchpad AI Hackathon, Vegas Founder’s Night, Tech Alley Vegas, Rare Evo, StartupNV events, FounderNV, Crypto Mondays, and more. Plus, Jason shares a clip from his conversation with Tristan Pollock, Managing Director of Electrify Nevada, about the Gener8tor accelerator, Nevada’s advanced energy opportunity, the lithium loop, critical minerals, grid demand, data centers, and why Nevada may have a real strategic advantage when it comes to building the next generation of energy and industrial technology companies. If you are a startup founder, tech investor, operator, entrepreneur, or ecosystem builder trying to understand where Nevada’s innovation economy is headed, this episode gives you the rundown you need. Watch the full episode, subscribe for weekly updates from the Nevada startup scene, and share this with a founder who needs to know what is happening in Las Vegas, Reno, and across the state. 💬 COMMENT BELOW: What is the biggest startup opportunity in Nevada right now — healthtech, AI, smart buildings, Web3, advanced energy, lithium, or something else? Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS Medaica Website: https://medaica.com/ Kohost Website: https://kohost.com/ Reno Startup Week Website: https://renostartupweek.com/ Startup World Cup Regional Qualifier: https://www.renostartupweek.com/startupworldcup StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ FundNV Website: https://fundnv.org/ Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/ International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/ StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ Vegas Blockchain Center Website: https://vegasblockchaincenter.com/ Crypto Mondays RSVP: https://luma.com/jisp63gw Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/ Tristan Pollock Interview on The Leader’s Mindset: https://youtu.be/yuhJGGJgTnk Apply to Electrify Nevada: gener8tor.com/accelerators/nevada Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  7. 29 Jun

    Vegas Startup Scene June 29th 2026 – Nevada’s Startup Moment Is Here: AI, Clean Energy & Tech Boom

    Nevada’s startup ecosystem is moving fast — and this week shows exactly why founders, investors, and entrepreneurs should be paying attention. In this episode of Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down the biggest updates across Southern Nevada’s growing tech and startup community for the week of June 29, 2026 — from AI-powered infrastructure platforms and clean energy innovation to critical minerals, founder events, and practical networking opportunities happening across the state. We start with a major win for the Las Vegas startup ecosystem: BuildQ, an AI-powered platform helping developers streamline clean energy and infrastructure projects, is gaining momentum after receiving backing from AngelNV Fund, Battle Born Growth, and other ecosystem supporters. In less than a year, BuildQ has grown to more than 300 projects on the platform and over $150 million in deal flow — proving that high-growth technology companies can build, scale, and attract serious attention right here in Southern Nevada. We also look at Nevada’s expanding role in the future of lithium, battery materials, energy storage, and domestic critical mineral supply chains as Las Vegas hosts Fastmarkets’ Global Lithium Battery and Critical Materials 2026 conference. With industry executives, investors, government leaders, and innovators gathering in Nevada, this is another signal that the state is becoming a serious player in the clean energy economy. Then we cover upcoming opportunities for founders and ecosystem leaders, including Reno Startup Week speaker applications, the Governor’s Elements of Change Lithium and Critical Minerals Summit, free coworking at the International Innovation Center, Web3 and crypto meetups, Las Vegas Startups, Downtown Tech Alley, and more. This week’s founder spotlight features Nate from Achieve AI, a startup focused on making AI automation simple, useful, and accessible for everyday users and business owners. Nate shares how he moved from virtual assistants to AI automation, what the onboarding experience looks like, why usability is the next big unlock for AI tools, and how he thinks about bootstrapping versus raising capital. If you are a startup founder, investor, builder, operator, technologist, or entrepreneur trying to understand where Nevada’s tech ecosystem is heading, this episode gives you a practical look at the people, companies, and opportunities shaping what comes next. Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly coverage of Las Vegas startups, Nevada tech, founder stories, investor insights, and the events helping build the next major innovation ecosystem. 💬 Tell us in the comments: What do you think will become Nevada’s biggest startup opportunity over the next five years — AI, clean energy, lithium, Web3, infrastructure, or something completely different? Go out there. Do great things today. Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS BuildQ Website: https://www.buildq.ai/ Fastmarkets Website: https://www.fastmarkets.com/ Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov/ Reno Startup Week Website: https://www.renostartupweek.org/ StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ AngelNV Website: https://angelnv.com/ FundNV Website: https://fundnv.org/ Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/ International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/ StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/ Las Vegas Startups Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/vegasstartups/ Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

  8. 22 Jun

    Vegas Startup Scene June 22nd 2026 – Nevada Tech Is Growing Up: Startups, AI, & Data Centers

    Southern Nevada’s tech ecosystem is entering a new phase — and this week’s Vegas Startup Scene breaks down why founders, investors, university builders, and startup community leaders should be paying attention. In this episode, Jason LeDuc covers a major move from one of Las Vegas’ largest technology companies as Skillz restructures and rebrands as Firy, a new technology holding company bringing together real-money gaming, developer services, Beam, and AI advertising technology company RZR under one umbrella. More importantly for Nevada, the company continues to deepen its local roots through executive hiring, university partnerships, and a growing co-op program that is helping turn students into full-time Las Vegas employees. We also look at how UNLV is strengthening Nevada’s innovation pipeline through its partnership with Franklin Venture Studio, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and the GOED Knowledge Fund. Five university-developed technologies are moving closer to commercialization across battery innovation, biotech, AI, power, sports performance, dental technology, and public health monitoring — a major sign that Nevada is not just talking about startups, but actively building the systems to turn research into companies, jobs, and long-term economic growth. This week also includes a major infrastructure update as Switch receives approval to expand its Las Vegas headquarters campus with a new data center facility at the Southwest Valley Mega Campus. As demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure continues to grow, Southern Nevada’s role in the national technology economy is becoming harder to ignore. Plus, Jason previews upcoming startup, tech, crypto, and founder events across the Las Vegas ecosystem, including Tech Alley Henderson, Startup Vegas coworking, Ignite Talks Las Vegas, Las Vegas Startups, Vegas Crypto Group events, and the Governor’s Elements of Change Lithium and Critical Minerals Summit. The episode also features a community spotlight with Jenn From Japan, who shares details about Home of the Brave, a military talent competition supporting veterans, Gold Star families, wounded warriors, and homeless veterans. 💬 COMMENT BELOW: What do you think is the biggest signal that Nevada’s startup ecosystem is maturing — university commercialization, major tech company expansion, AI infrastructure, founder events, or investor activity? Subscribe for weekly updates on Las Vegas startups, Nevada technology, venture building, entrepreneurship, innovation, AI, data centers, and the Southern Nevada business ecosystem. Go out there. Do great things today. Onward and Upward! 🚀 LINKS Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov UNLV Website: https://www.unlv.edu/ Franklin Venture Studio Website: https://franklinadvisory.com/ Firy Website: https://firy.com/ Skillz Website: https://www.skillz.com/ Beamable Website: https://beamable.com/ Switch Website: https://www.switch.com/ Tech Alley Website: https://www.techalley.org/ Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/ Ignite Talks Las Vegas Website: https://ignitelasvegas.com/ Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov/ International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/ StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/ Las Vegas Startups Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/vegasstartups/ Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/ Conversation with Jenn From Japan on the Tech Alley Downtown Livestream recording: https://youtube.com/live/3xiR9zOwuO8 Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here: Email: info@leducleadership.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership

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About

Vegas Startup Scene is your insider guide to the founders, investors, and operators building the future of tech in Las Vegas. Hosted by Jason LeDuc, this show delivers sharp analysis of startup funding, venture trends, ecosystem updates, and leadership lessons from the front lines of innovation. Designed for founders, tech investors, and ambitious entrepreneurs, each episode connects strategy with execution—spotlighting the people and momentum driving Vegas forward.

Information

  • Creator
    LeDuc Leadership & Media Group
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © LeDuc Leadership & Media Group
  • Show Website
    Vegas Startup Scene