Austin Next Michael Scharf and Jason Scharf

Austin Next takes you on an exclusive, behind-the-scenes journey of SXSW 2023, showcasing the city's innovation-driven culture. Michael is the newbie this year, so we get his first-timer impressions. We had the pleasure of interviewing five companies making an impact at the festival: NeuraLight, Gigaroo, EverCase, Thrive360, and Eden Data. Our discussions center on their cutting-edge products, their experiences at SXSW, and their future goals.  We also caught up with J&J Innovation again to discuss their sponsorship and activity.
Episode Highlights

Austin shows up at SXSW in as many ways as there are companies, whether they are looking for promotion, funding, sales, or just winning the innovation competitions, the Austin innovation community supports and needs SXSW.


SXSW Innovation Award Finalist NeuraLight's ocular signature technology for revolutionizing neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and treatment.


SXSW Pitch Finalist Gigaroo is an app that connects Gen Z job seekers with ideal positions via customized questionnaires.


SXSW Pitch Finalist EverCase has innovated food preservation that reduces food waste by keeping food at freezing temperatures without ice formation.


Thrive360 offers mental health and self-care experiences from practicing doctors and therapists in 2D and virtual reality, with B2B and B2C platforms.


Eden Data is a cybersecurity company that provides security and compliance expertise on subscription for startups and scale-ups.


J&J sponsored the Health and MedTech Track and is committed to accelerating healthcare solutions with technology and a growing presence in Austin. 

Episode Links
SXSW YouTube playlist
Neuralight: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Micha Breakstone
Gigaroo: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Adir Oden
EverCase: Website, LinkedIn, Paul Levins
Thrive360: Website, LinkedIn, Christy Lamka
Eden Data: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Taylor Hersom
J&J Innovation: Website, Twitter, Stacy Feld LinkedIn, Stacy Feld Twitter
Sponsors 
Check out all of the sponsors mentioned here

Austin Next Links
Austin Next Website 
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Austin Next LinkedIn
Austin Next YouTube 
Michael Scharf LinkedIn 
Jason Scharf LinkedIn

Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, delves into the role the organization plays in shaping the future of Austin's workforce. We'll explore how Workforce Solutions Capital Area supports the local workforce, what is the state of the talent market today, and how the region is balancing the constant shifts of supply and demand for labor and skills.

Episode Highlights

Workforce Solutions Capital Area supports individuals in finding jobs by providing career guidance, scholarships, and outsourcing services to employers and companies by providing labor market information and investing in talent pipelines
Recent partnership with Austin Transit Partnership aims to plan for jobs created by infrastructure and mobility projects in Austin, building up the local talent pool
Workforce Solutions Capital Area also collaborates with other workforce boards in Texas and sees the region as a super region for job opportunities
Innovative companies recognize the value of starting talent development earlier and investing in the local community
Five growing sectors with high demand for talent are healthcare, IT, manufacturing, skilled trades & construction, and mobility & infrastructure
What's next Austin? “Keep your eye on mobility and infrastructure. I think that this is what's next and what's big for Austin with approximately 25 billion coming to our community. Are we going to implement this money business as usual, or are we going to see it as an opportunity to really grow Austinite’s skills?”

Episode Links
Tamara Atkinson: LinkedIn
Workforce Solutions Capital Area: Website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube

Sponsors 
Check out all of the sponsors mentioned here

Austin Next Links
Austin Next Website 
Austin Next Twitter 
Austin Next LinkedIn
Austin Next YouTube 
Michael Scharf LinkedIn 
Jason Scharf LinkedIn

Join us for an exciting week at SXSW 2023. We're going to as many panels, meetups, activations, and events as we can. While we won't have a new podcast episode, catch us on Twitter and YouTube as we explore why innovators choose SXSW, how the Austin ecosystem shines, and catch up with some of our prior guests. Stay tuned to find out what's next for Austin!

Sponsors 
Check out all of the sponsors mentioned here

Austin Next Links
Austin Next Website 
Austin Next Twitter 
Austin Next LinkedIn
Austin Next YouTube 
Michael Scharf LinkedIn 
Jason Scharf LinkedIn

Melinda Richter and Stacy Feld of Johnson & Johnson Innovation discuss healthcare innovation and technology, including J&J's involvement in SXSW, the potential for Austin as a major biohub, and both the challenges and opportunities the sector faces.
Episode Highlights

J&J's sponsorship of the Health and MedTech track at SXSW signifies a shift for both J&J and the overall festival, showing its growing prominence.
JLABS is an example of J&J's approach between internal and external collaboration to help early-stage innovators by giving them access to resources and expertise they need to bring their solutions to market.
Consumerization of healthcare is a trend that can make healthcare more affordable and accessible but finding the right business model can be difficult.
Austin is a potential hub for healthcare innovation, and discussions about healthcare innovations and business models at SXSW could lead to a more efficient and effective healthcare system.
J&J recognizes the importance of leveraging data and insights to become more effective and efficient in providing care and solutions.
The future of telehealth is likely to include continued growth and innovation, as healthcare providers and patients become more comfortable with remote care and technology continues to improve.
What's next for Austin?

Stacy Feld: "Continuing to unlock the value of the rich academic and clinical institutions, not just with UT and Austin, but across the Texas Triangle and to find the synergies and pair our disease area expertise and the resources that we have with entrepreneurs and with academics." 

Melinda Richter: "What's next for Austin is to become that next big player for health tech, solving equity and access issues, changing patient care and lives, and leading the charge. All of those things together combined with such a diverse population, people coming from all over the world."


What's next for J&J in Austin?

Stacy Feld: "Building new early relationships with entrepreneurs, launching new companies out of academia, and continuing to invest in building long-term relationships." 

Melinda Richter: "There's going to be an amazing hub at SXSW with lots of J&J folks from around the company in different disciplines. And so we really want to have these conversations with everybody. So please reach out, come see us, and certainly, we want to continue to grow that conversation over time."


Episode Links
Top 10 Tips for Standing Out at Pitch CompetitionsMelinda Richter: LinkedIn, Twitter
Stacy Feld: LinkedIn, Twitter
J&J Innovation: Website, Twitter
JLABS: Website, Twitter
Sponsors 
Check out all of the sponsors mentioned here
Austin Next Links
Austin Next Website 
Austin Next Twitter 
Austin Next LinkedIn
Austin Next YouTube 
Michael Scharf LinkedIn 
Jason Scharf LinkedIn

SXSW is one of the most anticipated annual events that celebrate the convergence of music, film, and technology in Austin, Texas. We welcome Hugh Forrest, SXSW Co-President & Chief Programming Officer back to the podcast to explore the latest developments and insights from SXSW and learn how this dynamic event continues to inspire and shape the future of creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Episode Highlights

The importance of SXSW in the Austin community and its core nature as a creative and entrepreneurial event.
Tips for first-time attendees of SXSW, including how to plan and make the most of their experience.
What's new in SXSW 2023, including the addition of new tracks, sponsors, and the use of generative AI.
An overview of the Health & MedTech and 2050 tracks at the SXSW conference.
Balancing optimism and skepticism in the age of AI, with insights from SXSW on climate change and technological innovation.
The launch of SXSW Sydney and what to expect from this new event.


Episode Links
Hugh Forrest: LinkedIn, Twitter
SXSW: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter

Sponsors 
Check out all of the sponsors mentioned here

Austin Next Links
Austin Next Website 
Austin Next Twitter 
Austin Next LinkedIn
Austin Next YouTube 
Michael Scharf LinkedIn 
Jason Scharf LinkedIn

The Texas Legislature's Innovation & Technology Caucus plays a key role in shaping the state's tech policy. In this episode, we are joined by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Rep. John Bucy III to discuss the role of the IT Caucus, the challenges the state faces in promoting tech innovation, and their efforts to address those challenges. We look at the future of tech innovation in Texas, and how the Caucus is working to position the state as a leader in the field.
Episode Highlights

The Innovation & Technology Caucus began in 2015 but gained attention in 2020-2021due to the increased presence of technology in Texas.
The Caucus aims to promote a healthy environment for innovation and growth in a bipartisan way by learning about what is happening in Texas and bridging the gap between the Senate and the House.
The narrative of innovation in Texas has been changing rapidly due to certain events, such as Tesla's arrival putting electric vehicles on the radar and recent developments in crypto and blockchain.
Examples of policy opportunities include using AI to modernize Texas government services, workforce development & education, and regulatory frameworks that create a friendly environment while ensuring accountability (such as was done with autonomous vehicles).
Self-regulatory frameworks can provide a middle ground for regulating industries, but government intervention may be necessary in cases where self-regulation fails.
What's next for Texas and what's next for Austin?
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione: "Texas is going to come out of this session with a better workforce, more plans on how to improve our research, how to help and improve our companies and technologies, and also with lower property taxes."
Rep. John H. Bucy III: An upcoming higher education session focused on workforce development, particularly in community colleges and public universities. And for Austin, the importance of addressing electric system vulnerabilities and supporting Austin Energy while ensuring the needs of the community are met.


Episode Links
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione: Website, TwitterRep. John Bucy III: Website, TwitterInnovation & Technology Caucus of the Texas Legislature : Website, Twitter
SponsorsCheck out all of the sponsors mentioned here
Austin Next LinksAustin Next WebsiteAustin Next TwitterAustin Next LinkedInAustin Next YouTubeMichael Scharf LinkedInJason Scharf LinkedIn