Austin Founder Stories
Local business news, founder interviews, and expert columns from Austin Founders Feed. Every story is published here on our own site, with the full issue linked back to the newsletter.
How What's Good ATX Hit 10,000 Users Without Spending a Dollar on Ads
Michelle Rueda built What's Good ATX to help Austinites discover the city's weirdest and most interesting events. She shares how a Reddit-monitoring tool grew the platform to almost 10,000 users without a dollar of ad spend, and why patience is the DNA of every successful niche community.
Find The Duct Tape Before It Snaps
When a business outgrows its 'duct tape' — the workarounds and one-person knowledge holding operations together — the fix isn't automating the mess. Nawal El Solh shares the four-step system she returns to after 20+ years cleaning up back offices, with an AI tip under each step.
P. Terry's Doesn't Want to Become Just Another Burger Chain
Austin-born burger chain P. Terry's is transitioning into an Employee Ownership Trust, starting at 5% of operating income and designed to rise to 20% over time for employees with more than two years at the company.
Austin's AI Scene Is Moving From Theory to Real World Implementation
An analysis of Austin's founder social calendar found 89 AI-related events tracked since late March, with 64% hands-on or build-oriented. May's share reached 74%, signaling AI is moving from panels to workshops, labs, and hackathons.
The Room Beats the Inbox: Why I'm Betting on IRL in the Age of AI
Cold email reply rates have collapsed and inboxes are now half AI-generated. Taylor Jones argues that "the room" — in-person gatherings — has quietly become the highest-signal channel a B2B operator has, and the cheapest edge available to a sub-$10M Austin company.
How David Gonzalez Kept Austin's Internet Marketing Party Alive for 18 Years
For nearly 18 years, David Gonzalez's Internet Marketing Party has been one of Austin's longest-running marketing communities. His edge isn't the room or the guest list — it's a think-tank format where solutions are banned for the first hour and better questions do the work.
What SpaceX's $1.77T IPO Means for Austin Founders
SpaceX could become the largest IPO in history at a $1.77 trillion valuation. The bigger signal for Austin founders is the shift from software to hard tech: rockets, robots, chips, and defense, much of it already being built here.
How Nate Strayer Built Austin's Largest LED Volume Stage
Nate Strayer turned a COVID detour into Stray Vista Studios, home of Austin's largest LED volume stage — an 80-foot curved LED wall that Google booked before the AC and bathrooms worked. Here's how he built before the market looked obvious.
Austin Is Now a Top-6 Global Tech Ecosystem
Dealroom's Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2026 ranks Austin #6 in the world on its Global Champions lens, ahead of Tel Aviv, Paris, Beijing, and Seoul. Austin has 53 unicorns and $1B+ exits and ~$2.0T in combined ecosystem value.
How a 110-Year-Old Austin Tavern Keeps Its Edge
The Tavern, the 110-year-old bar at North Lamar and West 12th, has survived ownership changes, COVID, and Austin's rapid growth. Owners Shannon Sedwick and Michael Shelton, founders of Esther's Follies, reacquired it in 2018.
How Nelson Lin Plays the Real Estate Market to Beat Chain Restaurants
Nelson Lin runs Soup Leaf Hot Pot with his mom, the oldest hot pot restaurant in Austin. He's also director of research at Aquila Commercial. That overlap — restaurateur and real estate insider — is the moat.
Thousands of Dollars are Hiding in Your Vendor Invoices
Thousands of Dollars are Hiding in Your Vendor Invoices
Most vendors aren't auditing the invoices they send you. Nawal El Solh has recovered $100K+ in overcharges and walks through the four places to look first: IT and telecom, software licenses, auto-renewals, and buried rate hikes.
Cuantos Tacos Goes From Food Truck to Brick-and-Mortar
Cuantos Tacos, the Michelin Bib Gourmand food truck Yelp named the best taco spot in Texas, is opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 808 Justin Lane near Airport Boulevard, bringing its trailers along to preserve the food-truck-park feel.
Austin's AI Boom Has a Water Problem
A UT Austin Bureau of Economic Geology white paper projects Texas data centers could grow from under 1% of state water use today to 3% to 9% by 2040, potentially outstripping the entire manufacturing sector as 400+ centers race to serve the AI boom.
Solar Will Out-Generate Coal in Texas for the First Time This Year
For the first time, Texas is expected to generate more electricity from solar than coal in 2026, with the EIA forecasting 78 billion kWh of utility-scale solar across ERCOT versus 60 billion from coal, widening to 99 billion versus 66 billion by 2027.
Austin Is Growing Again But Without the 2021 Housing Frenzy
New Opportunity Austin indicators show the metro pulling ahead: record $7.24B in 2025 VC funding (up 80.4%, 5th nationally), 13,700 jobs added, 3.7% unemployment, and record AUS airport traffic, all while average home prices held roughly flat at $572,908.
Waymo's 3,800-Car Recall Started With a Texas Flood Problem
Waymo issued a voluntary recall covering roughly 3,800 robotaxis after an unoccupied vehicle drove into San Antonio floodwater during an April 20 storm, a software risk affecting its 5th- and 6th-generation systems across markets including Austin.
The 40-Year Overnight Success: Why Jason Scharf Says Austin Is Still Early
Jason Scharf started Austin Next as a hack to meet people after moving from San Diego. 100+ episodes later, he's built one of the sharpest theses on why Austin works — and what founders should steal from it.
Austin's Office Market Just Posted Its Best Quarter in Years
Austin's office market recorded 1.1 million sq ft of positive net absorption in Q1 2026, but one deal did the work: SB Energy's purchase of the 1.2M sq ft former 3M campus. Move-ins from IBM, NVIDIA, and NXP Semiconductors followed the same AI and chip pattern.
Central Texas Just Became America's Data Center Capital
Over 400 data centers are operating or under construction in Texas, with major players planting flags within an hour of Austin: Amazon closed on 1,300 acres in Bastrop, Tract doubled its Caldwell County campus to 3,000 acres, and Guadalupe County approved Cloudburst's $14.5B project.
How Austin's Best Day Ever Foundation Brings Joy to Families Who Need It Most
Matt Worthington turned personal loss into a movement — building Best Day Ever Foundation, a 501c3 that has delivered 400+ tailored experiences to Austin individuals and families going through their hardest seasons.
From 42 Rejections to $5M: The Pupsentials Story
Austin's Pupsentials turns pet photos into custom embroidered apparel. After 42 local embroiderers said no, co-founders Jake and Kyndall bought their own machine and scaled past $5M in annual revenue, with customers like Justin Bieber and a spot on Oprah's Favorite Things.
Austin Starts FY2027 Budget Talks With a $26M Gap
Austin kicked off its FY2027 budget process with a projected $26.4M deficit as revenue grows only ~3% and new construction runs about 10% below forecast at $2.8B. City officials cited slowing tech-sector growth and office and multifamily occupancy challenges.
How Moby Turned $90K in Ad Spend Into a $1.12M Year in Austin
Moby runs a B2B paid ads agency in Austin, where he helped a solopreneur dentist scale from $40K to $1.12M in a single year — proving that when paid ads are aimed at the right audience, leverage shows up fast.
Austin Just Approved Digital Kiosks with Free Listings For All Local Businesses
Austin City Council approved a network of 100+ interactive digital kiosks on March 26, and every local business gets a free directory listing sorted by proximity, with discounted ad rates for small businesses.
Austin Ranked #1 Among the Top 50 U.S. Metros for Job Growth
Per Opportunity Austin's April 15 update using new BLS benchmark revisions, Austin ranked #1 among the Top 50 U.S. metros for 2025 job growth, with Professional & Business Services revised from -0.4% to +2.3%.
How Austin's Chapter of eWomenNetwork is Building Bigger Rooms
eWomenNetwork, a 500,000-member community across 118 chapters, aims to help one million women each reach $1M in revenue. Austin's chapter, led by Sara Chevere of She Builds Empires, hosts curated Strategic Business Introductions.
How to Build Communities that 10x Your Business in Austin
Alec Rios is building Young Professionals Network in Austin around events, media, and nonprofit service — proving that when you get the right people in the room with intention, community compounds into something powerful.
Austin Powered Texas Past Boston in Q1 Venture Funding
Per PitchBook and the NVCA, Texas startups raised $5.8B in Q1 2026, edging past Massachusetts's $5.3B. Four Austin companies (Saronic, Apptronik, CesiumAstro, inKind) drove $3.6B, roughly 64% of the state's haul.
Austin's Kendra Scott Brings On a Gap Vet as Its First-Ever CBO
Kendra Scott, the 165-store, 3,200-employee Austin lifestyle brand, named Adrienne Gernand its first-ever Chief Business Officer effective April 27. She spent nearly two decades at Gap Inc. leading Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta.
Austin Just Opened a New 0% Funding Door for Founders
The City of Austin launched its first-ever Kiva Hub, offering local entrepreneurs $1,000 to $15,000 community-funded loans at 0% interest, no fees, and no minimum credit score, with local application support.
Austin's Coder Just Raised $90M to Build AI Guardrails
Austin-based Coder raised a $90M Series C led by KKR, with Qube Research & Technologies and Uncork Capital participating. Coder is betting that governance infrastructure for AI development becomes essential as agents scale in the enterprise.
Austin Banned Her Yard Sign. Now Policy May Save Her.
Jennifer Worth has run Vintage Framing Studio from her East Austin home since 2010, but the city ordered her yard sign removed. Austin's new "Pink Zone" pilot aims to let home-based micro-businesses operate and advertise visibly again.
Why Austin Just Became the AI Economy's $20B Factory Floor
Elon Musk says Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI plan an Advanced Technology Fab on Tesla's east Travis County campus to build chips for robots, vehicles, and AI. The project has been cited at around $20 billion, with some estimates near $40 billion.
Is Austin's Next Business District Your Front Yard?
On March 26, Austin City Council approved a resolution to pilot Front Yard Businesses (FYBs) under a new "Pink Zone" test, letting more founders sell from their homes to lower startup costs and reduce the lease-first, validate-later trap.
Tomo Mags' Iconic Blue Bus Just Got a Brick-and-Mortar Home Downtown
Tomo Mags, the roaming magazine shop known for its signature blue bus, has opened a permanent downtown location at 411 Brazos St., Suite 101, extending founder Vico Puentes' decade-long print obsession that started in Houston.
Austin VC Overmatch Raises $250M to Back Deep Tech, Defense, and Space
Austin-based Overmatch Ventures raised $250M for Fund II, bringing reported AUM to roughly $500M. It backs companies in deep tech, defense, and space, with earlier bets including xAI, Saronic, CHAOS Industries, and Impulse Space.
Circuit's $30M Raise for "AI for the Factory Floor"
Austin-based Circuit, co-founded by former Silicon Labs CEO Tyson Tuttle, raised $30M from angel investors to build AI software for manufacturing and service operations, one of Texas' largest angel rounds. Early customers include Four Hands and Culligan.
Austin Looks to Add 12 New Nonstop International Flights
Austin Looks to Add 12 New Nonstop International Flights
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officials are reviewing a list of 12 new nonstop international flights, including Paris, Tokyo, Dubai, and Seoul. Roughly 2.2 million passengers travel in and out of Austin per year, a 46% increase from 2019.
Prototype Vintage Expands to North Loop after 20 Years on South Congress
Prototype Vintage, Austin's long-running vintage clothing shop owned by Audrie San Miguel and Emily Larson, opened a second location at 123 E. North Loop Blvd., marking 20 years in business since its 2005 launch.
The $37M CRM that Predicts who's Ready to Buy
Austin's Luxury Presence raised $37M ($22M equity led by Bessemer Venture Partners plus a $15M J.P. Morgan debt facility) to build a CRM for top real estate agents, whose users closed $450B+ in transactions last year.
The Story Behind Austin Founders Feed
Ken and Warren share how they built Austin's #1 newsletter for founders — from a LinkedIn connection to a thriving community.
Austin's $60M Bet to Triple Broker Capacity
Austin-based Gyde raised $60M to roll up independent health insurance brokerages and rewire them with proprietary AI. CEO Will Johnson, a decade at Oscar Health, is combining acquisitions with automation to build a scaled, more profitable brokerage platform.
Small Business Spotlight: Mercado Sin Nombre
Owner Maltby's Mercado Sin Nombre grew from Austin farmers markets into a scrappy brick-and-mortar cafe at 408 N Pleasant Valley Rd, earning a spot in Bon Appetit's best new breakfasts and 2025's Michelin guide on food alone.
ICON: Rewriting the American Dream in Austin
Austin-based ICON has 3D-printed around 300 homes across the U.S. and Mexico using a robotic printer, low-carbon material, and an AI architect layer. With construction making up 62% of a home's cost, ICON aims to make ownership affordable again.
Austin Startup Ushers in the Second Atomic Age
Austin-based Aalo Atomics raised a ~$100M Series B to build its experimental Aalo-X reactor and bring a first plant online by 2027. Its garage-sized design could push nuclear power under $0.03/kWh as data center demand doubles.
Austin is Becoming a Major Film & TV Powerhouse
Austin is Becoming a Major Film & TV Powerhouse
Austin is turning into a serious film and TV contender after Texas' Senate Bill 2025 was signed in 2025, injecting $300M every two years into the state's film industry over the decade and letting Austin poach projects from Hollywood.
Austin's $110M Bet to Take on NVIDIA
Austin's Neurophos, founded by Duke classmates Patrick Bowen and Andrew Traverso, raised $110M in Series A to build optical processing units (OPUs) that use photonic chips to challenge NVIDIA on AI compute cost and energy.
Austin Looks to Win Back Shipbuilding Dominance for the U.S.
Austin-based Saronic raised $600M in Series C to mass produce small, cheap, autonomous vessels that operate in swarms, positioning to capture part of the $29B in naval shipbuilding funding as China outbuilds the U.S. roughly 250 to 1.
Black Pearl Books: Right Place, Right Time?
Black Pearl Books went from about 5 orders a week to 10,000 orders in June 2020 after pivoting online, opening a storefront on Burnet Rd. while keeping its mission to support diversity and representation through literature.
Humanoid Robotics Startup Apptronik's Valuation Climbs to $5B
Austin-based Apptronik, backed by Google and Mercedes and powered by Gemini 2.0, saw its valuation climb to $5B on the strength of Apollo, a 6ft humanoid robot that can lift 55lbs and work 22 hours a day.