Austin Tech Connect: The Podcast For The Austin Technology Ecosystem, Business Leaders, and Tech Entrepreneurs!

In this special episode of Austin Tech Connect , host Thom Singer takes listeners behind the scenes of the Austin Tech Hall of Fame ... a community-driven initiative launched by the Austin Technology Council to celebrate the individuals who have shaped Austin into a world-class tech hub. With the second annual celebration on the horizon, Thom shares the "why" behind this important program, how it...

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , Thom Singer sits down with Pat Dixon , President of DPAS , to discuss the intersection of operational technology (OT) and cybersecurity in industrial facilities. Pat shares insights on the evolution of industrial tech , how automation has shaped industries like water treatment and manufacturing , and the security risks unique to critical infrastructure . Ke...

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , host Thom Singer sits down with Joe McCall and Nikolas Kairinos , co-founders of Melelem, a groundbreaking AI company redefining how Large Language Models (LLMs) learn and evolve. Melelem continuously refines itself in real-time, eliminating the need for multiple AI subscriptions. The conversation dives deep into the future of AI , exploring how advancement...

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , the Austin Technology Council CEO, Thom Singer, sits down with Piyanka Jain , CEO of Aryng, to cut through the AI buzz and get to the real impact of artificial intelligence in business. With over 20 years of experience,,, building AI models long before it was trendy... Piya shares her insights on: ✅ The biggest hiring mistakes companies make when bringing...

All Companies are Tech Companies: In the modern era, all companies are tech companies. We used to have a line between traditional business and tech.... but now that line has blurred. People do not often think about how businesses in all industries rely on, create, and utilize technology.   In this interview, Thom Singer talks to Harsha Bellur, the CIO at Texas based James Avery Jewelry.  This 70 y...

This week on Austin Tech Connect we tackle the world of government policy, and why it matters to Austin's small and mid-sized tech companies. Our  guest is Lindsay Ries, Director of Government Affairs at TECNA (The Technology Council's of North America).   Lindsay has two decades of experience in Washington DC policy, and is committed to helping growth oriented technology companies have their voic...

    In this episode of the  Austin Tech Connect podcast, we dive deep into the transformative power of being actively involved in a trade association like ATC. Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, unpacks why participation is about more than just attending events—it's about building connections, creating opportunities, and contributing to something bigger than yourself. Discover how...

This week's episode we talk to author Geoff Woods, author of The AI Driven Leader: Harnessing AI To Make Smarter, Faster Decisions.   In this interview we talk about the fast changes in AI and how leaders can use it to think strategically and make better decisions.  Plus, in a live demonstration... we ask AI for insights on how the Austin Technology Council can keep expanding to meet the changing...

This week on the podcast we talk with Kathi Haralson, the executive director of Pop-Up Birthday.  This local charity serves kids of all ages in the forster care system by making sure they are celebrated on their birthdays.  The non-profit is a favorite of many local tech companies who donate their time and money to support this cause.     Kathi shares the history of the organization, the need in o...

This episode is the audio from the featured panel at the 2024 C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank.  The discussion is about the state of funding for Small and Mid-Sized Tech Companies.  The session was sponsored by MUFG.   The panelists brought sharp perspectives from the world of Banking, VC, Law, and company points of views.  Thanks to Andrew Cozewith (MUFG), Jenifer Smith Smith (Latham & Wat...

This week on the Austin Tech Connect podcast is one of the most fun conversations you will find on any tech blog.  Local entrepreneur Taylor Capito from GenRAIT joins host Thom Singer for a look at tech impacting humanity, innovation, mentors, inspiration, Star Trek, and the movie Flubber.   Taylor is the perfect example of leaders who make a difference in our Austin tech ecosystem.  She shares he...

In this captivating episode of Austin Tech Connect, host Thom Singer sits down with Dr. James Truchard, founder and former CEO of National Instruments, one of Austin's greatest homegrown success stories.   Dr. Truchard shares his journey from moonlighting Ph. D. student to tech industry pioneer, offering invaluable insights into building a sustainable company and fostering innovation. Listeners wi...

On this weeks episode of "Austin Tech Connect" we hear from Jacqueline and Hughes, the cofounder and co-producer of Austin Tech Week (Formerly Austin Startup Week).  Coming up October 28 through November ….. Austin Tech week is going to be an amazing conglomeration of events all over town.   (take note - the ATC "C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank Will take place on October 28 from 1 PM to 6 P...

This week on Austin Tech Connect we are joined again by Razat Gaurav, CEo at Planview.  In this conversation we hear about his experience in Austin the last 3 years, the growth of Planview, and his outlook for our tech community.   Razat is also going to be the opening keynote speaker for the ATC "C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank" on October 28, 2024.  While we do not talk about the summit i...

In episode 90 of "Austin Tech Connect", Thom Singer talks to Karen Gordon, CEO of  Dynamics.  Karen is a serial entrepreneur, who is passionate about helping people harness the power of differences to amplify outcome.   About Karen Gordon   Karen Gordon is the CEO of 5 Dynamics, a company that is focused on making the world a better place one relationship at a time. 5 Dynamics' proprietary softwar...

This week we have a legend on the podcast - Admiral Bobby Inman.  Admiral Inman was recently inducted into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. He has living and working in the Austin tech scene for over 40 years and has been an investor and advisor to countless companies.  His remarkable career spans both public service and private enterprise, leaving an indelible mark on our city's technological landsc...

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect , Thom Singer chats with Mike Maples Jr., the visionary founding partner of Floodgate and the author of the compelling new book Pattern Breakers: Why Some Startups Change the Future . The conversation dives deep into the mindset and strategies that differentiate the startups that truly disrupt industries from those that merely follow the rules. Mike shares hi...

In this episode of "Austin Tech Connect," Thom Singer welcomes back Joyce Durst, founder and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners, who was recently honored as the 2024 inductee into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. As one of the few repeat guests on the show, Joyce shares her journey in the Austin tech community, reflecting on how the city has evolved since she first arrived 30 years ago. They delve i...

In this episode, host Thom Singer talks about the ten pillars that helped make Austin become a global technology hub. While there were civic minded community leaders who had ideas and plans to set our region up to grow, the ten pillars that supported the success of Austin are not something that can be dupblicated by other cities.  This is a retrospective, not a recipe book. Austin's success was no...

This week Thom Singer sits down with his longtime friend Sam Decker.  Sam has been active in the Austin tech scene for over 25 years.  He has started and grown several companies and is now an active board member, advisor, and investor.   Sam has always looked three steps ahead in his career, and before making big moves has sought out experienced mentors so that he can learn from those with a prove...

This week on Austin Tech Connect with go into a deep conversation about AI and AGI with Peter Voss.  Peter is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist at Aigo.ai.  He has been researching AI and AGI for his whole career.  He recently moved to Austin and has a very positive outlook on our community and the future of Artificial General Intelligence.   About Peter   Peter Voss is a Pioneer in Artificial...

For this episode, host Thom Singer (CEO at the Austin Technology Council) simply asked ChatGPT to become the host of the podcast and interview him about the ATC and about the state of tech in Austin.  He gave no other instructions, and just went with the questions that were asked.    This is an interesting example of how advanced AI has become in the past year.     Check out this episode and hear...

Brad Englert is an author, advisor and technologist who has had a long tech career in Austin.  He is a civic minded leader is now dedicated to helping others craft their success.  His new book "Spheres of Influence: How to creat and nurture authentic business relationships" is now available on Amazon (or wherever you get your books).   He spent 22 years at Accenture, and then 8 years a CIO at UT A...

The Austin Technology Council is working to help more local tech companies and industry leaders engage as speakers, panelists, workshop leaders, etc... at the 2025 SXSW Festival next March.   On of the ways to get on the radar of the SXSW team is to apply for a session via the PanelPicker (which is accepting applications until July 21, 2024).   This episodes looks at SXSW and how to to apply to sp...

One of the best things about the Austin tech scene is the people and the unique problems their tech companies solve. This week's "Austin Tech Connect" episode is a chat with Bob Michaels from Content Access.  Their AdFlow Plugin brings website navigation to the cloud, and changes how people engage when they come to your site from clicking ads.     Bob is also musician who has been in both the musi...