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

Austin Tech Connect closes out 2025 with a milestone episode celebrating the podcast's three year anniversary and ending the year with a high energy conversation about entrepreneurship, custom software, and what it takes to keep building in Austin. Thom welcomes Scott Kenyon, founding partner at Applaudo, a firm that helps companies go from early stage ideas to real products, covering strategy, MVPs, design and development, cloud platforms, AI, DevOps, and cybersecurity. Scott shares his entrepreneurial path, including leaving college to start a business, then returning later to finish after a first venture gave him real world experience and momentum. From there, he explains how Applaudo grew from a focused service offering into a broader set of capabilities by staying close to client needs and expanding carefully in a trust driven industry. A key theme throughout the episode is that software services still run on reputation, relationships, and accountability, especially when companies are betting real dollars on complex builds. The conversation includes a memorable story about helping a pro sports organization modernize an outdated workflow, plus a look at the different industries Applaudo serves and why focus matters even when you work across multiple verticals. Thom and Scott also dig into AI, not as hype, but as a practical tool that is changing how work gets done, along with a candid discussion about the infrastructure demands behind AI and what that could mean over the next several years. The episode wraps with thoughts on what makes Austin's tech community strong, where the ecosystem needs to stay scrappy, and a look ahead to 2026, including Austin Tech Hall of Fame nominations opening in January. Thanks to the sponsor of the podcast, Calavista Software.

This week on Austin Tech Connect, we are sharing the keynote from the 2025 State of Tech breakfast, hosted by the Austin Technology Council and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Tyson Tuttle, CEO of Circuit and former CEO of Silicon Labs, unpacks how AI is accelerating into the physical world, why energy and compute infrastructure matter more than ever, and what the convergence of AI, semiconductors, and industry means for the next decade of innovation in Austin and beyond. "Texas gives us scale, Austin gives us soul" - Tyson Tuttle

Austin Tech Connect welcomes back data and AI expert (and ATC board member) Ronnie Sheth for a very real conversation about what is actually happening inside companies trying to adopt AI. Ronnie helps organizations design human first experiences with data and AI, and she brings both a strategic lens and a deep sense of responsibility to how this technology shows up in our businesses and our community. She also cares deeply about Austin as a global tech hub and about the Austin Technology Council's role as a connector across the ecosystem. In this episode Ronnie explains why AI adoption numbers are slipping and why that is not a sign that AI has lost its shine. Drawing on recent reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and MIT, she points out that many generative AI pilots are failing not because the tools are weak, but because companies never built the foundation. They jumped to "doing AI" without a clear data strategy, without thinking through adoption and scale, and without asking the basic question, "Is our data ready for this?" Ronnie makes a compelling case that data excellence is the real starting point. Companies need high quality, trusted data and a clear vision for how it supports decisions, innovation, risk management, and AI models. She shares how her clients move from vague "data governance" conversations to concrete strategy, and why data must be treated as an asset that can quickly turn into a liability if handled poorly. We also dig into regulation, ethics, and the human side of AI. Ronnie describes AI as a "collection of humanity" and reminds leaders that AI is not yet a prescriptive oracle. It is a thought partner that can amplify human intelligence, not a fix for broken processes or culture. The Austin Tech Connect Podcast is presented by Calavista Software, software development without the drama.

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Austin Tech Hall of Fame inductee Bob Fabbio, a founder and leader whose career is woven into the story of our region's tech ecosystem. Bob shares how a reluctant interview trip from Massachusetts to IBM Austin in 1987 turned into a one way ticket to a city he quickly fell in love with. After realizing he was "a fish out of water" in big corporate environments, he left IBM to launch Tivoli Systems, pursuing a then radical idea to manage heterogeneous computer networks as if they were a single machine. People told him he was crazy. They were wrong. From there, Bob walks through building multiple category defining companies, his time in venture capital with Austin Ventures and TL Ventures, and why he chose to run those firms like real businesses with intentional branding, community engagement, and entrepreneur boot camps. Bob also talks about his commitment to mentoring founders and "paying it forward," inspired by the early leaders who pushed him to have the courage to launch Tivoli. He shares his powerful framework of "the whats" that every entrepreneur must answer clearly, from the real problem they solve to pricing, distribution, and the macro trends they are riding. Finally, Bob describes his latest chapter, Norio Capital Partners, a long short hedge fund powered by machine learning and AI, and why this may be his favorite venture yet. It is a masterclass in thinking big, betting on yourself, and building the future from Austin. ******* Are you supporting the Austin Technology Council? Since 1992 ATC has been working to unite the tech community to celebrate the past, be present in the NOW, and to look toward the future. ATC needs the real grassroots leaders in the community to help shape tomorrow.

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Austin Technology Council CEO, Thom Singer, sits down with Greg Cooper, president at Offerd, to explore how PropTech is reshaping commercial real estate and why Austin is a compelling place to build it. Greg's Austin story spans three decades and a rare path. He grew up in Jamaica, spent time in England, went to high school in Houston, then earned a UT law degree focused on real estate. While in law school he co-founded Austin Java and ended up running a fast growing restaurant company with hundreds of employees, an experience that sharpened his operator mindset. He then moved into residential real estate, helping build one of Keller Williams' top teams before launching a brokerage that grew to more than one hundred agents. The pivot to commercial came after the sale of that firm, where Greg discovered an even higher bar for talent and execution. In 2020 a cold call led him to the Offerd founder and a platform that aggregates fragmented commercial data into one system, applies predictive analytics, and surfaces who is most likely to buy or sell. Greg first joined as an affiliate to use the tech, then quickly began working Offerd's institutional deal flow. Within weeks his team had nine figure pipelines and he closed transactions with public REITs, validating that the model could change how large assets trade. Today Offerd operates as a brokerage paired with an internal product team, and the company is evaluating a spin out of the technology to give the software a clear valuation while the brokerage retains a permanent license. They talk candidly about capital strategy, the difference between lumpy services revenue and SaaS, and why the total addressable market for brokerage commissions remains massive. They also dive into Austin's market reality. Rates froze residential mobility, new apartments created pressure on rents, and affordability must improve, yet the region's long term trajectory is strong. Greg sees a growing local PropTech cluster but notes the lack of a consistent forum for founders to compare notes. That is why community matters. Real leaders show up, cross vertical conversations prevent silos, and Austin works best when collaboration is the norm. Big thanks to Calavista Software for supporting this show as the sponsor...and their support of the broader tech community.

Patrick Smith, Tax Principal with CLA... and new comer to the Austin tech ecosystem joins the conversation on the Austin Tech Connect podcast to talk about recent changes in the tax laws and how it impacts Austin companies. The Austin Tech Connect podcast is the official podcast of the Austin Technology Council and one of the premier podcasts in the Austin tech scene.

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Tyson Tuttle, the former CEO of Silicon Labs and one of the most influential figures in Austin's technology landscape. Tyson shares an inside look at his remarkable journey from a hands-on engineer to a purpose-driven CEO who helped shape one of Austin's most respected semiconductor companies. The conversation explores how curiosity, courage, and collaboration guided his leadership approach and how his experiences continue to inform his perspective on innovation and community today. Tyson reflects on the early days of Austin's tech scene and what it took to help Silicon Labs scale from a local startup to a global industry leader, all while maintaining a strong sense of culture and connection. He discusses how leadership evolves through different stages of growth and why adaptability, humility, and trust are essential for navigating constant change. Listeners will also hear about the lessons he learned through transitions, both personal and professional, and how purpose and people have always remained at the center of his work. Beyond business, Tyson and Thom dive into the broader questions facing Austin's future as a tech hub: How can the region continue to innovate while staying true to its collaborative roots? What role does mentorship play in developing the next generation of leaders? And how can technology serve humanity rather than overshadow it? This conversation is more than a retrospective... it's a thoughtful look at what it means to lead, connect, and contribute in a world where community is every bit as important as code.

John Hartigan, CEO of Lumineo, returns to Austin Tech Connect to share what has changed since his 2023 visit and how his team fully pivoted into AI for corporate learning. Host Thom Singer, talks to John about practical wins over hype, from improving content creation and microlearning workflows to blending live action with AI avatars, and what is coming next with interactive AI tutors. John explains where AI saves time, where humans add the creative spark, and why, in his words, "mediocrity is now free." We dig into leadership, retraining teams, prompt skills, and ethical transparency around synthetic voices and video. Thom adds how he uses AI for ideation without outsourcing his voice, and the two compare notes on blind spots, communication tone, and building trust in an AI driven world. We close with the impact on the Austin tech ecosystem, why early stage founders now have unprecedented tools, and an open invite to connect with Lumineo, to share this episode with your team, and to show up at ATC events where human interaction stays front and center.

In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer sits down with Tom Alexander, co-founder and CEO of Holistic, for a candid conversation about the future of work and what a great employee experience really looks like. Tom shares lessons from working in Chicago's tech scene at "1871" and the mayor's office, and explains why many executives say people are their most important asset yet lack the language and systems to manage the people experience with the same rigor as revenue. They dig into the pendulum swings in today's workplace, the role of DEI as an integrated part of culture rather than a stand-alone program, and how AI can free up the hours we spend on low value tasks so humans can focus on creativity, empathy, and problem solving. They also talk about location and remote work, the responsibility that comes with flexibility, and why internal and external community both matter. Tom's core model is simple and powerful, sit on the same side of the table and look at the world together. If you care about building healthy teams, thriving companies, and a stronger Austin ecosystem, you will love this conversation. This show is sponsored by Calavista Software, software development without drama.

Austin Tech Connect is sponsored by Calavista Software: Software Development without the Drama. In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singers sits down with long-time friend and Austin tech leader, Sam Goodner. Sam arrived in Austin in 1992 after growing up in Europe and serving in the Swiss Army Special Forces. He cut his teeth at Dell, then co-founded what became Catapult Systems. Along the way he helped launch product companies like Inquisite, guided Catapult to be Microsoft's top global partner, and sold the firm in 2013. After a family year of world travel, he returned to scale a parking technology company from early plateau to nine figures in revenue and a unicorn valuation as an investor and president. Sam's new book, "Like Clockwork, Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision", captures the discipline behind those outcomes. We dig into his core theme of operational scalability, the moment every founder must move from hero mode to building systems that run without them. He shares the question he asks mentees at Capital Factory, what are you best in the world at, and why you cannot hire a sales team until you codify the part of the business that actually creates revenue. We walk through what a real sales playbook includes, target personas, how to get in the door, common objections, the follow up cadence, and what a winning proposal looks like. Sam also talks about decentralized decision making, including a turning point when he stepped away for a family emergency and returned to find the company running better because leaders were truly empowered. The book is rich with Austin case studies, Randy Cohen at Ticket City and the power of an unforgettable first day experience, Deep Eddy's brand ambassador playbook that scaled consistent execution at festivals, and BuildASign's culture of giving back with free welcome home banners for military families, a program that became a defining part of who they are. We widen the lens to community. Sam credits EO, YPO, Capital Factory, and yes, the Austin Technology Council, for the peer learning that served as his real world MBA. We agree that in an AI-driven world, human relationships are a top currency. Companies do business with people, not bots, and Austin's future stays bright when leaders show up, share ideas, and collaborate. If you are building in Austin, this conversation is a field manual for moving beyond hustle into durable systems and culture. Sam's book is available now, including an audio version in his voice. You can get a copy of Sam's book at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Like-Clockwork-Business-Swiss-Precision/dp/B0FLQK1Y8S?maas=maas_adg_9B76058E55B6D37D545B03D65E88C453_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas