Joe Zente Talks about the TAB Tribe

Joe Zente Talks about the Tab Tribe

Where are you from originally?  

South Orange, New Jersey. 

What university did you go to?    

 

New Jersey Institute of Technology, BS Chemical Engineering

What brought you to Austin?      

I was fortunate to travel extensively throughout my early 20s.   I felt that Austin would be the best place I could imagine to start a family and to launch businesses.

You lead the The Alternative Board (TAB) in Austin.  What is your group’s mission?  

Freedom Through Results, Results Through Responsibility…™

What need does it fulfill?     

The need of private business owners to be Free.  Free to pursue their Personal Vision and Business Vision—their own uniquely individual version of success.

What exactly does it bring to startups?   

Strategic Business Planning, Sales & Marketing Support, Best Practices, Coaching, Peer Advisory Boards, CEO Toolkit, Leadership Development, HR, Finance, Business Education, Entrepreneur Networking, Extensive CEO Resource Network.

What type of startup would benefit from your group?    

Any start-up entrepreneur who is unconditionally committed to improving their business and improving their life and to take action in the areas that need improvement.  Must also be willing to give and receive openly and honestly with a spirit of abundance.

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?   

Attracting the Best and Brightest business experts in Texas to join our team to and become TAB Certified Facilitator Coaches. 

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?  

Too many to list here, but for starters…:

·         Don’t try to re-invent the wheel.

·         Focused energy + unconditional commitment is overpowering.

·         You REALLY Don’t Know what you Don’t Know.      No matter how cool or unique you think your product or service is, ALL companies are Sales and Marketing companies.

What Austin-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

The TAB-Austin and TABBoards International business owner community.  

The knowledge, wisdom, resources, abundance mentality, and spirit of sharing and spirit of sharing among the 10,000+ members of the TAB family never cease to humble and amaze me.

Robyn Metcalfe Talks about The Food Lab at the University of Texas Austin

Robyn Metcalfe Talks about The Food Lab at the University of Texas Austin

Where are you from originally?

Los Angeles, CA

What university did you go to?

University of Michigan for undergrad, BA, American Culture, Boston University for MA and Phd History.

What brought you to Austin?

Husband Bob and I wanted to move to a different location where we could spend more time outside being active and where we’d be challenged with different problems, have opportunities to learn about a new place/culture, apply our experiences.

What is your group’s mission?

The Food Lab (TFL) at UT formed in 2012 in response to the need to improve our global food system. While UT has many food-related courses, student organizations, and faculty who are engaged in food-related research, the university lacks an organizational framework for this critical topic, one that is increasingly vital to provisioning urban populations. TFL will create a UT brand around food, leveraging Austin’s reputation as a site for food innovation. TFL will also coordinate, collaborate, and provide a platform that will integrate the many activities and individuals on campus that are pursuing food-related projects.

The principles of TFL include experimentation, science, creativity, and innovation. It is politically neutral and embraces curiosity. Aesthetics and utility, bringing the sciences and humanities together form the basis for all TFL programs.

As a multidisciplinary project, TFL serves heighten student and faculty awareness of food issues, encourage and motivate them to engage in the creation of new and innovative food systems research, and to provide support to startups that leverage University research. By Spring, 2013, TFL has launched a conference, engaged students with food startups, assisted with food studies projects, and has initiated projects for UT faculty and students. TFL has built a network of partners in the Austin, Texas, national and international community that will provide opportunities for collaboration in the future.

What type of startup would benefit from your group?

Early stage startup with a solution for food production, distribution, packaging, safety, nutrition.

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?

Large institutional administration, risk adverse and without a food-related infrastructure.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Be clear about your motive, what problem you’re solving and why your solution is different from anyone elses.

What Austin-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

Sustainable Farm Center, The University of Texas, and the network of startup incubators, such as the Incubation Station.  All were extremely helpful by providing introductions to the food-related community. 

TXEN announces its new crowdfunding platform for equity investments

Over the past three years, we’ve been helping entrepreneur raise funding through physical funding forums throughout the state of Texas, and in these events, up to 10 entrepreneurs pitch to a panel of investors. Our track record has been astounding! We’ve calculated that we’ve helped entrepreneurs raise over $65 Million in funding through this process already!

Since our database has grown to over 600 active, accredited investors around the state, we are extending our program to include a crowdfunding platform on our website. Entrepreneurs will soon be able to post their deal to our website and we will help promote those deals to our investor database in various ways, such as webinar pitch sessions, email blasts, personal introductions, profile promotions, and more.

Of course, our physical events such as funding forums and funded cocktail receptions will continue as planned, but this will open up your deal to far more investors that we can get in our current events and close the distance gap around the state.

How does it work?

Approved entrepreneur deals will be posted to our crowdfunding platform and include executive summary information and more to promote your deal. Accredited investors will login to see deals, and if they want to learn more about yours, they click on an “I’m interested” button and we’ll line up a followup.

What does it cost?

We are not a broker/dealer so we don’t take commissions, success fees, or equity. We do charge a monthly flat fee to post on our site/month. Entrepreneurs will pay $500/month (with a 3 month minimum). After all, it takes time to meet investors and build a relationship. In that first three months, we help you with your documents (executive summary, pitch deck, and five year financials) and mail to our investors on a regular basis about your deal. Investors interested in your deal will be able to click the “interest” button and we’ll line up a conference call, webinar, or in-person meeting.

Entrepreneurs that commit to six months on our crowdfunding platform will receive several added services from us: you will be invited to a physical funding forum and to one of our funded cocktail receptions.

Remember, we are helping you raise funding, and not raising funding for you. Investors pay nothing to participate in our crowdfunding platform, but they must be accredited to have access to the deals on the site.

Find out more

Space on our crowdfunding platform will be limited and we will be taking only the deals that we believe we can help.

On March 22 at 2:00 CT, we will be hosting a webinar to go into detail about how our crowfunding platform works and give you the opportunity to ask questions. If you think your deal would be resonate with our investor network, we urge you to Apply Now our crowdfunding platform and participate in the webinar!

Jennifer Bullard Talks about Captivate

Where are you from originally?

Upstate New York, Hudson Falls specifically

What university did you go to?

SUNY Potsdam

What brought you to Austin?

Opportunities in the video game industry

What is your group’s mission?

Celebrate creativity, convergence, education and entrepreneurism in games, film and music.

What need does it fulfill?

Captivate provides a place for a variety of groups who do not have venues to showcase their work.  By providing a low-cost entry point pre-seed companies can gain market validation, students can compete for prestigious nation-wide prizes allowing the colleges validation of their programs.  Professors and teachers will have professional development and can interact with professionals, finding the support they need.  Conference material will have heavy focus on career development, hands-on professional development, entrepreneurial skills and much more.  

What exactly does it bring to startups?

In two words: Market Validation.  Captivate has a unique system that will provide each exhibitor with real data that can be used to validate a product.  Nowhere else can you get the opinion of thousands of people who have experienced your product for such a low price.

What type of startup would benefit from your group?

Any start up that utilizes digital media of any kind.  Whether traditionally tagged as games, social, web, film, animation, education or music all of these start-ups have more in common than is often thought. 

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?

Getting everyone on the same page about what the conference will shape up to be and ensuring Captivate does not cross lines with SXSW and RTX.  Our goal is to enhance the culture of the creative industries, not detract from any other operating group.  Captivate’s offerings are distinctly different from other conferences.  One of our goals is to feed start-ups into SXSW’s exhibition floor.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Make networking one of your Rocks.  That is, figure out what types of people you don’t know and then go make them your friends.  A strong network will connect you to resources, provide feedback and often help you out in ways you haven’t considered.  I mentioned Rocks – you need to focus on the big stuff and keep it 2-3 at most.  Any more and you’ll lose focus on what is important and miss opportunities.

What Austin-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

The City of Austin, Chamber of Commerce, Texas Film Commission, Music Commission and Texas Entrepreneur Networks have all been extremely helpful in getting Captivate off the ground!  Each organization has offered support and advice in some excellent ways.  I recommend all of these groups to anyone.

Best regards,

Hall T. 

Natalie Betts, Talks about the International Economic Development Program for the City of Austin

Natalie Betts, Acting International Economic Development Program for the City of Austin

Where are you from originally?

Tucson, Arizona.

What university did you go to?

I got my bachelor’s at Emory University in Atlanta, GA and my Masters of Public Affairs at Indiana University.

What brought you to Austin?

As an undergrad, I did a summer internship in Austin and fell in love with the city.  Austin was my top choice when looking for jobs after graduation from IU.

What is your group’s mission?

The City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office’s (EGRSO) mission is to create a cultural and economic environment that enhances the vitality of the community in a manner that preserves Austin's character and environment.

What need does it fulfill?

We are the point of contact for businesses within the City government. We help small businesses navigate through the development process, oversee incentive deals, and help companies of all sizes expand in many ways, by promoting a strong quality of life, a healthy business climate and through international trade.

What exactly does it bring to startups?

Our office is a great connector and information provider for startups. It is our job to know the business landscape and connect businesses to the resources available to them. Through our business education classes and technical assistance we make sure that startups are armed with the knowledge and business acumen they need to be successful. We also provide market research information at our Business Solutions Center, calendars of events in our various newsletters, and information fairs like Meet the Lender. 

What type of startup would benefit from your group?

All of them! We have different services for different types of startups. We have our BizOpen service for startups that are opening a storefront, our Emerging Tech Program for technology startups, an International Trade and Investment Program for startups who are interested in utilizing international markets. If there is a service gap in the community, we want to hear about it, so get in touch! It’s our job to make sure every business has a strong foundation for growth.

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?

Our current initiative is a funding forum that will take place at the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) North American Division Workshop here in Austin. Local, national, and international companies will be able to pitch to Austin investors.  The most challenging aspect of this initiative is that it is the first of its kind for this organization (IASP). We are introducing the concept of a funding forum and have to make the case for its relevance to science parks and areas of innovation around the world. Because of its newness, it is also putting Austin on the global map as a destination where startups can find funding to grow their business. This initiative would be MUCH more challenging if we didn’t have our partnership with TEN; we’re so glad to be bringing TEN’s expertise to this event.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Take advantage of the resources available at the City of Austin! Having a great business idea and being knowledgeable about running a business are not the same thing. We’re here to help you develop the business skills and connections necessary for your product or service to be successful in the marketplace and start bringing jobs and wealth into our community.

What Austin-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

In my work at EGRSO I have focused mostly on international economic development. In that area, the Austin U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) is the most helpful resource available to Austin companies.  The USEAC provides free export counseling to businesses and can link local businesses to country, industry, and financing experts through their network of embassies around the world.

Robert Dobyns Talks about Funding Conzortia

Robert Dobyns Talks about Funding Conzortia

Aurora, Illinois (just outside Chicago)

What university did you go to?

What brought you to Houston?

I moved to Houston in 1989 (from Austin) to partner on a startup endeavor. My partner & I sold that business in 1993. I guess Houston kind of stuck to me, cause I’m still here.

What is your group’s mission?

To assist small businesses and creative individuals with achievement of their goals for capital acquisition via crowdfunding.

What need does it fulfill?

The most basic need of all businesses – startup & growth funding. The passage of the JOBS Act opens up a whole new financial market that entrepreneurs can tap to acquire the resources needed to start or expand their business. Equity crowdfunding will be a vital force in America’s financial future for the bracing of our economic stability and the creation of jobs.

What exactly does it bring to its members?

We offer online formats to allow individuals and businesses to present their financial needs using  social media sites likes like Facebook, Twitter, Tootzie and LinkedIn thereby aggregating funding from their “crowd” via our software platforms.

Who would benefit from your group?

We have a different online solution for different groups depending on their needs and focus:

For entrepreneurs , creatives, artists and app & game developers – CrowdWOWzer.com

For teen entrepreneurs 13-19 years of age – CrowdfundingKids.com

For businesses seeking equity funding in 2013 via their own mini IPO – Conzortia.com

For non-profits seeking funding for their projects – FundMyWish.com

We also have a free angel investor & venture capital search engine available at AngelInvestorSearchEngine.com that lists over 400 angel and venture capital groups that have funds available.

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?

Finding the proper tech talent was one. We developed software with one team and totally scrapped it after testing, in favor of a more flavorful tech design with a different team.

Another issue that was a bit challenging was payment processing integration. Some of the more conventional payment processing solutions have steered away from crowdfunding platforms, not fully understanding the process. Others, like WePay, have openly courted our industry, realizing the tremendous benefits that we offer.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Just do it…. fix it later. Life & business are both about change. It will never be perfect, so get going & morph as needed. And if you need funding, consider how crowdfunding may fit into your plans.

What Houston-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

S.C.O.R.E. Houston has many resources available to small businesses at little or no cost, including experienced mentors. They partner with Houston Community College on several initiatives to promote and grow small business in the Houston area, as well as nationwide.

The Twelve Tribes of the Austin Entrepreneur Community

Entrepreneurship and innovation come in many different forms, and so entrepreneur communities are diverse and varied.   Seth Godin once likened an entrepreneur community to a tribal society.   The participants find their tribe of like-minded people and then rarely wander far from it.  The Austin entrepreneur community is often referred to as one entity but in fact it consists of twelve tribes and perhaps more.  Each one has their own unique version of entrepreneurship with their own de facto leaders, groups, and mantras.  Here’s a list of those groups to help you find your tribe.

Technology

This is one of the largest tribes in Austin.  They believe cutting edge technology provides the opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurship.  There are many groups and leaders within the technology tribe.  They include Julie Huls leads the Austin Technology Council,  Josh Baer leads the Capital Factory  and Kevin Koym leads Tech Ranch .    Their mantra is technology is a great disruptive force which brings entrepreneurial opportunity.  

Consumer Package Goods

The presence of Whole Foods and HEB, in Central Texas has fostered this tribe which focuses on bringing innovative packaged goods to the consumer.  This includes food and beverage, health and wellness, and more.  Clayton Christopher is the de factor leader of this tribe.  Shari Wynne of the Incubation Station is another leader for this group.  Their mantra is all natural, organic, and healthy products provide opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Entertainment—Film/Music

Whether it is supporting the making of entertainment vehicles such as film and music, or building better tools for the industry, this tribe focuses on using their entrepreneurial skills to create a better, richer industry for filmmakers and musicians.   Leaders in this tribe include Greg Vendetti of GV Music Enterprises and Colin Kendrick of the Austin Music Foundation.  The AMA was created ten years ago to help artists build businesses and create a sustainable living. The music industry has been transformed by the digital media world providing entrepreneurial opportunities for artists who are trying to find innovative ways to make money with their art.  Other groups include the blackfret.org providing grants to new artists.   The tribe’s mantra is to capitalize on the rapid change in the way music and film are captured and distributed.

Independent Businesses

The local independent business is the foundation of the economy.  Those who seek to start their own business find a passion in owning their own business and serving the local community.  Leaders of this tribe include Rebecca Melancon of the Austin Independent Business Alliance .   In short, their mantra is – Be local, buy local, and sell local.

The Foodies (Slow Money and Food Trailers)

The Slow Money  movement focuses on building businesses that foster sustainable living as it directly impacts the quality of our livelihoods.  Leaders in this tribe include Wayne LaChapelle, Jarred Maxwell, and Scott Price.  Their mantra is sustainable living is the driving force behind entrepreneurship.  Also in this group are the food trailer entrepreneurs.  There are over 1200 food trailers in Central Texas providing innovative foods and drinks.     

Bootstrap

The Bootstrappers are entrepreneurs who seek to identify their core expertise and then build a business around it without outside investment.  Bootstrap Austin led by Bijoy Goswami champions this approach to starting your own business. Their mantra is know yourself, find your passion, then start your business.

Social

Social entrepreneurship is alive and well in Austin.  This group is led by de facto leader Susi Soza and John Mackey.   One of the main events for this tribe is the Dell Social Innovation Challenge which seeks to identify and support promising young social innovators who dedicate themselves to solving the world's most pressing problems with transformative ideas.  Their mantra is triple bottom line businesses not only make money but improve the world.

University of Texas Austin

The University of Texas in Austin sees hundreds of students each year with ideas for starting and growing companies.  Since many students will find their first job in the business they start rather than in working for someone else, UT has created a system for fostering and nurturing those ideas. Leaders in this tribe include Rob Adams of Texas Venture Labs, Bob Metcalfe who leads the One Semester Startup, Cam Houser who leads the 3 Day Startup,  and Idea to IP class) and Kyle Cox and Sriram Vishwanath who organize the Idea to IP class.  Their mantra is the next great idea comes from the next generation and the university teaching them.

Entrepreneur Organization

The Entrepreneurs Organization or EO as it is called is a global organization but it has a strong local chapter.  Companies with $1M in revenue are invited to join EO  which highlights successful entrepreneurs and fosters mentoring through a networking program in which each entrepreneur shares their experience with others. Leaders in this tribe are numerous but to name a few would include Eric Hennenhoefer, Alan Blake, and Corey Bell.  Their mantra for business is let’s come together to learn from one another.

                                                                                     

Life science

Life science is the number one funded segment in the state of Texas and includes both healthcare and biotechnology.  This group fosters the development of medical devices, healthcare IT, and biotech solutions.  De facto leaders here include Matt Winkler of Asuragen, Jack Hart who leads the Texas Medical Device Alliance  and  Cindy Walker Peach who leads the life science initiative at the Austin Technology Incubator.  With the creation of a medical school, this tribe will certainly grow in the coming years.   Their mantra is this is the age of Healthcare and Biotechnology which brings many entrepreneurial opportunities.

The Geeks

Opportunity for new solutions lies in the exploding world of technology and those who understand and master it are in a prime position to take advantage of the next big thing.  The leaders of this tribe are Lynn Bender of Geek Austin and  Matt Genovese of Door64 .   Their mantra is that new computer languages, platforms, and information technology drive innovation.

Gaming

Austin is the third largest gaming community in the country.  Most of the major studios hold a presence in Austin and continue to invest in the gaming community.  Gaming (not the gambling kind) generates more annual revenue than movies.  The de facto leader of this tribe is Richard Garriott.  The International Game Developers Association  is the main group here.  Their mantra is gaming provides technologies and talent that will drive innovation in many industries for the next generation.

There are numerous groups that provide access to these communities through umbrella events catering to several tribes at once.  These groups include RISE run by Claire England.  The SxSWStartup Village run by Chris Valentine and Austin Startup Week  run by Jacqueline Hughes. No matter what your entrepreneurial passion, there’s probably a tribe in Austin that fits you.  

Best regards,

Hall T. 

Mike Romanies Talks about the Austin Healthy Living and Good Eating Expo

Mike Romanies Talks about the Austin Healthy Living and Good Eating Expo

Where are you from originally?

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.

What university did you go to?

Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA

What brought you to Austin?

An Austin Ventures start-up/turn-around brought me to Austin in 2001.

What is your group’s mission?

My City Shows is an Austin, TX based Event Management Company focused on bringing unique personal contact events to communities which benefit local vendors and charitable causes.

Through our community friendly events, local vendors of products and services can have the opportunity to meet with new prospective customers. Consumers have access to local suppliers of goods and services in a convenient venue from which they can sample, and buy, from local vendors while also assisting local non-profits.

What need does it fulfill?

The events provide a venue for local small business to expose their products and services to their local communities enabling them to expand their customer bases and obtain consumer feedback.

The first event, TheAustin Healthy Living and Good Eating Expo, will feature Healthy and Natural Products, Services, Food, Snacks, and activities. Unlike many other venues, product and food sampling and sales are encouraged providing immediate and direct sales and product feedback.

What exactly does it bring to startups?

Start-up will benefit from reasonably priced access to a targeted and local audience of consumers whom have specifically chosen to attend the event.

Best regards,

Hall T. 

Colin Kendrick of the Austin Music Foundation Talks about Blackfret

Colin Kendrick of the Austin Music Foundation Talks about Blackfret

Where are you from originally?  

Austin

What university did you go to?  

Colin holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a dual concentration in finance and accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in radio, television, and film with a concentration in audio engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.  During his undergraduate studies, Colin worked two seasons at KLRU public television as an audio intern for the award winning, nationally televised music program Austin City Limits.  His experiences there and his graduate studies on sustainable funding for non-profits served as the catalyst for the concepts underlying the Austin Music Foundation and Black Fret.

What brought you to Austin?  

I grew up in Austin and learned to love our city’s amazing music scene at a young age.  I’ve seen the rewards it has brought our community and I’ve seen both the joys and the hardships it imposes on our artists.

What is your group’s mission?

Black Fret will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in grants to Austin’s popular local musicians to assist them in the creation and performance of new music.  Full information can be found at www.BlackFret.org .

What need does it fulfill? 

It has never been harder to make a living as a musician.  For centuries both classical and opera music have had the benefit of community financial support.  Nothing like that has ever existed for the music that defines the moments of our generation. Black Fret is a young and vital new model for arts patronage that addresses that need.

For those musicians we serve, we provide a critical service at a critical time.  As much as the digital revolution has empowered artists with falling costs to produce and distribute their music… it has taken more.  Piracy, the collapse of the major record labels and a flood of starry-eyed bands willing to give their music away for free have endangered the livelihood of musicians who would otherwise be able to make a living with their art.

This challenge is compounded when you consider that cities with great local music scenes are among the most desirable places to live.  They generally have growing economies driven by an excess of creative young inexpensive labor.  Their success also means that the cost of living in music towns tends to rise fast.  Many of these cities find themselves fighting to retain the cultural assets that made them great.

What exactly does it bring to startups?

Black Fret provides financially material grants that allow musicians to create and perform new music.  Grant recipients are compensated for performing and touring, writing and recording new songs, mentoring other bands, and providing public service to other charities and schools.

What type of startup would benefit from your group?

Black Fret provides grants to rising and established musicians living in Austin through an invitation only application process.  Nominees are selected by our members, by fellow musicians and by the general public through the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards. 

What was the most challenging aspect of starting up the initiative?

The hardest part of starting a non-profit to serve local musicians is getting donors to understand why those artists need and deserve our support.  When most folks think of the music industry they think about the glamorous lives of young and famous pop stars or their deadbeat friend who never worked an “honest” job in his life.  For 99.99% of musicians it isn’t like that.  They spend years and years perfecting their skills, refining their art and they do so with little to no support, risking their long term financial security and relationships because they believe, truly believe in the power of music to influence people.  They are true entrepreneurs who know their product, their art, can change the world.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

If you’re serious about your art, learn to run it like a business.

What Austin-based resource have you found to be the most helpful and why?

Austin is lucky to have some amazing non-profits supporting our music community.  The Austin Music Foundation provides business education and mentoring to our local artists.  The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) and the SIMS Foundation provide healthcare and addiction recover services.

TEN's Startup Funding Report for Fourth Quarter, 2013

 Here's our latest report on startup funding in the state of Texas for Q4, 2012.  You can see the full report here. 

The Texas Entrepreneur Networks Startup Funding Report represents private investments made into Texas startup and early stage companies for the fourth quarter of 2012.  This report includes registered investments as well as the business entity filings for the state.  There is also a report from Gust, (www.gust.com) that highlights dealflow in the Texas-based angel networks.  Trends are noted as well as a forecast for early stage investments.  Also, the Texas Entrepreneur Network Startup Index which measures the health of startup businesses is shown.

TEN Startup Index

For Q4, 2012, the TEN Startup Index remained at 43, the same as the previous quarter but up from 30 over the year ago quarter.

Trends in Sectors

Overall the leading category for funding sector was Biotechnology at $72M with 16 deals, followed by Other at $67M comprised of 34 deals and Semiconductor at $59M with 2 deals, and Healthcare at $23M with 20 deals. 

Trends in Regions

The Central Texas region came in first with 48 deals worth $139M in funding, followed by the North Texas region with 35 deals worth $92M.  Following that is the Gulf Coast region with 20 deals worth $35M, the South region with 4 deals worth $28M, and the West region with 2 deals worth $2M.

TxEN Funded Companies

Startups seeking funding who participated in the TxEN program raised over $1.75M in the 4th quarter of 2012.

Texas Startup Investment Trends

Crowdfunding skyrockets in attention and traction with the passage of the JOBS Act of 2012 in April.  While the laws are still under review, there is an explosion in the number of crowdfunding sites coming online. According to Massolution, there are over 520 crowdfunding websites today.   Equity-based sites are growing the fastest at 30%.

Business Filings

Business filings of new entities in the state of Texas in the 4th quarter added 29,861 new entities which is a 20% increase over the number of new entities filed in Q3, 2012.

GUST Data

In the fourth quarter of 2012, there were 1021 funding applications forwarded to investor groups in Texas. Texas remained in fourth place in the top 10 list of deal-making US states.  The leading industry seeking funding was Web Services at 9% of the deals.