SXSW VIP Insiders Guide 2020 — www.bitly.com/sxswvip

This is a work in progress as it’s being updated from 2019 — The VIP Guide is the most comprehensive list of official and unofficial events during SXSW geared towards business professionals. Please send me events you’d like to promote during SXSW — marc+sxsw@tsquaredagency.com

Capital Factory Acquires Station Houston

Capital Factory Acquires Station Houston As Part Of Statewide Innovation Strategy — Link
- Houston Chronicle’s Andrea Lienfelder
Capital Factory Doubles Down on Houston — Link
- Capital Factory’s Joshua Baer
Station Houston Merges With Statewide Startup Investor And Accelerator — Link
- Innovation Map’s Natalie Harms
Houston Startup Incubator Combines With Major Austin Accelerator — Link
- Houston Business Journal’s Chris Matthews
Capital Factory Expands Reach, Merges With Houston Incubator — Link
- Austin American-Statesman’s Kara Carlson
Capital Factory Expands Into Houston by Merging with Station Houston — Link
- Silicon Hills News’ Laura Lorek
Live Announcement from Station Houston with Gaby Rowe, Joshua Baer, and Gordon Daugherty — Video
Capital Factory Adds To Its Statewide Reach — Link
- Austin Business Journal’s Chris Mathews
Capital Factory Expands Further Into Texas — Link
- North Texas Inno’s Kevin Cummings

“Current members of Station Houston will be able to access mentors, educational programming, investors and coworking space at Capital Factory’s Austin and Dallas locations. Station Houston members located downtown will stay downtown until the Ion opens in early 2021. They will then move into the Ion, where Capital Factory will become a founding tenant.” — Andrea Lienfelder

Exclusive: Houston Investors Close Third HALO Fund — Link

- Houston Business Journal’s Chris Mathews

Texas Halo Fund, a Houston-based investment fund composed of four managing directors, closed its third venture capital fund.

Texas Halo Fund raised $6 million for Halo III, the fund’s managing directors told the Houston Business Journal. Managing Director Rob Tucci said that the group has over $17 million under management across its three active funds. Halo I was launched in 2012, and Halo II was launched in 2017.

MassChallenge Texas in Austin Launch 2020

MassChallenge Texas in Austin Launch 2020
Wednesday, January 29, 2020 5:30 PM — 7:30 PM CST
South Congress Hotel
1603 South Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78704
REGISTER

SXSW Pitch: The 50 Finalists for 2020 — Link
So you think you’re ready for a pivot — Link
3 Texas Cities Recognized in Inc.’s List of Best Places to Start a Business — Link
- Austin Startups
Chrono.gg raises $5.5 million for online games distribution portal — Link
- VentureBeat
Austin medical Innovation District would generate $800M, 2,800 new jobs, study finds — Link
- KXAN
Could 3-D Printing Solve the Housing Crisis in Austin and Beyond? — Link
- Austin Monthly Magazine
2020 Vision: What You Missed at Austin Inno’s Startups to Watch Event [Gallery] — Link
SXSW Announces 7 Austin Startups as Finalists for the 2020 Innovation Awards — Link
Inno-Approved: The Top Austin Tech and Startup Events to Attend In February — Link
Capital Factory Adds Houston to its Texas Locations — Link
Meet the 6 Companies in the Army Capability Accelerator in Austin — Link
- Austin Inno’s Brett Wistrom — Subscribe Here
Commission recommends ban on cashless retail — Link
Area leaders hear of economic, community benefits forecast for innovation district — Link
AE, but not drivers, charging toward renewable goals — Link
Arts community hears feedback on city’s diversity goals for cultural funding — Link
- Austin Monitor
Facial recognition lawsuit: Underdog Illinois vs. heavyweight Facebook — Link
Regulation of AI is recognized as necessary by tech giants — Link
GM’s new $3B commitment to Michigan means thousands of new jobs — Link
All the creative services you need are curated in one place — Link
Which security company (that knows better) is actively selling your data? — Link
WTH is ‘Green UX’ anyway? — Link
Soma AI + ML = security system to reduce the number of mass shootings — Link
How SmileDirectClub uses NDAs to silence bad reviews — Link
- American Genius
Stoplight Raises $6 Million in Additional Funding — Link
MassChallenge Texas Begins Accepting Applications for its Austin and Houston Programs — Link
SXSW Announces its 2020 Innovation Award Nominees Including Seven From Austin — Link
QuestionPro Moves its Headquarters from San Francisco to Austin — Link
Dealing with Space Junk and Managing Space Traffic is the Focus of UT Austin Conference — Link
Galvanize is Bought by K12 for $165 Million — Link
25 of Austin’s Hottest Startups to Watch in 2020 — Link
- Silicon Hills News’ Laura Lorek
Upcoming SXSW Meet Ups in Austin — Link
SXSW Pitch Finalist: Quicc — Link
SXSW Pitch Finalist: Cove.tool — Link
SXSW Pitch Finalists: Radiobotics — Link
SXSW Pitch Finalist: Sapient — Link
SXSW Pitch Finalist: Intvo — Link
2020 Innovation Awards Finalists Announced and Hall of Fame Inductee Nonny de la Peña — Link
Why Go Platinum? — Link
Check Out These Free, Open to the Public SXSW Expos — Link
A Cocktail for Everyone at the SXSW Wellness Expo — Link
Women in Startups — Link
Innovation is More Than Just Disrupting Industries — Link
- SXSW’s Hugh Forrest
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, UT Austin Team Up to Close College Graduation Rate Gaps Across Income Levels — Link
5 Groundbreaking Medical Devices Invented by UT Students — Link
Factor Health Links Diverse Partners to Embed Community-based Health Interventions for Children in Travis County — Link
UT-Austin, Dell Foundation to provide $20,000 to certain Pell-eligible freshmen starting fall 2020 — Link
UT dermatologist uses AI in imaging technology to improve patient outcomes — Link
UT alums receive grant for entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan communities — Link
UT online enrollment grows 81% since 2015 — Link
College graduates impacting gentrification in Texas metros, Fed report says — Link
Authentic, New York-style bagels sold in dining halls after student feedback — Link
UT business students develop, create skincare line — Link
Capital Metro introduces electric buses to routes — Link
Q&A: Art Markman talks how to beat back-to-school slump — Link
Forty Acres Pharmacy uses QR codes to share medication information with patients — Link
- University of Texas
Stoplight Raises $6M to Streamline API Development — Link
How Yonder Got Companies to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet — Link
Atari Plans to Build a Video Game Themed Hotel in Austin — Link
How NSS Labs Helps Companies Navigate the Complicated Space of Cybersecurity — Link
- BuiltinAustin
These are the businesses benefitting from the new era of Austin economic incentives — Link
This Austin startup helped a Super Bowl lineman get his medical degree — Link
Austin commission: Businesses should be forced to accept cash — Link
Austin still has the top tech salaries in Texas — but maybe not for much longer — Link
Journal Profile: Delfo Trombetta brings international tastes to Austin’s restaurant scene — Link
Capital Gains: A news outlet launch, a grocery giveaway and some Super Bowl stats — Link
After bankruptcy, Mr. Gatti’s Pizza plans expansion — Link
Office Hours: 3 fledgling startups coming up in Austin — Link
First look: After surpassing $200M in revenue, furniture designer makes over its own HQ — Link
Freedom Solar is growing exponentially in Houston — Link
Texas business journals to launch interview podcast — Link
New digital bank offers airline miles instead of interest — Link
Chipmaker Cirrus Logic names president — Link
CEO: Bay Area ‘not sustainable’ so we’re moving to Austin — Link
Kronologic exec shares map for startup’s rapid growth after $1M injection — Link
Pflugerville paves way for massive Amazon distribution facility — Link
Cedar Park incentives proposed for local brewery, regional HQ — Link
AMD chief Lisa Su joins Cisco board as networking giant touts 5G, silicon products — Link
Investors pour nearly $14M into Wheel for startup’s next phase — Link
Video game maker: $12M funding is ‘final financial step’ to first release — Link
6 startups cozy up with Austin’s Army Futures Command — Link
Report: Innovation district to bring thousands more jobs to downtown in next 10 years — Link
Atari-themed hotel pegged for Austin, other cities — Link
Coding bootcamp Galvanize acquired for $165M — Link
How an Austin company is making San Antonio manufacturing jobs more appealing — Link
In the money Jan. 27: Nearly $91M raised by Austin startups — Link
UT has another record year for sports revenue, according to report — Link
- Austin Business Journal
Austin-based Stoplight raises $6M for growth — Link
Sustainable shoe brand Allbirds arrives in Austin with store opening — Link
Austin’s Mitratech acquires London data privacy firm — Link
Austin’s Superconductor Technologies cutting staff as part of cost-reduction plan — Link
Austin’s Enzyme Health lands $13.9M, rebrands as Wheel — Link
Austin game studio ArtCraft raises $11.7 million to help launch first title — Link
Hey, gamers: Austin could land Atari-themed hotel — Link
The 19th, Austin-based national news site for women, debuts this summer — Link
H-E-B will give away a lifetime of free groceries tied to its Super Bowl ad — Link
- Austin American-Statesman

SAN ANTONIO

Active Capital Leads $1.5M Seed Round for Social Media Management Platform Cloud Campaign — Link
Fintech Startup FloatMe Closes $250,000 Pre-Seed Round — Link
San Antonio Startup Events for the Week of February 3, 2020 — Link
- San Antonio Startups
TechTonics: Medical Device Startup CEO Eyes Regulatory OK After Years-Long Wait — Link
City Announces CivTechSA Challenges as Startup Residency Program Enters Third Year — Link
City Looks to Learn from Private Sector Through Upcoming R&D League — Link
Hispanic Chamber CEO Diane Sánchez Resigns After Less Than 1 Year on Job — Link
- The Rivard Report
SA isn’t Hollywood, but it’s a rising star among movie makers — Link
Gaming community wants San Antonio to stop playing around — Link
SA sports firm CEO out to prove coastal critics wrong — Link
SABJ 40 Under 40 Man of the Year paints a better picture for those in need — Link
SABJ 40 Under 40 Woman of the Year built her career around helping others — Link
Meet the SABJ 40 Under 40 class of 2020 — Link
Prepare for invasion: Most searching online for SA homes don’t live here — see where they’re from — Link
GlobalSCAPE names permanent CEO — Link
Globalscape revenue grows by double digits in 2019 — Link
Rackspace partners with Houston company to protect Amazon’s cloud — Link
City reveals which local research giants will take on new initiative — Link
Dallas Fed names university president to board of San Antonio branch — Link
How an Alamo City company is helping position the East Side as a biomedical epicenter — Link
Massive layoffs not enough to stop WeWork’s SA plans — Link
Local tech-focused venture capital firm looking for millions more to invest — Link
EXCLUSIVE: What’s next for Hispanic Chamber as CEO steps down — Link
Two Hispanic chamber officers step into the national stage — Link
City’s creatives bringing in more cash to the Alamo City — Link
UTSA lines up interim leadership for new college — Link
Denmark company blowing into South Texas with $360M wind farm — Link
How an Austin company is helping make SA manufacturing jobs appealing — Link
Hispanic Chamber CEO resigns less than a year into her tenure — Link
- San Antonio Business Journal
Here’s What You Missed at NTX Inno’s Startups to Watch 2020 Party — Link
How Chuck Norris and a Duty to Give Back Helped Launch a DFW Water Startup — Link
Plano’s OneDine Looks to Bring Tech Table-Side with $5M Series A — Link
#OfficeEnvy: Check Out Nonprofit Per Scholas’ Downtown Dallas Digs — Link
- NTXInno’s Kevin Cummings
New female-centric Texas news outlet seeks to revolutionize journalism — Link
- Culture Map Dallas
Dallas-based ride-hailing company Alto raises $6 million to expand in Dallas, start driving in two new cities — Link
- The Dallas Morning News
The Future Is Here: 50 North Texas Innovators and Disruptors Having a Breakout Moment — Link
DFW Universities Rank Among Nation’s Top Online Educational Programs — Link
Discovery: UTSW Scientists Use AI to Improve Radiation Therapy, UTD Prof Gets $2.7M in Grants for Protein Research — Link
Atmos Energy Commits to Methane Emission Reduction by Joining ONE Future — Link
Big Thought Launches a New Division Offering Educational Consulting — Link
Follow the Money: Mercado Labs Gets $3.2M, PLH Group Raises $25.7M; Three Agencies Merge to Form $500M Firm — Link
Q+A: Rent My Wardrobe’s Rachel Sipperley Talks Company Culture and Female Empowerment — Link
International Developers: Meet Jack Matthews From London (Ontario), Canada — Link
International Developers: Meet Mike Hoque From Dhaka, Bangladesh — Link
International Developers: Meet Fehmi Karahan From Istanbul, Turkey — Link
International Developers: Meet Mehrdad Moayedi From Tehran, Iran — Link
International Developers: Meet Gabriel Barbier-Mueller From Geneva, Switzerland — Link
International Influence: Meet 5 Developers Who Came To DFW and Changed The Landscape — Link
The IQ: Richardson Innovation District Gets New Name and Branding to Attract Innovators — Link
Seven DFW Leaders Selected as Presidential Leadership Scholars — Link
McKinney EDC Launches Innovation Fund for Tech Startups — Link
Dallas Innovates 2020 Thought Leaders: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, C1 Innovation Lab — Link
Dallas Innovates 2020 Thought Leaders: Bank of Texas — Link
Mercado Labs Gets $3.2M in Seed Funding for Global Supply Chain’s ‘First Mile’ — Link
Dallas Innovates 2020 Thought Leaders: Allen Economic Development Corporation — Link
Dallas Innovates 2020 Thought Leaders: 900lbs — Link
Thought Leaders: Dallas Innovates The [Tech] Talent Issue — Link
Dallas Invents: 111 Patents Granted for Week of Jan. 21 — Link
T.D. Jakes Foundation Launches to Raise $100M for STEAM Education in Underserved Communities — Link
DI People: Match Group, MoneyGram, AVIO Consulting, and Comerica Make Leadership Moves — Link
Match Group Names Dubey as Chief Executive After Longtime CEO Mandy Ginsberg Steps Down — Link
Plano Restaurant Tech Startup OneDine Raises $5M to Broaden App’s Reach — Link
North Texas Corporate Innovators Set the Stage for Disruption — Link
TWU is Hosting a Citizen Science Symposium This Week — Link
The Sinclair, the ‘World’s First All-Digital Hotel,’ Opens in Downtown Fort Worth — Link
The USPTO is Now Accepting National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nominations — Link
The 7 Trends Ripe With Opportunity That Have the Potential to Shape Our Future — Link
Thought Leaders: Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas — Link
Thought Leaders: Linux Academy — Link
Thought Leaders: DevMountain — Link
Thought Leaders: BG Staffing — Link
- Dallas Innovates
TEDxSMU: The Tenth Anniversary — Link
Rethinking Amenities in the Age of the Human Experience — Link
Are We Fighting a Losing Battle With Scooter Companies? — Link
- D Magazine
Dallas PE firms back Houston energy startup — Link
GameStop — already at junk status — hit with another debt downgrade as sales dive — Link
Relying on real-world experience, he’s writing a winning formula for test prep — Link
Rural Texas counties to hold public hearing on Dallas to Houston high-speed rail project — Link
How this fast-growing Plano firm is working to make health care less transactional — Link
Form-D Friday: Scout Energy Partners raises $134M — Link
She’s living her passion for health care as CEO of this Lewisville hospital — Link
His goal is to achieve an outsized return for investors of his early stage tech VC firm — Link
For the fourth year in a row, this Dallas energy investment firm is looking to double in size — Link
New VC firm raises more than $15M for health care and tech startups — Link
Dallas-area tech salaries nearly match Austin’s — Link
Why 2020 is setting up to be a banner year for shakedown cybercriminals — Link
How this leader is translating her product marketing experience at Tenet Healthcare — Link
Roundup of recent deals and dollars: Integrity Marketing Group acquires West Virginia company — Link
Appeals court broadens noncompete injunction on former executive of Irving company — Link
Another data center is coming to North Texas — Link
CEO of Dallas’ Match Group steps down ahead of spinoff — Link
Navin Rao: GCs must get ‘incredibly more aggressive’ in demanding diversity — Link
Startup is looking to raise about $2M to help companies keep best employees from leaving — Link
Frisco to host League of Legends spring championship — Link
Private equity jumps as this Texas city experiences a surge in venture funding — Link
Plano firm grabs $5M in funding amid ‘overwhelming’ demand with restaurants — Link
Report: North Texas startups close strong 2019 with $753M in venture funding — Link
Texas Capital Bancshares launches digital bank where consumers earn airline miles instead of interest — Link
Dallas company eyes $40M revenue goal as competition intensifies — Link
- Dallas Business Journal
Texas A&M New Ventures Competition — Apply Now
What’s next for mother, daughter after deal on ‘Shark Tank’? — Link
- Bryan-College Station Eagle
CommonGrounds Introduces 2nd Texas Location — Link
- Commercial Property Executive’s Sergiu Inizian
We Chat With Freelancers And An Entertainment Lawyer On How To Protect Your Work And Prevent Wage Theft In The Gig Economy — Link
- Houston Media Matters
Female-centric Texas news outlet seeks to revolutionize journalism — Link
Houston biotech company is creating a drug that could fight the coronavirus — Link
App created by Houston entrepreneur tracks personal sustainability — Link
5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week — Link
Houston tech company gets green light from NASA to train commercial astronauts — Link
3 personality traits every entrepreneur has, according to the University of Houston — Link
Houston’s spike in VC deals, accelerator acquired, new coworking, and more innovation news — Link
Growing Houston energy tech company plans to hire 150 new employees this year — Link
NASA taps Houston startup to create commercial habitat to attach to the International Space Station — Link
Entrepreneur feels called to demystify cryptocurrency with his Houston startup — Link
Station Houston merges with statewide startup investor and accelerator — Link
4 tips for Houstonians tuning into telemedicine from local health care exec — Link
New Houston-based fund raises $50 million to back mobility startups — Link
Houston listed among top cities expected to see office job growth — Link
Houston-based energy logistics software prepares to hire, raise funds as it scales up — Link
Houston energy exec scores well on list of top CEOs at Fortune 100 companies — Link
3 Houston innovators to know this week — Link
- InnovationMap’s Natalie Harms / Culture Map Houston
Introducing the TMCx Spring 2020 Finalists — Link
- Texas Medical Center
Rice’s Baker Institute and its Center for Energy Studies at top of global think tank rankings — Link
Rice fluids researcher earns solid federal support — Link
Veteran and military spouses given new opportunities — Link
Rice lab turns trash into valuable graphene in a flash — Link
New trade agreement good for US digital products, says Baker Institute expert — Link
- Rice University
What’s at Stake with Census 2020? — Link
UH Expands Courses, Degree Offerings in Katy, Sugar Land — Link
UH Cougar Cupboard to Fuel Student Success — Link
The Sales Academy Launches at UH — Link
Can Mindfulness Keep Offshore Energy Workers Safe? — Link
The Facts About a Wage Dispute Involving Quad Construction Workers — Link
$5 Million Gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to Fund Scholarships for UH Medical Students; Create Pipeline Program — Link
Improved Brain Chip for Precision Medicine — Link
- University of Houston
Houston firms land major commercial space work from NASA — Link
Texas city paves way for massive Amazon distribution facility — Link
Austin solar co. expands Houston footprint — Link
Dallas PE firms back Houston energy startup — Link
Coworking company to introduce its first standalone coffee shop in Houston — Link
Texas-based gastropub chain files for bankruptcy, closes a Houston location — Link
Pro esports team moves operations to Houston area, preps for local debut — Link
San Jacinto College to offer first bachelor’s degree later this year — Link
UH Law Center receives gift from local law firm, renames career services center — Link
University of Houston business school unveils strategic plan — Link
Memorial Hermann Health System to sell laboratory division — Link
New digital Texas bank launches offering airline miles instead of interest — Link
Local restaurant group unveils new downtown Houston concept — Link
Massive eatertainment chain opens fourth Houston-area location — Link
Money Monday: Houston industrial firms, venture capital fund complete deals — Link
Why a Bryan winery decided to plant roots in Houston — Link
- Houston Business Journal
Houston has the potential to be a premier innovation hub. Don’t dismiss it. — Link
Houston company to train private astronauts at NASA facilities — Link
GAO warns SpaceX, Boeing launch schedule will affect Space Station staffing — Link
NASA to have fewer astronauts in space if Boeing, SpaceX don’t start flying soon — Link
Axiom Space gets NASA nod to start developing new space station — Link
Houston company gets NASA’s blessing to build commercial space station — Link
- The Houston Chronicle’s Andrea Lienfelder / Techburger Blog
Kobe Bryant’s VC Firm Holds More Than $2B In Assets — Pymnts.com — Link
Knight Foundation granting more than $1 million to fuel Miami’s startup scene — Miami Herald — Link
Tech startups still face the Pentagon’s ‘valley of death’ — DefenseNews.com — Link
Fintech (Financial Technology) Market to hit $460 billion by 2025 — Link
Startups, cities partner to benefit from growing mobility initiatives — Auto Remarketing
- Link
UPS and Waymo team to accelerate the future of delivery — The Verge — Link
Women Entrepreneurs Aren't Getting Funded. Can B-Schools Help? - Poets & Quants
- Link
Five culture trends that will dominate the workplace in 2020 - FastCompany - Link
Era of mega-funded, money-losing unicorns is coming to an end - CNBC - Link
How to Use Your Expertise to Start a Consulting Business - Entrepreneur Magazine - Link
5 things every founder should know before raising money - Business Insider - Link
15 Big Legal Mistakes Made By Startups - Forbes - Link

Tech Events Network: Austin | Dallas | Houston | San Antonio

[Re]Verse Pitch 2020 Opening Pitch Event
Monday, February 10th 6:00-8:00 pm
Rowling Hall - Crum Auditorium
300 W. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
REGISTER

Austin Entrepreneur Social - February
by Grace Stinnett
Thursday, February 27, 2020 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM CST
Casa de Luz Village
1701 Toomey Road Austin, TX 78704
REGISTER

The Startup Mentor - Kickstarter Launch
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CST
Capital Factory
701 Brazos Street 1st floor Austin, TX 78701
REGISTER

SXSW 2020 Community Meet Up at Mexic-Arte Museum
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CST
Mexic-Arte Museum
419 Congress Austin, TX 78701
REGISTERHow Do Founders Overcome Hurdles When Building Repeatable Sales?
Hosted by Stephen R. White and Houston Startups
Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Houston Technology Center
410 Pierce St. Houston, Texas 77002
REGISTER

Professional Athletes and Family Offices Unite for Impact
Thursday February 13, 2020 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
The St. Regis Houston
1919 Briar Oaks Lane Houston, TX 77027
REGISTER

Startup Gigs: A Tech Focused Career Fair
by The Ion
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM CST
Station Houston
1301 Fannin Street Ste 2440 Houston, TX 77002
REGISTER

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This newsletter is about news and opinions about Texas Startups.

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SXSW VIP Insiders Guide 2020 — www.bitly.com/sxswvip

Capital Factory Acquires Station Houston

Exclusive: Houston Investors Close Third HALO Fund — Link

MassChallenge Texas in Austin Launch 2020

Written by Marc Nathan

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