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Austin Next

Jason Scharf

Austin is building the new tech, cultural, and intellectual stack. The region is a living laboratory to answer a single question: How do you build a global innovation superpower?

Host Jason Scharf dissects innovation from the individual to the ecosystem. From the soundstage to the data center to the fab, we decode the mechanics of Austin's innovation ecosystem.

As Atoms, Bits, and Intelligence converge, we explore how Hard Tech scale, digital velocity, and creative density collide. This is an audit of the future. We map the physics of the flywheel so builders and investors can navigate the chaos.

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  • 22 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 3 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • #165
    Sep 24, 2025 · 57 min

    Is Austin a Music Incubator? | Terry Lickona, Austin City Limits

    Austin exports culture the way it exports tech. Terry Lickona, longtime executive producer of Austin City Limits, argues Austin is a music incubator, not the music industry, and that’s a feature. We map venues, economics, the tech crossover, and what keeps the scene original. Highlights 01:12 Austin Music Today: vibrant, original, authentic. 06:49 Streaming’s role, why touring pays. 11:30 Arena bookings, pricing, club spend 18:30 Venue design and experience 25:55 Music districts and competition for your dollar 36:25 How ACL books talent and stays eclectic. 44:31 The “Live Music Capital” narrative and exports. 53:25 AI in music: Tool vs crutch 58:55 What’s Next Austin? Guest Bio Since 1978, Terry Lickona has been the producer, now executive producer, of "Austin City Limits." Celebrating 38 years on PBS, ACL is the longest-running popular music series in American television history. In 2003, the President of the United States awarded ACL the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence. In 2012, ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement. Terry has also produced other specials and series for public television, cable, domestic and foreign syndication, home video, and DVD - over 800 programs, with artists ranging from Ray Charles and Johnny Cash to Juanes, Coldplay and Neil Young to Willie Nelson, Arcade Fire, Radiohead and Pearl Jam. October 2012 also marks the 11th anniversary of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, one of the most successful music festivals in the country. In 2011 Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater opened its doors in downtown Austin as a world class live performance venue combined with a state of the art studio soundstage. Lickona has been the co-producer of the Grammy Awards Show on CBS since 2012. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences from 2005-2006. He also currently serves on the Board of the Latin Recording Academy. A native of Poughkeepsie, New York, he has lived in Austin, Texas since 1974. Guest Links Austin City Limits: Website, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X ------------------- Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

  • #164
    Sep 9, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

    From Wristbands to AI: A New Cancer Playbook | Suzanne Stone, CEO, Livestrong

    How do you go from a cultural icon like the yellow wristbands to building AI products? Livestrong’s CEO Suzanne Stone argues that the through line is a focus on survivorship, the life you live from diagnosis onward. This is the leap from story to community to software and back again. Highlights 01:34 Mission: Survivorship Over Cures 06:18 The Wristband as Community Signal 12:39 Fertility Program and Real Cost of Cancer 14:34 Copycats and What Persists 25:20 From Guidebook to Ellis, a Trusted Closed-Loop AI 38:56 Guardrails, Swim Lanes, and Safety 51:35 Revenue Engines and Scaling 01:02:40 What’s Next Austin? Guest Bio Suzanne Stone is a Texas Christian University graduate and Louisiana native whose career began in television, earning a regional Emmy Award for her work in Dallas. In 1998, she transitioned from producing television to teaching it in the nonprofit sector, leading public access television initiatives in Naperville, Illinois, and later in upstate New York. Beyond media, Suzanne spent four years as Head Coach of a New York Community college women’s basketball team while simultaneously managing a local TV station. Her passion for impact-driven work led her back to Texas, where she has since dedicated her career to leading nonprofit organizations across the state, including Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Children’s Miracle Network, Lake Travis Education Foundation, and Susan G. Komen Greater Central and East Texas. In 2019, she joined Livestrong to spearhead its mission initiatives, and in November 2023, she was named President & CEO. Today, she leads the organization in its commitment to ensuring that anyone affected by cancer has the resources and support they need to live the highest quality of life possible, regardless of the diagnosis. Guest Links Suzanne Stone: LinkedIn Livestrong: Website, X, Ellis, Livestrong Challenge 2025 ------------------- Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

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