Most Recent Episodes
Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK
Cix Liv challenges the Silicon Valley consensus that humanoid robots belong in the warehouse or the battlefield. By explicitly rejecting the “Terminator” military arbitrage and the “Jetsons” domestic servant model, REK valida...
Is The Venture Capital Model Broken? | Andrew Romans, 7BC
The venture capital model of the last two decades, characterized by the "30-minute rule" and the race to a quick IPO, is obsolete. We are witnessing a fundamental decoupling of capital from geography and a restructuring of ho...
Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?
How do we nurture and protect the most human endeavors of creation and discovery? Zachary Levi joins us to discuss calling, technology, and a creative Ark in Austin. We move from one’s life mission to concrete plans for land...
Recent
Robot Punching is Easy, Standing is Hard
A clip from our episode "Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK"
#robotics #RealSteel #UFC #FutureOfSports #MMA #Tech #AustinNext #CombatSports #HardTech
Robot Sports Before Laundry and Soldiers
A clip from our episode "Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK"
#robotics #RealSteel #UFC #FutureOfSports #MMA #Tech #AustinNext #CombatSports #HardTech
Robot Title Match: Little Girl vs Navy Seal
A clip from our episode "Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK"
#robotics #RealSteel #UFC #FutureOfSports #MMA #Tech #AustinNext #CombatSports #HardTech
EP 168: Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK
Cix Liv challenges the Silicon Valley consensus that humanoid robots belong in the warehouse or the battlefield. By explicitly rejecting the “Terminator” military arbitrage and the “Jetsons” domestic servant model, REK validates a new thesis: entertainment is the only sector where the reliability is acceptable and economically viable.
The discussion dissects the unit economics of robot combat, the “context window” required for mainstream sport adoption, and why American “lawyer cult…
Combat as the Minimum Viable Product | Cix Liv, REK
Cix Liv challenges the Silicon Valley consensus that humanoid robots belong in the warehouse or the battlefield. By explicitly rejecting the “Terminator” military arbitrage and the “Jetsons” domestic servant model, REK valida...
EP 167: Is The Venture Capital Model Broken? | Andrew Romans, 7BC
The venture capital model of the last two decades, characterized by the "30-minute rule" and the race to a quick IPO, is obsolete. We are witnessing a fundamental decoupling of capital from geography and a restructuring of how liquidity is manufactured. In this episode, Andrew Romans of 7BC Venture Capital argues that we have entered a new era where geopolitical friction is forcing a renaissance in hard tech, hedge funds have permanently altered the growth stage, and the "Seri…
Is The Venture Capital Model Broken? | Andrew Romans, 7BC
The venture capital model of the last two decades, characterized by the "30-minute rule" and the race to a quick IPO, is obsolete. We are witnessing a fundamental decoupling of capital from geography and a restructuring of ho...
Is AI a Creator Boom, Job Destroyer, Both?
A clip from our episode "Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?"
#zacharylevi #ai #aiart #aimovies
You Can’t Stop AI Progress. Guide It.
From our episode "Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?"
#Zacharylevi #austin #AI #aimovies #movies
We Were Made to Create, Not Stamp Widgets
From our episode "Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?"
#Zacharylevi #austin #AI #purpose
Can We Build an Ark for Creativity Against the AI Flood?
From our episode "Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?"
#Zacharylevi #austin #AI #aimovies #movies
Ep 166: Zachary Levi | Can Austin Build an Ark for Human Creativity?
How do we nurture and protect the most human endeavors of creation and discovery? Zachary Levi joins us to discuss calling, technology, and a creative Ark in Austin. We move from one’s life mission to concrete plans for land and film incentives. The central question of our time is whether we ride the AI tsunami or get swept under it.
Highlights
00:00 Opening and Zachary Levi’s journey to Austin
05:53 Calling vs discovery
13:48 Build the ark and fix Hollywood
25:13 Commun…
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Recent Blog Posts
New Report says Austin is turning into life sciences "superstar" hub
Thrilled to have been featured on 'Tech this Out' with Walt Maciborski, discussing the booming Austin Life Sciences Sector!Our report, 'Austin Life Sciences Sector: A Powerhouse Emerging at a Pivotal Crossroads,' was born from a desire to catalyze a…
Austin's Venture Funding Challenges the Global Stagnation
The global venture funding landscape narrative for the first half of 2023 has been portrayed as one of stagnation. Headlines from notable publications, such as Crunchbase's "AI Was Q2’s Big Hope To Reverse The Global Venture Funding Slowdown. …
Austin Life Sciences Sector: A Powerhouse Emerging at a Pivotal Cross…
Welcome to Austin Next, where we explore Austin's ascension into a global innovation powerhouse. We delve into the region's evolution, examine the building of robust ecosystems, and consider the impact of emerging trends and technologies. With Austi…
About the Host
Jason Scharf
Founder & Host
Jason Scharf has spent nearly two decades pursuing his life’s mission of catalyzing innovation. As an early stage investor, he targets the bio innovation tech stack and the business of health. He has held key leadership roles in strategy and market intelligence at industry pillars such as Illumina, BD, and Amgen. Through the Austin Next podcast and Substack Ecosystem Metacognition, he explores innovation, Bio & Health, tech, ecosystems, Austin, and their convergence.