Austin Fast Start

Austin Fast Start is sponsored by City of Austin Economic Development Department and Austin Young Chamber. Austin Fast Start is a recurring pitch competition supporting early-stage startups in various economic development priorities.

Austin Fast Start - AYC: Austin Young Chamber Applications are now closed for the 2024 Pitch Competition The Austin Fast Start is a partnership between the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department and the Austin Young Chamber. Austin Fast Start is a reoccurring pitch competition supporting early stage startups in various economic development priorities.

We will hear from a new industry and award an unrestricted cash prize and other opportunities to identify and support local entrepreneurs as the future business leaders in our community. This year’s topic will be CPG (consumer packaged goods). Applications are now closed!

Save the Date for the upcoming pitch event: Austin Fast Start: Consumer Packaged Goods Wednesday, June 26 • 5:30-7:30 pm • H-E-B Digital and Favor Delivery Eastside Tech Hub Register for the Event Here! Why Apply?

Benefits for Finalists include: Getting your business pitch ready Receive marketing opportunities that promote your business Gain valuable connections & support Hear feedback on your idea Chance to win the Prize Package to launch/grow your business! Financial and HR Consultation from vcfo Creator Coaching Package from Un.

Inc. One Year Corporate Membership to the Austin Young Chamber Total package valued over $5,000 The Austin Fast Start is a partnership between the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department and the Austin Young Chamber. Austin Fast Start is a reoccurring pitch competition supporting early stage startups in various economic development priorities. 2024 topic is CPG (consumer packaged goods).

Application is currently open. Austin Fast Start applicants must be a for-profit business: (1) headquartered within Austin city limits, (2) in the pre-seed/early revenue stage, and (3) less than two years old. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are items used daily by consumers that require routine replacement or replenishment.

Products may be food, beverage, apparel, jewelry, toys, tools, or anything you could imagine being sold at your favorite brick-and-mortar or online retailer. Applications for CPG have been EXTENDED and will close at 11:59pm on Friday, June 7, 2024! All applications will be scored by judges from across the community with diverse backgrounds and skills related to startups, business, investments, and each industry.

See the Judge’s Scoring Rubric here . The top four scored applications will be selected as Finalists and invited to participate on pitch day. Finalists will be notified no later than June 17, 2024.

The Finalists will pitch their business* to judges and audience in person. Finalists will pitch on Wednesday June 26, 2024. Each Finalist will have five minutes to pitch the audience on the value of their product or service by either presenting a slide show presentation or giving a live demonstration of the product.

Five to eight minutes of questions and answers from the judges and audience will follow. The winner of Austin Fast Start will be chosen by the judges scores. Winners will receive a cash prize of $2,500 plus additional prizes including: Financial and HR Consultation from vcfo Founder Cohort Program from Un.

Inc. Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Meet the Consumer Packaged Goods Finalists Amia is the first migraine-friendly food brand, offering the 39M Americans living with migraine a selection of food free of the most common migraine triggers.

Bevo Blues Brolly is dedicated to educating and informing people on how to protect their skin from harmful sun rays, we aim to make parasols more accessible, affordable, and fashionable. Celzo is THE latin soda alternative. The 1st vitamin-infused, healthiest Agua Fresca on the market.

Celzo is a soda replacement, functional water, and your daily go-to beverage. Wanderlust Wine Co. is dedicated to sustainability and innovation in the wine industry.

We focus on reducing environmental impact by using kegs for wine distribution and minimizing waste and carbon footprint. Consumer Packaged Goods Judges Vice President, SBA Banker Corey Dolina Joined Regions Bank in September of 2021 as the new SBA Banker for the Central Texas division. Corey has worked in banking for 18 years in multiple roles including the last 10 years as a SBA Specialist.

Corey’s focus and passion is to help small business owners with growing their companies. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Purchases, Business Acquisitions, Business Expansions, Working Capital, and Franchise Lending. Supplier Diversity Manager Crystal Royal has had a heart for Small Business and Community her entire professional career.

Beginning her career in a male dominated industry, Construction, she continues to use her talent for process improvement and organizational development to change the narrative regarding Supplier Diversity and Small, Local, Diverse Businesses.

As the owner of a small consulting firm, Royal Entertainment and Royal Consulting Firm, she continues to utilize her expertise from working with small business owners to fuel her passion in her current role as Supplier Diversity Manager for H-E-B.

Understanding that Small, Local Diverse Businesses are the foundation of a strong Texas economy, she continues to seek innovative avenues to increase visibility for these companies, while also educating Small, Local, Diverse Business Owners on how to be successful in doing business with large corporations. She is truly a Champion for Small Business. Jack Meredith is the Vice President of Marketing at Kettle & Fire.

As the first employee, Jack has played an instrumental role in building the Kettle & Fire into becoming the #1 bone broth in the U.S. Outside of his full-time role, Jack has consulted with numerous emerging CPG brands, sharing his expertise to help them accelerate their growth.

Innovations Portfolio Associate Sophia Javaheri is an Innovation Portfolio Associate at AEO, dedicated to operational excellence and supporting underserved entrepreneurs. With an M. S.

in Speech Language Pathology, she transitioned to entrepreneurship and nonprofit support. Sophia began as a Programs & Event Coordinator at the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas, connecting nonprofits with corporate giving. She advanced to Program Manager and Director of Program Operations at 3 Day Startup, designing an entrepreneurship student exchange program with the U.S. Embassy Vienna.

At Chany Ventures, she supported female entrepreneurs in Mexico. Sophia excels in managing events for diverse audiences and is committed to diversity and inclusivity. The Austin Fast Start Prize Package has been carefully curated to help early stage entrepreneurs launch and grow their business.

Austin Fast Start Winner will receive: $2,500 Cash Prize from City of Austin Small Business Program Financial Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with a highly experienced F&A Consultant who has worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s CFOs focus on strategic financial guidance appropriate for your business’ stage and can answer your questions related to scaling up your business through periods of growth or restructuring, creating an optimal capital structure, reorganization, as well as operational guidance with financial management and reporting.

HR Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with a highly experienced HR / People Operations Consultant who has worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s HR team can answer questions regarding all functions of your people operations, from organizational design, specialized initiatives such as expansions, acquisitions, etc., employee training and development, policies and procedures, compliance, benefits, and compensation.

Founder Cohort Program from Un. Inc. Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Access to business and leadership development programs and perks for your team Company logo and link on AYC website Job Posting on AYC Website Event Listing on AYC Website The Austin Fast Start is a partnership between the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department and the Austin Young Chamber.

Austin Fast Start is a reoccurring pitch competition supporting early stage startups in various economic development priorities. 2024 topic is CPG (consumer packaged goods). Application is currently open.

Austin Fast Start applicants must be a for-profit business: (1) headquartered within Austin city limits, (2) in the pre-seed/early revenue stage, and (3) less than two years old. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are items used daily by consumers that require routine replacement or replenishment.

Products may be food, beverage, apparel, jewelry, toys, tools, or anything you could imagine being sold at your favorite brick-and-mortar or online retailer. Applications for CPG have been EXTENDED and will close at 11:59pm on Friday, June 7, 2024! All applications will be scored by judges from across the community with diverse backgrounds and skills related to startups, business, investments, and each industry.

See the Judge’s Scoring Rubric here . The top four scored applications will be selected as Finalists and invited to participate on pitch day. Finalists will be notified no later than June 17, 2024.

The Finalists will pitch their business* to judges and audience in person. Finalists will pitch on Wednesday June 26, 2024. Each Finalist will have five minutes to pitch the audience on the value of their product or service by either presenting a slide show presentation or giving a live demonstration of the product.

Five to eight minutes of questions and answers from the judges and audience will follow. The winner of Austin Fast Start will be chosen by the judges scores. Winners will receive a cash prize of $2,500 plus additional prizes including: Financial and HR Consultation from vcfo Founder Cohort Program from Un.

Inc. Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Meet the Consumer Packaged Goods Finalists Amia is the first migraine-friendly food brand, offering the 39M Americans living with migraine a selection of food free of the most common migraine triggers.

Bevo Blues Brolly is dedicated to educating and informing people on how to protect their skin from harmful sun rays, we aim to make parasols more accessible, affordable, and fashionable. Celzo is THE latin soda alternative. The 1st vitamin-infused, healthiest Agua Fresca on the market.

Celzo is a soda replacement, functional water, and your daily go-to beverage. Wanderlust Wine Co. is dedicated to sustainability and innovation in the wine industry.

We focus on reducing environmental impact by using kegs for wine distribution and minimizing waste and carbon footprint. Consumer Packaged Goods Judges Vice President, SBA Banker Corey Dolina Joined Regions Bank in September of 2021 as the new SBA Banker for the Central Texas division. Corey has worked in banking for 18 years in multiple roles including the last 10 years as a SBA Specialist.

Corey’s focus and passion is to help small business owners with growing their companies. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Purchases, Business Acquisitions, Business Expansions, Working Capital, and Franchise Lending. Supplier Diversity Manager Crystal Royal has had a heart for Small Business and Community her entire professional career.

Beginning her career in a male dominated industry, Construction, she continues to use her talent for process improvement and organizational development to change the narrative regarding Supplier Diversity and Small, Local, Diverse Businesses.

As the owner of a small consulting firm, Royal Entertainment and Royal Consulting Firm, she continues to utilize her expertise from working with small business owners to fuel her passion in her current role as Supplier Diversity Manager for H-E-B.

Understanding that Small, Local Diverse Businesses are the foundation of a strong Texas economy, she continues to seek innovative avenues to increase visibility for these companies, while also educating Small, Local, Diverse Business Owners on how to be successful in doing business with large corporations. She is truly a Champion for Small Business. Jack Meredith is the Vice President of Marketing at Kettle & Fire.

As the first employee, Jack has played an instrumental role in building the Kettle & Fire into becoming the #1 bone broth in the U.S. Outside of his full-time role, Jack has consulted with numerous emerging CPG brands, sharing his expertise to help them accelerate their growth.

Innovations Portfolio Associate Sophia Javaheri is an Innovation Portfolio Associate at AEO, dedicated to operational excellence and supporting underserved entrepreneurs. With an M. S.

in Speech Language Pathology, she transitioned to entrepreneurship and nonprofit support. Sophia began as a Programs & Event Coordinator at the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas, connecting nonprofits with corporate giving. She advanced to Program Manager and Director of Program Operations at 3 Day Startup, designing an entrepreneurship student exchange program with the U.S. Embassy Vienna.

At Chany Ventures, she supported female entrepreneurs in Mexico. Sophia excels in managing events for diverse audiences and is committed to diversity and inclusivity. The Austin Fast Start Prize Package has been carefully curated to help early stage entrepreneurs launch and grow their business.

Austin Fast Start Winner will receive: $2,500 Cash Prize from City of Austin Small Business Program Financial Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with a highly experienced F&A Consultant who has worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s CFOs focus on strategic financial guidance appropriate for your business’ stage and can answer your questions related to scaling up your business through periods of growth or restructuring, creating an optimal capital structure, reorganization, as well as operational guidance with financial management and reporting.

HR Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with a highly experienced HR / People Operations Consultant who has worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s HR team can answer questions regarding all functions of your people operations, from organizational design, specialized initiatives such as expansions, acquisitions, etc., employee training and development, policies and procedures, compliance, benefits, and compensation.

Founder Cohort Program from Un. Inc. Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Access to business and leadership development programs and perks for your team Company logo and link on AYC website Job Posting on AYC Website Event Listing on AYC Website Congratulations the 2022 Austin Fast Start: G180, LLC is a swimwear brand built around their core product which is a reinvented personal flotation device.

Their goal is to make PFD’s apart of everyday swimwear attire and one day eliminate drowning deaths as a statistic. How did we define Creatives and Creative businesses? Arts, culture, and creativity are essential elements to Austin’s unique and distinctive identity.

Creative businesses include those that are turning their creative talents into successful and sustainable business ventures. This topic encompasses a broad range of creatives in the Austin ecosystem, such as musicians, artists, photographers, and artisans. G180, LLC is a swimwear brand built around their core product which is a reinvented personal flotation device.

Their goal is to make PFD’s apart of everyday swimwear attire and one day eliminate drowning deaths as a statistic. LOKA HAUS LLC designs and produces high-quality, sustainable products with a small-batch, luxury feel. Their mission is to end “fast fashion”, provide luxury goods at an accessible level, and address (and educate consumers on) economic gender inequities, specifically in retail and business.

PietschHouse produces artist-led showcases promoting local talent in Austin, while building local, eclectic lineups focused on benefitting artists. tourless is revolutionizing the way music is shared and discovered by creating a market place where musical artists can purchase “radio” airtime from local businesses (coffee shops, restaurants, etc.).

USAA Austin Design Studio Summer currently is as a lead program manager at the USAA Austin Design Studio with 22 years on the USAA team to include 15 years in various leadership roles. She has been part of the military community her entire life as her Dad served 24 years in the Air Force which sparked her advocacy for military families.

She has an MBA in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). In 2020 she completed the Nonprofit Leadership certificate from the University of Texas and the certification for the National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP).

Outside of work Summer is passionate about volunteering and community outreach with emphasis on military kids, STEM initiatives and minority youth empowerment programs. Her favorite annual event is the Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS) national good grief camp which provides a safe space for military children to explore grief and embrace healing.

She serves on the Community Advisory Council for I Live Here I Give Here and on the Advisory Panel of the Customer Experience Program for the University of Houston. She was awarded the 2020 volunteer of the year by Dress For Success Austin and serves as a mentor for the Path 2 Employment program.

She was a 2021 fellow for the inaugural cohort of the African American Leadership Institute (AALI) and now serves as the co-chair of the AALI Alumni Network. She is a bridge builder of people which she credits to being instrumental to connecting across the Austin community over the past 5 years. She also enjoys earning medals from virtual races, live music, exploring museums and trying new local restaurants/food trucks.

Director of Technology Practice , Slalom Consulting Greg Carter is the Director of the Technology Practice for Slalom Consulting in Austin, TX. He has built a team of talented, enthusiastic consultants who help local businesses and organizations to digitally transform to address the challenges and opportunities presented by Austin’s rapid growth.

Before joining Slalom, Greg was the SVP/GM of Acuity Brands’ Connected Building Software Business. He managed a portfolio of software as a service (SaaS) products focused on using the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve both Building and Business performance.

Prior to Acuity Brands, Greg led a variety of businesses for Cisco, culminating in the IoT Services Group, a global team that developed and delivered IoT solutions for verticals like Utilities, Smart Cities, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Transportation and Healthcare.

Greg has twenty years of experience in the technology industry leading software and services teams and was the founding partner in a consulting firm specializing in technology strategy and application development. Greg started his career and gained his initial experiences in leadership as a United States Naval Officer. He holds a BA from Duke University, as well as BS and MS engineering degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

When he is not leading technology businesses, Greg is actively involved in the community. He advises a number of start-ups, leads the virtual jobs program for Black Fret and plays in a bluegrass band called Grounded and Skirted. Vice President, SBA Banker Corey Dolina Joined Regions Bank in September of 2021 as the new SBA Banker for the Central Texas division.

Corey has worked in banking for 16 years in multiple roles including the last 9 years working in SBA Lending. Corey’s focus and passion is to help small business owners with growing their companies. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Purchases, Business Acquisitions, Business Expansions, Working Capital, and Franchise Lending.

Director of Program Operations Sophia Javaheri serves as Director of Program Operations at 3 Day Startup, a local nonprofit in Austin, TX that builds entrepreneurial mindset and skills through experiential learning. Our mission is to create opportunity and build community through entrepreneurship education that is dynamic and inclusive.

Prior to 3DS, Sophia received a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology but decided to switch paths and joined the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas in 2019. Since then, Sophia has become immersed in the world of entrepreneurship as well as the Austin community at large. Sophia is excited to work with community partners here in Austin and around the world to bring top quality programming for young entrepreneurs.

In her free time, Sophia enjoys traveling and experimenting with culinary dishes from around the world. Head of Product for Creation & Conversation Oji Udezue is an experienced product leader with stints in marketing, sales, as well as Eng and Design leadership. He has a track record for building customer-centric products and bringing them to market, while managing and mentoring high performance teams.

He is known for bringing product-led growth (PLG) mindset to the companies he joins. He currently leads the Content, Creation and Conversation team @ Twitter – Tweets, DMs, Spaces, the Creators Initiative and more. He was formerly Chief Product Officer at Calendly where he helped 5x the company.

Also Head of Product for Atlassian’s Communication division where he led product strategy & execution for Atlassian Stride, launching Atlassian’s first product post-IPO. He has also held product leadership positions at Spiceworks and also at Bridgewater Associates, which he joined after over a decade in product at Microsoft.

In his free time, he mentors startups with a focus on companies with diverse and women founders as well as B2B SaaS. He’s the Managing Partner of the Kernel Fund which invests in startups in Africa and a member of the Board of Directors at Quitch. The Austin Fast Start Prize Package has been carefully curated to help early stage entrepreneurs launch and grow their business.

Austin Fast Start Winners will receive: $2,500 Cash Prize from City of Austin Small Business Program Access free, online classes as you grow your business The Golden Ticket from Capital Factory 3 months of Capital Factory community membership Access to the Capital Factory Slack with thousands of other entrepreneurs Access to the Capital Factory coworking space and partners across the country Access to book office hours with our mentor network Exclusive invitations to members-only events Financial and HR Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with an HR Consultant and 1 hour consultation with an F&A Consultant, both highly experienced and have worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s HR team can answer questions regarding all functions of your human resources needs, from employee training and development, policies and procedures, compliance with federal regulations, benefits and compensation and on how to adapt to this new reality of COVID and post-COVID employee relations.

vcfo’s CFOs often focus on scaling up your business for growth and can answer your questions related to support through periods of growth or restructuring, strategic financial guidance appropriate for your business’ stage and growth plans, creating an optimal capital structure, reorganization or crisis stabilization Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Access to business and leadership development programs and perks for your team Company logo and link on AYC website Job Posting on AYC Website Event Listing on AYC Website New Member Social Spotlight Consumer Packaged Goods - 2022 Congratulations the 2022 Austin Fast Start: Consumer Packaged Goods Pitch Winner Basic B Chai is an Austin-based, women-owned beverage company that produces and sells high-quality, small-batch beverages to coffee shops, groceries, and direct to consumers.

Watch the Consumer Packaged Goods Event Recording Here How did we define Consumer Packaged Goods businesses? Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are items used daily by consumers that require routine replacement or replenishment. Products may be food, beverage, apparel, jewelry, toys, tools, or anything you could imagine being sold at your favorite brick-and-mortar or online retailer.

Consumer Packaged Goods Finalists Basic B Chai is an Austin-based, women-owned beverage company that produces and sells high-quality, small-batch beverages to coffee shops, groceries, and direct to consumers. Bold Move Beverages is an early-stage alcohol brand that combines two of the world’s most beloved drinks, coffee & whiskey, into a ready-to-drink (‘RTD’) cocktail called Cold Brooze®.

Fresh Halo provides natural, simple, innovative hat care products. Our first product helps hat owners keep their favorite headwear smelling fresh while controlling moisture and pests. It is the first of many innovative ideas we are working on.

Funky Mello makes the world’s first and only plant based refrigerated marshmallow cremes in fun flavors. Everything they make is also gluten free, soy & corn free. Facilitating connections and building community is in my DNA.

I am an expert at creating opportunities and experiences that foster connective tissue between diverse groups to build stronger ecosystems. Currently, I do that through my work as Executive Director at Naturally Austin, the industry hub for the Central Texas consumer goods community.

We are a membership nonprofit organization bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, brands, retailers, and industry experts to make Austin the best place to launch and scale a consumer goods company.

Prior to Naturally Austin, I was the CEO of Catalyst Games, a nonprofit that activated startup communities across the country through gamified philanthropic experiences to unlock resources for nonprofits, as well as operating initiatives like Philanthropitch and building impact real estate at Notley. Vice President, SBA Banker Corey Dolina Joined Regions Bank in September of 2021 as the new SBA Banker for the Central Texas division.

Corey has worked in banking for 16 years in multiple roles including the last 9 years working in SBA Lending. Corey’s focus and passion is to help small business owners with growing their companies. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Purchases, Business Acquisitions, Business Expansions, Working Capital, and Franchise Lending.

Director of Program Operations Sophia Javaheri serves as Director of Program Operations at 3 Day Startup, a local nonprofit in Austin, TX that builds entrepreneurial mindset and skills through experiential learning. Our mission is to create opportunity and build community through entrepreneurship education that is dynamic and inclusive.

Prior to 3DS, Sophia received a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology but decided to switch paths and joined the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas in 2019. Since then, Sophia has become immersed in the world of entrepreneurship as well as the Austin community at large. Sophia is excited to work with community partners here in Austin and around the world to bring top quality programming for young entrepreneurs.

In her free time, Sophia enjoys traveling and experimenting with culinary dishes from around the world. Supplier Diversity Manager Crystal Royal has had a heart for Small Business and Community her entire professional career.

Beginning her career in a male dominated industry, construction, she continues to use her talent for process improvement and organizational development to change the narrative regarding Supplier Diversity and Small, Local, Minority Owned Businesses.

As the owner of a small consulting firm, Royal Entertainment and Royal Consulting Firm, she continues to utilize her expertise from working with small business owners to fuel her passion in her current role as Supplier Diversity Manager for H-E-B.

Understanding that Small, Local Minority Owned Businesses are the foundation for a strong economy, she continues to seek innovative avenues to increase visibility for these companies, while also educating Small, Local, Minority Business Owners on how to be successful in doing business with large corporations. She is truly a Champion for Small Business.

Vice President, Product Management A multi-disciplined business leader and general manager with a unique balance of creative, technical and management experience. Extensive, hands-on experience in new product development for consumer and platform products. She has created and supported some amazing entrepreneurial /intrapraneurial ventures and built/mentored great teams along the way.

Industries she’s built for /created value in: e-commerce, media, advertising, telecom, messaging. With B2B, B2C and B2B2C solutions. The Austin Fast Start Prize Package has been carefully curated to help early stage entrepreneurs launch and grow their business.

Austin Fast Start Winners will receive: $2,500 Cash Prize from City of Austin Small Business Program Access free, online classes as you grow your business The Golden Ticket from Capital Factory 3 months of Capital Factory community membership Access to the Capital Factory Slack with thousands of other entrepreneurs Access to the Capital Factory coworking space and partners across the country Access to book office hours with our mentor network Exclusive invitations to members-only events Financial and HR Consultation from vcfo 1 hour consultation with an HR Consultant and 1 hour consultation with an F&A Consultant, both highly experienced and have worked with companies of all sizes and stages vcfo’s HR team can answer questions regarding all functions of your human resources needs, from employee training and development, policies and procedures, compliance with federal regulations, benefits and compensation and on how to adapt to this new reality of COVID and post-COVID employee relations.

vcfo’s CFOs often focus on scaling up your business for growth and can answer your questions related to support through periods of growth or restructuring, strategic financial guidance appropriate for your business’ stage and growth plans, creating an optimal capital structure, reorganization or crisis stabilization Annual Corporate Membership from Austin Young Chamber Access to business and leadership development programs and perks for your team Company logo and link on AYC website Job Posting on AYC Website Event Listing on AYC Website New Member Social Spotlight Congratulations the 2021 Austin Fast Start: Unravl Hair saves individuals time and money by automating the braid takedown process – a safer, cheaper, and more convenient option.

Watch the Creatives Event Recording Here How did we define Creative businesses? Arts, culture, and creativity are essential elements to Austin’s unique and distinctive identity. Creative businesses include those that are turning their creative talents into successful and sustainable business ventures.

This topic encompasses a broad range of creatives in the Austin ecosystem, such as musicians, artists, photographers, and artisans. Rough Cut Comedy is the premiere production company for events all over Austin, comedy and non-comedy alike. Rough Cut puts on high quality shows and works with venues all across Austin supporting the local arts scene.

Uni Streaming is a streaming platform that showcases only local independent musicians in every region. They will create community & engagement that will build careers around our independent musicians. Unravl Hair saves individuals time and money by automating the braid takedown process – a safer, cheaper, and more convenient option.

WorkWear WorkShop repairs, upcycles, and sells clothing that would otherwise go to waste. Their product line focuses on high quality, durable and fashionable items: denim, workwear, and outerwear Director of Technology Practice , Slalom Consulting Greg Carter is the Director of the Technology Practice for Slalom Consulting in Austin, TX.

He has built a team of talented, enthusiastic consultants who help local businesses and organizations to digitally transform to address the challenges and opportunities presented by Austin’s rapid growth. Before joining Slalom, Greg was the SVP/GM of Acuity Brands’ Connected Building Software Business.

He managed a portfolio of software as a service (SaaS) products focused on using the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve both Building and Business performance. Prior to Acuity Brands, Greg led a variety of businesses for Cisco, culminating in the IoT Services Group, a global team that developed and delivered IoT solutions for verticals like Utilities, Smart Cities, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Transportation and Healthcare.

Greg has twenty years of experience in the technology industry leading software and services teams and was the founding partner in a consulting firm specializing in technology strategy and application development. Greg started his career and