State of Funding For Growth Companies
Austin Tech Connect
This episode is the audio from the featured panel at the 2024 C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank. The discussion is about the state of funding for Small and Mid-Sized Tech Companies. The session was sponsored by MUFG. The panelists brought sharp perspectives from the world of Banking, VC, Law, and company points of views. Thanks to (MUFG), Smith (Latham & Watkins), (TalentGuard), and (Sapphire Ventures) for their great insights shared in this panel. The Austin Technology Council's "C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank" took place on...
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Break Down Silos with Taylor Capito
Austin Tech Connect
This week on the Austin Tech Connect podcast is one of the most fun conversations you will find on any tech blog. Local entrepreneur Taylor Capito from GenRAIT joins host Thom Singer for a look at tech impacting humanity, innovation, mentors, inspiration, Star Trek, and the movie Flubber. Taylor is the perfect example of leaders who make a difference in our Austin tech ecosystem. She shares her story and her views of what makes Austin great. She also goes deep into ways to "Go Change It" if you see things that need attention. Taylor is a real "DOER".... and if...
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Dr James Truchard Shares His Wisdom
Austin Tech Connect
In this captivating episode of Austin Tech Connect, host Thom Singer sits down with Dr. James Truchard, founder and former CEO of National Instruments, one of Austin's greatest homegrown success stories. Dr. Truchard shares his journey from moonlighting Ph.D. student to tech industry pioneer, offering invaluable insights into building a sustainable company and fostering innovation. Listeners will be inspired by Dr. Truchard's tales of early entrepreneurship in Austin, his visionary approach to business strategy, and the critical role of community in nurturing a thriving tech ecosystem....
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Austin Tech Week 2024 with Jacqueline Hughes
Austin Tech Connect
On this weeks episode of “Austin Tech Connect” we hear from Jacqueline and Hughes, the cofounder and co-producer of Austin Tech Week (Formerly Austin Startup Week). Coming up October 28 through November ….. Austin Tech week is going to be an amazing conglomeration of events all over town. (take note - the ATC “C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank Will take place on October 28 from 1 PM to 6 PM) About Jacqueline Hughes Jacqueline Hughes is a human-centric event producer with over 13 years of experience supporting innovation leaders through transformative...
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Brilliant Things Happen When Smart People Spend Time Together with Razat Gaurav
Austin Tech Connect
This week on Austin Tech Connect we are joined again by Razat Gaurav, CEo at Planview. In this conversation we hear about his experience in Austin the last 3 years, the growth of Planview, and his outlook for our tech community. Razat is also going to be the opening keynote speaker for the ATC "C-Suite Summit and Industry Think Tank" on October 28, 2024. While we do not talk about the summit in this interview, you can see from this conversation why the Austin Technology Council asked him to speak at the event. Be sure to share this episode with all your friends...
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Doing Good with Karen Gordon
Austin Tech Connect
In episode 90 of "Austin Tech Connect", Thom Singer talks to Karen Gordon, CEO of Dynamics. Karen is a serial entrepreneur, who is passionate about helping people harness the power of differences to amplify outcome. About Karen Gordon Karen Gordon is the CEO of 5 Dynamics, a company that is focused on making the world a better place one relationship at a time. 5 Dynamics’ proprietary software, Simpli5, creates cultures fueled by self and interpersonal awareness to bolster productive collaboration, boost morale, accelerate timelines, and deliver better results....
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Austin Hall of Fame Inductee Admiral Bobby Inman
Austin Tech Connect
This week we have a legend on the podcast - Admiral Bobby Inman. Admiral Inman was recently inducted into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. He has living and working in the Austin tech scene for over 40 years and has been an investor and advisor to countless companies. His remarkable career spans both public service and private enterprise, leaving an indelible mark on our city's technological landscape. Born and raised in Texas, he graduated high school at age 15, received his BA from UT Austin at 19, and then joined the US Navy. The Admiral served with distinction in the U.S. Navy...
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Pattern Breakers with Mike Maples Jr.
Austin Tech Connect
In this episode of Austin Tech Connect, Thom Singer chats with Mike Maples Jr., the visionary founding partner of Floodgate and the author of the compelling new book Pattern Breakers: Why Some Startups Change the Future. The conversation dives deep into the mindset and strategies that differentiate the startups that truly disrupt industries from those that merely follow the rules. Mike shares his journey from his early entrepreneurial days in Austin to becoming one of the most respected venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, investing in radical startups at their earliest stages. We discuss...
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A Legacy of Leadership in Austin Tech with Joyce Durst
Austin Tech Connect
In this episode of "Austin Tech Connect," Thom Singer welcomes back Joyce Durst, founder and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners, who was recently honored as the 2024 inductee into the Austin Tech Hall of Fame. As one of the few repeat guests on the show, Joyce shares her journey in the Austin tech community, reflecting on how the city has evolved since she first arrived 30 years ago. They delve into the importance of mentorship, community involvement, and the responsibility of today's leaders to pave the way for the next generation. Joyce discusses the need for a renewed focus on inclusivity...
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The 10 Pillars That Made Austin a Global Tech Hub
Austin Tech Connect
In this episode, host Thom Singer talks about the ten pillars that helped make Austin become a global technology hub. While there were civic minded community leaders who had ideas and plans to set our region up to grow, the ten pillars that supported the success of Austin are not something that can be dupblicated by other cities. This is a retrospective, not a recipe book. Austin's success was not luck, it was the product of several things that come together at the right time. And it was about the people. Leaders who would show up regularly to support the community who had...
info_outlineBalazs Barna is the Head of US Engineering and Austin Site Lead at Wise. At Wise, Balazs oversees the US engineering team, which is building the tech and infrastructure needed to facilitate instant, convenient and affordable cross border transactions. He also heads up our newly formed Austin office.
Over his 7 years at Wise, Balazs has led and helped his team build the company’s historic direct access integration to the Hungarian banking sector’s instant payment system, the first of its kind for a company with a payment service license. He also oversaw and built Wise’s core infrastructure that enables the company’s European operations.
Prior to joining Wise, Balazs worked at MSCI and Morgan Stanley. He graduated from Corvinus University of Budapest in Business Information Systems (BSc), and Computer Engineering (MSc) from Pannon University.
With Wise Account and Wise Business, people and businesses can hold 40 currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new network for the world’s money. Co-founded by Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus, Wise launched in 2011 under its original name TransferWise. It is one of the world’s fastest growing, profitable tech companies and is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker, WISE.
16 million people and businesses use Wise. In fiscal year 2023, Wise processed approximately £105 billion in cross-border transactions, saving customers around £1.5 billion.