Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter #094

11 min readJun 4, 2017

Texas Startup News, Opinions & Events in the Lone Star State SUBSCRIBE View this email in your browser

Proudly Sponsored by Miller Egan and Silicon Hills Lawyer
Get the Texas Squared Startup Resource Guide Download

To celebrate the culmination of the four-month TMCx accelerator program, our 22 digital health startups will showcase the progress they have made on their solutions, and what they have planned for the future. Join us, onJune 8, as our entrepreneurs take to the main stage one final time to pitch their solutions, which span key areas, including process automation, medication management, artificial intelligence and remote care.

Register today! — https://tmcxdemodaydigitalhealth2017.eventbrite.com

TMCx Demo Day
June 8th 2017
Texas Medical Center
2450 Holcombe Blvd Suite X
Houston, TX 77021

Map and List of Professional Restaurants in Downtown Austin

Map: https://goo.gl/NC5yEv | List: https://goo.gl/lvI2Kk

TMCx Accelerator Medical Device 2017 Program
Apply Now by June 20th Deadline

Located in the TMC Innovation Institute, the TMCx accelerator program provides startup companies with shared workspace, a curriculum tailored to the needs of health care entrepreneurs and the guidance of over 120 advisors from the front lines of the industry. Companies have access to the world’s largest medical center, all without membership fees or equity sharing.

Participants further develop their companies by attending a variety of workshops and hands-on events to gain insights from experts in every facet of running a health-related business: clinical trials, FDA regulations, HIPAA/HITECH compliance, hospital procurement, commercial pilots, intellectual property, licensing, fundraising, marketing and other critical areas.

Applicant Requirements:

Must have a ‘works-as’ prototype (This prototype should be capable of demonstrating the key features of the technology and serve as a reference for continued device development.)
Companies must have at least 1 or 2 fully dedicated members with the capability to have 1 team member participating in the program.
Companies are required to have the necessary runway to adequately support themselves for the next 6 months to ensure that they do not become so financially constrained during the program that they will have to terminate their involvement.

Apply Now by June 20th Deadline

Austin / Central Texas Area

Food For Thought: Startups Seek Sweet Spot Of Meal Delivery Business — Link
- Crunchbase’s Mary Ann Azevedo
Governor Abbott Unites the Tech Industry! — Link
- Hugh Forrest
The Great Austin Ride-Hail Battles of 2015–2017: A New Beginning — Link
Women-led Startups: Seek Women Investors — Link
- Austin Startups
Inside Austin’s Accidental Rideshare Revolution — Link
- The Ringer’s Victor Luckerson
Firebrand Ventures Invests In 2 Boulder and 2 Austin Startups [Threatcare & Scalefactor] — Link
- Niblitz’s Robert Morris
Your Child Can Start A Business — As A Parent, Here Are Six Approachable Steps To Take — Link
- Austin Woman Magazine’s Emma Whalen
New ride-hailing service arrives in Austin — but it’s not like Uber — Link
- CultureMap Austin
The secret reason Austin tech wants Uber/Lyft back in town (it has nothing to do with ridesharing) — Link
- The American Genius
The Cook’s Nook Culinary Incubator Opens in East Austin — Link
- Tech.co’s Tishin Donkersley
Texas Cancer Agency Poised to Receive Two-Year Extension — Link
Austin Startup Everfest Raises $3.6M From Live Nation, ATX Seed — Link
- Xconomy’s Angela Shah & David Holley
Everfest Raises $3.6 Million in VC Funding — Link
Chris Taylor Built Square Root into a Thriving Software Company in Austin with no Outside Investment — Link
Gov. Abbott Signs Law Governing Uber, Lyft and Other Ride Hailing Companies in Texas — Link
- Silicon Hills News’ Laura Lorek
With tacos, drinks and a little covfefe, Everfest’s team is celebrating a $3.6M ‘Series Heeeey’ — Link
Your new career is here: 5 Austin tech companies hiring this month — Link
Tech roundup: Datical gets funded, ATA gains new members and more — Link
Show me the money: Austin tech raised over $77M in May — Link
How this Austin startup is using AI to determine the publishing industry’s next bestseller — Link
What makes a digital marketing campaign successful? 4 experts weigh in — Link
- BuiltinAustin’s Kelly Jackson
Civitas Learning Lays Off About 10% of Staff in Strategic Shift — Link
Watch This Round Rock Company’s Drone Deliver a Box of Donuts — Link
The Top Austin Tech Hires, Promotions (and Departures) in May — Link
Live Nation and ATX Seed Ventures Invest Millions in Austin Festival Tech Startup — Link
Austin’s ‘Podfather’ of Podcasting Wants to Make Better Audio for Podcasts — Link
The Biggest Funding Rounds for Austin Tech Startups in May — Link
Office Envy: Inside Volusion’s Sleek, North Austin Digs — Link
Austin Tech Executives Sign Letter Opposing Texas ‘Bathroom Bill’ — Link
- AustinInno’s Brett Wistrom
Truck-sized batteries, sophisticated software on tap as Austin Energy imagines renewable future — Link
Whole Foods under more pressure from activist investor; Ex-Kellogg exec nominated for board — Link
Ready-to-drink coffee maker lands $17 million to brew up more expansion — Link
They’re back: Uber, Lyft roll once again on Austin’s streets — Link
Sale of Austin’s Kinnser Software combines tech firms catering to aging baby boomers — Link
Is this the ‘future of retail’? TreeHouse opens second store, which will generate more electricity than it uses — Link
More female VCs hasn’t brought more funds for female founders, report says — Link
Capital Metro has $10M to make train trips safer via technology — Link
Austin’s Everfest cranks up growth mode with millions in new funding — Link
Capital Gains: Brothers share startup spotlight; High-profile consultant joins Joseph Kopser’s think tank — Link
Rackspace executive shakeup continues with two C-suite departures — Link
Alice the entrepreneur: Two women partner with Dell to create AI for female-led startups — Link
Journal Profile: Ralph Bistline helped build Austin’s tech scene — literally — Link
From the editor: Alamo Drafthouse finds viral sweet spot with ‘Wonder Woman’ screenings — Link
Austin Tech Alliance adds more founding companies — Link
Software maker eClinicalWorks to pay $155M settlement to feds — Link
Texas film industry calls on Gov. Abbott to increase funds set aside for incentives — Link
Vista Equity Partners to take Xactly private in $564M buyout — Link
Details found on Vista Equity Group’s first ‘Endeavor’ investment — Link
For business, a mixed bag: Texas legislature gives small victories to a few sectors — Link
Austin VC firm with focus on women-led startups makes latest six-figure investment — Link
Why Austin’s Asure Software opened wallet for $6M buyout of maker of cloud-based HR software — Link
- The Austin Business Journal
In their own words: All of Austin’s ride-hail companies make their pitch for your business — Link — Link
Austin online festival hub Everfest brings in $3.6M investment — Link — Link
Austin cybersecurity startup SpyCloud comes out of stealth mode with new product, $2.5 million investment — Link — Link
Tech Crawl: Expect Apple’s smart speaker to take on Amazon and Google this year. Plus more tech news. — Link — Link
Tech Crawl: Uber fires engineer accused of stealing trade secrets from Google — Link — Link
Austin’s High Brew Coffee lands $17 million for expansion of its cold-brew beverages — Link — Link
Looking to change Austin through ‘civic hacking’ — Link — Link
Tech Crawl: Amazon’s stock hits $1,000, and check out the ‘flying motorbike’ — Link — Link
Austin tech entrepreneur is selling Austin lake house — Link — Link
With ProSwingTips app, Austin golf enthusiast wants to connect instructors with amateurs — Link — Link
Austin’s Asure Software sets secondary stock offering on heels of two acquisitions — Link — Link
- Austin-American Statesman’s 512 Tech

Dallas / Ft. Worth / North Texas Area

TreeHouse Has Arrived in Dallas — Link
- D Magazine
‘We’ve found religion down here’: Sports startup firm considers Frisco a home run — Link
Jerry Jones-backed Blue Star Sports in Frisco buys 12th company — Link
TM Advertising declares Texas independence, as CEO buys agency back from global giant — Link
- Dallas Morning News
With Governor’s Approval, Teladoc Expands Texas Telehealth Services — Link
- Xconomy’s Angela Shah
Green home improvement store opens first DFW location — Link
Trive Capital makes third exit, sells automotive light manufacturer — Link
TI exec on new sensors: ‘I want everybody on the planet to design this’ — Link
Dallas-based oil & gas tech firm bought for $75 million — Link
Highland Capital’s NexPoint fund raises $269 million in oversubscribed rights offering — Link
Why more Dallas private equity firms outsource their investor relations — Link
- Dallas Business Journal
CommonEdits secures 600k in seed funding, planning to release platform June 2017 — Link
Aeroblaze protects passengers by setting fires — Link
Dropoff, a modern-day courier, expands to Fort Worth — Link
- LaunchDFW
Dallas Innovates First Look: TreeHouse Unveils Dallas Store — Link
HeartSciences Putting Cardiac Testing Tool into Production — Link
Fort Worth Business Contest Offers $75K in Cash, Services — Link
Aria Stone Gallery Launches 1st E-Commerce Site for Stone — Link
Blockchain to Fund $655M Residential Community in DFW — Link
LaunchPad City Partners With Dallas-Based VC Firm — Link
Is Dallas Ready to Become a Leader in Social Innovation? — Link
Greyhound, Google Maps Team to Aid Bus Riders — Link
Technology Thought Leaders on Key Issues Facing IT Today — Link
DustUp App Hopes to Lasso Cattle Ranchers Into Digital Age — Link
TCU Trio’s Startup Gives Kids VR Escape in Hospital — Link
Partners Raise $548K for Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research — Link
- Dallas Innovates

Houston / South Texas Area

Creating A Pipeline for Startups In Houston, Texas — Link
- McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
TMC Innovation, Station Houston Highlight City’s Startup Ecosystem to Investors — Link
Students in Rice’s OwlSpark program to spend summer in downtown Houston — Link
- Jeff Falk
The GroupRaise CEO on Fundraising Outside the Silicon Valley Bubble — Link
- Tech.co’s Adam Rowe
Trevor Hightower — Founder and Chief Flourishing Officer at Workflourish — Link
- HighDrive.TV
Houston health tech company raises round from Austin investors — Link
Houstonia Magazine names new publisher as former publisher launches new media co. — Link
This is what people don’t know about Houston, per HBJ’s 40 Under 40 — Link
Rock out with HBJ’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2017 (Video) — Link
With rideshare bill passed, Uber, Lyft re-enter Houston-area markets — Link
Amazon to create 2,500 jobs at Houston facility, reports say — Link
Accenture acquires Sugar Land-based life science consulting firm — Link
When it comes to salaries, Houston’s got it made compared to rest of U.S. — Link
- Houston Business Journal
Auto dealerships are America’s most powerful middlemen — Link
Rent a spouse in The Woodlands to tackle that “honey do” list — Link
Drone class puts UH students in (remote) control — Link
Houston-based fiber optics operators join forces — Link
- Houston Chronicle

San Antonio / West Texas Area

Venture X jumps into S.A.’s future workspace — Link
- La Prensa’s Christina Acosta
Internet-Connected Jewelry Maker WiseWear Joins XPRIZE Competition — Link
With Gene Therapy for Diabetes, San Antonio Researcher Eyes Funding — Link
- Xconomy’s David Holley
Cyber Warrior Network Seeks to Close Talent Gap — Link
DoSeum’s Summer of Tech: Bringing Coding, Design, and Art to Life — Link
‘Virtual Valet’ to Bring Low-Stress, Low-Cost Parking Option to Downtown — Link
Austin and San Antonio: ‘Sister Cities’ or Business Partners? — Link
LiftFund Leader Janie Barrera: An Inspired Champion For Small Business — Link
- The Rivard Report
Valet parking downtown via mobile app starts today — Link
Rackspace c-suite shakeup continues with new executives — Link
Exclusive: Cloud cybersecurity company taps San Antonio for engineering hub — Link
Local cybersecurity company expects to double workforce (slideshow) — Link
Inside Hulu: Company to bring its TV vibe to San Antonio campus (slideshow)
San Antonio companies tapping into “internet of things” with new products — Link
- San Antonio Business Journal’s Kristen Mosbrucker

Not Exactly Texas, but Worth a Look

Startups Scale. Solo Lawyers Don’t — Link — José Ancer
How CPG Startups Differ from Tech Startups — CPG Startup Lawyer — Link
Satisficing vs Maximizing — ASmartBear’s Jason Cohen — Link
NO EXCUSE! A Way of Life for Founders and Entrepreneurs — Deep Space Ventures’ Stephen Hays — Link
Paul Buchheit on Lessons Learned from Investing in 200+ Startups — YCombinator’s Jasper Kuria — Link
How board games conquered Kickstarter — MetaFilter — Link
Angels who forgot their wings: When money alone doesn’t fly — OurCrowd’s Audrey Jacobs — Link
What is a Business Incubator? — Small Business Trends Nash Riggins — Link
A Proven Way to Win in Business: Have a Daughter, Hire Women -
New York Times’ Claire Cain Miller — Link
The New 4 P’s of Marketing — Shockwave Innovations Gordon Daugherty — Link
Complete Guide To Succeeding on Kickstarter In 2017 Shopmoment — Link
Modern Loyalty — T3 — Link
The meeting that showed me the truth about VCs — TechCrunch — Link
TLDR Stock Options — Link
The United States Of Venture Capital: The Most Active VC In Each State — Link
Smart cities would trigger growth for co-working spaces — Free Press Journal — Link

Upcoming Texas Startup Events

Austin | Dallas | Houston | San Antonio

- Powered by Tech Events Network

Made in Austin
June 5th — June 8th
A week of free events celebrating the innovators, products, communities and businesses putting Austin on the map.
https://madeinaustin.splashthat.com/

IgniteDFW7
http://www.ignitedfw.org/
June 13th 6:00pm
Alamo Drafthouse — Cedars
1005 South Lamar Street Dallas TX 75215

StartupGrind Austin
Ash Maurya “Lean Canvas”
June 14, 2017 6:00 PM
Capital Factory 701 Brazos Street 5th Floor Austin, TX 78701
Limited Texas-Squared 25% Discount Tickets

InvestH2O 2017 Forum
https://www.investh2o.com/
June 15–16th — Austin
W Hotel 200 Lavaca, Austin TX 78701

The AccelerateH2O and InvestH2O forum will take place on June 14–16th in Austin Texas, starting with the first-ever Texas Water Internet of Things Hackathon for youth and students on June 14th and concluding with investment pitches from 50+ Texas, US and international technology companies
REGISTER

Founders Academy Essentials
Founders Academy Essentials is a 5-day lunch-n-learn curriculum designed specifically for driven entrepreneurs that are passionate about their business potential. Led by Gordon Daugherty of Shockwave Innovations
Mon, Jul 17, 2017 11:15 AM — Fri, Jul 21, 2017, 12:45 PM CDT
Capital Factory 701 Brazos Street 5th Floor Austin, TX 78701
REGISTER

Dream Lab Ideation & Design Boot Camp
McNair Center Entrepreneur Academy
http://www.hbu.edu/McNair-Center/Camp/
July 17- 21, 2017 | 5-Days for $195
5-Day entrepreneurship camp for high school juniors and seniors ONLY brought to you by HBU’s McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise
Drones, Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality, 3D Printers, NASA Visit
REGISTER

Our mailing address is:

T-Squared Agency

7108 Villa Maria Lane

Austin, Texas 78759

Add us to your address book

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list