Fresh Ink... April 2009

Dallas CEO

Having recruited Glenn Hunter as editor last year, Dallas CEO stepped up the competition this month by covering areas traditionally in the purview of the American City Business Journal weeklies, i.e., Dallas Business Journal, Austin Business Journal, San Antonio Business Journal and Houston Business Journal.

D CEO placed Phillip Jones, the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau chief, on its cover, with the headline "Selling Texas." The mag discussed commercial real estate investments and offered readers the best commercial real estate brokers. Not surprisingly, the magazine contained a special ad supplement called "50 Years of Downtown Dallas."

Austin Fit Magazine

Featuring a surprising amount of business coverage, this month's cover story featured Joe Vitale, but the real star is Austin-area Ronn Motors and its Scorpion supercar, which purportedly offers 450 horsepower, 40 miles to the gallon, and nearly zero emissions. The magazine also features an interview with the Scorpion inventor and creator Ronn Maxwell.

A concisely written feature story on alga biofuel. Article mentions PetroSun, an Arizona-based energy company with developing an algae-to-biofuel facility in Rio Hondo, Texas, near Brownsville. (Sidenote: According to the article, Cotinental Airlines was the first U.S. commercial airline to conduct a demonstration flight partly powered by alternative fuels.) .:.

Austin's Future Skyline

Capital City's changing horizon

Austin Fit Magazine has developed an interactive online project illustrating what the Capital will look like after nearly a dozen new skyscrapers are completed. Very cool. .:.

Kickstarting Innovation Engines

New firm provides spark for startups

Last week TechCrunch reported that the Capital City added a new fuel for entrepreneurs with the debut of the Capital Factory, an incubator for young enterprises founded in January. Modeled after YCombinator, a successful incubator in Silicon Valley, Capital Factory terms itself a "seed stage mentoring program."


The firm is accepting applications until 11:59 pm PACIFIC TIME April 3 for startups interested in joining the inaugural class. Capital Factory will provide $20,000 for up to 5 percent equity in the company, as well as run entrepreneurs through a 10-week course run by 10 experienced business leaders. To view Capital Factory's YouTube video, click here. .:.

Texas Triangle 10-K Filings

2008-2009 Texas Triangle 10-K filings

• Austin metro 10-K filings
• DFW Metroplex 10-K filings
• San Antonio metro 10-K filings
• Houston metro 10-K filings

Texas' Top Social Media Minds

Newspaper names 25 winners

The Austin American-Statesman did its bit to promote Texas' technology community today, naming the 2009 Texas Social Media Award Winners.

Not surprisingly, the winners were weighted towards the capital city, but the winners represented a broad cross section. From Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams to J.R. Cohen, owner of The Coffee Groundz in Houston.

In between there's a wide range of interesting social media entrepreneurs that are worth checking out. The overall winner will be announced at an awards banquet on March 15. The newspaper also makes available a list of the nominees for the award. .:.

Honchos> Michael S. Dell

Founder, Chairman & CEO, Dell Inc. [Roundrock, TX]
DOB: 2/23/1965

Updated: 2/2/2009

Michael S. Dell serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Dell Inc. He has held the title of Chairman of the Board since he founded the Company in 1984. Mr. Dell served as Chief Executive Officer of Dell from 1984 until July 2004 and resumed that role in January 2007.

He serves on the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, serves on the executive committee of the International Business Council, and is a member of the U.S. Business Council. He also serves on the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and sits on the governing board of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India.

Dell is sole investor in MSD Capital, a private family office based in New York. MSD Capital has investments in a variety of publicly held and not publicly held companies, both high-tech and non-high-tech. ValleyCrest is a major landscape engineering company from the West Coast that does very high-end work, including Dell's Austin estate. Along with his wife, Dell is also the head of the Michael S. Dell Foundation.

Source: SEC, NNDB.com, NYTimes.com

Other Links:

• Profile on 123People.com

Updates for Week of 02/07-02/14

Happenings in the Texas Triangle, the megapolitan region consisting of Houston, DFW, Austin and San Antonio.

1. DealFlow> TXCO Resources [San Antonio] reviewing strategic alternatives <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0936>
2. Honchos> Billionaire R. Allen Stanford [Houston] possibly under investigation by SEC <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0933>
3. Energy> Feast and famine for ethanol producers <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0931>
4. Boom, Crash, Presto> Creative Class' Richard Florida envisions how crash will reshape U.S. and Texas <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle09301>
5. Who Shot J.R.?> Relive the glory days of the oil boom with a Ewing Oil ball cap <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0930>
6. Energy> North Dakota could become the Texas of the Upper Midwest <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0929>
7. DealFlow> MC Companies [AZ] acquires Encore Management [Arlington] <http://tinyurl.com/texasdeal0004>
8. MicroCaseStudy> Clash of the Titans: Visualizing the growth of Wal-Mart vs. Target <http://1link.in/texastriangle-ytfev>
9. DealFlow> Arlington Neonatal Intensive Care, P.A. [Arlington] is acquired by MEDNAX, Inc. [FL] <http://tinyurl.com/texasdeal0003>
10. NonSequitur> A-Rod's doping explained by game theory... sheds no light on Madonna thing <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0927>
11. NewCapital> Money anyone? Maverick's owner Mark Cuban [Dallas] makes open call for biz plans <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0928>
12. DealFlow> ROUND2 Inc. [Austin] acquires PolymerCycle, LLC [Grand Prairie] <http://tinyurl.com/texasdeal0002>
13. DealFlow> Boundless Network [Austin] acquires Corporate Specialities [Dallas] <http://tinyurl.com/texasdeal0001>
14. NewCapital> Austin tech firms OneSpot and 7 Billion People haul in combined $7.2M <http://tinyurl.com/texascapital>.:.

Updates for Week of 02/01-02/06

Happenings in the Texas Triangle, the megapolitan region consisting of Houston, DFW, Austin and San Antonio.

1. Energy> Texas companies galore mentioned in The Deal's take on state of the oil & gas and alt energy <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0926>
2. Capital> UTIMCO's fund performance <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0925>
3. Dude... Chairman of UTIMCO board Robert Rowling resigns during state senate hearing, PEHub has the video <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0924>
4. Energy> Author Peter Schwartz says cleantech VCs don't GET energy and don't know what they're doing <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0923>
5. Face2Face> Tech-related Networking Groups [Austin ] <http://www.austinstartup.com/resources/>
6. Dealipedia> Viverae [Dallas] raises $6.5M from Frontier Capital [Charlotte, NC] <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0922>
7. Dealipedia> HomeAway [Austin] buys French Homelidays SAS based <http://tinyurl.com/algers>
8. DealFlow> Texas Pacific Group [Fort Worth] ends 2 yr. talks with sov fund/pension funds to buy stakes <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0921>
9. Dealipedia> IDC Westinghouse [Fort Worth] acquired by Sorenson Capital <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0919>
10. Honchos> NY Times catching Dell fever from Wall Street Journal <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0917>
11. Honchos> Mark Cuban [DFW] pursues offense as his best defense <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0916>
12. Honchos> The many faces of Michael S. Dell... tech visionary... philanthropist... VEGETABLE CAPITALIST <http://1link.in/texastriangle-mnyce>.:.

Updates for Week of 01/25-01/31

Happenings in the Texas Triangle, the megapolitan region consisting of Houston, DFW, Austin and San Antonio.

1. IndustryClusters> Non-obvious connections among auto industry players create unforeseen consequences <http://tinyurl.com/texastriangle0915>
2. TexPatriates> Don't hate the player, hate the game... The Bush-bashing phenomenon <http://tinyurl.com/texastriangle0914>
3. NonSequitur> Mathematician deconstructs The Beatles <http://tinyurl.com/texastriangle0913>
4. Fishwrap> How does Dell do it? WSJ runs a story nearly daily... Today, Dell's new smart phone! <http://tinyurl.com/texastriangle0912>
5. Rankings> What the...? Austin barely squeaks into Forbes' Top 30 Most-Wired Cities <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0911>
6. Clusters> Austin-based New Media Consortium releases 2009 Horizon Report <http://tinyurl.com/c77zyb>
7. Energy> NOCs dominate IOCs in total share of oil reserves (88% v. 12%) and production (52% v. 48%) <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0910>
8. BigPicture> The Texas Triangle is 1 of 11 U.S. megapolitan regions <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0909>
9. Honchos> Robert B. Rowling, TRT Holdings [Irving], puts "Don't Mess with Texas" into practice <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0907>
10. Crusade> Texas needs In-N-Out burgers... now <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0906>
11. Horse's Mouth> WSJ reports on tough times for Texas family [DFW] <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle5>
12. Linchpins> Dell [Austin] will record record 1-time expenses of $280M <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle4>
13. Epic> No cheap date, bidding starts at $100k to dine with T. Boone Pickins [Dallas] <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0903>
14. Empty Boots>Trailblazing former-UT prez Lorene Rogers (Dallas) passes away at 94 <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle0902>
15. Energy> On CO2 legislation, battle between reds and blues giving way to browns vs. greens <http://tinyurl.com/txtriangle>
16. Kudos> Lone Star's 24 best hospitals <http://preview.tinyurl.com/b8ea94>
17. CreativeClass> Gene Rodenberry (<http://www.famoustexans.com/roddenberry.htm>) to be "buried" in space with wife <http://preview.tinyurl.com/d24ade>
18. Trends> Gov. Perry not giving up on private toll roads, Obama's plans could help <http://preview.tinyurl.com/cx7bfb>
19. Energy> Important to Houston, oil-rich Norway pursues economic stimulus <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123298341926915687.html>
20. UsVsThem> Nationally, DFW home prices holding strong, Houston metro too shows relative strength <http://preview.tinyurl.com/a9trhs>
21. Texaphile> "Texans are keepers of the republic flame..." <http://preview.tinyurl.com/ahg2xb>
22. Nanocosm> Sweating the small stuff pays for Houston unis Rice, UT-Houston, and Baylor <http://preview.tinyurl.com/bqujp9>
23. Big Tex> Vinson & Elkins Ron Kirk (Dallas) joins as Federal Trade Rep <http://preview.tinyurl.com/bzrlet>
24. Big Tex> Kevin O'Connor, #3 at DOJ, joins Bracewell & Giuliani in Hartford <http://preview.tinyurl.com/bwygfd>
25. Trends> Trans Texas Corridor died Jan. 4, but Fed stimulus could pump up infrastructure spending <http://preview.tinyurl.com/dxy8mc>
26. Energy> To proceed, on-hold IPOs need crude at $55 - alt energy prefers $80- nat gas wants stable $6 <http://preview.tinyurl.com/c9vthm>
27. Money Trail> Texas nets $1.28B on 146 VC deals in 2008 (downloadable regional spreadsheets @ PEHub.com) <http://preview.tinyurl.com/ahze7m>.:.

Updates for Week of 01/12-01/17

Happenings in the Texas Triangle, the megapolitan region consisting of Houston, DFW, Austin and San Antonio.

1. Dealipedia Entry> Dallas-based Investor Buys Trucking Company <http://tinyurl.com/9tz5xb>
2. VC> Sterling Foods [San Antonio] acquired by TGF Management & Austin Ventures [$ND] <http://twitter.com/texastriangle/status/1119369433>
3. Energy: Anadarko Petroleum [The Woodlands] wins big [$10B] on fossil-fuel royalties <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180979081275855.html>
4. The Plan from La Mancha: Giants opposing T. Boone's wind 'n gas plan not imagined... <http://twitter.com/texastriangle/status/1116502985>
5. Video... So Long $147.27: Energy guru Daniel Yergin discusses outlook for oil-rich countries... <http://preview.tinyurl.com/6uupsh>
6. Trend... Caveat Austin: Cleantech valutations headed for reality check? ... <http://tinyurl.com/ayadkz>
7. Madoffs DITHOT (Deep In The Heart of Texas): Austin-based Pantera Petroleum funded by Bernie Madoff's sons and niece <http://preview.tinyurl.com/8telfh>.:.

Reduce, Reuse, Rebrand

Also-ran identities live again

In the latest issue of Springwise (Springwise newsletter | 18 September 2008), Texas-based IncSpring was featured. The company creates an online market for corporate brand identities that have already been created, or in other words pre-fabbed brands.

Where do they come from? Any company launching a new branding identity knows that there are always also-ran ideas that didn't make the final cut. The founders of IncSpring realized those brands still had value, even if they weren't selected by the original client, so why not recycle the alternate brand identities?

Clever idea. But we'll have to see if entrepreneurs, who are notoriously cheap, will be willing to pay for even a "discount" brand. .:.

P.S. The non-Texan creators of Websource.it (a nifty little search engine that essentially works like the "Ask the Audience" lifeline on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) have posted a six-page PDF case study of the process they used to develop their brand name. Interesting read.

Austin's Fastest

19 Austin firms named to Inc. 5000

AustinStartup.com, the nicely put together blog/online publication, recently listed the 19 Austin-based outfits named to Inc. Magazine's ranking of the country's 5,000 fastest growing companies. Altogether, AustinStartup.com reports 378 Texas-based companies were named to Inc.'s list this year, representing 7.5% of the whole list.

On a per-capita basis, that is actually a touch low since Texas now has about 7.9% of the United States' 301 million people (find Census Bureau data here). Put another way, Texas' location quotient for fastest-growing businesses was 0.946 (an LQ >1 would mean a higher-than-normal distribution).

Surprisingly, with just 19 companies on the list, the Austin-Roundrock MSA has an even lower LQ than Texas overall--just 0.72. Of course, the Inc. 5000 is just a list created by a magazine publisher, but it's interesting to note the discrepancy none the less. .:.