Nick Tippmann

Introducing Software Factory Stories Ep 1. Meet @chrisstrobl, Founder & CEO of gitflash.com. Here's his story.

Austin VC is on a roll. I won’t say the epicenter is shifting but the green shoots of something big are forming. In particular the Austin Emerging Manager cohort that's forming right now is looking very promising. Lots of killer first funds that I am sprinting to keep up with. Here is who is top of mind in town but please tag other folks: @itsdanieldart - Rockyard Ventures (also putting on Future Titans conference) @ntippmann - TipTop Ventures (AI vSaaS with early investment in GC AI) @Magyer - Seaplane Ventures (network effect bizs with early investment in Micro1) @krdonnelly - Avalanche VC (early investments in Bluesky and Starbridge) @vsodera - Supercharge VC (killer investment rap sheet) @annieluchsinger - Breakers (heard great things from @Cashflow_Cowboy) @jaydimonte - Grid Capital (honorable mention since not here full time; supply chain all day and great track record at previous firm) The best part is I count many of them as friends. Let me know who I missed.

.@garrytan I would urge you to reconsider this decision and open YC Austin. First, the data is looking in the rear view mirror. “Past performance does not guarantee future results,” as the saying goes. The Austin startup ecosystem is off to the races thanks to first movers like @elonmusk and @JTLonsdale. Second, this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If YC and others support Austin, it will be successful. Third, and this is a biggie, if you don’t open YC Austin, you’re basically acknowledging that Silicon Valley has insuperable network effects, which was effectively Ro Khanna’s point. You may win this or that political battle, but eventually the political system will extract as much as rent as it can. If you don’t start diversifying now, you won’t have any leverage. Fourth, if Tech doesn’t start sharing the wealth with Red States, it should expect narrow and shrinking political support. With the Left going socialist, the Right should be an ally; it still believes in innovation and property rights. But many on the Right wonder why they should support radical change that mainly enriches Team Blue. I fully agree with you that the tech backlash is bad for America, but to solve this, Tech has to include all of America. This goes for the rest of the VC ecosystem. I would urge you to open Austin offices in 2026.

Today, we’re excited to announce that @OureonTech is emerging from stealth following a $3.5M pre-seed round led by GTMfund, with participation from Boost VC, BVVC, Ensemble VC, Flyover Capital, JHH VC, and Tiptop VC, to build the future of advanced airspace interoperability.
 Each year, there are more than 100 million aircraft flights worldwide, and over the next decade, more than 800 million additional drone flights will enter global airspace. Yet these systems still operate in isolation, unable to communicate, predict, or deconflict in real time.
 Oureon Technologies is building the real-time communication layer that connects them, enabling manned and unmanned aircraft to communicate and coordinate safely, instantly, and autonomously. From airports to city airspaces, and beyond, our platform powers predictive, real-time, intelligent communication and deconfliction across every vehicle in the sky.
 If you want to work on something that matters, with a great group of people, we’re hiring at our HQ in Austin, Texas.

Not every industry can afford hallucinations. Being right only 98 percent of the time isn't good enough. That’s where vertical AI steps in. Today on Austin Next: @ntippmann founder of @TipTopVC, joins me to explore how specificity is reshaping software and why vertical AI might be the lever that brings laggard industries into the 21st century. We cover: • What Vertical AI Really Means • Specificity as the New Moat • Founders, Not Just Models • When General AI Fails • Seed-Strapping Real or Not • Rewriting Pricing Logic • Vertical AI Talent Mix • Redefining TAM in Niche Markets • Scaling without Overspending What’s Next Austin? “Austin becomes a global hub for vertical AI winners…”