Austin Next

Specificity isn’t just a design choice. It’s the differentiator when inches matter. Nick Tippmann, founding partner of TipTop VC, explains how vertical AI is rewriting the software industry by going deeper, not wider. From the transition beyond SaaS to the gray zone between foundational models and high-stakes applications, we explore how vertical AI can transform laggard industries and why Austin might lead the race. 

Episode Highlights
  • 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 with the rich combo of the enterprise SaaS lineage, the critical industries that are based here, the talent from the previous winners, the emerging talent from the universities, and more and more experienced operators and founders moving here for their second act"
Nick Tippmann
TipTop VC

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Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

What is Austin Next?

Austin is building the new tech, cultural, and intellectual stack. The region is a living laboratory to answer a single question: How do you build a global innovation superpower?

Host Jason Scharf dissects innovation from the individual to the ecosystem. From the soundstage to the data center to the fab, we decode the mechanics of Austin's innovation ecosystem.

As Atoms, Bits, and Intelligence converge, we explore how Hard Tech scale, digital velocity, and creative density collide. This is an audit of the future. We map the physics of the flywheel so builders and investors can navigate the chaos.