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Want to know why Austin, Texas keeps topping the charts as one of America's best cities? Read our latest Learning Center article to discover the factors driving Austin's success, from its booming tech industry and world-class universities to its unbeatable career opportunities and quality of life. The Texas capital is poised for another standout year in 2024!

Policy at the Speed of Tech ⚡ - Check out these programs at the Aspen Tech Policy Hub at The Aspen Institute ⬇ "The Aspen Tech Policy Hub is a West Coast policy incubator, training a new generation of policy entrepreneurs. Modeled after tech incubators like Y Combinator, we take STEM experts, teach them the policy process through fellowship and executive education programs, and encourage them to develop outside-the-box solutions to society’s problems." #policy

We are proud to share another feature of our President and Co-Founder, Muamer Cisija! This time, in the Poets&Quants article, he shares insights from his Stanford University Graduate School of Business journey that led to the founding of Symphony. In the article, Muamer reflects on his Stanford years, the lessons learned, and how the environment and determination resulted in Symphony becoming one of the top three software companies in the region, working with 30+ GSB founders. You can read the entire interview below!

Growing up, I loved watching Shaq dominate opposing centers. Now I’m excited to watch his efforts to disrupt the $90B community college sector. Here’s how he’s trying to do that and why it might work: Joining forces with tech giants like OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Discord’s Jason Citron, Shaq is part of an investor group that have collectively committed more than $29 million to support 29-year-old entrepreneur, Tade Oyerinde, on his accredited community college startup, Campus.edu. What makes Campus interesting? The size of the problem is massive: there are ~10M community college students, paying on average $7,200-$8,900 per year, for a total market size of $70-90B. And outcomes for these students are abysmal: only about 40% complete and only one in six students who begin at a community college and plan to get a bachelor's degree actually manage to do so. Campus offers a totally different education experience: it offers fully online synchronous classes taught by top notch, underpaid, adjunct professors from prestigious institutions like Vanderbilt, Princeton, and NYU. These professors are looking for ways to augment their income and reach more learners – Campus gives them a platform to do it. Campus helps students avoid college debt: understanding the financial hurdles facing most community college learners, Campus sets its tuition below the Pell Grant maximum, enabling most students to attend without any out-of-pocket costs. This approach breaks down barriers, making quality education accessible and stress-free. By offering a world-class community college education at community college costs, Campus boasts a graduation rate of 61%, ~50% better than the national average for community colleges, without putting students into debt. If Campus can continue to deliver these results, while managing production costs and figuring out a scalable distribution/student acquisition (no small feats!), then it has a chance to be a nationally disruptive force to the highly localized and underperforming community college sector today. Link to Fortune article with more info in the comments. #ShaqInvests #EducationInnovation #HigherEd #CampusCollege

In the world of higher education, the bridge between academia and real-world entrepreneurial success is becoming ever so crucial. The recent pitch competition at Taylor University, where students were encouraged not only to excel academically but also to become job creators, was a testament to this evolving paradigm. We not only want students to graduate from Taylor and get great jobs, we also want some of them to graduate from Taylor to go out and CREATE lots of jobs, remarked Taylor’s new President, D. Michael Lindsay. This approach not only broadens the horizon for students but also embeds a strong sense of responsibility towards contributing actively to economic growth. The event showcased a vibrant mix of innovation, passion, and potential among the budding entrepreneurs. It's refreshing to see institutions like Taylor University fostering an environment that prioritizes entrepreneurial thinking alongside academic achievement. Special congratulations are in order for Lucidity, the winner of the night, and a heartfelt thank you to Andrew Fennig, Patrick Burke, and Jeff Aupperle, PhD for their dedication to nurturing future leaders. Such initiatives underscore the importance of hands-on experience in entrepreneurship as part of higher education curricula. They serve as a beacon for other institutions striving towards holistic student development. How can we further bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical business acumen? Let's continue supporting environments that encourage risk-taking, creativity, and ultimately job creation - shaping not just successful individuals but thriving communities.

Peter Thiel’s 100k Offer! In the wake of Peter Thiel’s bold $100,000 offer to young adults to bypass college, we’re urged to rethink the value we place on formal education versus real-world experience. My own transition from the streets of Chicago to educating law enforcement on drug cartel dynamics underscores the profound leadership and business acumen that can emerge outside traditional academic pathways. However, Thiel’s initiative sparks a thought: beyond encouraging individuals to skip college, could there be merit in challenging CEOs and companies directly? Imagine if a portion of Thiel’s funding went towards incentivizing businesses to diversify their hiring criteria, or even to educate them on valuing skills and experiences as much as degrees. Such a move could potentially revolutionize workforce development, encouraging a shift in corporate culture to recognize and value the myriad paths to expertise and leadership. This suggestion isn’t just about shifting the focus from degrees to skills; it’s about inspiring a deeper change in how companies view potential and talent. By offering financial incentives or training programs to businesses willing to hire based on diverse experiences or non-traditional paths, Thiel could catalyze a broader transformation in the job market. This could lead to more inclusive, innovative, and dynamic companies better equipped to tackle the challenges of the modern world. Let’s broaden our dialogue on talent and success. It’s time for a systemic shift in hiring practices, one that embraces the richness of diverse experiences and perspectives. By valuing the lessons learned from both life and academia, we can foster a more inclusive and resilient business landscape. #Innovation #Leadership #PeterThiel #DiversityInHiring #Entrepreneurship #NonTraditionalPaths #FutureOfWork #wsj#secondchances#Lawenforcement#Amazon#technology #business#Redemption#Felons#Kingpintoeducator https://lnkd.in/d_fYiHUQ

How Fizz’s Explosive Growth at Stanford Reveals a Goldmine for Investors. Imagine launching a social media app that wins over 95% of Stanford’s student body. That’s the story of Fizz, a platform created by Stanford students Teddy Solomon and Ashton Cofer during the pandemic. They saw the need for an authentic, anonymous space for students to connect and launched Fizz with a clever grassroots strategy—partnering with student groups and hosting on-campus events. The results were staggering. Fizz became an integral part of campus life, leading to over $25 million in funding from investors. This success wasn’t confined to Stanford. The app now thrives on more than 90 campuses, proving that the Bay Area’s tech-savvy student population is a goldmine for innovative startups and investors. Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC Davis are prime examples of how understanding and meeting the unique needs of college students can lead to rapid growth and significant funding. Investors looking for the next big opportunity should pay close attention to these vibrant college markets. The lesson here is clear: When you tap into the potential of Bay Area college students, the sky's the limit. #StartupSuccess #CollegeMarketing #Fizz #BayArea #Innovation #InvestmentOpportunities

If like me you have kids of a certain age, going to University (or not as the case may be) is a hot topic and sometimes a contentious one. I'll be honest, when Jett (my son) told me he wasn't sure he wanted to go to Uni, my heart sank. I'm also not going to lie, as someone who grew up in a single-parent family, on a council estate and was the first one to go to University, I was more than a little disappointed. For me, my time at LSE was pivotal. It cemented my confidence, it gave me a new outlook, a new set of possibilities, and a world of connections. And for others, at least at the start of my career, I am sure it ticked a box that I was 'good enough' to at least be considered - then the rest was up to me. Jett argues the case that there was nothing that I actually learned academically that I have used at any point in my career and it's hard to argue against that; although the age-old argument of diligence and discipline was put forward, it was swiftly shot down. I said, but what about all the connections and relationships that you build? He said, "With the right experience and environment, I'm going to build those anyway - you have." Jett's view is that unless you *need* your degree for the actual career that you want; being a lawyer or a doctor ... then he sees little point if you can gain real-life experience instead. His argument is that 4 years of on-the-job, in-the-business experience ( as long as you're in the right role at the right place) is far more valuable. Especially since he was born with the entrepreneurial gene ... Over the summer he did some work experience with the brilliant Black Seed Ventures and found that more useful than anything he's studied ... so when I read this article about Thiel's 'alternative' University, it struck a chord. Not that I'm suggesting Jett applies for it, but the principles ring true. Our education system has long needed an overhaul, but particularly for those who want to pursue their own path. Maybe it's time to put my pre-conceived ideas to one side ...

Your legacy is equivalent to the impact you have made.

Earlier this year, I was proud to receive the outstanding alumni award from my high school, Francis Parker School. None of my accomplishments as a VC would have been possible without the allyship of my high school calculus teacher, Mr. Esch. Mr. Esch is a white gay man who, I believe, saw a lot of himself in me. I was just one of three Black girls in my class. We both found ourselves outside of the boxes of a school as prestigious as Francis Parker. I didn’t expect to do well in calculus and constantly doubted myself. Mr. Esch on the other hand, knew that I had a knack for math and supported me in order to make sure I was successful. I had him as a mirror, letting me know that even though I felt differently, I should trust my instincts and not give up. Without him, I don’t believe I would have ever thought a career like VC - where mathematical analysis is an important part of our work - was a fit for me. It’s not easy to thrive in a culture where society tells you that you don’t belong - whether that’s calculus class in the 90s or the startup ecosystem of 2024. To everyone out there who feels like an outsider in a world they’re eager to participate in - you’re not alone, and I’m rooting for you. Lean on your allies, don’t give up and always remember to pay that kindness shown to you forward. #allyship #empowerment #venturecapital #venturecapitalistlife