Austin did not become a tech city by accident, and it will not stay an innovation center on autopilot. In the first Austin Tech Connect episode of 2026, Thom Singer sits down with Jan Ryan, CEO of Three Hills, a longtime operator in venture backed startups, a builder of community, and a force behind expanding opportunity for women founders in Austin.

Jan takes us back to the mid 90s when Austin was still "a lovable, slightly disorganized teenager," then connects the lessons of the dot com era to what is happening now with AI and frontier tech.

This is a conversation about leadership, not hype. Jan lays out why innovation is moving faster than the institutions that are supposed to support it, talent pipelines, capital networks, and policy frameworks, and why inclusion is not a tagline, it is a growth strategy. Thom and Jan dig into what it will take for Austin to lead the next decade, how leaders can show up without burning out, and why it is not just networking, it is equipping. If you care about the next chapter of Austin tech, this one is your seat at the table.

Thank you to the 2026 sponsor of Austin Tech Connect.... Calavista Software. It is companies that are true "Community Champions" that sponsor organizations like the Austin Technology Council.