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Austin's Latest $1B Raise
PLUS: White Collar Fight Night... Codie Sanchez' Upcoming Conference... CTAN's Next Investment Cycle... And more...
Ethan Brooks
October 09, 2025
Welcome to this issue of The Austin Business Review, a weekly roundup of great local events and insights for Austin business owners (plus some other cool stuff for your life outside of work).
There’s a new competitor in town. Well… Sort of!
Zach Dell’s (yes, that Dell) company, Base Power, just announced a whopping $1B Series C to revolutionize residential energy.
They’re building out their production facility right here in town, in the old Austin-American Statesman HQ, near the water. And to mark the occasion, they created a special edition of this newspaper (complete with crossword and comics).
This is a huge win for for Base, a win for Austin’s startup ecosystem, and for American energy overall, so congrats Zach and team! Check out interviews with them here and here for more on what they’re up to.
If you’re looking for a place to kick back and sip a cold one while reading your new Base American newspaper, St. Elmo Brewing is throwing a party to celebrate the one-year birthday of their Springdale location.
It’s one of my favorite spots in town (I do a lot of group events here). In fact, I’ll be there tomorrow morning with a bunch of readers, talking about lead-gen over coffee. If you’re free, come join us.
Upcoming Events
🗓️ TONIGHT: Importance of Community & Connection In Tech: Featuring Hugh Forrest, former co-president of SXSW, talking about his new venture, Gather & Grow
🗓️ Oct. 10: Leads Discussion: Every month, I lead this book club for founders applying Alex Hormozi’s $100M Leads to their companies. Join us!
🗓️ Oct. 10: Founder Coffee Tasting: Mark Helwig, founder of Ratio coffee, was recently featured on Peter Attia’s podcast, and will be at this event telling his story
🗓️ Oct. 14: Advanced Computing Community: Jay Boisseau, is running this free workshop at Google downtown about AI tools for scientific/technical productivity
🗓️ Oct. 14: Most Common Startup Legal Mistakes: Part of Shannon Sibold’s annual ScaleUp series, for founders growing from 7- to 8-figures
🗓️ Oct. 14: Flavors of Growth: Killers from the local CPG community, like Michelle Breyer, CMO of SKU, will discuss what makes Austin a CPG powerhouse
🗓️ Oct. 14-15: Willpower Catalyst Series: CPG folks - Bill Murphy pulled together marketing leaders from LALO, Kendra Scott, and Caraway Home for a killer panel
🗓️ Oct. 15: ATX CTO: Every month, William Baxter curates a discussion for senior tech execs. This month’s topic: Measuring Team Performance (and how AI adoption factors in)
🗓️ Oct. 15: Austin AI Alliance: Their monthly meeting takes place over at ACC Rio Grande, between 12th and 13th streets
🗓️ Oct. 15: Design Minded: Joey Zeledón will discuss lessons from two decades as an industrial designer, working with companies like HP, Banana Republic, and others
🗓️ Oct 15-17: Women Growing Wealth: Tamar Hermes is leading this two-day retreat for women focused on long-term wealth. Get $200 off with code 200WOOP
🗓️ Oct. 16: ATX Marketing Pro’s - Bowling Night: The name pretty much says it all! Jay Tye is gathering a bunch of marketing pro’s to sling resin on S. Congress
🗓️ Oct. 16: Quantum ATX: This panel is full of rockstars, including William (Whurley) Hurley, who sold multiple companies, and is currently CEO of Strangeworks
🗓️ Oct. 16: Austin Women in Tech: Three speakers including Carlisha Robinson, former C-suite exec at Beyond Inc., will discuss their experience building advisory firms
🗓️ Oct. 16: Acquire & Invest Happy Hour: Dan Jensen and Henry Carter’s monthly happy hour for people who buy businesses.
🗓️ Oct. 16: Texas House Race Weekend: William August Herrmann and the team at Texas House are hosting a pre-race soirée, complete with cars and live music, at Stubbs
🗓️ Oct. 16: Marketer x Motorsport Mixer: In case you didn’t get enough supercars at Stubbs, head over to East Caesar Chavez to hang with fellow marketers and talk F1
🗓️ Oct. 16: Consumer VC Live: CPG folks - Marc Nathan is organizing this premier day-long event, focused on knowledge-sharing between founders, retailers, and investors
🗓️ Oct. 16: Elevated Interactions: Local Investor Cody Todd is gathering people at Cosmic Pickle for drinks. Fun fact: He’s an investor in Cosmic too 🍻 Ask him about it
🗓️ Oct. 17: TWIB Monthly Luncheon: Shuronda Robinson, former CEO of Austin Woman, is speaking about her experience with 30+ years in media & communications
Mark your calendar…
These three are a little further out than I typically share, but I want to get them on your radar early:
Oct. 20-24: Austin Tech Week: Five days of sessions and speakers, including many names you’ve seen in this email over the years. Badges range just $10-$65
Oct. 24: White Collar Fight Night: What better way to round out Tech Week than ringside cocktails and a lineup of six boxing matches between local CEOs (yes, this is real)
Nov. 2-4: Main St. Over Wall St: Local legend, Codie Sanchez, is hosting the fourth annual version of this event, featuring speakers like Joe Lonsdale, Jenny Just, Bill Perkins, and more
Other Fun Stuff Coming Up…
TONIGHT: Candlelight Comedy at Rozco’s
Oct. 10: Girls, Girls, Girls! Fully Improvised Broadway-Style Musical
Oct. 11: Pilates & Paddle at Rowing Dock
Oct. 11: Pancakes & Booze Art Show at Far Out Lounge
Oct. 12: Roosevelt Room Masterclass - Brandies of the World
Oct. 12: Useful Plants of Texas
Oct. 13: Linger - With Best-Selling Cookbook Author Hetty Lui McKinnon
Oct. 14: Backyard Chickens 101
Oct. 14: Ink & Drink Tattoo Experience at Dark Horse
Oct. 15: Secondhand Strut - Thrifted Fashion Show Competition
Oct. 15: Caribe - With Chef/Author/Owner Keshia Sakarah
Oct. 15: Road to the Race: Grand Prix Kickoff Gala
Oct. 16: Late Night Talking - An Evening of Silly Conversation
Oct. 17: Fest of the Senses at the Science & Natural History Museum
Oct. 17: Jay Lenno, Live
Oct. 17: Imbibe - Wine Tasting: 90’s Cellar Night
Oct. 18: Master Study Painting Class - Hilma
Oct. 18: Trusting Yourself - Therapeutic Yoga To Heal Self Doubt
Oct. 18: Sourdough Pumpkin Bread-Making Class
Oct. 18: Succulent Terrarium-Making Class
Oct. 19: Master Chef All-Stars - Live!
Oct. 19: Fly Into Fall - Stained Glass Bat Workshop
Oct. 19: Whose Slide Is It Anyway - Improv Comedy Powerpoint Show
Oct. 19: A Night of Comedy & Woodworking with Nick Offerman
One More Thing…
Around this time of year, the Austin Steam Train starts up all kinds of themed rides that sound like fun. There’s the Wedding Oak Wine Flyer that runs regularly through the fall. And themed rides like Romantasy Trivia, Dia De Los Muertos, and the North Pole Flyer (which runs multiple times a day the first two weeks of Dec.)
Word On The Street
A roundup of cool local opportunities to grow your business, wealth, or personal brand
Fundraising Soon? Central Texas Angel Network is kicking off cycle 6 – their last funding cycle of the year – with Angel speed dating on Oct. 17th
Venue Needed: On Nov. 8th, investor Ben Pfeffer is bringing together 50+ young innovators as part of the Global Shapers initiative of the World Economic Forum. They’re looking for a venue that can host the group. If you’ve got one, reach out to Ben here.
AI for Non-Technical Founders: Nat Eliason is about to drop a big update on his course, Build Your Own Apps with AI. Looks like you can get $200 off with code FRESH before Saturday. This ain’t an ad. I just recommend this class all the time (and paid full price for it early this year). If you’re an idea-person who’s less technical, and want to learn to build stuff fast, go get it now and thank me later.
Attention Woodworkers: Austin School of Furniture got a bunch of new tools donated recently, so they’re hosting a garage sale Oct. 19th from 1:30-5PM. Swing by… Because that’s what you need is more tools 😉 (Seriously though, it can’t hurt to peak… Oh look, Nick Offerman’s in town that night too)
Meet Your Neighbor: Andy Allen of Repackify
Today, we continue my new series where local founders share some of their best tips and stories from both in and outside work. If you’d like a chance to be featured, fill this out!
Andy Allen is the co-founder of Repackify, a marketplace for industrial shipping supplies (think pallets, crates, and f*ck tons of cardboard). It’s a surprising business most people never even stop to wonder about.
One of the things I love about their story is how they’ve brute-forced GTM.
For example, when I asked how they got their first client, Andy said his co-founder literally filled out a hundred contact-forms on prospects websites until people started emailing them back.
And for growth, one surprising yet simple tactic was to pay VA’s to go on Google Maps’ satellite view, look for warehouses, then email the companies listed there.
After getting shot down by 150+ VC’s, they found someone who saw the vision, and not only raised their seed, but also brought Favor’s old CEO on as an advisor. Now they’re prepping for a series A
Fun Fact: Andy’s also fighting in the White Collar Fight Night I mentioned above. So check out his story, then grab a ticket to cheer him on in the ring.
Enter Andy…
He launched Repackify while getting his MBA, and did a stint at the UN’s innovative new AI Lab, focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development agenda.
What's something most people either don't know or misunderstand about how businesses in your industry actually make money?
The greenwashing of recycling has put something of a mental stain on most people's minds, but in fiber, lumber, steel, shipping businesses it's economically imperative - it's a crucial part of these industries. The average cardboard box is recycled 7 times, the pallet industry has a 92% recycling rate.
What's one important part of the business model or strategy that you've changed your mind on since starting?
Instead of trying to force e-commerce conventions onto an industry that relies on relationships, timing, and trust, we shifted to building a platform that works more like a brokerage + workflow engine in the background.
What was the last purchase of less than $1,000 that made a serious impact on your life?
An ice wall climbing tour in Colorado - realizing you can do things you see in the movies for cheap.
What's your "retirement number" and why is it that? What are you planning to do with the money?
Planning ahead for future inflation, $7mm. I want to restore an old hacienda style house, own a couple motorcycles, and work with organizations focused on UN sustainable development goals.
What's one book that fundamentally formed your views on money, wealth, or investing, and why?
Anything You Want by Derek Sivers- business is about solving people's problems, first and foremost is being helpful to others. Also, the hell yes or hell no philosophy.
What's a favorite under-the-radar spot in Austin that you keep going back to (and why)?
Monks Jazz Club - BYOB jazz club with primarily UT professors and students performing at. It's so good we got our office in the same building!
What's one part of your life outside work that you're most proud of, and why?
Growing relationships. Every year I noticed my new years resolutions always revolved around enjoying time with friends more, and meeting new people. I finally realized this is a totally free act, it just required me being more extroverted and keeping it at the front of my priorities.
That’s all for this week!
-Ethan