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People & Scene

Sloane Reyes

Covers the founders, moves, and culture of Austin tech.

16 stories

PeopleSloane Reyes · 2d

Jeff Cardenas built a humanoid robot company in an Austin industrial park. Now it's worth $5 billion.

The Apptronik co-founder spun a UT robotics lab project into one of the most-watched hardware companies in Texas, but says he isn't ready to declare victory.

Bryan Chambers Takes the Helm at Capital Factory After Cofounder's Death
PeopleSloane Reyes · 6d

Bryan Chambers Takes the Helm at Capital Factory After Cofounder's Death

The longtime president now leads the Austin institution through its most painful transition, days after launching a new nonprofit meant to outlast any one founder.

Joshua Baer, Architect of Austin's Startup Boom, Dies at 50
PeopleSloane Reyes · Jun 18

Joshua Baer, Architect of Austin's Startup Boom, Dies at 50

The Capital Factory cofounder, who spent two decades convincing Texas it could build the future, was killed in a Laredo plane crash.

PeopleSloane Reyes · May 8

Jacqueline Samira Built Howdy by Betting on Latin American Engineers

The Austin founder turned a nearshore-hiring idea into a Y Combinator-backed company connecting U.S. firms with vetted developers across Latin America.

Apptronik Raids Big Tech for a Commercialization 'Dream Team'
PeopleSloane Reyes · Apr 29

Apptronik Raids Big Tech for a Commercialization 'Dream Team'

The Austin humanoid-robotics company has tapped Waymo's former chief product officer and other Silicon Valley veterans as it readies a new robot.

PeopleSloane Reyes · Apr 9

Ben Lamm said his company brought back the dire wolf. The debate hasn't stopped since.

The serial entrepreneur turned a de-extinction moonshot into a multibillion-dollar biotech, and a lightning rod for scientific argument.

PeopleSloane Reyes · Apr 2

Oracle made Austin its world headquarters. Then it left, and then came the layoffs.

The tech giant's exit and global job cuts have forced a reckoning over how much of Austin's tech economy rests on imported corporate logos.

SXSW turned 40 with a shorter schedule and a question about its future
PeopleSloane Reyes · Mar 20

SXSW turned 40 with a shorter schedule and a question about its future

The festival that helped define Austin's identity celebrated four decades while organizers reworked the formula under pressure.

UT Austin Launches a Venture Studio to Turn Research Into Companies
PeopleSloane Reyes · Mar 5

UT Austin Launches a Venture Studio to Turn Research Into Companies

The university's Discovery to Impact unit is building startups from the ground up, starting with medical 'digital twins.'

Lauren Washington built Fundr to fix a bias she lived. Now she's advising the mayor on it.
PeopleSloane Reyes · Mar 3

Lauren Washington built Fundr to fix a bias she lived. Now she's advising the mayor on it.

The Fundr co-founder turned her experience with funding barriers into a startup and a seat on Austin's women-entrepreneurs task force.

Hugh Forrest, the Face of SXSW for 35 Years, Builds His Next Act
PeopleSloane Reyes · Feb 20

Hugh Forrest, the Face of SXSW for 35 Years, Builds His Next Act

Ousted from the festival he helped define, the longtime president is now a cofounder of Gather & Grow Experiences.

Apptronik teamed up with Google. The deal says as much about Austin as about robots.
PeopleSloane Reyes · Feb 14

Apptronik teamed up with Google. The deal says as much about Austin as about robots.

A partnership between an Austin hardware startup and DeepMind's robotics team puts the city at the center of the humanoid race.

Carla McDonald is trying to fix the number that haunts Austin's women founders: 1%
PeopleSloane Reyes · Feb 10

Carla McDonald is trying to fix the number that haunts Austin's women founders: 1%

As chair of the mayor's task force, the Dynabrand Ventures founder is pushing to change how little venture capital reaches women in 'Silicon Hills.'

Amir Husain returned to UT to tell the class of 2025 what he learned building an AI unicorn
PeopleSloane Reyes · Jan 15

Amir Husain returned to UT to tell the class of 2025 what he learned building an AI unicorn

The serial entrepreneur who founded SparkCognition addressed the graduates of the school where his AI career began.

Austin Tech Week is what Austin Startup Week grew up to be
PeopleSloane Reyes · Dec 18

Austin Tech Week is what Austin Startup Week grew up to be

The grassroots celebration that started in 2011 is now a five-day showcase, and a barometer for how Austin sees itself.

Jason Ballard wants 3D printing to stop being a niche. He's betting Austin's suburbs on it.
PeopleSloane Reyes · Dec 12

Jason Ballard wants 3D printing to stop being a niche. He's betting Austin's suburbs on it.

The ICON co-founder is moving from headline-grabbing demos to neighborhoods of printed houses across Central Texas.