Howdy, Austin.
Welcome to Austin Founders Feed, the weekly newsletter that answers the question, “What’s happening behind the scenes in Austin’s founder community?”
And there’s a lot going on this week:
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - We just launched Austin Founder Feed’s business directory
Top Story - The Austin based health bank that’s saving lives
Poll - Please respond, it keeps our ego intact
Did you know? - How to legally “cheat” on creative
The Feed - Ken’s 6 favorite spots to eat and work around town
Social Calendar - 42 founder events
Let’s dive in!
— Warren
Announcement
Austin Business Directory
We’re excited to announce the launch of Austin Founders Feed’s Business Directory!
Feature your business for free and get exposure from the Austin Founders Feed network.
Want to add your business? Fill out THIS FORM
Local News
📰 AllClear ID: The Bank that Saves Lives

Everything changed for Bo Holland, founder and CEO of AllClear ID, when his son came home from school one day with an excruciating headache.
After a trip to the doctor, they discovered a golf ball–sized tumor in the center of his brain.
Bo and his family spent months going from doctor to doctor, physically hauling around paper records and CD-ROMs to every appointment as they tried to collect opinions and decide on the best possible treatment.
Fast-forward 10 years: Bo’s son is doing well. The tumor was successfully removed.
And Bo has spent the decade creating what he calls the world’s best “health bank”—a platform where patients can store all of their medical records in one safe space, and instantly share them with any physician.
He’s capitalizing on a few key shifts:
Patients now legally have the right to their data
There’s a standard protocol for moving medical data back and forth
Identity standards have been established
Regulatory fines now penalize information blocking
What makes AllClear ID different?
They have zero gaps in coverage:
For providers that are in compliance, AllClear pulls records within minutes using its data pipeline, then digitizes and normalizes everything.
For those that aren’t, AllClear falls back to fax—which providers are legally required to respond to.
By the end, the patient’s entire history is aggregated, normalized, clinically coded, and actually useful.
On top of that, LLMs sit over the data to help both patients and physicians summarize records and answer questions in plain English.
For Austin founders, the lesson is simple: when the rules change (like patient data rights), scramble to take advantage of the window in time to build the rails everyone else will have to run on.
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Poll
Got 3 seconds? Pick one option below so we know what to bring you more of in future newsletters.
Which of these services would help your business the most over the next 3–6 months?
Local News
📰 Terra Toys: Holiday Season Boom Like Never Before

Terra Toys originally sold hand-carved, hand-painted toys wholesale.
Today, this family-owned business has grown into the largest toy store in Texas.
Demand eventually pushed them into a brick-and-mortar storefront back in 1980, and they’ve been expanding the magic ever since. They now boast toys from over 2,000 different vendors.
What really makes Terra Toys stand out are their staff Top 10 picks and the in-store demonstrations.
It’s a local favorite for stocking stuffers and Christmas presents, and this year they just wrapped up one of their biggest holiday seasons ever.
Family-owned businesses like Terra Toys are a reminder that in Austin, long-term, community-rooted brands can still thrive right alongside high-growth startups.
Economic Outlook
By the Numbers (Austin at a Glance)
Unemployment: 3.5% - Competitive hiring environment
Median Home Sale Price (Austin Metro): $430K - Recent decline, looking like a buyers market
Startups: 1768 - One of the densest founder communities in the world
Unicorns ($1B+): 16 - Investors continue to put their money in Austin
Did You Know?
How to Cheat on Creative (Legally)
Having trouble with your ads?
The Meta Ad Library lets you search any brand or keyword and see every ad they’re currently running across Facebook and Instagram. There’s never been an easier way to see what’s working for others and borrow the best ideas.
On top of that, Meta also has an extensive library of free resources to help you get more out of their ad platform:
Tutorials
Playbooks
Case studies
If you’re trying to lower your customer acquisition costs, this is a great place to start.
The Feed
Ken’s Favorite Places to Work & Eat Around Town
Sometimes you have to get out of the house or the office. These are 5 places I like to work with other founders in the local community. If you see me there during the week, say hi!
Golden Hour Cafe & Wine Bar - Cute little coffee shop in South Austin. Nice and quiet with a solid breakfast burrito.
Radio South - Good food options and a ton of seating. If the weather is nice I find this is a great place to work.
Cosmic Saltillo - Another good weather spot. Really can’t beat the ambiance here if you like the sound of running water. If you go late afternoon it tends to get a little busy and loud.
Lazarus Brewing Co. East 6th - This is a great spot during the day. Again, lots of seating, food options. Solid choice if you want to work and have a beer after.
Medici Roasting (Springdale) - Seating can sometimes be tough, but I really like this spot. Again, great food options (Smalls pizza & hand rolls). Can be a bit out of the way depending on where you live.
Pinthouse Brewing - Massive spot with parking. Very convenient if you’re in South Austin. Unreal tavern style pizza, I wouldn’t order it if you plan to get work done after eating it though.
— Ken
Networking / Events
Monday, Jan. 12:
Central Austin Toastmasters - Toastmasters International - 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM - 2008 Justin Lane - Improve your public speaking and leadership skills (Free).
Momentum Monday (+ Wednesday + Friday) Coworking - Momentum Coworking - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Easy Tiger S Lamar - Get stuff done and connect with your newfound coworkers with quiet, focused productivity sprints broken up by 5 minute breaks for connection (Free).
The Healthcare innovation Meetup - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 701 Brazos Street - The event will start with networking session that you meet people from all cross the healthcare field. After, we will have multiple product showcases that are healthcare related. Last up there will be a further networking (Free).
Austin, TX- TechYeet Happy Hour (Domain)!! - 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - 11310 Domain Dr suite 100 - Join for a casual get together for a few laughs as well as some tech networking and discussions (Free).
Starting Your Own Small Business with Vicky Valdez - Austin Economic Development - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM - 5202 E Ben White Blvd suite 400 - learn how to file the required paperwork and gain a clear understanding of the steps required to launch a new small business in Texas. Clear, simple guidance will help you get started quickly, keep costs down, and prepare you to overcome common challenges (Free).
Getting Started with AI for Small Business with Julie Niehoff - Austin Economic Development - 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM - 5202 E Ben White Blvd suite 400 - you'll receive an accessible overview of the latest AI applications and strategies that can be implemented at little to no cost. Learn practical ways to integrate AI into your daily operations—automating tasks, enhancing marketing efforts, and generating content to boost productivity (Free).
AI: The Wish Fulfillment Era - Age of AI - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM - 701 Brazos St - Learn what happens when the “difficulty economy” collapses. When building, learning, caring, and creating become 100-10,000× easier. When every child has the brains of Isaac Newton in their pocket. Keynote talk by Oliver Emberton, with Q&A and networking (Free).
Tuesday, Jan. 13:
You Are the Star! Quarterly spotlight meetup - Hays County Commercial Real Estate Opportunities Group - 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM - 303 Main St · Buda, TX - a structured, friendly format designed to help you meet the right people, share what you’re building, and leave with real next steps. You’ll hear from — and connect with — a diverse mix of brokers, bankers, developers, city leaders, and business owners (Free).
Let's Talk Business - Austin - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM - 121 Pickle Rd - Whether you’re starting out or already running your own gig, this event is all about sharing stories and learning from others. You’ll explore topics like buying existing businesses, mergers and acquisitions, and what it really means to operate and scale a company day-to-day (Free).
Cedar Park / Leander / Liberty Hill Business "Happy Hour" by Networking Local™ - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM - 1615 Scottsdale Dr Building 1 Suite 110 · Leander, TX - Swing on by, meet your business neighbors and, most importantly, Stay Local! Enjoy great beer, atmosphere and tacos (Free).
NIA Anderson Mill NEW LOCATION - Networking ATX - 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM - 14028 US-183 Suite 210 Ste 210 - Join for Mastermind Networking at La Madeleine—great vibes, new connections, and tasty eats in person (Free).
Investor Connect: Pitch & Network Night Austin - Startup Valley - 7:00 PM to 10 PM - 720 Brazos Street #Ste B-710 - meet founders & investors, share your year, and map out your plan for the next one together (Paid).
Explore Funding Options for Your Small Business - Austin Economic Development - 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM - 5202 E Ben White Blvd suite 400 - Learn about working with investors, crowdfunding, various lending options—including Community Lending—and even grants (Free).
AI and the Future of Internal Productivity - GILD - 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM - Register to see address - Join for a short networking mixer, a focused 20–30 minute expert lightning talk, a structured table discussions to apply insights to your own company, time to continue the conversation and build meaningful relationships (Free).
Open Coworking - Capital Factory - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - 701 Brazos St - Stop by and get a feel for their community, work from one of their hot desks, network with the community and stay for a tour (Free).
Wednesday, Jan. 14:
BXN North - Weekly Networking Luncheon - BXN - 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM - 10515 N Mopac Expy NB - Connect with fellow professionals, foster business growth, and enjoy the interactive and referral-driven atmosphere of our group (Free).
Creatives & Tech Speed Networking - Reuneo Match Networking✨ - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 701 Brazos St - Cut to the chase in Austin's startup world and get paired up by interests for quality conversations! Meet creative & tech professionals based on complimentary interests (Free).
Rise & Thrive: Connecting Business Owners at Live Oak BNI - BNI - 7:45 AM to 9:15 AM - 9600 Escarpment Blvd - Join a thriving community of business professionals committed to supporting each other’s success. Imagine having a dedicated sales force that actively promotes your business, even when you're not in the room. That’s the power of BNI (Free).
DinnerLinked Network Night - Austin - DinnerLinked - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - TBA - Enjoy a relaxed dining experience while building genuine connections, exchanging ideas, and discovering ways to support and grow with one another (Paid).
Cedar Park / Leander / Liberty Hill "Coffee Hour" by Networking Local™ - 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM - 1615 Scottsdale Dr Building 1 Suite 110 · Leander, TX - Swing on by, meet your business neighbors and, most importantly, Stay Local! Enjoy great coffee, atmosphere and tacos (Free).
Dinner with Entrepreneurs | Austin (Gold Tier Edition) - Ermantourage - 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM - East 6th Street - A cozy dinner with entrepreneurs to network + share experiences! This is for more established entrepreneurs (Paid).
CEO Luncheon - The A List Staffing & The University of Texas Club - 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM - 2108 Robert Dedman Drive - Join a select group of CEOs for an exclusive luncheon hosted in the private setting of The University of Texas Club (Paid).
Monthly Meetup: New Year, New Conexiones - ALPFA Austin - 6 PM to 8 PM - 1115 E 11th St. - Meet fellow Latino professionals, welcome new members, and learn about the 2026 initiatives. Join a space for meaningful networking to start the year with intention (Free).
Thursday, Jan. 15:
BXN Westlake Networking Luncheon - BXN - 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM - 3201 Bee Caves Road - Connect with fellow professionals, foster business growth, and enjoy the interactive and referral-driven atmosphere of the group (Free).
Asmbly Maker Meet: Entrepreneur in a Box - Asmbly Maker Meets - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 9701 Dessau Rd Suite 304 - Discuss everything from marketing your products to managing your finances. As a bonus, you’ll be doing it all while surrounded by the creativity and welcoming space of Asmbly (Free).
BiggerPockets Workshop: Building Your Winning Strategy for 2026 - BiggerPockets Meetups - 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM - 100 Congress Ave - Join BiggerPockets experts Dave Meyer, Henry Washington, and Garrett Brown, along with top local investors, for a hands-on, in-person workshop where you’ll build a personalized investment strategy for 2026 (Paid).
BXN - Buda Networking and Coffee Hour - BXN - 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM - 306 S Main St · Buda, TX - This group is fun, interactive, passes referrals, and gives back to local charities (Free).
Real Estate Deals Made Here! - Real Estate Investors Masterminds - 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM - 8127 Mesa Drive - This Real Estate Mastermind Group has Generated MILLIONS for Investors. Come join them for informative networking, deal pitching, discussing real estate strategies, and ways to leverage your success in real estate investing (Free).
Austin Bitdevs #72 - Bitcoin Park Austin - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 601 Congress Avenue Suite 200 - For those interested in discussing and participating in the research and development of Bitcoin and related protocols (i.e. Lightning, Fedimint, Stratum, etc.) and software. Expect in-depth, Socratic discussions on technical developments within the ecosystem (Free).
Real Talk - Real Talk for Business Owners - 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM - 13010 W Parmer Ln #800, Cedar Park - Join for a deep dive into effective Small Business Growth Strategies. Connect with fellow entrepreneurs and founders in a collaborative and supportive environment (Free).
Intro to Bookkeeping for Small Business with Joana Linares - Austin Economic Development - 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM - 5202 E Ben White Blvd suite 400 - This 3-hour class offers a clear introduction to the basics of bookkeeping for small business owners. Learn how to organize your records and manage your finances effectively (Free).
Westlake Business Owners Networking and Mastermind - Charles Heinzelman - 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM - 3600 North Capital of Texas Highway #Building D - Join local biz owners at Westlake for networking, sharing ideas, and mastering new growth tactics in person (Paid).
Austin/Cedar Park Lunchtime Business Mixer - Austin MNO Networking Group - 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM - 401 East Whitestone Boulevard - This in-person mixer is the perfect spot to network, share ideas, and make new business buddies over lunch (Free).
The 547 - Business Networking Happy Hour - The 547 - 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM - 4715 E 5th St. - Meet entrepreneurs, professionals, and local leaders across industries. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, explore partnerships, or just exchange ideas over drinks, The 547 is the place to make it happen (Free).
Friday, Jan. 16:
Austin Female Founders & Friends - The Artemis Fund - 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - 1300 E 4th St - Join for a quarterly meet-up to connect with female founders and investors as we cultivate a thriving founder community in Austin (Free).
Saturday, Jan. 17:
Primewise Founders Club VC Connect and Networking Event- Austin - Primewise Founders Club Austin - 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM - Austin - Pitch your startup directly to leading venture capital investors and Join Primewise Founders Club's exclusive networking session where visionary entrepreneurs connect, collaborate and create magic together (Free).
Founders Running Club :: Austin - Founders Running Club - 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM - 1601-1999 Nash Hernandez Senior Road - Brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking (Free).
ATX Creator Panel - Building Community & Relationships - ATX Creator Meetups - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Hanover Brazos Street - Whether you're experienced or just starting out, this event is the perfect opportunity to connect with other creators in the area (Paid).
Founders Walk & Talk - Mētan Meetups International - 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM - 2100 Barton Springs Rd - Morning walk for founders. Talk about whatever's on your mind while moving. No elevator pitches, just fresh air & real conversations (Free).
Dinner with Entrepreneurs | Austin (Gold Tier Edition) - Ermantourage - 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM - East 6th Street - A cozy dinner with entrepreneurs to network + share experiences! This is for more established entrepreneurs (Paid).
Big Ballers: Dinner with Entrepreneurs | Austin (Giving Back Edition) - BarCada - 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM - Congress Avenue - Join for a cozy dinner with local entrepreneurs to network, share experiences, & make new connections while giving back to those in need (Paid)!
Sunday, Jan. 18:
HIIT FIT SUNDAY FUNDAY - The Rise: Free Outdoor Fitness in ATX - 8:00 AM to 9:15 AM - 1510 Toomey Road - Expect to run, jump, burpee, push up, sit up, pull up, squat, lunge, swang (not a typo! come find out), and more. It's a full body workout (Free).
Which founder event are you most excited about this week?
Hit reply and tell us. We’ll try to pop into a few of the same ones.
Until next week,
Austin Founders Feed



