MPOWER Labs is a global research and development incubator generating technology and product innovations that can be used, along with innovative business models, to provide new and needed services for the underserved. MPOWER Labs' primary focus is in the financial services industry, from which approximately 2 billion individuals around the world are excluded or underserved. At the core of MPOWER Labs' philosophy is the belief that innovation and partnership, combined with disruptive technology, can generate fundamental sea change that will unlock latent economic potential and generate meaningful social impact. MPOWER Labs is headquartered in Austin, Texas and has offices in Mexico City, Mexico.
The Acton School of Business, located in Austin, Texas, is a one-year MBA in Entrepreneurship program taught exclusively by successful, practicing entrepreneurs. The program is based entirely on experiential learning, featuring intensive 90-hour work weeks where students stand in the shoes of the entrepreneur in over 300 case studies, run real assembly lines and must sell products door to door in order to graduate. The student-faculty ratio is lower than any MBA program in the country, allowing students to develop strong bonds with their entrepreneur-teachers. The Princeton Review has ranked Acton’s teachers among the top five MBA faculties in the country for the past 4 year and rates Acton as one of the “Best Classroom Experiences” in the nation.
So what is GSD&M's Idea City? It is our Built to Last strategy. We will preserve GSD&M's core values and purpose-AND-we are going to stimulate and accelerate progress and innovation in all that we do. GSD&M's Idea City is a destination for visionary ideas that make a difference for our people, our clients, our country and the world. GSD&M's Idea City is in the 'make a difference' business. And we seek to be the best in the world at it.
With $3 billion under management across nine funds, Austin Ventures has provided startup and growth capital to emerging companies for over twenty years. We partner with exceptionally talented entrepreneurs and operating executives to build valuable businesses in a variety of technology and service industries. We invest nationally but maintain a particular focus on Texas and the Southwest, where we are the region's most active investor. Our team of investment professionals works with companies at every stage of the funding lifecycle, from initial seed investments, through startup and growth capital, to management-led buyouts and recapitalizations. Austin Ventures brings a long-term investment perspective, broad experience in building high-growth companies, and access to an unparalleled network of entrepreneurs and executives. Visit austinventures.com for more information.
The law firm founded by Robert S. Strauss and Richard A. Gump in 1945 is one of the world's largest firms. Our growth has come by understanding client problems - and solving them with a strategic combination of legal, practical and political skills. As we proceed in a new millennium marked by dramatic advances in technology and the expansion of international business into new markets, we are well-positioned to provide legal services that meet the changing needs of our clients on a 24/7 basis.
Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is committed to restoring the public's trust in professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 107,000 people in 140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services centered on our core competencies of auditing, accounting, tax, and transactions. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited does not provide services to clients.
The University of Texas at Austin is a nationally recognized doctoral/research university located in Austin, Texas. It is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, the university is considered a "Public Ivy" and had the fourth largest single-campus enrollment in the nation as of fall 2006 (and had the largest enrollment in the country from 1997–2003), with nearly 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 20,000 faculty and staff. The University of Texas at Austin is a major center for academic research, annually exceeding $380 million in funding. The institution has over 450,000 living alumni and prides itself on its outreach and service to the city of Austin, the State of Texas, the Nation and the World.
The Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas is a community of entrepreneurs. We amplify the philanthropic efforts of our member companies, their entrepreneurs, boards and employees who invest equity, time and talent to make Central Texas an even better place to live, work and play. Our programs help build successful corporate cultures and allow start-up companies to participate philanthropically, even though charitable funds may be scarce.
GCI Read-Poland uniquely combines traditional business-related media, marketing and special events skills with political acumen and expertise gained from broad experience in politics and government. GCI Read-Poland represents the Austin operations of GCI Group (http://www.gcigroup.com), a leading global public relations firm with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia that is part of the WPP Group, one of the world’s largest communications services groups. Among GCI’s roster of clients are major Fortune 500 companies, including Dell, Genentech, Nike, Merck, Whole Foods and Starbuck’s.
Headspring Systems, a software consulting company, delivers exceptional value by connecting business processes with IT best practices to create customized, user-centric software systems. Headspring helps you to: improve efficiency by streamlining disparate business processes into integrated software solutions. Minimize time to market by using the proven Headspring Devolution™ process to produce outstanding results. Decrease enterprise software development costs by validating concepts and features against real user experiences in the Headspring Virtual Test Lab™ before development begins. Increase end-user adoption by utilizing proven software design standards combined with expert usability practices. Increase revenues by innovating and optimizing software products through research, validation and design. Find out how our focused offerings and proven track record guarantees the success of your project by visiting www.headspringsystems.com