Secretary Blinken says U.S. needs to connect to tech ecosystems like Austin
Austin is a hub of innovation and technology solutions, so its startups are getting a lot of attention. Top government officials want to see what’s happening here as well.
So, before a conference at the University of Texas, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured Austin based Capital Factory.
The Capital Factory brands itself as “The Center of Gravity for Entrepreneurs in Texas” and Secretary Blinken says it’s important the government is connected to this ecosystem.
“One of the things that we’ve been working to do at the State Department is to better integrate the work of our innovators, our technologists into the challenges that we’re facing that we’re trying to address, trying to solve,” Secretary Blinken said.
Three innovative startups pitched their technology to the Secretary of State on his tour starting with AI and machine learning security company Hidden Layer. Hidden Layer prevents bad data from being fed into AI and machine learning models.
Drone technology is also on Secretary Blinken’s radar.
“We’ve tested it in the snow,” An eve Vehicles Corporation spokesperson said to Secretary Blinken. “We’ve flown it a lot in the rain as well.”
Secretary Blinken also heard a pitch from eve Vehicles Corporation and even worked on a drone.
Eve makes drone systems for public safety, military, and private security.
Then Blinken wrapped up his tour with a pitch from Gazelle Ecosolutions.
“We’re expanding to other ecosystems around the world next year,” An Ecosolutions representative told Secretary Blinken.
Gazelle is a startup that uses technology to help ranchers, farmers and landowners manage ecologically sensitive areas.
All three companies have the potential to tie into national security and international cooperation.
“It’s very inspiring to see this,” Secretary Blinken said. “I’m absolutely convinced after some years of doing this that the strongest competitive advantage the United States brings to the world is in our innovation, in our technology, in our science,” Blinken said. “It’s an incredible source of strength for us around the world.”