Justin McKenzie, host of The Building Texas Show, will moderate a panel discussion on Texas innovation ecosystems at America House in Austin on Thursday, March 12, 2026. This invite-only event will gather nearly 20 leading innovators from across the country to share insights and shape America's entrepreneurial landscape. The panel will specifically focus on the current landscape, lessons learned, and future shaping of Texas's thriving startup and tech networks.
The event occurs during South by Southwest (SXSW), positioning it as a key gathering for leaders traveling to Texas. America House serves as a unique platform for state-by-state discussions among top stakeholders, innovators, and investors. While other panels at the event will feature diverse leaders from across the country delivering regional briefings, McKenzie's panel will center on Texas's innovation movement. "I am excited to hear from entrepreneurial ecosystems across Texas and the rest of the Country. We are seeing incredible movement across Texas and it has opened industries across Texas, all the way into Space," McKenzie stated.
America House fosters critical connections and dialogue in a collaborative, non-political environment, bringing together university innovators, venture leaders, tech founders, government officials, corporate innovators, and economic development executives. The event series is conceived as a non-political platform that facilitates critical discussions, shares lessons learned, and observes trends shaping America's startup and technology sectors. With over 30 events planned across the country, America House drives collective progress in innovation and economic development.
The Texas-focused discussion highlights the state's growing prominence in national innovation conversations. "This will be an incredible event for leaders traveling into Texas for SXSW this week. The race toward innovation will be driven by entrepreneurs and powered by an incredible Texan workforce," McKenzie noted. The event agenda includes a welcome session at 2:30 PM, panels featuring state innovation leaders from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and networking at 5:30 PM.
For business and technology leaders, this panel represents an opportunity to understand how Texas's innovation ecosystem compares to and collaborates with other states. The discussions may influence investment patterns, talent migration, and policy approaches to supporting entrepreneurship. Attendance is by approved registration only, with interested stakeholders encouraged to follow America House for future updates. More information about The Building Texas Show is available at https://buildingtexasshow.com.
